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The differences between instructional aides and para educators can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. Additionally, a para educator has an average salary of $31,394, 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 para educator are behavioral issues, student performance, and IEP.
| Instructional Aide | Para Educator | |
| Yearly salary | $30,993 | $31,394 |
| Hourly rate | $14.90 | $15.09 |
| Growth rate | 4% | 4% |
| Number of jobs | 60,846 | 56,897 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 56% | Bachelor's Degree, 51% |
| Average age | 44 | 44 |
| Years of experience | - | - |
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.
Paraeducators' primary role is to provide students with extra guidance and support outside or inside the classroom. They are also called paraprofessional educators or teaching assistants who are expected to support teachers. In small group activities, they take the lead permitting teachers to help their students in many ways. The necessary skills required include organization, intellectual curiosity, and being calm. They should also be creative, a team player, and knowledgeable. A bachelor's degree in education is also a necessity for this job.
Instructional aides and para educators have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Instructional Aide | Para Educator | |
| Average salary | $30,993 | $31,394 |
| Salary range | Between $24,000 And $38,000 | Between $24,000 And $39,000 |
| Highest paying City | Columbus, OH | Belmont, CA |
| Highest paying state | Massachusetts | Massachusetts |
| Best paying company | Boston Public Schools | Central Valley School District |
| Best paying industry | Education | Education |
There are a few differences between an instructional aide and a para educator in terms of educational background:
| Instructional Aide | Para Educator | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 56% | Bachelor's Degree, 51% |
| Most common major | Psychology | Psychology |
| Most common college | Northwestern University | Northwestern University |
Here are the differences between instructional aides' and para educators' demographics:
| Instructional Aide | Para Educator | |
| Average age | 44 | 44 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 24.9% Female, 75.1% | Male, 20.4% Female, 79.6% |
| 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, 5.7% Unknown, 4.6% Hispanic or Latino, 18.2% Asian, 8.6% White, 61.4% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.4% |
| LGBT Percentage | 6% | 6% |