75/100RP Score
Ranked #1 because of specialty focus and its Google rating: listed on Google as “Applied behavior analysis therapist”, 5.0★ from 20 Google reviews.
Best ABA Therapy Providers in San Diego, CA (2026)
38 ABA therapy providers ranked by RP ScoreUpdated 0 paid placements in this rankingHow we rank →
The short answer
- 1
Best overall in San Diego: ACES ABA - Autism Therapy Center, RP Score 75/100; 5.0★ from 20 Google reviews; open Saturdays until 3 PM.
- 23
Most-reviewed: Stars Therapy - Community Center, 251 Google reviews at 4.9★, the most of 38 ranked; ranked #23.
Rankings can't be bought. Psychologists can't pay to change their rank or score. How we rank
38 San Diego ABA therapy providers are ranked here by RP Score, from eight published factors. 16 open Saturdays and 2 open Sundays, based on posted hours. The median Google rating is 4.8★ across 38 rated practices.
Top 10 ABA therapy providers in San Diego at a glance
Ranked by the RP Score from public listing data, not by treatment outcomes; Sponsored placements are shown separately and never change rank.
| Rank | Business | RP Score | Google rating | Based in | Hours | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | ACES ABA - Autism Therapy Center | 75 | 5.0★ (20) | San Diego | Sat · Evenings | Overall |
| 2 | ACES ABA - Autism Therapy Center | 74 | 4.1★ (44) | San Diego | Sat · Evenings | — |
| 3 | Intercare Therapy | 73 | 5.0★ (3) | San Diego | Sat · Evenings | — |
| 4 | Cortica San Diego | 73 | 4.6★ (86) | San Diego | Evenings | — |
| 5 | Kyo Autism Therapy | 72 | 4.7★ (17) | San Diego | Evenings | — |
| 6 | Superstar ABA Therapy Center | 71 | 5.0★ (7) | El Cajon, 12 mi away | Sat · Sun | — |
| 7 | ABS Kids ABA Therapy Center | 71 | 5.0★ (7) | San Diego | — | — |
| 8 | ACES ABA - Autism Therapy Center | 71 | 3.9★ (25) | Chula Vista, 7 mi away | Sat · Evenings | — |
| 9 | ACES ABA - Autism Therapy Center | 70 | 4.6★ (25) | El Cajon, 13 mi away | Sat · Evenings | — |
| 10 | Center for Thoughtful Lasting Change, Inc | 69 | 3.4★ (5) | San Diego | — | — |
The 38 best ABA therapy providers in San Diego, ranked
Ordered by RP Score, a 0–100 score from eight published factors. Paid placement never changes the order.
Ranked by the RP Score from public listing data, not by treatment outcomes; Sponsored placements are shown separately and never change rank.
Scores below: based on 7 of 8 factors; recency not yet collected. Hatched segments mark factors we don't have yet.
Based in San Diego
74/100RP ScoreRanked #2 because of specialty focus and its Google rating: listed on Google as “Applied behavior analysis therapist”, 4.1★ from 44 Google reviews.
Based in San Diego
73/100RP ScoreRanked #3 because of specialty focus and its Google rating: listed on Google as “Applied behavior analysis therapist”, 5.0★ from 3 Google reviews.
Based in San Diego
73/100RP ScoreRanked #4 because of specialty focus and its Google rating: listed on Google as “Applied behavior analysis therapist”, 4.6★ from 86 Google reviews.
Based in San Diego
72/100RP ScoreRanked #5 because of specialty focus and its Google rating: listed on Google as “Applied behavior analysis therapist”, 4.7★ from 17 Google reviews.
Based in El Cajon, 12 mi away
71/100RP ScoreRanked #6 because of specialty focus and its Google rating: listed on Google as “Applied behavior analysis therapist”, 5.0★ from 7 Google reviews.
Based in San Diego
71/100RP ScoreRanked #7 because of specialty focus and its Google rating: listed on Google as “Applied behavior analysis therapist”, 5.0★ from 7 Google reviews.
Based in Chula Vista, 7 mi away
71/100RP ScoreRanked #8 because of specialty focus and its Google rating: listed on Google as “Applied behavior analysis therapist”, 3.9★ from 25 Google reviews.
Based in El Cajon, 13 mi away
70/100RP ScoreRanked #9 because of specialty focus and its Google rating: listed on Google as “Applied behavior analysis therapist”, 4.6★ from 25 Google reviews.
Based in San Diego
69/100RP ScoreRanked #10 because of specialty focus and its Google rating: listed on Google as “Applied behavior analysis therapist”, 3.4★ from 5 Google reviews.
