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Classroom aide education requirements
Updated January 8, 2025
4 min read
There are several educational requirements to become a classroom aide. Classroom aides usually study psychology, elementary education, or business. 55% of classroom aides hold a bachelor's degree, and 18% hold an associate degree. We analyzed 3,512 real classroom aide resumes to see exactly what classroom aide education sections show.
The most common colleges for classroom aides are the University of Phoenix and the University of Phoenix.
There are also many online classroom aide courses to help get the education required to be a classroom aide.
There are certain classroom aide certifications that you should consider. These classroom aide certifications include Advanced First Aid & CPR and First Aid, CPR and AED Instructor.
What education do you need to become a classroom aide?
What degree do you need to be a classroom aide?
- Bachelor's, 55%
- Associate, 18%
- High School Diploma, 14%
- Master's, 7%
- Other Degrees, 6%
What should I major in to become a classroom aide?
- Psychology, 15%
- Business, 9%
- Other Majors, 59%
Most common colleges for classroom aides
| Classroom aide common college | Percentages |
|---|---|
| University of Phoenix | 9.50% |
| Pennsylvania State University | 7.50% |
| Montclair State University | 7.00% |
| Shippensburg University of Pennsylvania | 6.00% |
| Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey | 5.50% |
Best majors for classroom aides
| Rank | Major | Percentages |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Psychology | 15.2% |
| 2 | Elementary Education | 9.0% |
| 3 | Business | 8.8% |
| 4 | Early Childhood Education | 8.3% |
| 5 | Education | 7.8% |
Best colleges for classroom aides
The best colleges for classroom aides are Northwestern University, Johns Hopkins University, and Duke University.
A classroom aide with advanced education typically earns a higher salary and has access to better jobs. That's why Zippia looked into the best colleges for classroom aides. We based this list on several metrics: admissions rate, retention rate, mean earnings of graduates, the ratio of working vs. non-working students ten years after admission, the average cost of attendance, and median debt for graduates who become classroom aides.
1. Duke University
Durham, NC • Private
In-state tuition
$55,695
Enrollment
6,596
2. University of Michigan - Ann Arbor
Ann Arbor, MI • Private
In-state tuition
$15,262
Enrollment
30,079
3. Northwestern University
Evanston, IL • Private
In-state tuition
$54,568
Enrollment
8,451
4. Columbia University in the City of New York
New York, NY • Private
In-state tuition
$59,430
Enrollment
8,216
5. Johns Hopkins University
Baltimore, MD • Private
In-state tuition
$53,740
Enrollment
5,567
6. Carnegie Mellon University
Pittsburgh, PA • Private
In-state tuition
$55,465
Enrollment
6,483
7. Washington University in St Louis
Saint Louis, MO • Private
In-state tuition
$53,399
Enrollment
7,356
8. California State University - Long Beach
Long Beach, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$6,798
Enrollment
31,503
9. University of California - San Diego
La Jolla, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$14,167
Enrollment
30,279
10. SUNY at Binghamton
Vestal, NY • Private
In-state tuition
$9,808
Enrollment
13,990
20 best online courses for classroom aides
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Top 10 most affordable universities for classroom aides
The most affordable schools for classroom aides are Hunter College of the City University of New York, california state university - long beach, and baruch college of the city university of new york.
If the best universities for classroom aides are out of your price range, check out these affordable schools. After factoring in in-state tuition and fees, the average cost of attendance, admissions rate, average net price, and mean earnings after six years, we found that these are the most affordable schools for classroom aides.
