Best ABA Programs in Chicago (2026)
The ABA and BCBA programs a Chicago student can actually attend, what behavior analysts earn in the Chicago metro, the local employers hiring RBTs and BCBAs right now, and the Illinois LBA license you need to practice.
Key Takeaways
- Behavior analysts in the Chicago-Naperville-Elgin metro earn a BLS median of $61,600 (the category that includes behavior analysts), about 3.8% above the $59,350 national median. BCBA-specific pay runs much higher, with Glassdoor reporting a Chicago BCBA average near $93,000.
- Chicago has real campus options: The Chicago School runs an ABAI-accredited M.S. on its downtown campus and fully online, the University of Illinois Chicago offers a 40-credit M.S. with evening classes built for working students, and National Louis University sits right in the Loop.
- If you want fully online, you can earn an ABA master's from Chicago through Loyola University Chicago (30% tuition discount) or Ball State (ABAI-verified, autism emphasis), and Southern Illinois University waives full tuition with an assistantship.
- Chicago is one of the deepest ABA job markets in the Midwest. Action Behavior Centers, North Shore Pediatric Therapy, BlueSprig, Easterseals DuPage & Fox Valley, plus Lurie Children's Hospital and Chicago Public Schools all hire BCBAs and RBTs.
- To practice independently in Chicago you need an Illinois Licensed Behavior Analyst (LBA) credential through IDFPR, a brand-new license that took effect January 15, 2025 and requires BCBA certification plus a background check.
Chicago is one of the strongest ABA markets in the Midwest, and the reasons line up neatly. It is the third-largest city in the country, autism diagnosis rates keep climbing, and Illinois requires state-regulated insurance plans to cover ABA therapy for children with autism. That combination has pulled national ABA providers into Chicagoland in a big way, alongside long-established local nonprofits like Easterseals DuPage & Fox Valley and a deep bench of pediatric clinics.
For students, Chicago is a rare metro where you can get an ABAI-accredited degree without leaving the city. The Chicago School of Professional Psychology runs an ABAI-accredited M.S. in Applied Behavior Analysis on its downtown campus and online, which is unusual because the same accredited curriculum is offered in both formats. If you want a public-university price tag, the University of Illinois Chicago offers a 40-credit M.S. in Applied Behavior Analysis, Disability, and Diversity in Urban Society, with courses held in the evening so you can keep a daytime RBT job. National Louis University in the Loop and online options from Loyola University Chicago round out the local field.
The thing to know before you commit is that Illinois changed the rules in 2025. The state launched its Licensed Behavior Analyst (LBA) credential on January 15, 2025, so every behavior analyst working in Chicago now needs a state license through IDFPR on top of national BACB certification. That is new, it is enforced, and it is one more reason to pick a program that maps cleanly onto the BCBA exam. The upside is a metro full of employers who pay for supervision, reimburse tuition, and run formal RBT-to-BCBA pipelines, so getting credentialed in Chicago is more affordable than the sticker prices suggest.
ABA Programs You Can Attend From Chicago
All 7 programs ranked in this guide, with tuition, format, and accreditation at a glance.
| # | School | In-State Tuition | Format | Length |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | The Chicago School: M.S. in Applied Behavior Analysis | ~$16,000/year (~$32,000 total over 2 years) | On-campus | |
| 2 | University of Illinois Chicago: M.S. in Applied Behavior Analysis, Disability, and Diversity | ~$18,000 to $22,000 total in-state | On-campus | |
| 3 | National Louis University: M.S. in Applied Behavior Analysis | $715/credit | Hybrid | |
| 4 | Loyola University Chicago: M.Ed. in Applied Behavior Analysis (Online) | ~$816/credit after 30% discount (~$24,480 total, 30 credits) | Fully online | |
| 5 | Northern Illinois University: Graduate Certificate in Applied Behavior Analysis | $510/credit | Online and on-campus options | |
| 6 | Southern Illinois University: M.S. in Behavior Analysis and Therapy (Statewide ABAI Option) | $510/credit (effectively free with assistantship) | On-campus | |
| 7 | Ball State University: M.A. in Applied Behavior Analysis (Online, Autism Emphasis) | ~$485/credit (online rate, ~$15,500 total) | Fully online |
The Chicago School: M.S. in Applied Behavior Analysis
In-State
~$16,000/year (~$32,000 total over 2 years)
Out-of-State
~$16,000/year (~$32,000 total)
Length
