12 Best Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) Programs Online 2023

Here is a list of the top applied behavior analysis programs that you can complete online in 2023.

judah schiller
Judah Schiller
August 9, 2023
Published On
August 9, 2023

#12: Cairn University

Cairn University offers one of the highest ranked online ABA programs in the country. Based in Langhorne, Pennsylvania, it makes available virtual learning for students who want to pursue a master's ABA degree. The degree program costs just over $16,000.

The entire ABA master's program spans around 20 months. Each semester consists of seven weeks of online learning. Students take a variety of courses and sit for classroom instruction to learn the basics of ABA. They also must complete field training and hands-on practicums to complete their online degrees.

Upon completion of the Cairn University online ABA program, students have sufficient knowledge to sit for and pass the ABA certification exam. More information about this virtual ABA master's degree can be found at https://cairn.edu/academics/sciences/special-ed-programs/.

cairn university

#11: University of North Texas

The University of North Texas offers a top ranked online master's of behavioral analysis. This university is located in Denton, Texas but makes available this master's program entirely online.

This degree program consists of flexible classes that fit around students' work or family schedules. No set deadlines exist for completing course work or listening to lectures during the semester. Students can take their courses at their own leisure, and learning is self-paced.

The master's of behavioral analysis from the University of North Texas provides graduates with what they need to know to take and pass the BCBA exam. It also allows graduates to work competently with children with autism. More information can be found at https://hps.unt.edu/bao/welcome-behavior-analysis-online.

#10: Bowling Green University

Bowling Green University, located in Bowling Green, Ohio, offers a virtual Master of Special Education – Applied Behavior Analysis Specialization degree. This degree costs just over $15,000 in tuition and serves as a valuable supplement to an undergraduate or professional degree in education.

Students who complete the program have sufficient skills and knowledge to pass the BCBA exam and obtain their professional certification. They are also well-trained to work in the public or private education sector and devise treatment plans for children with autism.

All of the classes are offered entirely online. They include classroom instruction and learning, as well as hands-on experience prior to graduation. More information about this online ABA degree can be found at https://www.bgsu.edu/ecampus/masters-degrees/med-special-ed-applied-behavior-analysis.html.

#9: National University

National University, headquartered in San Diego, California, offers an entirely online Master in Science in Applied Behavior Analysis. This degree program ranks in the top 100 for social mobility and quality of education according to U.S. News & World Report. Tuition for it totals just under $16,000.

This university's online ABA program consists of a total of a 10-course sequence. Eight of those 10 courses are geared specifically toward sitting for and passing the BCBA exam.

Students also learn about topics like the ethics of ABA and the fundamental principles of behavioral radicalism. They gain hands-on experience to graduate and work with children with autism in real world settings. More information about this degree program can be found at https://www.nu.edu/degrees/applied-behavior-analysis/programs/master-science-applied-behavioral-analysis/.

#8: Capella University

Capella University is headquartered in Minneapolis, Minnesota but offers one of the highest quality ABA program in the U.S. Students can pursue an online ABA master's degree and choose from one of three specializations:

Organizational Behavior Management
Autism Spectrum Disorder
Behavioral Analysis in Education

All three specialties prepare students to work professionally with children of all ages with autism. People can pursue one of these online specialties to supplement a degree in education or to work in a mental health environment.

The online ABA program at Capella University prepares students to pass the BCBA exam prior to or upon graduation. The classes are also offered on a flexible basis to fit around students' everyday schedules. More information can be found at https://www.capella.edu/.

#7: St. Cloud State University

St. Cloud State University, located in St. Cloud, Minnesota, offers a virtual master's in Applied Behavior Analysis for around $13,400. This online degree is nationally accredited, and Ph.D.-level professors teach most of the courses offered in it.

Some of the classes online students can expect to take during this ABA program include:

Advanced Applied Behavior Analysis
Behavioral Applications
Experimental Analysis of Behavior
Behavioral Assessment

The program requires students to complete a thesis and take a comprehensive exam that is geared toward preparing them for the BCBA exam.

U.S. News & World Report ranks the university as a whole as #29, and its online learning program at #85 for social mobility. More information is available at https://www.stcloudstate.edu/cpcf/programs-grad/applied-behavior-analysis/.

