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The differences between head start teachers and certified teachers can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. Additionally, a certified teacher has an average salary of $50,708, which is higher than the $33,865 average annual salary of a head start teacher.
The top three skills for a head start teacher include kids, math and CPR. The most important skills for a certified teacher are math, mathematics, and kids.
| Head Start Teacher | Certified Teacher | |
| Yearly salary | $33,865 | $50,708 |
| Hourly rate | $16.28 | $24.38 |
| Growth rate | 15% | 4% |
| Number of jobs | 67,747 | 92,051 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 55% | Bachelor's Degree, 65% |
| Average age | 40 | 42 |
| Years of experience | 2 | - |
A head start teacher is responsible for organizing lectures and monitoring classroom operations for students with financial difficulties. Head start teachers have the same roles as regular teachers, such as preparing lesson plans, conducting assessments to test the students' knowledge, documenting their progress, and planning group activities to observe their personal and social behaviors. They also coordinate with the students' parents to share the child's difficulties and strategize methods to enhance capabilities. A head start teacher must have excellent communication skills, especially in attending to students for their needs and encouraging them to reach their maximum potentials.
A certified teacher is responsible for designing lesson plans and activities for the students by following the curriculum and the students' learning needs. Certified teachers manage the coordination of the students within the classroom setting, observe their behaviors, and identify their areas of improvement by determining every student's strengths and weaknesses. They also evaluate the students' performance and progress by conducting assessments and facilitating engaging activities that would not only help the students develop their mental skills but their social connections as well.
Head start teachers and certified teachers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Head Start Teacher | Certified Teacher | |
| Average salary | $33,865 | $50,708 |
| Salary range | Between $23,000 And $49,000 | Between $37,000 And $68,000 |
| Highest paying City | New York, NY | Danbury, CT |
| Highest paying state | Massachusetts | Connecticut |
| Best paying company | Topeka Public Schools | Universal Health Services |
| Best paying industry | Education | Government |
There are a few differences between a head start teacher and a certified teacher in terms of educational background:
| Head Start Teacher | Certified Teacher | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 55% | Bachelor's Degree, 65% |
| Most common major | Early Childhood Education | Elementary Education |
| Most common college | University of Pennsylvania | University of Pennsylvania |
Here are the differences between head start teachers' and certified teachers' demographics:
| Head Start Teacher | Certified Teacher | |
| Average age | 40 | 42 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 7.9% Female, 92.1% | Male, 25.6% Female, 74.4% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 8.8% Unknown, 4.6% Hispanic or Latino, 19.0% Asian, 5.9% White, 60.9% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.9% | Black or African American, 10.0% Unknown, 3.9% Hispanic or Latino, 12.8% Asian, 3.7% White, 69.1% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.5% |
| LGBT Percentage | 5% | 9% |