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Job outlook for instructional aides in the United States
Instructional aide job growth summary. After extensive research, interviews, and analysis, Zippia's data science team found that:
The projected instructional aide job growth rate is 4% from 2018-2028.
About 55,400 new jobs for instructional aides are projected over the next decade.
Instructional aide salaries have increased 14% for instructional aides in the last 5 years.
There are over 329,611 instructional aides currently employed in the United States.
There are 60,846 active instructional aide job openings in the US.
The average instructional aide salary is $30,993.
Are instructional aide jobs in demand?
Instructional aide job and salary trends over time
Instructional aide jobs over time
Instructional aide job growth rate over time
| Year | # of jobs | % of population |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 329,611 | 0.10% |
| 2020 | 355,563 | 0.11% |
| 2019 | 373,906 | 0.11% |
| 2018 | 335,404 | 0.10% |
| 2017 | 327,404 | 0.10% |
Average instructional aide salary over time
Instructional aide salary by year
| Year | Avg. salary | Hourly rate | % Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | $30,993 | $14.90 | +3.5% |
| 2025 | $29,932 | $14.39 | +3.4% |
| 2024 | $28,941 | $13.91 | +2.7% |
| 2023 | $28,179 | $13.55 | +3.3% |
| 2022 | $27,267 | $13.11 | +2.0% |
Instructional aide jobs by state
Most common states for instructional aides
| Rank | State | Population | # of jobs | Employment/ 1000ppl |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | District of Columbia | 693,972 | 172 | 25% |
| 2 | New Hampshire | 1,342,795 | 309 | 23% |
| 3 | Montana | 1,050,493 | 246 | 23% |
| 4 | Vermont | 623,657 | 143 | 23% |
| 5 | Connecticut | 3,588,184 | 738 | 21% |
| 6 | Indiana | 6,666,818 | 1,307 | 20% |
| 7 | Delaware | 961,939 | 193 | 20% |
| 8 | Alaska | 739,795 | 146 | 20% |
| 9 | Illinois | 12,802,023 | 2,246 | 18% |
| 10 | Minnesota | 5,576,606 | 1,007 | 18% |
| 11 | Iowa | 3,145,711 | 559 | 18% |
| 12 | Kansas | 2,913,123 | 524 | 18% |
| 13 | Arizona | 7,016,270 | 1,223 | 17% |
| 14 | Maryland | 6,052,177 | 1,008 | 17% |
| 15 | Nebraska | 1,920,076 | 323 | 17% |
| 16 | Wyoming | 579,315 | 100 | 17% |
| 17 | New Jersey | 9,005,644 | 1,442 | 16% |
| 18 | Massachusetts | 6,859,819 | 1,078 | 16% |
| 19 | Colorado | 5,607,154 | 916 | 16% |
| 20 | Maine | 1,335,907 | 197 | 15% |
Most common cities for instructional aides
| Rank | City | # of jobs | Employment/ 1000ppl | Avg. salary |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Taunton | 1 | 2% | $35,452 |
| 2 | Saint Louis | 2 | 1% | $27,932 |
| 3 | Deerfield Beach | 1 | 1% | $22,339 |
| 4 | Garden Grove | 1 | 1% | $31,351 |
| 5 | Lynwood | 1 | 1% | $31,422 |
| 6 | Mission Viejo | 1 | 1% | $31,267 |
| 7 | Portland | 1 | 1% | $30,318 |
| 8 | Silver Spring | 1 | 1% | $28,142 |
| 9 | Anaheim | 1 | 0% | $31,351 |
| 10 | Boston | 1 | 0% | $35,518 |
| 11 | Dallas | 1 | 0% | $25,309 |
| 12 | Oakland | 1 | 0% | $32,536 |
| 13 | Phoenix | 1 | 0% | $27,452 |
| 14 | San Antonio | 1 | 0% | $25,457 |
| 15 | Santa Ana | 1 | 0% | $31,328 |
Instructional Aide job outlook: Expert opinions
Our panel of instructional aide experts
Texas Woman's University
Assumption University
University of South Florida
Springfield College
Berry College
Missouri State University
Boston College
Nicholls State University
Chatham University
University of Houston-Clear Lake
Ohio University
University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee
Providence College
Temple University
Gina Anderson
Associate Dean for Educator Preparation and PartnershipsTexas Woman's University
TWU College of Professional Education
What will help Instructional Aides increase their earning potential?
Gina Anderson: Education is the most important of all careers, as educators prepare others to work in all professions. Despite the challenges associated with being an educator, it is highly rewarding, especially when student success is a result of an educator's influence. The starting pay is typically in line with other 4 year college graduates, and the schedule and holidays are conducive to family life.
