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The differences between instructional aides and head start teachers can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. Additionally, a head start teacher has an average salary of $33,865, which is higher than the $30,993 average annual salary of an instructional aide.
The top three skills for an instructional aide include work ethic, CPR and math. The most important skills for a head start teacher are kids, math, and CPR.
| Instructional Aide | Head Start Teacher | |
| Yearly salary | $30,993 | $33,865 |
| Hourly rate | $14.90 | $16.28 |
| Growth rate | 4% | 15% |
| Number of jobs | 60,846 | 67,747 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 56% | Bachelor's Degree, 55% |
| Average age | 44 | 40 |
| Years of experience | - | 2 |
An instructional aide focuses on performing support-related tasks for a teacher or faculty member. They are primarily responsible for helping teachers maintain a safe and healthy learning environment, recording attendance, creating visual aids or presentations, participating in the preparation of lesson plans and tests, and assisting students who are having difficulties in a particular task or lesson. An instructional aide may also take part in counseling and supervising students' behavior during class activities, all while adhering to the school's policies and regulations.
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.
Instructional aides and head start teachers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Instructional Aide | Head Start Teacher | |
| Average salary | $30,993 | $33,865 |
| Salary range | Between $24,000 And $38,000 | Between $23,000 And $49,000 |
| Highest paying City | Columbus, OH | New York, NY |
| Highest paying state | Massachusetts | Massachusetts |
| Best paying company | Boston Public Schools | Topeka Public Schools |
| Best paying industry | Education | Education |
There are a few differences between an instructional aide and a head start teacher in terms of educational background:
| Instructional Aide | Head Start Teacher | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 56% | Bachelor's Degree, 55% |
| Most common major | Psychology | Early Childhood Education |
| Most common college | Northwestern University | University of Pennsylvania |
Here are the differences between instructional aides' and head start teachers' demographics:
| Instructional Aide | Head Start Teacher | |
| Average age | 44 | 40 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 24.9% Female, 75.1% | Male, 7.9% Female, 92.1% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 8.6% Unknown, 4.4% Hispanic or Latino, 25.2% Asian, 7.1% White, 53.4% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.2% | 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% |
| LGBT Percentage | 6% | 5% |