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Human services instructor vs program assistant

The differences between human services instructors and program assistants can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 6-12 months to become both a human services instructor and a program assistant. Additionally, a human services instructor has an average salary of $42,301, which is higher than the $35,193 average annual salary of a program assistant.

The top three skills for a human services instructor include human services, social work and professional development. The most important skills for a program assistant are patients, customer service, and data entry.

Human services instructor vs program assistant overview

Human Services InstructorProgram Assistant
Yearly salary$42,301$35,193
Hourly rate$20.34$16.92
Growth rate12%12%
Number of jobs115,35396,901
Job satisfaction-4
Most common degreeBachelor's Degree, 51%Bachelor's Degree, 62%
Average age4343
Years of experience1212

What does a human services instructor do?

A human services instructor instructs students in human services and other subjects, typically those related to working in the community or social work. They generally teach these courses in classrooms, both physical and online, but occasionally work in practicum settings. They develop courses that will effectively teach students, create assignments, and give exams. They may also conduct research projects or even publish articles in academic journals as required. This position requires a high level of professionalism.

What does a program assistant do?

Program assistants are usually entry-level or junior employees assigned to a department that handles a specific program in the organization. They assist the team they are assigned to in the implementation of the programs. They usually take care of administrative or clerical activities while also getting exposure to actual program management. Program assistants get trained to handle agendas from inception, to sourcing, to implementation, to evaluation. They may also handle documentary support for business cases or other presentation materials that the team may need for a specific part of the program management cycle.

Human services instructor vs program assistant salary

Human services instructors and program assistants have different pay scales, as shown below.

Human Services InstructorProgram Assistant
Average salary$42,301$35,193
Salary rangeBetween $23,000 And $77,000Between $27,000 And $45,000
Highest paying CityOakland, CAWashington, DC
Highest paying stateCaliforniaConnecticut
Best paying companyMohawk Valley Health SystemThe Aspen Institute
Best paying industryEducationGovernment

Differences between human services instructor and program assistant education

There are a few differences between a human services instructor and a program assistant in terms of educational background:

Human Services InstructorProgram Assistant
Most common degreeBachelor's Degree, 51%Bachelor's Degree, 62%
Most common majorPsychologyBusiness
Most common collegeUniversity of Southern CaliforniaNorthwestern University

Human services instructor vs program assistant demographics

Here are the differences between human services instructors' and program assistants' demographics:

Human Services InstructorProgram Assistant
Average age4343
Gender ratioMale, 49.5% Female, 50.5%Male, 24.8% Female, 75.2%
Race ratioBlack or African American, 11.5% Unknown, 4.9% Hispanic or Latino, 18.0% Asian, 7.4% White, 56.3% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.9%Black or African American, 13.8% Unknown, 5.2% Hispanic or Latino, 19.0% Asian, 6.7% White, 53.1% American Indian and Alaska Native, 2.2%
LGBT Percentage11%11%

Differences between human services instructor and program assistant duties and responsibilities

Human services instructor example responsibilities.

  • Guide individuals in accomplishing their ISP objectives by demonstrating effective instruction techniques and positive reinforcement.
  • Work in humanities with an emphasis in literature.
  • Design course syllabus, curriculum, and topics of discussion.
  • Have experiencing teaching developmental courses to deficient entry level students, as well as college level writing and literature.
  • Prepare syllabus and lesson plans base on department educational goals, developing unique strategies to teach various levels of adult learners.
  • Support and implement behavioral therapy with individuals with autism, primarily focusing on social skills in school and the community environment.
  • Show more

Program assistant example responsibilities.

  • Lead classes in anatomy/physiology, medical terminology, transcription.
  • Manage oversight of budget/finance, personnel and continuous program improvement.
  • Assist in achieving and maintaining DoD certification and national accreditation where applicable.
  • Instruct students in C++ and Java programming, robot design and construction.
  • Introduce students to various computer pro- gramming languages (HTML, CSS, JavaScript).
  • Present information about RSVP to community organizations.
  • Show more

Human services instructor vs program assistant skills

Common human services instructor skills
  • Human Services, 15%
  • Social Work, 13%
  • Professional Development, 9%
  • Curriculum Development, 8%
  • Philosophy, 7%
  • Literature, 7%
Common program assistant skills
  • Patients, 12%
  • Customer Service, 9%
  • Data Entry, 8%
  • HR, 6%
  • Excellent Interpersonal, 6%
  • Data Collection, 4%

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