Susan Scully-Hill Ph.D.
Associate Professor of Human Services and Rehabilitation Studies and Director of the School Counseling program at Assumption UniversityAssumption University
Department of Human Services and Rehabilitation Studies
What are the biggest trends we'll see in the Instructional Aide job market given the pandemic?
Susan Scully-Hill Ph.D.: What I am seeing now is that schools are increasing the number of "school support personnel" by hiring additional school counselors, school adjustment counselors, learning coaches, student engagement officers, instructional aides, and para-professionals. Student engagement in remote learning is, overall, very low and schools are seeing more students failing multiple subjects than they have ever before. Currently schools are working hard to increase student engagement and academic outcomes by increasing support personnel. I think this trend will continue even as students transition back to in-person learning. Transitioning back to in- person learning will create challenges for many students-not just academic challenges but social, and emotional as well. Making up for lost classroom and learning time will be a priority and therefore additional school personnel will be required.
Dr. Elizabeth Doone Ph.D.
UG and MAT in ESE Programs CoordinatorUniversity of South Florida
College of Education
What are the biggest trends we'll see in the Instructional Aide job market given the pandemic?
Dr. Elizabeth Doone Ph.D.: During the pandemic the workload for many teachers has compounded as they are expected to teach face-to-face and online simultaneously. Engaging students with special needs in an online environment while beneficial to a few students has proved challenging for others. Imagine engaging a class of three-, four-, and five-year-olds with language impairments and developmental delays in an online format. This becomes a challenge for both working families and teachers.
Dr. Linda Davis-Delano
Director, Educator Preparation & Licensure, Professor, Physical EducationSpringfield College
Educator Preparation
What are the biggest trends we'll see in the Instructional Aide job market given the pandemic?
Dr. Linda Davis-Delano: Many more job openings as teachers retire early.
What skills stand out on Instructional Aide resumes?
Dr. Linda Davis-Delano: Ability to teach remotely and use a variety of pedagogical techniques including the use of a variety of technological platforms (e.g., YouTube, Zoom, Microsoft Teams, Nearpod, Kahoot, Brainpop, TedEd).
Are there any particularly good places in the United States for Instructional Aides to find work opportunities?
Dr. Linda Davis-Delano: Graduates will be successful securing teaching positions all across the country.
What are the biggest trends we'll see in the Instructional Aide job market given the pandemic?
Dr. Frances Roe: One of the biggest current trends in education is that the pandemic has prompted many teachers to retire or to leave the teaching profession. This exodus from the profession means that there will be more jobs available for our graduates. Locally, administrators from different districts have asked me if the Teacher Education Department knows of any recent graduates who do not have teaching jobs. They are ready to hire our recent graduates right now! The certification area did not matter. They need certified teachers now!
A trend is one that continues from pre-pandemic days. That trend is the need for math and science teachers for middle and high schools. Foreign language and special education teachers are also remain in demand.
What skills stand out on Instructional Aide resumes?
Dr. Frances Roe: In my opinion, student teachers must include language at the top of their resume that aligns with the language listed in the advertisement for the teaching position. The HR Department of most school districts receive the resumes first. The personnel in HR sorts the resumes according to their needs, so graduates should state near the top of their resumes skills that align with the school district's needs. Also, they should highlight that they have had experience teaching virtually. All of our graduates have had some experience in this area. Virtual teaching is likely a trend that will be with us for a while.
Are there any particularly good places in the United States for Instructional Aides to find work opportunities?
Dr. Frances Roe: Urban and large suburban areas are typically excellent places to our graduates to find teaching jobs. Large districts such as Hamilton County in Chattanooga, Cobb, and Gwinnet Counties in Georgia, as well as our local school districts are regulars at our Teacher Recruitment Fairs. The districts are holding their own district teacher recruitment fairs earlier and earlier in hopes of hiring our graduates. It is not usual for districts of various sizes to either email or call me asking for help finding certified teachers in the areas I identified earlier.
What are the biggest trends we'll see in the Instructional Aide job market given the pandemic?
Dr. Ximena Uribe-Zarain: Even though the pandemic has had an enormous impact on the social, economic, and emotional fabric of our society, jobs in our field have not been greatly affected by it. Graduates from the field of educational assessment, program evaluation, and research in education will find plenty of opportunities even in harsh times like these. The trends in the job market continue to be in industry in the area of psychometrics, program evaluation firms, and higher education.