Based in Chula Vista, 13 mi away
69/100RP ScoreRanked #11 because of specialty focus and its Google rating: listed on Google as “Applied behavior analysis therapist”, 5.0★ from 7 Google reviews.
Based in Chula Vista, 9 mi away
69/100RP ScoreRanked #12 because of specialty focus and its Google rating: listed on Google as “Applied behavior analysis therapist”, 4.8★ from 25 Google reviews.
Based in National City, 10 mi away
67/100RP ScoreRanked #13 because of specialty focus and its Google rating: listed on Google as “Applied behavior analysis therapist”, 4.1★ from 17 Google reviews.
Based in Vista, 18 mi away
67/100RP ScoreRanked #14 because of specialty focus and its Google rating: listed on Google as “Applied behavior analysis therapist”, 5.0★ from 7 Google reviews.
#15 CAPSIPAT
Based in San Diego
66/100RP ScoreRanked #15 because of its Google rating and proximity: 5.0★ from 9 Google reviews, based in San Diego.
Based in Chula Vista, 12 mi away
66/100RP ScoreRanked #16 because of specialty focus and its Google rating: listed on Google as “Applied behavior analysis therapist”, 5.0★ from 6 Google reviews.
Based in El Cajon, 13 mi away
66/100RP ScoreRanked #17 because of specialty focus and its Google rating: listed on Google as “Applied behavior analysis therapist”, 4.4★ from 14 Google reviews.
#18 Maiden's Embrace
Based in Poway, 13 mi away
65/100RP ScoreRanked #18 because of specialty focus and its Google rating: listed on Google as “Applied behavior analysis therapist”, 5.0★ from 4 Google reviews.
Based in San Diego
62/100RP ScoreRanked #19 because of its Google rating and specialty focus: 5.0★ from 7 Google reviews, listed on Google as “Mental health service”.
Based in Vista, 34 mi away
62/100RP ScoreRanked #20 because of specialty focus and its Google rating: listed on Google as “Applied behavior analysis therapist”, 5.0★ from 15 Google reviews.
Based in Carlsbad, 33 mi away
61/100RP ScoreRanked #21 because of specialty focus and its Google rating: listed on Google as “Applied behavior analysis therapist”, 4.4★ from 13 Google reviews.
#22 Cortica Carlsbad
Based in Carlsbad, 30 mi away
60/100RP ScoreRanked #22 because of specialty focus and its Google rating: listed on Google as “Applied behavior analysis therapist”, 4.4★ from 52 Google reviews.
Based in Chula Vista, 12 mi away
60/100RP ScoreRanked #23 because of its Google rating and specialty focus: 4.9★ from 251 Google reviews, listed on Google as “Community center”.
Based in Poway, 28 mi away
59/100RP ScoreRanked #24 because of specialty focus and its Google rating: listed on Google as “Applied behavior analysis therapist”, 5.0★ from 6 Google reviews.
Based in Carlsbad, 29 mi away
59/100RP ScoreRanked #25 because of specialty focus and its Google rating: listed on Google as “Applied behavior analysis therapist”, 5.0★ from 4 Google reviews.
All 38 ABA therapy providers
#1 to #25 are shown in full above. Here are #26 to #38, in RP Score order; each links to its profile.
| Rank | Business | RP Score | Google rating | Distance |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 26 | Autism Spectrum Therapies AST | 59 | 3.3★ (9) | In San Diego |
| 27 | Golden View Learning Center | 58 | 4.3★ (3) | 29 mi |
| 28 | ABS Kids Autism Diagnosis Clinic | 57 | 4.1★ (31) | In San Diego |
| 29 | Autism Spectrum Therapies AST | 57 | 4.4★ (7) | In San Diego |
| 30 | Golden View Learning Center | 57 | 5.0★ (4) | 33 mi |
| 31 | Autism Learning Partners San Diego | 57 | 2.9★ (13) | In San Diego |
| 32 | ACES Academy - Autism Education Center | 57 | 5.0★ (4) | In San Diego |
| 33 | In STEPPS | 56 | 5.0★ (3) | 35 mi |
| 34 | PSICOTRIBU INTI | Psicólogas en Tijuana Zona Río | 54 | 5.0★ (4) | 16 mi |
| 35 | Aligned Families | 51 | 5.0★ (28) | 30 mi |
| 36 | Center For Autism And Related Disorders | 49 | 4.2★ (5) | 29 mi |
| 37 | Center for Autism & Related Disorders | 45 | 2.3★ (3) | 35 mi |
| 38 | 1-Step Ahead ABA | 45 | 3.7★ (3) | 28 mi |
Also serving San Diego
20 more ABA therapy providers within 40 mi that we can't rank yet: too few reviews, or a specialty we couldn't confirm. Listed A to Z.
