Explore jobs
Find specific jobs
Explore careers
Explore professions
Best companies
Explore companies
The differences between classroom aides and preschool teachers can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. Additionally, a preschool teacher has an average salary of $33,582, 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 preschool teacher are child care, CPR, and classroom management.
| Classroom Aide | Preschool Teacher | |
| Yearly salary | $28,832 | $33,582 |
| Hourly rate | $13.86 | $16.15 |
| Growth rate | 4% | 15% |
| Number of jobs | 71,960 | 55,298 |
| Job satisfaction | - | 3.5 |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 55% | Bachelor's Degree, 52% |
| 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 project leader is in charge of managing and leading a team to reach project goals in adherence to schedules and budgets. Their responsibilities revolve around setting objectives and guidelines, assessing workforce performance, assisting staff in difficult areas, answering inquiries, and resolving issues to maintain an efficient workflow. A project leader must also produce progress reports and presentations, updating managers or supervisors as needed. Furthermore, as a project leader, it is essential to lead and encourage the team, all while implementing the company's policies and regulations.
Classroom aides and preschool teachers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Classroom Aide | Preschool Teacher | |
| Average salary | $28,832 | $33,582 |
| Salary range | Between $23,000 And $35,000 | Between $23,000 And $47,000 |
| Highest paying City | Danvers, MA | San Jose, CA |
| Highest paying state | Rhode Island | Hawaii |
| Best paying company | Mt. Hood Community College | Kings Canyon Unified School District |
| Best paying industry | Education | - |
There are a few differences between a classroom aide and a preschool teacher in terms of educational background:
| Classroom Aide | Preschool Teacher | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 55% | Bachelor's Degree, 52% |
| Most common major | Psychology | Early Childhood Education |
| Most common college | Duke University | San Diego State University |
Here are the differences between classroom aides' and preschool teachers' demographics:
| Classroom Aide | Preschool Teacher | |
| Average age | 44 | 40 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 16.1% Female, 83.9% | Male, 6.4% Female, 93.6% |
| 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, 8.6% Unknown, 4.5% Hispanic or Latino, 17.6% Asian, 5.5% White, 62.8% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.9% |
| LGBT Percentage | 6% | 5% |