How to hire a classroom assistant

How to hire a classroom assistant, step by step

Here's a step-by-step classroom assistant hiring guide:

• Step 1: Identify your hiring needs
• Step 2: Create an ideal candidate profile
• Step 3: Make a budget
• Step 4: Write a classroom assistant job description
• Step 5: Post your job
• Step 6: Interview candidates
• Step 7: Send a job offer and onboard your new classroom assistant
• Step 8: Go through the hiring process checklist

What does a classroom assistant do?

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1. Identify your hiring needs

   First, determine the employments status of the classroom assistant you need to hire. Certain classroom assistant roles might require a full-time employee, whereas others can be done by part-time workers or contractors.

   Determine employee vs contractor status

   Is the person you're thinking of hiring a US citizen or green card holder?

   Yes

   No

   Hiring the perfect classroom assistant also involves considering the ideal background you'd like them to have. Depending on what industry or field they have experience in, they'll bring different skills to the job. It's also important to consider what levels of seniority and education the job requires and what kind of salary such a candidate would likely demand.

   Here's a comparison of classroom assistant salaries for various roles:

   Type of Classroom Assistant	Description	Hourly rate
   Classroom Assistant	Teacher assistants work under a teacher’s supervision to give students additional attention and instruction.	$10-16
   Teacher	Being a teacher is one of the most passionate professions, among others. Teachers educate, motivate, and guide every generation of learners to prepare them for the real world... Show more	$15-33
   Instructional Aide	An instructional aide focuses on performing support-related tasks for a teacher or faculty member. They are primarily responsible for helping teachers maintain a safe and healthy learning environment, recording attendance, creating visual aids or presentations, participating in the preparation of lesson plans and tests, and assisting students who are having difficulties in a particular task or lesson... Show more	$11-18

   Show more

2. Create an ideal candidate profile

   Common skills:

   • CPR
   • Mathematics
   • Photocopying
   • IEP
   • Homework Assignments
   • Child Care
   • Behavioral Issues
   • Applied Behavior Analysis
   • Language Development
   • Reinforce Learning Concepts
   • Classroom Management
   • Art Projects
   • Behavior Management
   • Classroom Environment

   Check all skills

   Responsibilities:

   • Lead chemistry recitations, prepare lessons, and coordinate student problem solving sessions.
   • Work at PTA and PTO events in various capacities.
   • Support the educational growth of elementary school students by working with small groups in math, language arts, and science.
   • Provide support to kindergarten classroom teacher through individual reading intervention and math assistance
   • Direct group activities within learning centers emphasizing spatial recognition, understanding patterns of colors and numbers for kindergarten class.
   • Work with ESE, VPK, and Pre-K, students.

   More classroom assistant duties

3. Make a budget

   Including a salary range in your classroom assistant job description helps attract top candidates to the position. A classroom assistant salary can be affected by several factors, such as geography, experience, seniority, certifications, and the prestige of the hiring company.

   For example, the average salary for a classroom assistant in Idaho may be lower than in Massachusetts, and an entry-level classroom assistant usually earns less than a senior-level classroom assistant. Additionally, a classroom assistant with certifications may command a higher salary, and working for a well-known company or start-up may also impact an employee's pay.

   Average classroom assistant salary

   $13.37hourly

   $27,801 yearly

   ---

   Entry-level classroom assistant salary

   $22,000 yearly salary

   Updated December 19, 2025

   Average classroom assistant salary by state

   Rank	State	Avg. salary	Hourly rate
   1	Massachusetts	$34,236	$16
   2	District of Columbia	$31,729	$15
   3	California	$31,274	$15
   4	Pennsylvania	$29,644	$14
   5	Illinois	$28,741	$14
   6	Virginia	$28,584	$14
   7	Washington	$28,096	$14
   8	Colorado	$28,007	$13
   9	Missouri	$26,589	$13
   10	Indiana	$26,494	$13
   11	Arizona	$26,167	$13
   12	Texas	$25,532	$12
   13	New Jersey	$25,208	$12
   14	Georgia	$25,024	$12
   15	Oklahoma	$24,830	$12
   16	Maryland	$24,246	$12
   17	Utah	$23,885	$11
   18	Michigan	$23,725	$11
   19	Idaho	$23,591	$11
   20	Florida	$22,977	$11

   Average classroom assistant salary by company

   Company

   Rank	Company	Average salary	Hourly rate	Job openings
   1	University of California-Berkeley	$38,351	$18.44	15
   2	UC Santa Barbara	$34,065	$16.38
   3	St. Clare Catholic School	$33,043	$15.89	29
   4	Greenfield Union School District	$31,054	$14.93	4
   5	Casa Central	$30,861	$14.84	3
   6	Belmont High School	$30,375	$14.60	6
   7	Peoria Unified School District	$30,028	$14.44	13
   8	Adams 12 Five Star Schools	$29,987	$14.42	10
   9	Rutgers University	$29,621	$14.24	41
   10	Montessori School of Westminster	$28,907	$13.90	3
   11	Supportive Concepts for Families	$28,688	$13.79
   12	Chicago Public Schools	$28,580	$13.74	43
   13	FSA	$28,439	$13.67
   14	UMiami Health System	$28,401	$13.65
   15	Delta-T Group	$28,363	$13.64	131
   16	Youth & Family Services	$28,293	$13.60	4
   17	Horace Mann	$28,235	$13.57
   18	Kids Unlimited	$28,204	$13.56	9
   19	Family Development Services	$28,203	$13.56	2
   20	Archdiocese of Indianapolis	$27,770	$13.35	13

