How to hire an educational associate

How to hire an educational associate, step by step

Here's a step-by-step educational associate hiring guide:

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

What does an educational associate do?

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1. Identify your hiring needs

   First, determine the employments status of the educational associate you need to hire. Certain educational associate 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 educational associate 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.

   This list presents educational associate salaries for various positions.

   Type of Educational Associate	Description	Hourly rate
   Educational Associate	Teacher assistants work under a teacher’s supervision to give students additional attention and instruction.	$11-34
   6th Grade Teacher	The 6th grade is one of the many transition moments a child will undergo during early development. At this point, children will be nearing adolescence and entering their teens in a couple of years... Show more	$15-29
   5th Grade Teacher	A 5th Grade Teacher is responsible for educating children and teaching them subjects like math, English, science, or art. They work in a public or private school at the elementary level.	$15-30

   Show more

2. Create an ideal candidate profile

   Common skills:

   • Education Programs
   • Professional Development
   • Math
   • PowerPoint
   • Public Schools
   • Curriculum Development
   • Technical Assistance
   • Autism
   • Mathematics
   • Instructional Support
   • Medical Education
   • K-12
   • Educational Events
   • Behavioral Issues

   Check all skills

   Responsibilities:

   • Lead tours, develop educational curriculum, and run programs and events for Pre-K, elementary and secondary students.
   • Assist in achieving and maintain DOD certification and national accreditation where applicable.
   • Set up and hold appointments with k-12 schools in Houston area.
   • Engage NYC public school classes in highly interactive creative writing workshops.
   • Facilitate small group RTI to support the acquisition of phonetic awareness.
   • Assist with executive functioning, math, reading, and relate study strategies.

   More educational associate duties

3. Make a budget

   Including a salary range in your educational associate job description helps attract top candidates to the position. An educational associate 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 an educational associate in Minnesota may be lower than in New York, and an entry-level educational associate usually earns less than a senior-level educational associate. Additionally, an educational associate 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 educational associate salary

   $42,278yearly

   $20.33 hourly rate

   ---

   Entry-level educational associate salary

   $24,000 yearly salary

   Updated December 16, 2025

   Average educational associate salary by state

   Rank	State	Avg. salary	Hourly rate
   1	New York	$61,007	$29
   2	Massachusetts	$53,558	$26
   3	District of Columbia	$52,721	$25
   4	Pennsylvania	$49,246	$24
   5	California	$48,333	$23
   6	Ohio	$46,446	$22
   7	Delaware	$46,036	$22
   8	Maryland	$45,926	$22
   9	Michigan	$45,714	$22
   10	South Carolina	$43,997	$21
   11	Illinois	$39,166	$19
   12	Florida	$38,775	$19
   13	Georgia	$38,679	$19
   14	Arizona	$38,518	$19
   15	Wisconsin	$37,648	$18
   16	Oklahoma	$36,486	$18
   17	Texas	$35,192	$17
   18	Minnesota	$33,365	$16
   19	New Mexico	$33,125	$16
   20	Colorado	$32,616	$16

   Average educational associate salary by company

   Company

   Rank	Company	Average salary	Hourly rate	Job openings
   1	Google	$133,892	$64.37
   2	Morgan Stanley	$104,642	$50.31
   3	The Boston Foundation	$100,749	$48.44
   4	JPMorgan Chase & Co.	$93,131	$44.77	9
   5	Huron Consulting Group	$92,662	$44.55	2
   6	Stryker	$90,076	$43.31
   7	Ernst & Young	$88,646	$42.62
   8	NRDC	$76,962	$37.00
   9	Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute	$75,511	$36.30
   10	Stanford Health Care	$73,824	$35.49
   11	The Museum of Modern Art	$69,732	$33.52
   12	Mount Sinai Health System	$67,474	$32.44
   13	Columbia University in the City of New York	$67,143	$32.28
   14	J.P. Morgan	$66,158	$31.81
   15	Stanford University	$65,843	$31.66	1
   16	SmithBucklin	$64,604	$31.06
   17	Beacon Hill Staffing Group	$64,181	$30.86
   18	KPMG LLP	$64,109	$30.82
   19	Inter-American Foundation	$62,270	$29.94
   20	Yale University	$60,661	$29.16	1

4. Writing an educational associate job description

   A good educational associate job description should include a few things:

   • Summary of the role
   • List of responsibilities
   • Required skills and experience

   Including a salary range and the first name of the hiring manager is also appreciated by candidates. Here's an example of an educational associate job description:

   Educational associate job description example

   Results for Development (R4D) is a leading non-profit global development partner. We collaborate with change agents around the world - government officials, civil society leaders and social innovators - to create strong systems that support healthy, educated people. We help our partners move from knowing their goal to knowing how to reach it. We combine global expertise in health, education and nutrition with analytic rigor, practical support for decision-making and implementation and access to peer problem-solving networks. Together with our partners, we build self-sustaining systems that serve everyone and deliver lasting results. Then we share what we learn so others can achieve results for development, too.
   