| Business | Google rating | Distance |
|---|---|---|
| Agalma Marriage and Family Therapy | 5.0★ (1) | In San Diego |
| AIM Behavior Services | 5.0★ (1) | 13 mi |
| Alongside ABA - San Diego ABA | 8 mi | |
| Autism Spectrum Consultants | 7 mi | |
| Autism Spectrum Therapies AST | 3.0★ (2) | 8 mi |
| Behavior Care Center | 8 mi | |
| Behavior Frontiers San Diego Autism Center | In San Diego | |
| Behavior in ACTion LLC | 8 mi | |
| Center for Autism & Related Disorders | 5.0★ (1) | 12 mi |
| Center for Autism and Related Disorders | 3.0★ (2) | 8 mi |
| Education Behavior Consultants | 5.0★ (1) | 25 mi |
| Extraordinary ABA | 5.0★ (1) | 28 mi |
| GrowJoy ABA | 8 mi | |
| MeBe San Diego - Carlsbad Learning Center | 5.0★ (2) | 29 mi |
| San Diego ABA a company of Alongside | In San Diego | |
| San Diego Behavior Solutions | In San Diego | |
| Setting the New Standard for Quality, Outcomes-Focused ABA Services. | In San Diego | |
| Stars Therapy - Community Center | 5.0★ (1) | 29 mi |
| The Pathways to Change LLC | 8 mi | |
| Wayfinder Behavior LLC | 8 mi |
How we ranked San Diego ABA therapy providers
We scored 38 San Diego ABA therapy providers on eight factors, weighted as shown. A practice is ranked when its specialty is confirmed and it has 3 or more Google reviews or a claimed profile. A practice with no Google reviews scores zero on rating, review volume and recency. Other unknown factors are left out, not counted as zero. Scores last refreshed November 9, 2026.
Paid placement never changes a rank or score. Sponsored businesses are paid, labelled, limited to 3 and shown above the ranking, outside it.
| Factor | Weight | Computed from | In San Diego data |
|---|---|---|---|
| Reputation | 25% | Google star rating, adjusted for how many reviews back it | Measured |
| Review volume | 5% | Number of Google reviews, compared with the most-reviewed practice on the list | Measured |
| Recency | 5% | Share of Google reviews from the last 12 months | Not yet collected |
| Availability | 10% | Weekly open hours, Saturday, Sunday, and round-the-clock or same-day availability | Measured |
| Specialty focus | 25% | How clearly the practice does this specialty (its Google category and name) | Measured |
| Proximity | 15% | Based in the city scores highest, less the farther away it is | Measured |
| Claimed profile | 10% | The practice has claimed its Ranked Psychologists profile (free or paid earn the same) | Measured |
| Partnered | 5% | The practice links to Ranked Psychologists from its own website with our badge, checked periodically | Measured |
How to choose an ABA therapy provider
- Check the license with the state or provincial board that issued it; most boards publish a free online lookup.
- Make sure ABA therapy is a regular part of their work, and ask what approach they use and why.
- Ask how many hours a week they recommend and how they set goals with the family.
- Ask how often a BCBA observes sessions and meets with parents.
- Ask about fees, insurance and the cancellation policy before the first session. In the US, if you are uninsured or paying yourself, you can ask for a good faith estimate of expected charges.
- Check practical fit: in-person or online sessions, evening times, and how soon they have an opening.
- After a few sessions, ask yourself whether you feel heard. Changing to a different provider is common and fine.
Questions to ask an ABA therapy provider
- Are you accepting new clients, and how soon could I start?
- Which license do you hold, and in which state or province?
- How much of your work is ABA therapy?
- Is there a waitlist, and do you accept my insurance?
- What do you charge per session, and do you take my insurance or provide a superbill?
- Do you offer online sessions?
- What is your cancellation policy?
- What do you keep confidential, and when would you have to share information?
Terms explained
- PhD / PsyD
- Doctoral degrees in psychology. A PhD usually has a stronger research focus, a PsyD a stronger clinical focus; both can lead to a psychologist license.
- Licensed psychologist
- A person licensed by a state or provincial psychology board to practice psychology. The title is protected by law.
- Psychological associate
- In some states and provinces, a master’s-level practitioner licensed or registered by the psychology board, often with supervision requirements.
- LPC / LMHC / LCPC
- US licenses for professional or mental health counselors (the name differs by state). They provide counseling and therapy.
