Lead RBT Job Description Near Me Salary in 2025

Lead RBT Job Description oversees behavior technician teams, implements treatment plans, collects data, ensures client progress, and supports training.

• Job title: Lead RBT (Registered Behavior Technician)
• Key duties: therapy delivery, staff coaching, and admin support
• Pay: $25–$35 per hour on average
• Typical schedule: 30–40 hours per week, balanced between therapy and leadership
• Best for: experienced RBTs who want to step up
• Path forward: great prep for BCBA supervision roles

For those who are interested in an ABA career, let me break down exactly what a Lead Registered Behavior Technician (Lead RBT) does – what the role looks like, how it works, the skills you’ll need, pay expectations, and even what other people in the field say about it.

I want you to feel super clear on whether this move is right for you.

What Is a Lead RBT?

At its core, a Lead RBT is still an RBT — basically, you’ll work directly with clients, delivering one-on-one or small-group ABA services under the supervision of a BCBA.

But you’ll have to take on extra leadership duties such as coaching and training other RBTs, helping organize schedules and making sure that the data is collected correctly, and keeping everything running smoothly.

If I have to describe it in simple terms, it’s a hybrid role — a mix of hands-on therapy and team leadership.

Main Duties and Responsibilities

There is no one fixed answer or strict rules, but here’s what a Lead RBT usually takes care of:

• Providing ABA therapy services based on treatment plans
• Collecting and analyzing data on client progress
• Training and mentoring new or junior RBTs
• Supporting the BCBA with the implementation of behavior plans
• Handling some administrative tasks (like clinical direction, scheduling, timesheets, and supplies)
• Serving as the point of contact for team members and families
• Helping troubleshoot challenging behavior situations
• Making sure your team sticks to clinical and ethical standards

If you become a Lead RBT, you will be basically the bridge between the BCBA and the direct-care RBT staff.

You’ll keep the whole operation on track while still working with clients.

How a Lead RBT Typically Works Day to Day

Task	Estimated Weekly Hours
Direct ABA therapy	20–30 hours
Training & mentoring	4–10 hours
Administrative work	5–10 hours
Team meetings / support	2–5 hours

Average Salary for a Lead RBT

Let’s talk money.

The average hourly pay for a standard RBT in the U.S. is around $20–$26 per hour, depending on location and experience.

A Lead RBT usually earns a bit more — think $25–$35 per hour, and sometimes higher in high-cost-of-living regions.

However, if you are a Full-time Lead RBT, you could see annual salaries around $45,000–$65,000 in most places.

Skills You’ll Need to Succeed

If you want to feel confident in a Lead RBT role, here’s what really helps:

• Strong clinical skills – you must know how to run programs with precision
• Communication – Coordinating between BCBAs, families, and other RBTs
• Organizational skills – Manage scheduling, timesheets, and materials
• Coaching mindset – Sometimes, you will be mentoring newer RBTs takes patience and clarity
• Data collection accuracy – It is your job to make sure progress is tracked the right way
• Problem-solving – For any issue arising, you must troubleshoot challenging behaviors
• Professionalism – It is in your job description that you must be professional and follow their ethics code and that you’ll be setting the standard for others to follow.

Qualifications You Need

• Active RBT certification in good standing
• Usually at least 1–2 years of RBT experience
• High school diploma (though many agencies prefer some college or a related degree)
• Current CPR/First Aid
• Clean background check
• Reliable transportation

The skills you need will differ from agency to agency, and it will also look for experience with specialized client populations, like autism, severe challenging behavior, or early intervention.

What Reddit and Real RBTs Say

I’ve seen a lot of real-world talk from RBTs and BCBAs about Lead roles.

Let me share what folks out there are saying:

“Our Lead RBT mostly does admin tasks, like coordinating schedules, running interviews, and signing off on timesheets. She still sees a few clients each week.”

“The Lead title in my clinic is kind of like a team supervisor. You’re the BCBA’s right hand.”

“You might end up putting out fires, covering sessions, and keeping everyone in the loop.”

As you can see, that’s the human reality — you’ll still work with clients, but you’ll have a bigger stake in making the whole team successful.

Common Challenges of the Job

It’s not all glamour and money, but here’s the honest truth. Being a Lead RBT isn’t always a cakewalk. You might deal with:

• Scheduling headaches
• Last-minute call-offs
• Staff conflicts
• High turnover
• Balancing therapy hours with admin demands

For someone who likes solving problems and doesn’t mind wearing a lot of hats, you’ll probably enjoy it.