SCUBA Q4 2024: A Light Dive into ABA Service Provider Market Metrics
As someone passionate about the growth and evolution of the ABA service provider market, I’ve decided to start tracking some key growth metrics over time using publicly available data. But don’t worry—this isn’t meant to be overly scientific. In fact, I’m calling this project Scott’s Completely Unscientific Behaviorist Assessment (SCUBA) to keep things light and fun.
ABA therapy is a rapidly growing field, driven by the increasing recognition of the importance of early intervention for individuals with autism and other developmental challenges. But how do we measure growth in this market? Here are the kinds of metrics I’ll be looking at:
Number of LinkedIn Employees: A rough indicator of workforce size.
Job Postings on LinkedIn: A snapshot of hiring trends, even if LinkedIn isn’t the only (or primary) recruiting tool for many providers.
States of Operation: A simple metric to gauge geographic reach—though not necessarily a perfect measure of size.
Some Notes on the Data
Let’s not take these metrics too seriously!
Many behavior therapists may not even have LinkedIn profiles.
Job postings on LinkedIn often represent multiple hires, not just single openings. And, not all jobs are posted on LinkedIn.
Operating in many states doesn’t always equate to being the largest provider—it’s just one lens to view scale.
Scale: A Double-Edged Sword?
As I look at the data, I can’t help but consider the implications of scale in this market. Large providers may benefit from:
Streamlined operations.
Funding for advanced clinical work.
The ability to deliver more meaningful outcomes metrics to payors.
But scale isn’t always an advantage. Smaller providers often foster a collegial, close-knit atmosphere that can be harder to maintain in large organizations—especially in a field where many professionals are drawn by passion rather than compensation.
A Teaser for Consulting and Deeper Insights
This quarterly SCUBA post is just the surface. For those interested in diving deeper, I can provide custom assessments of specific providers, vendors, or submarkets. Whether it’s understanding hiring trends, analyzing growth opportunities, or benchmarking operational efficiencies, I’m here to help.
And please reach out if you think my data can be improved in any way.
As of Q4 2024
As of Q4 2024
As of Q4 2024