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The differences between classroom aides and education paraprofessionals can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. Additionally, an education paraprofessional has an average salary of $31,158, which is higher than the $28,832 average annual salary of a classroom aide.
The top three skills for a classroom aide include autism, CPR and classroom environment. The most important skills for an education paraprofessional are autism, behavioral issues, and mathematics.
| Classroom Aide | Education Paraprofessional | |
| Yearly salary | $28,832 | $31,158 |
| Hourly rate | $13.86 | $14.98 |
| Growth rate | 4% | 4% |
| Number of jobs | 71,960 | 53,164 |
| Job satisfaction | - | 4.33 |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 55% | Bachelor's Degree, 59% |
| Average age | 44 | 44 |
| Years of experience | - | - |
Classroom aides or teacher's aides are found in special education centers and schools. Some of their many roles include supervising field trips, attendance checking, and preparing classroom materials. They help the teachers by assisting students who need extra attention to keep up with the lessons. Being very patient and proficient in ASL are skills that all of them need to have, especially when working with students in the special education spectrum. They should be very critical to detail to accurately track the progress of the student under their supervision and discuss them with the teachers and parents.
An education paraprofessional's role is to carry out support tasks for a teacher in a school setting. They are responsible for creating learning materials such as visual aids and presentations, participating in devising lesson plans and assessment methods, grading and evaluating student performances, and even maintaining order in the classroom. There are also instances where they must assist students who are having difficulties catching up with the lessons. Furthermore, an education paraprofessional may also teach under the supervision of a more experienced educator.
Classroom aides and education paraprofessionals have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Classroom Aide | Education Paraprofessional | |
| Average salary | $28,832 | $31,158 |
| Salary range | Between $23,000 And $35,000 | Between $24,000 And $39,000 |
| Highest paying City | Danvers, MA | South San Francisco, CA |
| Highest paying state | Rhode Island | Massachusetts |
| Best paying company | Mt. Hood Community College | Boston Public Schools |
| Best paying industry | Education | Finance |
There are a few differences between a classroom aide and an education paraprofessional in terms of educational background:
| Classroom Aide | Education Paraprofessional | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 55% | Bachelor's Degree, 59% |
| Most common major | Psychology | Psychology |
| Most common college | Duke University | Northwestern University |
Here are the differences between classroom aides' and education paraprofessionals' demographics:
| Classroom Aide | Education Paraprofessional | |
| Average age | 44 | 44 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 16.1% Female, 83.9% | Male, 19.7% Female, 80.3% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 8.6% Unknown, 4.6% Hispanic or Latino, 16.0% Asian, 8.8% White, 60.7% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.4% | Black or African American, 9.5% Unknown, 4.4% Hispanic or Latino, 16.3% Asian, 8.3% White, 60.4% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.2% |
| LGBT Percentage | 6% | 6% |