   We have a unique and vibrant culture at R4D. Diversity, equity and inclusion are at the heart of our work environment and help advance our mission. Diversity-of ideas, identities, perspectives and backgrounds-is vital to who we are and what we do. We seek people who embrace these values and will help reinforce them. Our work culture is collaborative, creative and entrepreneurial. We operate based on trust and respect. Teams across the organization frequently collaborate on programmatic work and support each other in continuously building a better R4D.
   
   R4D's Global Education practice works with change agents in low- and middle-income countries to strengthen their education systems by providing analysis and connections, putting evidence into action, and sharing what we learn with the global education community.
   
   Working side by side with programmatic and funding partners who share our values and principles, we aim to strengthen education systems so that they serve all children at all stages - from early childhood development to primary and secondary school learning, to ensure that adolescents and young adults have the skills they need to find work and succeed in life.
   
   R4D is seeking a highly motivated and dynamic Program Associate (PA) to play a key role within the Global Education practice, providing technical, program management, and communications support to a range of projects, such as the School Action Learning Exchange and our work in early childhood development (ECD).
   
   This position is based in Washington, DC or outside the U.S. where R4D has a country presence. This person will report to the Senior Program Officer for Global Education.
   
   ResponsibilitiesThe PA will serve as a key member of the project team, providing support for the implementation of project activities. Responsibilities will encompass administrative, project management, research, and communication tasks. Potential responsibilities include: Support project teams in designing and conducting virtual/in-person/hybrid meetings and workshops, including, but not limited to: supporting participant outreach and management before, during, and after meetings or events; working closely with project and IT teams during events; and providing logistical support as needed (e.g. notetaking during meetings, emailing handouts, keeping track of attendees, etc.) Facilitate meetings with both internal and external project stakeholders Contribute to the development and production of highly polished presentations, concept notes, briefing materials, and other products such as blog posts, newsletters, shared event calendars, meeting summaries, and e-communications on key topics of interest for a variety of stakeholders (such as funders, implementing partners, external audiences) Support the design and implementation of high-quality research activities focused on improving network effectiveness (e.g., desk review, conducting key informant interviews, survey design, data coding and analysis) using both qualitative and quantitative methods Monitor and facilitate the execution of deliverables through collaboration with implementing partners, funders, and other technical partners Provide support on a range of administrative/operational tasks including developing contracts, invoice processing, and recruitment of other staff and consultants Engage as a member of the team, and contribute ideas to guide longer-term learning exchange planning and design Participates fully as a member of R4D by contributing, assisting and participating in projects, activities, and initiatives as requested by management.
   
   QualificationsBachelor's degree +1 yr experience Enthusiastic about joining a diverse and inclusive work environment Strategic and creative problem solver who is adept at developing efficient systems and decision-making processes Experience developing budgets, tracking and managing resources, and/or supporting recruitment and program management efforts required Highly collaborative and approachable team member who is enthusiastic about supporting the team and working closely with others at R4D Excellent oral and verbal communication skills, including the ability to present complicated and detailed data to team leads High level of organization, attention to detail, professionalism, and reliability Ability to prioritize and manage work in a fast-paced environment across multiple projects and work streams with competing time/resource demands Ability to work both independently and as part of a team Enthusiasm, energy, good judgment, and humor Motivated to learn, grow, contribute and produce
   
   Results for Development is an EOE/M/F/Vet/Disabled/Affirmative Action Employer committed to fostering
   and nurturing an energetic, collaborative and diverse workforce. R4D provides market-competitive salaries and comprehensive employee benefits.

   Copy this example

   

5. Post your job

   To find educational associates for your business, try out a few different recruiting strategies:

   • Consider internal talent. One of the most important talent pools for any company is its current employees.
   • Ask for referrals. Reach out to friends, family members, and your current work to ask if they know any educational associates they would recommend.
   • Recruit at local colleges. Attend job fairs at local colleges to recruit entry-level educational associates with the right educational background.
   • Social media platforms. LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter have more than 3.5 billion users, and they're a great place for company branding and reaching potential job candidates.

   Post your job online:

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

6. Interview candidates

   To successfully recruit educational associates, your first interview needs to engage with candidates to learn about their interest in the role and experience in the field. You can go into more detail about the company, the role, and the responsibilities during follow-up interviews.

   Remember to include a few questions that allow candidates to expand on their strengths in their own words. Asking about their unique skills might reveal things you'd miss otherwise. At this point, good candidates can move on to 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 educational associate

   Once you have selected a candidate for the educational associate 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.

   Once that's done, you can draft an onboarding schedule for the new educational associate. Human Resources should complete Employee Action Forms and ensure that onboarding paperwork is completed, including I-9s, benefits enrollment, federal and state tax forms, etc. They should also ensure that new employee files are created for internal recordkeeping.

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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