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The differences between classroom aides and head start teachers can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. Additionally, a head start teacher has an average salary of $33,865, 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 a head start teacher are kids, math, and CPR.
| Classroom Aide | Head Start Teacher | |
| Yearly salary | $28,832 | $33,865 |
| Hourly rate | $13.86 | $16.28 |
| Growth rate | 4% | 15% |
| Number of jobs | 71,960 | 67,747 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 55% | Bachelor's Degree, 55% |
| Average age | 44 | 40 |
| Years of experience | - | 2 |
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.
A head start teacher is responsible for organizing lectures and monitoring classroom operations for students with financial difficulties. Head start teachers have the same roles as regular teachers, such as preparing lesson plans, conducting assessments to test the students' knowledge, documenting their progress, and planning group activities to observe their personal and social behaviors. They also coordinate with the students' parents to share the child's difficulties and strategize methods to enhance capabilities. A head start teacher must have excellent communication skills, especially in attending to students for their needs and encouraging them to reach their maximum potentials.
Classroom aides and head start teachers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Classroom Aide | Head Start Teacher | |
| Average salary | $28,832 | $33,865 |
| Salary range | Between $23,000 And $35,000 | Between $23,000 And $49,000 |
| Highest paying City | Danvers, MA | New York, NY |
| Highest paying state | Rhode Island | Massachusetts |
| Best paying company | Mt. Hood Community College | Topeka Public Schools |
| Best paying industry | Education | Education |
There are a few differences between a classroom aide and a head start teacher in terms of educational background:
| Classroom Aide | Head Start Teacher | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 55% | Bachelor's Degree, 55% |
| Most common major | Psychology | Early Childhood Education |
| Most common college | Duke University | University of Pennsylvania |
Here are the differences between classroom aides' and head start teachers' demographics:
| Classroom Aide | Head Start Teacher | |
| Average age | 44 | 40 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 16.1% Female, 83.9% | Male, 7.9% Female, 92.1% |
| 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, 8.8% Unknown, 4.6% Hispanic or Latino, 19.0% Asian, 5.9% White, 60.9% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.9% |
| LGBT Percentage | 6% | 5% |