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Instructional aide education requirements
Updated January 8, 2025
4 min read
There are several educational requirements to become an instructional aide. Instructional aides usually study psychology, business, or liberal arts. 56% of instructional aides hold a bachelor's degree, and 22% hold an associate degree. We analyzed 11,290 real instructional aide resumes to see exactly what instructional aide education sections show.
The most common colleges for instructional aides are the California State University - San Bernardino and the California State University - San Bernardino.
There are also many online instructional aide courses to help get the education required to be an instructional aide.
There are certain instructional aide certifications that you should consider. These instructional aide certifications include Advanced First Aid & CPR and First Aid Certification.
What education do you need to become an instructional aide?
What degree do you need to be an instructional aide?
- Bachelor's, 56%
- Associate, 22%
- High School Diploma, 10%
- Master's, 8%
- Other Degrees, 4%
What should I major in to become an instructional aide?
- Psychology, 14%
- Business, 11%
- Liberal Arts, 9%
- Other Majors, 57%
Most common colleges for instructional aides
| Instructional aide common college | Percentages |
|---|---|
| California State University - San Bernardino | 14.93% |
| University of Phoenix | 14.29% |
| University of California, Santa Barbara | 7.97% |
| University of California - Davis | 6.14% |
| Bakersfield College | 5.95% |
Best majors for instructional aides
| Rank | Major | Percentages |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Psychology | 14.3% |
| 2 | Business | 11.1% |
| 3 | Liberal Arts | 9.1% |
| 4 | Elementary Education | 8.5% |
| 5 | Education | 7.0% |
Best colleges for instructional aides
The best colleges for instructional aides are Northwestern University, Stanford University, and Johns Hopkins University.
An instructional aide with advanced education typically earns a higher salary and has access to better jobs. That's why Zippia looked into the best colleges for instructional aides. 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 instructional aides.
1. Northwestern University
Evanston, IL • Private
In-state tuition
$54,568
Enrollment
8,451
2. Stanford University
Stanford, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$51,354
Enrollment
7,083
3. Duke University
Durham, NC • Private
In-state tuition
$55,695
Enrollment
6,596
4. SUNY at Binghamton
Vestal, NY • Private
In-state tuition
$9,808
Enrollment
13,990
5. University of Pennsylvania
Philadelphia, PA • Private
In-state tuition
$55,584
Enrollment
10,764
6. New York University
New York, NY • Private
In-state tuition
$51,828
Enrollment
26,339
7. University of Michigan - Ann Arbor
Ann Arbor, MI • Private
In-state tuition
$15,262
Enrollment
30,079
8. Howard University
Washington, DC • Private
In-state tuition
$26,756
Enrollment
6,166
9. SUNY at Albany
Albany, NY • Private
In-state tuition
$10,011
Enrollment
13,434
10. Johns Hopkins University
Baltimore, MD • Private
In-state tuition
$53,740
Enrollment
5,567
20 best online courses for instructional aides
Advertising disclosure
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3. Instructional Design for ELearning
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5. Foundations of Virtual Instruction
Welcome to Foundations of Virtual Instruction! This course will help you 'up' your game and develop the advanced skills and techniques that elude even some of the most experienced virtual teachers in the K-12 space. Examine pitfalls and learn how to overcome them by focusing on the fundamentals that have the most significant impact on student learning in a blended or online environment. When you complete this course, you will be able to: • Craft virtual learning experiences that align with your...
6. Instructional Methods in Health Professions Education
This course provides those involved in educating members of the health professions an asynchronous, interdisciplinary, and interactive way to obtain, expand, and improve their teaching skills. These skills can then be applied within their own professional context, with a variety of learners, extending across many stages. After completing this course, learners will: 1. Understand educational theory as it relates to health professions education 2. Match instructional methods with desired...
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13. Home Health Aide, Nurse Aide, Caregiver Certification Course
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14. The Perfect Golf Swing - Timeless Golf Instruction
Absolutely the best golf videos ever made, period. 99% of golf instruction is utter nonsense...
15. First Aid, and Children's Health: Your Complete Guide
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16. First Aid: Learn How to Save a Life
Covers all first aid skills you need to know to save your loved ones and others in emergencies. Perfect for beginners...
