Post job

Exceptional children teacher assistant education requirements

Updated January 8, 2025
4 min read

There are several educational requirements to become an exceptional children teacher assistant. Exceptional children teacher assistants usually study psychology, business, or criminal justice. 59% of exceptional children teacher assistants hold a bachelor's degree, and 20% hold an associate degree. We analyzed 478 real exceptional children teacher assistant resumes to see exactly what exceptional children teacher assistant education sections show.

The most common colleges for exceptional children teacher assistants are the University of North Carolina at Greensboro and the University of North Carolina at Greensboro.

There are also many online exceptional children teacher assistant courses to help get the education required to be an exceptional children teacher assistant.

There are certain exceptional children teacher assistant certifications that you should consider. These exceptional children teacher assistant certifications include Certified Nurse Assistant (CNA) and First Aid, CPR and AED Instructor.

What education do you need to become an exceptional children teacher assistant?

What degree do you need to be an exceptional children teacher assistant?

The most common degree for exceptional children teacher assistants is bachelor's degree, with 59% of exceptional children teacher assistants earning that degree. The second and third most common degree levels are associate degree degree at 20% and associate degree degree at 11%.
  • Bachelor's, 59%
  • Associate, 20%
  • Master's, 11%
  • High School Diploma, 6%
  • Other Degrees, 4%

What should I major in to become an exceptional children teacher assistant?

You should major in psychology to become an exceptional children teacher assistant. 14% of exceptional children teacher assistants major in psychology. Other common majors for an exceptional children teacher assistant include business and criminal justice.

Most common colleges for exceptional children teacher assistants

Exceptional children teacher assistants often get their degrees at University of North Carolina at Greensboro, North Carolina Central University, and Winston-Salem State University. Here are the most common colleges for exceptional children teacher assistants in the US based on their resumes.
Exceptional children teacher assistant common collegePercentages
University of North Carolina at Greensboro10.48%
North Carolina Central University10.48%
Winston-Salem State University8.06%
Appalachian State University7.26%
Liberty University6.45%

Best majors for exceptional children teacher assistants

RankMajorPercentages
1Psychology13.7%
2Business10.7%
3Criminal Justice8.6%
4Sociology7.7%
5Early Childhood Education5.6%

Best colleges for exceptional children teacher assistants

The best colleges for exceptional children teacher assistants are Northwestern University, Stanford University, and Johns Hopkins University.

An exceptional children teacher assistant with advanced education typically earns a higher salary and has access to better jobs. That's why Zippia looked into the best colleges for exceptional children teacher assistants. 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 exceptional children teacher assistants.

1. Northwestern University

Evanston, IL • Private

In-state tuition

$54,568

Enrollment

8,451

2. SUNY at Binghamton

Vestal, NY • Private

In-state tuition

$9,808

Enrollment

13,990

3. Stanford University

Stanford, CA • Private

In-state tuition

$51,354

Enrollment

7,083

4. SUNY Stony Brook

Stony Brook, NY • Private

In-state tuition

$9,625

Enrollment

17,407

5. New York University

New York, NY • Private

In-state tuition

$51,828

Enrollment

26,339

6. Duke University

Durham, NC • Private

In-state tuition

$55,695

Enrollment

6,596

7. Howard University

Washington, DC • Private

In-state tuition

$26,756

Enrollment

6,166

8. SUNY at Albany

Albany, NY • Private

In-state tuition

$10,011

Enrollment

13,434

9. University of Pennsylvania

Philadelphia, PA • Private

In-state tuition

$55,584

Enrollment

10,764

10. University of Michigan - Ann Arbor

Ann Arbor, MI • Private

In-state tuition

$15,262

Enrollment

30,079

20 best online courses for exceptional children teacher assistants

Advertising disclosure

1. Educating Deaf Children: Becoming an Empowered Teacher

coursera

Many Deaf children around the world still leave school functionally illiterate. In some cases, there is no allowance made for the education of Deaf children at all. This 4-week course provides you with invaluable knowledge and skills about teaching Deaf children. You will learn about the importance of Deaf culture and community, the need for a language-rich environment for the Deaf child from as young as possible, and that having access to sign language can help Deaf children academically,...