2 to 2.5 years (six consecutive semesters)
Field Hours
1,500 supervised experience hours
Concentrations
- ABAI-accredited on the downtown Chicago campus and fully online, a rare dual-format accreditation
- Same accredited curriculum whether you attend in person or remotely from anywhere in the metro
- Urban clinical placements with diverse client populations across the city
- Flat tuition regardless of residency, so Chicago and out-of-area students pay the same
- Local employers like NSPT offer tuition discounts to The Chicago School students
University of Illinois Chicago: M.S. in Applied Behavior Analysis, Disability, and Diversity
In-State
~$18,000 to $22,000 total in-state
Out-of-State
~$32,000 to $38,000 total out-of-state
Length
2 years (40 credits, 10 courses)
Field Hours
1,500 supervised experience hours
Concentrations
- Public-university M.S. housed in UIC's College of Education, in the heart of Chicago
- Courses are held in the evening so you can hold a daytime RBT job while you study
- 40-credit, 10-course sequence that leaves you eligible to sit the BCBA exam
- Explicit focus on serving marginalized and culturally diverse urban communities
- Lower public-university pricing than most private Chicago-area ABA programs
National Louis University: M.S. in Applied Behavior Analysis
In-State
$715/credit
Out-of-State
$715/credit
Length
2 years
Field Hours
1,500 supervised experience hours
Concentrations
- Hybrid format pairs online flexibility with in-person faculty time at the Loop campus
- Downtown Chicago location with easy access to urban clinical placements
- Flat $715 per credit regardless of residency, cheaper than many private Chicago programs
- Covers assessment, program design, and staff management for clinic and school roles
- NSPT lists a tuition discount for National Louis students in its BCBA pipeline
Loyola University Chicago: M.Ed. in Applied Behavior Analysis (Online)
In-State
~$816/credit after 30% discount (~$24,480 total, 30 credits)
Out-of-State
~$816/credit after 30% discount (~$24,480 total)
Length
18 to 24 months
Field Hours
1,500 supervised experience hours (completed separately)
Concentrations
- Every ABA admit receives a 30% tuition discount for the full program
- Fully online and asynchronous, so you study around a Chicago clinic schedule
- All core faculty hold doctoral degrees and BCBA or BCBA-D credentials
- 30-credit program completable in 18 to 24 months, an efficient path to BCBA eligibility
- Jesuit-tradition emphasis on ethical practice, with a capstone tied to fieldwork
Northern Illinois University: Graduate Certificate in Applied Behavior Analysis
In-State
$510/credit
Out-of-State
$510/credit (online rate)
Length
1 to 1.5 years (certificate)
Field Hours
1,500 supervised experience hours (completed separately)
Concentrations
- Built for teachers, psychologists, and counselors adding BCBA coursework to an existing master's
- Affordable public pricing at $510 per credit, online or on the DeKalb campus
- Skip a second full degree if you already hold a qualifying master's
- Can pair with NIU's M.S.Ed. in Special Education for a complete degree path
- Close enough to Chicago for clinical placements across the western suburbs
Southern Illinois University: M.S. in Behavior Analysis and Therapy (Statewide ABAI Option)
In-State
$510/credit (effectively free with assistantship)
Out-of-State
$510/credit (effectively free with assistantship)
Length
2 years
Field Hours
1,500 supervised experience hours
Concentrations
- ABAI-accredited and one of the most affordable ABA degrees in the country
- Every accepted student gets a graduate assistantship that waives full tuition
- A relocation from Chicago, but the free-tuition model draws students statewide
- Long-established program with deep roots in the behavior analysis tradition
- Small cohorts mean close faculty mentorship and hands-on clinical training
Ball State University: M.A. in Applied Behavior Analysis (Online, Autism Emphasis)
In-State
~$485/credit (online rate, ~$15,500 total)
Out-of-State
~$485/credit (online rate, ~$15,500 total)
Length
2 to 3 years
Field Hours
1,500 supervised experience hours
Concentrations
- One of the largest online ABA master's programs in the country, with an ABAI-verified course sequence
- Fully online with an autism emphasis, so a Chicago student never has to relocate
- Flat online tuition for in-state and out-of-state students alike
- No GRE and no recommendation letters required for regular admission
- Complete your 1,500 supervised hours at a Chicago clinic while you take classes
Illinois Behavior Analyst Licensure (LBA/LABA) for Chicago Practitioners
The licensing board, exam pathway, and supervised hours you'll need to practice independently.