- LCSW
- Licensed clinical social worker: a master’s-level social worker licensed to provide therapy.
- LMFT
- Licensed marriage and family therapist: licensed to treat individuals, couples and families with a focus on relationships.
- RP / RCC
- Registered psychotherapist (Ontario) and registered clinical counsellor (British Columbia): Canadian titles for licensed therapy providers.
- PSYPACT
- An interstate agreement that lets psychologists licensed in a member state provide telepsychology to clients in other member states once they hold the required authorization.
- Telehealth
- Sessions held by secure video or phone instead of in person. The provider generally needs to be licensed where the client is located.
- CBT
- Cognitive behavioral therapy: a structured talk therapy that works on the links between thoughts, feelings and behavior.
- DBT
- Dialectical behavior therapy: a form of CBT that teaches skills for managing intense emotions and relationships.
- ERP
- Exposure and response prevention: a form of CBT used for OCD.
ABA therapy providers in San Diego: frequently asked questions
Who is the best ABA therapy provider in San Diego?
By RP Score, the highest-ranked ABA therapy provider in San Diego, CA is ACES ABA - Autism Therapy Center with an RP Score of 75/100. It has 5.0★ from 20 Google reviews. It is open Saturdays until 3 PM. ACES ABA - Autism Therapy Center (#2) and Intercare Therapy (#3) follow. We ranked 38 ABA therapy providers on eight factors, last updated November 9, 2026.
How many ABA therapy providers are there in San Diego?
RankedPsychologists ranks 38 ABA therapy providers serving San Diego, CA. 14 of them are based in San Diego; the rest serve it from nearby towns. Another 20 within 40 mi are listed but not ranked yet. Counts are as of November 2026.
What should I do if I need help right now?
In crisis or thinking about suicide? Call or text 988 (US and Canada), any time. In an emergency, call 911. This site cannot help in an emergency.
Which ABA therapy providers in San Diego work on weekends?
16 of 38 ranked ABA therapy providers post Saturday hours and 2 post Sunday hours. The highest-ranked open Saturdays are ACES ABA - Autism Therapy Center (#1), ACES ABA - Autism Therapy Center (#2) and Intercare Therapy (#3). Posted hours are office hours; many practices also offer evening or online sessions by appointment.
What Google rating do San Diego ABA therapy providers have?
The median Google rating among 38 rated ABA therapy providers in San Diego is 4.8★, with a median of 7 reviews. Stars Therapy - Community Center has the most, 251 reviews, and ranks #23. We adjust ratings for review count, so a few five-star reviews cannot top the list.
How does RankedPsychologists rank ABA therapy providers?
Each ABA therapy provider gets a 0–100 RP Score from eight published factors, led by reputation (25%), specialty focus (25%), proximity (15%) and availability (10%). A practice with no Google reviews scores zero on rating, review volume and recency; other factors we cannot measure are left out. Only practices with a confirmed specialty and 3 or more reviews, or a claimed profile, are ranked.
Do ABA therapy providers outside San Diego count in this ranking?
Yes, if they are within 40 mi of the San Diego city center, our service radius for ABA therapy providers. Each listing shows where the practice is based and how far away it is. Proximity is 15% of the RP Score, so a nearby practice gets a small edge.
Can ABA therapy providers pay to rank higher on RankedPsychologists?
No. The RP Score never reads payment status, and this ranking has 0 paid placements. Up to 3 Featured practices may appear above the list, labelled Sponsored and showing their honest rank.
How are aBA therapy providers in San Diego ranked?
Each practice gets an RP Score from 0 to 100 from 8 published factors, including its Google rating, how clearly it focuses on ABA therapy and how close it is. Sponsored placements are shown separately and never change rank. The score does not measure treatment outcomes.
Who provides ABA therapy?
ABA programs are designed and supervised by board certified behavior analysts (BCBA). Day-to-day sessions are often delivered by registered behavior technicians (RBT) working under that supervision. Many US health plans cover ABA for autism; the rules differ by state and plan, so ask the provider and your insurer.
Can I see an ABA therapy provider online?
Often, yes. Licensing generally follows where you are during the session, so the provider needs to be licensed or authorized there. In the US, psychologists in PSYPACT member states can offer telepsychology to clients in other member states; counselors and social workers have their own rules. In Canada, ask whether the provider is registered in your province.
What if I need help right now?
Do not wait for a consultation. Call or text 988 (US and Canada) if you are in crisis or thinking about suicide, at any time. In an emergency, call 911.
Update log for San Diego
- November 2026: RP Scores recalculated for 38 ABA therapy providers serving San Diego.
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