Explore jobs
Find specific jobs
Explore careers
Explore professions
Best companies
Explore companies
The differences between education paraprofessionals and pre-k teachers can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. Additionally, a pre-k teacher has an average salary of $40,301, which is higher than the $31,158 average annual salary of an education paraprofessional.
The top three skills for an education paraprofessional include autism, behavioral issues and mathematics. The most important skills for a pre-k teacher are kids, math, and language arts.
| Education Paraprofessional | Pre-K Teacher | |
| Yearly salary | $31,158 | $40,301 |
| Hourly rate | $14.98 | $19.38 |
| Growth rate | 4% | 4% |
| Number of jobs | 53,164 | 60,464 |
| Job satisfaction | 4.33 | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 59% | Bachelor's Degree, 57% |
| Average age | 44 | 42 |
| Years of experience | - | - |
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.
Pre-K teachers play an essential role in the lives of young children ages three to five years old by developing and nurturing their interest in subjects appropriate for their age. They promote a creative learning environment and encourage social interactions among students while providing the fundamental educational foundation that will prepare them for a successful start to kindergarten. They are responsible for overseeing children during their mealtimes, reinforcing personal hygiene, and developing children's social skills. Pre-K teachers also plan curriculum and work with other school staff members.
Education paraprofessionals and pre-k teachers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Education Paraprofessional | Pre-K Teacher | |
| Average salary | $31,158 | $40,301 |
| Salary range | Between $24,000 And $39,000 | Between $28,000 And $57,000 |
| Highest paying City | South San Francisco, CA | New York, NY |
| Highest paying state | Massachusetts | New York |
| Best paying company | Boston Public Schools | Faulkner University |
| Best paying industry | Finance | - |
There are a few differences between an education paraprofessional and a pre-k teacher in terms of educational background:
| Education Paraprofessional | Pre-K Teacher | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 59% | Bachelor's Degree, 57% |
| Most common major | Psychology | Early Childhood Education |
| Most common college | Northwestern University | University of Pennsylvania |
Here are the differences between education paraprofessionals' and pre-k teachers' demographics:
| Education Paraprofessional | Pre-K Teacher | |
| Average age | 44 | 42 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 19.7% Female, 80.3% | Male, 8.5% Female, 91.5% |
| Race ratio | 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% | Black or African American, 9.7% Unknown, 3.9% Hispanic or Latino, 12.6% Asian, 3.7% White, 69.6% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.5% |
| LGBT Percentage | 6% | 9% |