Licensing Board
Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation (IDFPR), Behavior Analysts
(800) 560-6420
To practice as a behavior analyst in Chicago you now need a state license through the Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation (IDFPR) on top of your national certification. This is brand new: Illinois launched its Licensed Behavior Analyst credential on January 15, 2025, with enforcement that followed in spring 2025. The license applies statewide, so the rules are identical whether you work in the Loop, Naperville, Evanston, or Aurora. You need both BACB certification and the IDFPR license to bill and supervise legally, and there is no separate Illinois exam, the state accepts your BCBA exam result.
The two Illinois credentials are the Licensed Behavior Analyst (LBA) for master's-level independent practice and the Licensed Assistant Behavior Analyst (LABA) for bachelor's-level practice under supervision. The LBA requires current BCBA certification; the LABA requires BCaBA certification. The initial application fee is $400 for an LBA and $100 for a LABA, and every Chicago applicant must complete fingerprinting and a criminal background check. Applications go through IDFPR's online licensing system.
Renewal is biennial, with all licenses expiring October 31 of odd-numbered years. LBAs need 30 continuing education units per cycle and LABAs need 20. If you are an RBT working at a Chicago clinic, your RBT credential comes straight from the BACB and does not require a separate IDFPR license, but the BCBA who supervises you must hold an active Illinois LBA.
Licensed Behavior Analyst
Independent practice of applied behavior analysis: assessment, treatment design, supervision of RBTs and assistants
Hours
1,500
Duration
Associate
Exam: BCBA Exam (BACB); no separate Illinois exam
Licensed Assistant Behavior Analyst
Practice of ABA under LBA supervision: implement and monitor treatment plans in Chicago clinics, homes, and schools
Hours
1,000
Duration
Associate
Exam: BCaBA Exam (BACB); no separate Illinois exam
Illinois does not run a formal reciprocity agreement, but because IDFPR ties licensure directly to BACB certification, relocating to Chicago is straightforward. If you already hold current BCBA certification in good standing, you apply for an Illinois LBA by submitting your application, proof of certification, and clearing the fingerprint background check. There is no extra Illinois exam, residency requirement, or repeated supervised-practice period for certified behavior analysts moving into the Chicago market. Just budget time for the new licensing process, since the program is only a year old and processing volumes are still ramping up.
Behavior Analyst & BCBA Salary in Chicago
BLS state median wages by counseling specialty, with national comparison and top-paying metros.
Chicago behavior analysts are paid above the national average, though the metro premium for the broad BLS category is modest. The BLS Chicago-Naperville-Elgin metro data below covers the broader behavioral-disorder and mental-health counselor category (SOC 21-1018), which is the standard proxy for behavior analysts. The metro median of $61,600 sits about 3.8% above the $59,350 national median, and the category employs roughly 15,580 people across the metro, one of the largest such workforces in the country. The percentile spread is wide, from about $43,010 at the 10th percentile to $114,770 at the 90th, which tells you experience and credentials matter a lot here. BCBA-specific pay reported by employers and job boards runs well above the broad-category median: Glassdoor puts the average Chicago BCBA near $93,000, with clinical directors and multi-site supervisors clearing $115,000. Illinois does have a flat state income tax, so unlike Texas or Florida the metro premium does not get an extra after-tax boost, but it is still a high-demand market with strong room to grow.
Behavioral Disorder & Mental Health Counselors (incl. Behavior Analysts), Chicago-Naperville-Elgin
National median: $59,350
Top metro: $61,600 (Chicago-Naperville-Elgin)
BCBA-Certified Professionals, Chicago (employer-reported)
National median: $78,000
Top metro: $116,099 (Chicago metro)
RBT / Behavior Technicians, Chicago (employer-reported)
National median: $37,800
Top ABA Employers and Jobs in Chicago
Major employers, mental health shortage context, and loan repayment programs that erase debt for service.
Chicago is one of the deepest ABA job markets in the Midwest, anchored by a dense field of national providers and a long bench of local clinics. Action Behavior Centers runs clinics across Chicagoland, including a Lincolnwood center on the north side, and openly recruits BCBAs in the high $70,000s to low $80,000s plus sign-on bonuses through its careers page. North Shore Pediatric Therapy, a Chicago-grown provider with around ten centers across the suburbs, runs a formal BCBA Fellowship that walks behavior therapists up to certification and partners with The Chicago School and National Louis on tuition discounts. BlueSprig staffs Illinois centers, and local clinics like the Illinois Autism Center in Lincoln Park round out the clinic field.
