ABA Market Finder
Estimated autistic kids vs. BCBAs, RBTs and ABA practices, for any U.S. zip code.
| Zip | Place | Est. kids | BCBAs | RBTs | Orgs | Kids per BCBA |
|---|
Four BACB credentials, what it takes to earn each one, and which services each can deliver. Requirements shown are BACB rules as of November 2026, including changes that start January 1, 2027.
A BCBA who also holds a qualifying doctorate.
Board Certified Behavior Analyst. Leads assessment, writes and adjusts treatment plans, trains caregivers, supervises the team.
Board Certified Assistant Behavior Analyst. Does much of the BCBA's work, always under a BCBA.
Registered Behavior Technician. Delivers most of the hands-on therapy hours, following the plan a BCBA writes.
These are the standard ABA service types insurers recognize. BCaBA billing depends on the payer and the state.
| Service | What it is | BCBA / BCBA-D | BCaBA | RBT |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Initial behavior assessment | Evaluation with the child and caregivers to identify behaviors and build the treatment plan | Performs | Under BCBA | No |
| Follow-up observational assessment | Structured observation and data collection that feeds the assessment | Directs | Directs | Delivers |
| Severe behavior assessment | Assessment of harmful behavior in a controlled setting, usually with two or more techs | On site, directs | Under BCBA | Delivers |
| 1:1 therapy by protocol | Direct therapy hours following the written plan. The bulk of billed ABA time | Can deliver | Can deliver | Delivers |
| Group therapy by protocol | Protocol-based therapy for a small group (up to 8) | Can deliver | Can deliver | Delivers |
| Protocol modification | Clinician adjusts the plan with the child present, often while training the RBT | Performs | Under BCBA | No |
| Severe behavior treatment | Treatment of harmful behavior with a modified protocol and two or more techs | On site, directs | Under BCBA | Delivers |
| Social skills group | Clinician-led group (up to 8) focused on social skills | Performs | Under BCBA | No |
| Parent / caregiver training | Guidance for caregivers without the child present | Performs | Under BCBA | No |
| Multi-family group training | Caregiver guidance for up to 8 families at once | Performs | Under BCBA | No |
| RBT supervision | Required monthly supervision and observation of each RBT | Performs | Performs | No |
CMS proposed six new ABA service types for 2027 (final rule expected November 2026): separate billing for assessing and treating harmful behavior with two techs, for each additional tech, for BCBA work done away from the child (data review, treatment decisions, tech training, discharge planning), and for BCBA-delivered 1:1 treatment with analysis.
Insurance billing codes for each service will be added to this tab.
State licensure can add requirements on top of BACB certification. Many states license behavior analysts, and some register technicians.
Every figure is built from three public U.S. government sources plus BACB's published certificant totals. The data covers all 34,000 U.S. zip codes and was compiled in November 2026.
2019 to 2023 5-year estimates, table B09001 (population under 18 by age), for every ZIP Code Tabulation Area. Gives the number of children in each zip by age band.
census.gov/programs-surveys/acsLatest estimate: 1 in 31 children (3.2%) identified with autism at age 8, based on 2022 surveillance data published April 2025. Applied to the Census child counts to estimate autistic kids per zip. The rate is adjustable because local rates vary.
cdc.gov/autism/data-researchThe full NPI registry file, November 2026. Active NPIs counted at their practice location zip using provider taxonomy codes: 103K00000X Behavior Analyst (BCBA), 106S00000X Behavior Technician (RBT), and Type 2 organization NPIs with any ABA code (ABA organizations).
As of July 1, 2026: 85,587 BCBAs and 260,174 RBTs. NPI listings run higher (about 119,500 behavior analysts and 632,700 technicians), so "BACB-adjusted" counts scale each zip by the national ratio (0.72 for BCBAs, 0.41 for RBTs).
bacb.com/bacb-certificant-data