17. Pet First Aid (Advanced)
Learn essential knowledge and skills to be able to confidently carry out emergency first aid on a pet animal...
18. Active Directory & Group Policy Administration for IT Techs
Active Directory & Group Policy Administration Basics for Helpdesk and Desktop / IT Support Technicians...
19. First Aid Masterclass: A Complete Guide to First Aid
The Complete Guide to First Aid and Emergency Medicine: Learn CPR, Heimlich, How to Stop Bleedings, Baby Care & More!...
20. First Aid
A guide to first aid for the common man. Covers sudden illness, wounds, burns, bone injuries and more...
Top 10 most affordable universities for instructional aides
The most affordable schools for instructional aides 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 instructional aides 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 instructional aides.
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. USF Sarasota-Manatee
Sarasota, FL • Private
In-state tuition
$5,587
Cost of attendance
13,043
5. California State University - Dominguez Hills
Carson, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$6,942
Cost of attendance
14,469
6. Hunter College of the City University of New York
New York, NY • Private
In-state tuition
$7,182
Cost of attendance
13,998
7. Brooklyn College of the City University of New York
Brooklyn, NY • Private
In-state tuition
$7,240
Cost of attendance
13,991
8. University of South Florida
Tampa, FL • Private
In-state tuition
$6,410
Cost of attendance
20,456
9. Brigham Young University
Provo, UT • Private
In-state tuition
$5,620
Cost of attendance
18,136
10. University of Florida
Gainesville, FL • Private
In-state tuition
$6,381
Cost of attendance
21,034
Top 10 hardest universities to get into for instructional aides
The hardest universities for instructional aides to get into are Northwestern University, Stanford University, and Johns Hopkins University.
Some great schools for instructional aides 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 instructional aides 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. University of Pennsylvania
Philadelphia, PA • Private
Admissions rate
8%
SAT average
1,492
6. Washington University in St Louis
Saint Louis, MO • Private
Admissions rate
15%
SAT average
1,506
7. New York University
New York, NY • Private
Admissions rate
20%
SAT average
1,419
8. Boston University
Boston, MA • Private
Admissions rate
22%
SAT average
1,420
9. University of Southern California
Los Angeles, CA • Private
Admissions rate
13%
SAT average
1,445
10. University of Michigan - Ann Arbor
Ann Arbor, MI • Private
Admissions rate
23%
SAT average
1,434
Top 10 easy-to-apply-to universities for instructional aides
The easiest schools for instructional aides to get into are Bluefield College, oklahoma wesleyan university, and d'youville college.
Some schools are much easier to get into. If you want to start your career as an instructional aide 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 instructional aides.
1. Bluefield College
Bluefield, VA • Private
Admissions rate
95%
SAT average
980
2. Oklahoma Wesleyan University
Bartlesville, OK • Private
Admissions rate
68%
SAT average
964
3. D'Youville College
Buffalo, NY • Private
Admissions rate
100%
SAT average
1,072
4. Holy Names University
Oakland, CA • Private
Admissions rate
70%
SAT average
849
5. Notre Dame College
Cleveland, OH • Private
Admissions rate
90%
SAT average
994
6. Gwynedd Mercy University
Gwynedd Valley, PA • Private
Admissions rate
92%
SAT average
1,031
7. Kean University
Union, NJ • Private
Admissions rate
86%
SAT average
991
8. Mount Saint Mary's University
Los Angeles, CA • Private
Admissions rate
84%
SAT average
1,031
9. Wayland Baptist University
Plainview, TX • Private
Admissions rate
98%
SAT average
1,003
10. Nyack College
New York, NY • Private
Admissions rate
98%
SAT average
999
Average instructional aide salary by education level
| Instructional aide education level | Instructional aide salary |
|---|---|
| Master's Degree | $35,048 |
| High School Diploma or Less | $32,228 |
| Bachelor's Degree | $33,141 |
| Doctorate Degree | $35,585 |
| Some College/ Associate Degree | $32,511 |
Instructional aide education FAQs
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Updated January 8, 2025
Updated January 8, 2025