2. Music Education for Teachers

coursera

In the Music Education for Teachers specialization, you will explore ways of integrating popular music into your teaching. You'll begin by learning from two highly experienced teachers, Krystal Banfield, the Vice President of Educational Outreach for Berklee College of Music, and David Alexis a Berklee Professor and long-time instructor for the Berklee City Music Program. They will take you through their process of incorporating popular music, improvisation, arranging, and music technology into...

3. Educational Psychology & Special Education (Certificate)

udemy
4.4
(876)

Informational content for educators and parents to learn about teaching and understanding exceptional children...

4. Teach Children with Learning Disabilities. A Practical Guide

udemy
4.4
(274)

Insights into the neurobiology behind various learning issues – How learning is hindered & how to improve learning...

5. Activity Design with PhET Simulations for STEM Education

coursera

PhET Interactive Simulations ( https://phet.colorado.edu/ ), a project of the University of Colorado Boulder, provides fun, free, interactive, research-based science and mathematics simulations for use across, primary, secondary, and higher education levels. We extensively test and evaluate each simulation to ensure educational effectiveness. All simulations are open source and free to all students and teachers. In this course, we will review strategies for how to use PhET to create sim-based...

6. ICT in Primary Education: Transforming children's learning across the curriculum

coursera

Why and how are teachers integrating ICT (Information and Communication Technology) into primary education? In this course we analyse examples from schools in different parts of the world, and bring professional teachers, headteachers and policymakers together to share their best ideas and inspiring stories. The materials in the course are based on studies carried out for the UNESCO Institute of IT in Education, Moscow. Learning Outcomes: to be aware of the range of reasons for using ICT to...

7. Learn To Create AI Assistant (JARVIS) With Python

udemy
4.3
(1,473)

How To Create AI Assistant (JARVIS) With Python Like the One from Marvel's Iron Man Movie...

8. Mindfulness for Life Coaching Success: Teacher Certificate

udemy
4.8
(672)

Transform Lives with Mindfulness & Meditation: Accredited Life Coach Teacher Certificate (2023)...

9. Virtual Teacher Final Project

coursera

The Final Project will be a hands-on, comprehensive project that practitioners of virtual education can implement in their profession. For this final project, learners will draft a design plan for an online learning module utilizing materials learned from the virtual teacher series. Learners will choose the subject matter, method of delivery, tools, instructional strategies, and assessments, with the goal of creating a module of online or blended instruction that meets the needs of their...

10. Outcome Based Education (OBE) & Academic Quality Assurance

udemy
4.4
(1,390)

Master Course for Teachers' Development: Grow Your Teaching-Learning Expertise to World-Class Level...

11. Learn to Build AI assistant like JARVIS using Python

udemy
4.5
(738)

Convert your Computer into AI assistant...

12. Become a Virtual Assistant

udemy
4.5
(1,223)

Live Free. Work Virtually. Virtual Assistant Training...

13. Virtual Assistant Training, a Complete Guide: Work From Home

udemy
4.4
(358)

Rock Star Virtual Assistant Training: Create an online business + become a freelancing virtual professional in any field...

14. TESOL Teacher Training: Second Language Acquisition (SLA)

udemy
4.4
(445)

Putting Theory Into Practice in the ESL/EFL Classroom...

15. Virtual Assistant: Find, Hire, Train, and Manage

udemy
4.6
(507)

Work smarter, not harder: Learn how to win the war against Entrepreneurial Overwhelm with virtual assistants...

16. Becoming an Executive Personal Assistant

udemy
4.2
(282)

Learn how to be an effective personal assistant, and find out how to develop the skills for the role...

17. Google Assistant development with Actions on Google

udemy
4
(513)

Google Assistant development in Node.js with Actions on Google & Dialog Flow & Firebase for Google Home & Android device...

18. Learn to Teach Yoga to Children

udemy
4.6
(386)

Help Kids Become Focused, Mindful, and Calm with Yoga at School and Home Through Poses, Games, Stories and More...

19. Moodle: From Novice Teacher to Expert Online Educator

udemy
4
(760)

The definitive guide to creating Engaging Online Courses in Moodle for any student, including School, College & Business...

20. Seth Godin on learning and education

udemy
4.6
(679)

Build the future of community, culture and possibility...

Top 10 most affordable universities for exceptional children teacher assistants

The most affordable schools for exceptional children teacher assistants are Baruch College of the City University of New York, california state university - bakersfield, and california state university - long beach.

If the best universities for exceptional children teacher assistants 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 exceptional children teacher assistants.