1. Hunter College of the City University of New York
New York, NY • Private
In-state tuition
$7,182
Cost of attendance
13,998
2. California State University - Long Beach
Long Beach, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$6,798
Cost of attendance
18,306
3. Baruch College of the City University of New York
New York, NY • Private
In-state tuition
$7,262
Cost of attendance
14,046
4. University of South Florida
Tampa, FL • Private
In-state tuition
$6,410
Cost of attendance
20,456
5. Brooklyn College of the City University of New York
Brooklyn, NY • Private
In-state tuition
$7,240
Cost of attendance
13,991
6. California State University - Dominguez Hills
Carson, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$6,942
Cost of attendance
14,469
7. Brigham Young University
Provo, UT • Private
In-state tuition
$5,620
Cost of attendance
18,136
8. University of Washington
Seattle, WA • Private
In-state tuition
$11,207
Cost of attendance
25,275
9. San Jose State University
San Jose, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$7,796
Cost of attendance
24,514
10. USF Sarasota-Manatee
Sarasota, FL • Private
In-state tuition
$5,587
Cost of attendance
13,043
Top 10 hardest universities to get into for classroom aides
The hardest universities for classroom aides to get into are Northwestern University, Johns Hopkins University, and Duke University.
Some great schools for classroom aides are hard to get into, but they also set your career up for greater success. The list below shows the most challenging universities to get into for classroom aides based on an institution's admissions rates, average SAT scores accepted, median ACT scores accepted, and mean earnings of students six years after admission.
1. Northwestern University
Evanston, IL • Private
Admissions rate
8%
SAT average
1,508
2. Johns Hopkins University
Baltimore, MD • Private
Admissions rate
11%
SAT average
1,513
3. Duke University
Durham, NC • Private
Admissions rate
9%
SAT average
1,516
4. Carnegie Mellon University
Pittsburgh, PA • Private
Admissions rate
17%
SAT average
1,507
5. Washington University in St Louis
Saint Louis, MO • Private
Admissions rate
15%
SAT average
1,506
6. Columbia University in the City of New York
New York, NY • Private
Admissions rate
6%
SAT average
1,512
7. New York University
New York, NY • Private
Admissions rate
20%
SAT average
1,419
8. Stanford University
Stanford, CA • Private
Admissions rate
4%
SAT average
1,497
9. University of Michigan - Ann Arbor
Ann Arbor, MI • Private
Admissions rate
23%
SAT average
1,434
10. Swarthmore College
Swarthmore, PA • Private
Admissions rate
9%
SAT average
1,465
Top 10 easy-to-apply-to universities for classroom aides
The easiest schools for classroom aides to get into are Bluefield College, notre dame de namur university, and life university.
Some schools are much easier to get into. If you want to start your career as a classroom aide without much hassle, check out the list of schools where you will be accepted in no time. We compiled admissions rates, average SAT scores, average ACT scores, and average salary of students six years after graduation to uncover which were the easiest schools to get into for classroom aides.
1. Bluefield College
Bluefield, VA • Private
Admissions rate
95%
SAT average
980
2. Notre Dame de Namur University
Belmont, CA • Private
Admissions rate
82%
SAT average
983
3. Life University
Marietta, GA • Private
Admissions rate
94%
SAT average
979
4. D'Youville College
Buffalo, NY • Private
Admissions rate
100%
SAT average
1,072
5. Kean University
Union, NJ • Private
Admissions rate
86%
SAT average
991
6. Nyack College
New York, NY • Private
Admissions rate
98%
SAT average
999
7. Gwynedd Mercy University
Gwynedd Valley, PA • Private
Admissions rate
92%
SAT average
1,031
8. University of North Texas at Dallas
Dallas, TX • Private
Admissions rate
83%
SAT average
992
9. Mount Saint Mary's University
Los Angeles, CA • Private
Admissions rate
84%
SAT average
1,031
10. Curry College
Milton, MA • Private
Admissions rate
93%
SAT average
1,026
Average classroom aide salary by education level
| Classroom aide education level | Classroom aide salary |
|---|---|
| Master's Degree | $32,480 |
| High School Diploma or Less | $29,945 |
| Bachelor's Degree | $30,767 |
| Doctorate Degree | $32,962 |
| Some College/ Associate Degree | $30,200 |
Classroom aide education FAQs
Have more questions? See all answers to common education, training, and library questions.
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Updated January 8, 2025
Updated January 8, 2025