Beyond the clinic chains, two other employer types matter in Chicago. The first is healthcare and nonprofits: Lurie Children's Hospital, the largest pediatric hospital in Illinois, employs ABA specialists in its developmental and behavioral programs, and Easterseals DuPage & Fox Valley delivers behavior therapy out of Villa Park, Naperville, and Elgin. The second is the public schools, which hire behavior analysts and behavior specialists directly. Chicago Public Schools is the third-largest district in the country and posts BCBA and behavior-specialist roles to support special education, and large suburban districts across DuPage, Cook, and Lake counties do the same. School roles come with a school calendar plus a clear path to Public Service Loan Forgiveness.
The engine under all of this is Illinois's autism insurance mandate, which requires state-regulated health plans to cover ABA therapy for diagnosed children. Steady coverage means steady demand, which is why the RBT-to-BCBA pipeline works so well here. Most students start as a Registered Behavior Technician at one of the clinics above, earn their 1,500 to 2,000 supervised fieldwork hours on the job while a clinic BCBA signs off, finish an online or local master's, sit the BCBA exam, and then apply for the Illinois LBA. NSPT, Action Behavior Centers, and others pay for supervision and reimburse part of your tuition, so it is genuinely possible to get certified in Chicago without taking on a mountain of debt.
Loan Repayment & Scholarship Programs
Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF): BCBAs employed by Chicago Public Schools, suburban districts, Lurie Children's Hospital, Easterseals, or other nonprofit ABA providers qualify for federal PSLF after 120 qualifying payments.
Employer-paid supervision and tuition reimbursement: Chicago clinics like North Shore Pediatric Therapy and Action Behavior Centers advertise paid BCBA supervision, tuition partnerships, and sign-on bonuses, which cuts your real cost of certification.
Illinois LBA processing: Budget for the $400 LBA application fee plus fingerprinting, and apply early since the licensing program only launched in January 2025.
Low-cost in-state routes: Pairing an affordable program like SIU (free with assistantship), UIC, or NIU's certificate with a paid RBT job is the cheapest realistic route to BCBA from Chicago.
How to Choose an ABA Program in Chicago
Decision factors that actually matter, not generic checklist filler.
From Chicago the real decision is campus versus online, and which local employer you want to grow into. Use these factors to narrow it down.
If you want the best-accredited program inside Chicago: The Chicago School is ABAI-accredited on campus and online, the strongest in-city credential. It is a private program, so weigh tuition against the NSPT and other employer discounts.
If you want a public-university price downtown: University of Illinois Chicago runs an evening M.S. built for working students, which lets you keep a daytime RBT job and bank supervised hours while you study.
If you need to work full-time and study remotely: go online. Loyola University Chicago (30% discount) and Ball State (ABAI-verified, autism emphasis) both let you keep a Chicago clinic job and complete fieldwork locally.
If cost is the deciding factor: Southern Illinois University waives full tuition with an assistantship, and NIU's $510-per-credit certificate is the cheapest add-on route if you already hold a qualifying master's.
If you will commute or relocate: Northern Illinois in DeKalb is about 65 miles west and works for western-suburb students, while SIU in Carbondale is a relocation that pays off through free tuition.
Match the program to the employer you want: school-district BCBA roles at Chicago Public Schools and suburban districts reward special-education-heavy curricula like UIC and NIU, while clinic chains like Action Behavior Centers and NSPT care most that you are credentialed and licensed.
Related Pages
ABA Programs in Illinois
The full statewide guide to Illinois ABA programs and LBA licensure
BCBA Career Guide
What BCBAs actually do day-to-day
BCBA Salary Data
Salary data by state, experience, and employer type
Best Online ABA Programs
National ranking of the top online ABA master's programs
ABA Programs in Atlanta
ABA programs, salary, and employers in the Atlanta metro
ABA Programs in Houston
ABA programs, salary, and employers in the Houston metro
Sources
- BLS: Occupational Employment and Wages, Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN (May 2025)
- Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation: Behavior Analysts
- BACB: Verified Course Sequences
- ABAI: Accredited Programs Directory
- The Chicago School: M.S. in Applied Behavior Analysis (ABAI-Accredited)
- University of Illinois Chicago: M.S. Applied Behavior Analysis, Disability, and Diversity
- North Shore Pediatric Therapy: BCBA Careers in Chicagoland
- Glassdoor: BCBA Salary in Chicago, IL