#6: Mary Baldwin University

Mary Baldwin University is located in Staunton, Virginia and offers an entirely online master's in ABA degree. The degree is available for a total tuition amount of just under $14,000. It is one of the most affordable ABA programs in the country and ranks as one of the highest quality ABA degrees available to online learners.

The degree program allows students to work closely with professors to learn what is needed to pass the BCBA exam and work in this profession. Registered Behavior Technicians enrolling in the program get a discount on their tuition.

Class schedules are flexible and designed to fit around students' work and family schedules. More details are available at https://marybaldwin.edu/academics/aba/#panel2v.

#5: Endicott University

Located in Beverly, Massachusetts, Endicott University offers two online ABA degrees: A master's in education in autism and applied behavior analysis, severe or moderate concentrations; and a master's of science in applied behavior analysis. The tuition for both degrees totals under $13,000. No GRE admission requirements exist for either program.

Both degree programs offer flexible class schedules and 100 percent virtual learning. The class sizes are designed to be small so every student has the best chances of success and more time to work one-on-one with their professors. Classes are likewise geared toward passing the BCBA exam after graduation. More details about enrolling in and pursuing the online ABA degrees at Endicott University can be found at https://www.endicott.edu/academics/schools/school-of-education/graduate-programs/masters-programs/applied-behavior-analysis.

#4:National Louis University

Found in Chicago Illinois, National Louis University offers an entirely online Master's in Science in Applied Behavior Analysis. This degree program offers a competitive curriculum designed to ensure students' success as knowledgeable and empathetic ABA therapists after graduation.

Students wanting to enroll must submit a professional resume and two letters of recommendation. They must also maintain a B in all of their capstone courses. Some of the classes offered for this program include:

Applied Behavior Analysis
Concepts and Principles of Behavior Analysis
Experimental Analysis of Behavior

Staff in the ABA online program review all student submissions. All students must also complete a thesis to graduate successfully. More details can be found at https://nl.edu/college-of-psychology-and-behavioral-sciences/programs/ms-or-eds-in-applied-behavior-analysis/.

#3: Southeast Missouri State University

Southeast Missouri State University, found in Cape Girardeau, Missouri, offers an entirely online master's of applied behavior science. The tuition for this degree program is among the most affordable in the country, totaling just under $12,000.

The ABA online master's degree program at this university spans about two years and prepares students both for the BCBA exam and working as certified ABA therapists in educational or mental health environments.

All of the classes are held 100 percent online, allowing students from across Missouri and the entire country to enroll and complete coursework without having to travel to Cape Girardeau to attend in-person lectures or take tests.

This online degree program ranks as one of the best in the U.S. More information about it can be found at https://semo.edu/academics/programs/online/graduate-online/applied-behavior-analysis-online.html.

#2: Arizona State University

Arizona State University, located in Tempe, Arizona, offers its innovative Digital Immersion school that itself makes available a virtual Master's in Special Education – Applied Behavior Analysis degree. This degree program costs just under $10,000 total and entails 30 credits and 10 classes geared toward training students to work as successful and knowledgeable ABA therapists in real world settings.

Classes for each term last for seven and a half weeks. Some of the courses available are:

Ethics of Applied Behavior Analysis
Concepts and Principles of ABA
Philosophical Foundations of ABA in Educational Settings
Behavior Change Procedures

Details about the program and pursuing this online ABA master's degree can be found at https://asuonline.asu.edu/online-degree-programs/graduate/master-arts-special-education-applied-behavior-analysis/.

#1: Purdue University

Purdue University Global, headquartered in West Lafayette, Indiana, offers one of the highest ranked online ABA degrees available in the U.S. today. This degree is a Master's in Psychology Online with an Applied Behavior Analysis. It costs just under $11,000 and spans two years, during which terms are broken up into 10 weeks apiece.

The professors teaching the courses for this program are themselves ABA therapists with real-world hands-on experience working with children of all ages who have autism. They also teach students what they need to know to sit for and pass the BCBA exam successfully. Students interested in enrolling in and pursuing the ABA online degree at Purdue University Global can visit https://www.purdueglobal.edu/degree-programs/psychology/master-degree-psychology/ for information.