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What is an emotional support teacher and how to become one

Updated January 8, 2025
2 min read
Quoted expert
Dr. Diana Jones
There is more than meets the eye when it comes to being an emotional support teacher. For example, did you know that they make an average of $15.23 an hour? That's $31,687 a year! Between 2018 and 2028, the career is expected to grow 4% and produce 20,600 job opportunities across the U.S.

What general advice would you give to an emotional support teacher?

Dr. Diana JonesDr. Diana Jones LinkedIn profile

Chair, Department of Kinesiology, Anderson University

General advice: I would encourage graduates to find a mentor who can guide them in their careers, stay on top of the latest technology, not be too hard on themselves, be flexible, be team players, be present, and care about their students.
ScoreEmotional Support TeacherUS Average
Salary
2.5

Avg. Salary $31,687

Avg. Salary $59,228

Stability level
9.1

Growth rate 4%

Growth rate 0.3%

Diversity
5.9
Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 0.37%

Asian 3.64%

Black or African American 8.27%

Hispanic or Latino 11.69%

Unknown 3.97%

White 72.05%

Gender

female 79.48%

male 20.52%

Age - 42
Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 3.00%

Asian 7.00%

Black or African American 14.00%

Hispanic or Latino 19.00%

White 57.00%

Gender

female 47.00%

male 53.00%

Age - 42
Stress level
9.1

Stress level is very high

7.1 - high

Complexity level
7.9

Complexity level is challenging

7 - challenging

Work life balance
5.5

Work life balance is fair

6.4 - fair

Emotional support teacher career paths

Key steps to become an emotional support teacher

  1. Explore emotional support teacher education requirements

    Most common emotional support teacher degrees

    Bachelor's

    67.8 %

    Master's

    20.5 %

    Associate

    5.5 %
  2. Start to develop specific emotional support teacher skills

    SkillsPercentages
    Classroom Management29.24%
    Behavioral Problems28.57%
    Classroom Environment16.67%
    Behavior Support4.27%
    Mathematics3.65%
  3. Research emotional support teacher duties and responsibilities

    • Increase student reading and mathematics abilities by collaborating with administrators on small reading group and math group interventions.
    • Provide specialized ABA therapy for children with autism including developing behavior plans and teach in a natural environment.
    • Substitute teacher in math, Norwegian literature, history, and science : 1st-10th grade.
    • Provide instruction of the regular education curriculum in the areas of math, English, science, and American government.
  4. Prepare your emotional support teacher resume

    When your background is strong enough, you can start writing your emotional support teacher resume.

    You can use Zippia's AI resume builder to make the resume writing process easier while also making sure that you include key information that hiring managers expect to see on an emotional support teacher resume. You'll find resume tips and examples of skills, responsibilities, and summaries, all provided by Zippi, your career sidekick.

    Choose from 10+ customizable emotional support teacher resume templates

    Build a professional emotional support teacher resume in minutes. Browse through our resume examples to identify the best way to word your resume. Then choose from 10+ resume templates to create your emotional support teacher resume.
    Emotional Support Teacher Resume
    Emotional Support Teacher Resume
    Emotional Support Teacher Resume
    Emotional Support Teacher Resume
    Emotional Support Teacher Resume
    Emotional Support Teacher Resume
    Emotional Support Teacher Resume
    Emotional Support Teacher Resume
    Emotional Support Teacher Resume
  5. Apply for emotional support teacher jobs

    Now it's time to start searching for an emotional support teacher job. Consider the tips below for a successful job search:

    1. Browse job boards for relevant postings
    2. Consult your professional network
    3. Reach out to companies you're interested in working for directly
    4. Watch out for job scams

How did you land your first emotional support teacher job

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Are you an emotional support teacher?

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Average emotional support teacher salary

The average emotional support teacher salary in the United States is $31,687 per year or $15 per hour. Emotional support teacher salaries range between $20,000 and $48,000 per year.

Average emotional support teacher salary
$31,687 Yearly
$15.23 hourly

What am I worth?

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How do emotional support teachers rate their job?

-/5

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Emotional support teacher reviews

profile
A zippia user wrote a review on Jan 2023
Pros

The kids light up my days.

Cons

The demand and low pay. Teachers have families, too.


profile
A zippia user wrote a review on Nov 2022
Cons

It can be emotionally and physically draining, especially if not appreciated.


profile
A zippia user wrote a review on Aug 2022
Pros

You got to work with learners who will love you unconditionally. It gives a great satisfaction to be able to help them. I love learners with Special Needs and I am a Mom of one.

Cons

I can't say, maybe because there is none.


Working as an emotional support teacher? Share your experience anonymously.
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Updated January 8, 2025

Zippia Research Team
Zippia Team

Editorial Staff

The Zippia Research Team has spent countless hours reviewing resumes, job postings, and government data to determine what goes into getting a job in each phase of life. Professional writers and data scientists comprise the Zippia Research Team.

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