1. Baruch College of the City University of New York

New York, NY • Private

In-state tuition

$7,262

Cost of attendance

14,046

2. California State University - Bakersfield

Bakersfield, CA • Private

In-state tuition

$7,309

Cost of attendance

16,714

3. California State University - Long Beach

Long Beach, CA • Private

In-state tuition

$6,798

Cost of attendance

18,306

4. SUNY Farmingdale

Farmingdale, NY • Private

In-state tuition

$8,306

Cost of attendance

16,091

5. California State University - Dominguez Hills

Carson, CA • Private

In-state tuition

$6,942

Cost of attendance

14,469

6. USF Sarasota-Manatee

Sarasota, FL • Private

In-state tuition

$5,587

Cost of attendance

13,043

7. University of South Florida

Tampa, FL • Private

In-state tuition

$6,410

Cost of attendance

20,456

8. Brooklyn College of the City University of New York

Brooklyn, NY • Private

In-state tuition

$7,240

Cost of attendance

13,991

9. Hunter College of the City University of New York

New York, NY • Private

In-state tuition

$7,182

Cost of attendance

13,998

10. Brigham Young University

Provo, UT • Private

In-state tuition

$5,620

Cost of attendance

18,136

Top 10 hardest universities to get into for exceptional children teacher assistants

The hardest universities for exceptional children teacher assistants to get into are Northwestern University, Stanford University, and Johns Hopkins University.

Some great schools for exceptional children teacher assistants 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 exceptional children teacher assistants 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. Stanford University

Stanford, CA • Private

Admissions rate

4%

SAT average

1,497

3. Johns Hopkins University

Baltimore, MD • Private

Admissions rate

11%

SAT average

1,513

4. Duke University

Durham, NC • Private

Admissions rate

9%

SAT average

1,516

5. Carnegie Mellon University

Pittsburgh, PA • Private

Admissions rate

17%

SAT average

1,507

6. Washington University in St Louis

Saint Louis, MO • Private

Admissions rate

15%

SAT average

1,506

7. University of Pennsylvania

Philadelphia, PA • Private

Admissions rate

8%

SAT average

1,492

8. New York University

New York, NY • Private

Admissions rate

20%

SAT average

1,419

9. Columbia University in the City of New York

New York, NY • Private

Admissions rate

6%

SAT average

1,512

10. Boston University

Boston, MA • Private

Admissions rate

22%

SAT average

1,420

Top 10 easy-to-apply-to universities for exceptional children teacher assistants

The easiest schools for exceptional children teacher assistants to get into are Notre Dame de Namur University, bluefield college, and oklahoma wesleyan university.

Some schools are much easier to get into. If you want to start your career as an exceptional children teacher assistant 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 exceptional children teacher assistants.

1. Notre Dame de Namur University

Belmont, CA • Private

Admissions rate

82%

SAT average

983

2. Bluefield College

Bluefield, VA • Private

Admissions rate

95%

SAT average

980

3. Oklahoma Wesleyan University

Bartlesville, OK • Private

Admissions rate

68%

SAT average

964

4. Life University

Marietta, GA • Private

Admissions rate

94%

SAT average

979

5. D'Youville College

Buffalo, NY • Private

Admissions rate

100%

SAT average

1,072

6. Holy Names University

Oakland, CA • Private

Admissions rate

70%

SAT average

849

7. Notre Dame College

Cleveland, OH • Private

Admissions rate

90%

SAT average

994

8. Kean University

Union, NJ • Private

Admissions rate

86%

SAT average

991

9. Holy Family University

Philadelphia, PA • Private

Admissions rate

72%

SAT average

1,017

10. Gwynedd Mercy University

Gwynedd Valley, PA • Private

Admissions rate

92%

SAT average

1,031

Average exceptional children teacher assistant salary by education level

Exceptional children teacher assistants with a Doctorate degree earn more than those without, at $32,317 annually. With a Master's degree, exceptional children teacher assistants earn a median annual income of $31,826 compared to $30,081 for exceptional children teacher assistants with an Bachelor's degree.
Exceptional children teacher assistant education levelExceptional children teacher assistant salary
Master's Degree$31,826
High School Diploma or Less$29,246
Bachelor's Degree$30,081
Doctorate Degree$32,317
Some College/ Associate Degree$29,505

Exceptional children teacher assistant education FAQs

Search for exceptional children teacher assistant jobs

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.

Browse education, training, and library jobs