4. Writing a classroom assistant job description

   A classroom assistant job description should include a summary of the role, required skills, and a list of responsibilities. It's also good to include a salary range and the first name of the hiring manager. To help get you started, here's an example of a classroom assistant job description:

   Classroom assistant job description example

   In accordance with Mayor's Order, Lee Montessori PCS requires all staff to provide proof of full vaccination against COVID-19 or obtain approval for exemption due to medical or religious reasons prior to employment.
   Classroom Assistant Position Description Under the direction of the Head of School and the Lead Classroom Teacher, the Classroom Assistant is a vital support role within the classroom community. This position requires love, patience, and respect for children. The Classroom Assistant will encourage the children to be independent and model for them appropriate manners and behaviors and help the lead teacher facilitate a classroom environment designed to promote social, physical, and intellectual growth following the philosophies of Maria Montessori .
   Major Duties and Responsibilities: Provide Support to the Lead Guide Manage the classroom in such a way that protects the lessons given by the Lead Guide. Encourage the children to be independent and model for them appropriate manners and behaviors. Work with individual children or small groups as directed by the Lead Guide. Prepare the Montessori classroom environment to meet the children's needs and interests.
   Assist in the Maintenance of the Classroom Environment Clean the classroom and replenish materials and supplies in the morning, afternoon, or as instructed by the lead guide. Move throughout the classroom during the work period to make sure the classroom environment continues to be clean, lively, and inviting. Make materials as required by the Lead Guide.
   Provide Primary Supervision during non-academic times Provide supervision and enriching activities during non-academic times including lunch, recess, nap, before and aftercare. Provide communication about children's development during these times to the Lead Primary Guide.
   Requirements & Qualifications Have a firm commitment to upholding the school’s mission. Possess a minimum of an Associate’s degree, Bachelor’s degree preferred. At least 2 years of classroom experience, preferably in a public or urban setting. Willingness to attend a 2-week Montessori training course during summer break.
   Our Benefits : Signing bonuses start at $500 90% employer-paid healthcare premiums for employees plus dependents Free OneMedical membership for employees and dependents 403(b) Employer contribution and match up to 4%
   8 weeks of Paid Parental Leave Employer paid short- and long-term disability and life insurance End of school-year leave payout (up to 5 days)
   Professional development stipend & tuition reimbursement up to $2,500 per year
   Employee Assistance Program (EAP) Supportive & collaborative culture
   Pre-tax transportation benefits
   And more!

   Copy this example

   

5. Post your job

   To find the right classroom assistant for your business, consider trying out a few different recruiting strategies:

   • Consider internal talent. One of the most important sources of talent for any company is its existing workforce.
   • Ask for referrals. Reach out to friends, family members, and current employees and ask if they know or have worked with classroom assistants they would recommend.
   • Recruit at local colleges. Attend job fairs at local colleges to recruit classroom assistants who meet your education requirements.
   • Social media platforms. LinkedIn, Facebook and Twitter now have more than 3.5 billion users, and you can use social media to reach potential job candidates.

   Post your job online:

   • Post your classroom assistant job on Zippia to find and recruit classroom assistant candidates who meet your exact specifications.
   • Use field-specific websites.
   • Post a job on free websites.

6. Interview candidates

   Recruiting classroom assistants requires you to bring your A-game to the interview process. The first interview should introduce the company and the role to the candidate as much as they present their background experience and reasons for applying for the job. During later interviews, you can go into more detail about the technical details of the job and ask behavioral questions to gauge how they'd fit into your current company culture.

   You should also ask about candidates' unique skills and talents to see if they match the ideal candidate profile you developed earlier. Candidates good enough for the next step can complete the technical interview.

   The right interview questions can help you assess a candidate's hard skills, behavioral intelligence, and soft skills.

7. Send a job offer and onboard your new classroom assistant

   Once you have selected a candidate for the classroom assistant position, it is time to create an offer letter. In addition to salary, the offer letter should include details about benefits and perks that are available to the employee. Ensuring your offer is competitive is vital, as qualified candidates may be considering other job opportunities. The candidate may wish to negotiate the terms of the offer, and it is important to be open to discussion and reach a mutually beneficial agreement. After the offer has been accepted, it is a good idea to formalize the agreement with a contract.

   It's also important to follow up with applicants who do not get the job with an email letting them know that the position is filled.

   To prepare for the new classroom assistant first day, you should share an onboarding schedule with them that covers their first period on the job. You should also quickly complete any necessary paperwork, such as employee action forms and onboarding documents like I-9, benefits enrollment, and federal and state tax forms. Finally, Human Resources must ensure a new employee file is created for internal record keeping.

8. Go through the hiring process checklist

   • Determine employee type (full-time, part-time, contractor, etc.)
   • Submit a job requisition form to the HR department
   • Define job responsibilities and requirements
   • Establish budget and timeline
   • Determine hiring decision makers for the role
   • Write job description
   • Post job on job boards, company website, etc.
   • Promote the job internally
   • Process applications through applicant tracking system
   • Review resumes and cover letters
   • Shortlist candidates for screening
   • Hold phone/virtual interview screening with first round of candidates
   • Conduct in-person interviews with top candidates from first round
   • Score candidates based on weighted criteria (e.g., experience, education, background, cultural fit, skill set, etc.)
   • Conduct background checks on top candidates
   • Check references of top candidates
   • Consult with HR and hiring decision makers on job offer specifics
   • Extend offer to top candidate(s)
   • Receive formal job offer acceptance and signed employment contract
   • Inform other candidates that the position has been filled
   • Set and communicate onboarding schedule to new hire(s)
   • Complete new hire paperwork (i9, benefits enrollment, tax forms, etc.)

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