What the pandemic has changed is the way we conduct business. The pandemic has made more evident and even widened systemic inequalities. As researchers, we need to pay close attention to our own cultural responsiveness and be mindful of the disparities in terms of health, racial justice, and technological access. We need to be intentional in our designs, analyses, and the dissemination of results; ultimately thinking on the way our work contributes to a more inclusive and equitable society.
What skills stand out on Instructional Aide resumes?
Dr. Ximena Uribe-Zarain: Graduates of programs in the realm of educational assessment, program evaluation, and research in education tend to excel at critically evaluating social issues, and at using sophisticated methodologies to solve such issues. They are prepared to understand psychometric theory and to implement program evaluation. All of these are good skills to highlight. However, we cannot forget that graduates are more often than not avid users of technologies capable of navigating complex research and statistical software. I believe that highlighting technological skills (quantitative and qualitative analysis software, programming, use of VPN, etc.) is a good bet, especially now that working from home is so prevalent. Also, it is important to mention that being a good communicator could be the deciding factor, especially as we are communicating clearly and professionally more and more often using different media.
Tim Klein
MSW, True North LeadBoston College
Lynch School Of Education and Human Development
What are the biggest trends we'll see in the Instructional Aide job market given the pandemic?
Tim Klein: In response to economic disruption brought on by the economy, many companies will shift their priorities from growth to efficiency. This will accelerate investment and innovation in machine learning, automation and artificial intelligence.
What skills stand out on Instructional Aide resumes?
Tim Klein: This market shift will influence the skills that employers are looking for. Specifically, this will put a premium on universal human skills-skills that cannot be replaced by technology. Companies will be looking for three types of workers who possess different universal human skills-they will want innovators who are creative, critical thinkers adept at navigating uncertainty. They will want facilitators, who are skilled communicators and expert relationship builders. They will want executors-people who are incredibly responsible, accountable and trustworthy. The good news is that interdisciplinary studies provides ample opportunity for students to become innovators, facilitators and executors. Because these skills are not domain specific, students with an interdisciplinary background could really excel in a variety of fields, from healthcare, to tech, to education. Recent college graduate ability to successfully enter the workforce will depend on their ability to "self-credential"-that is, effectively tell the story of how they developed universal human skills through their college education, and show how those skills will transfer to success in the workforce.
Karen Cheramie
Interdisciplinary Studies Program CoordinatorNicholls State University
English, Modern Languages & Cultural Studies Department
What are the biggest trends we'll see in the Instructional Aide job market given the pandemic?
Karen Cheramie: Remote work is changing the workplace we once knew. People seeking jobs are at a disadvantage with employers cutting back hiring. Short-term job market looks bleak.
What skills stand out on Instructional Aide resumes?
Karen Cheramie: Make sure your future employers know the impact you can make in the job. Check on your transferable skills. Be flexible and adaptable.
Are there any particularly good places in the United States for Instructional Aides to find work opportunities?
Karen Cheramie: Nicholls' IDST alumni have always had an endless number of careers to choose from. Positions in Business, Education, Political Science, Law Enforcement, Banking, Human Resources, Social Service, and so much more are within their reach.
Christie Lewis
Assistant Professor of Education, Field CoordinatorChatham University
Education Department
Will there be an enduring impact of the coronavirus pandemic on Instructional Aides?
Christie Lewis: I believe that there will be an impact on pre-service teachers that graduate during the coronavirus pandemic. Graduates are going to need a stronger network of support than they typically receive. School districts may want to consider providing monthly seminars to help new teachers adapt during their first few years of service. Going along with this, new teachers and current graduates need increased amounts of mentoring so that they can connect with well-experienced and successful teachers. Graduates of teacher preparation programs will need intensive support from someone that they can look up to and trust.
Finally, I believe it would help if schools provide outlets for nonevaluative feedback sessions based on classroom observations, and also time to co-plan with experienced colleagues in the grade level and/or content level. We also should remember that pre-service teachers graduated during unprecedented times and many learned to teach in a virtual environment as the pandemic progressed, just like many experienced teachers had to learn. This being said, many graduates lost the opportunity for traditional on-ground teaching, but graduates were resilient, preserved, and adapted. Teachers and students did the same. This is something that all graduates and everyone else should be proud of.
What type of skills will young Instructional Aides need?
Christie Lewis: Young graduates entering the teaching force need to have many skills. Graduates should be culturally competent educators, know how to build a community of learners, know how to build relationships with families and students, know how to manage a classroom, be able to adapt, problem-solve, and think creatively. In addition, graduates need to be able to plan well to meet the needs of all learners, know how to use and analyze various student data and have the skillset to challenge students to learn so that all students can be successful in the classroom. Graduates also need to know how to use technology tools, and many graduates should have had the opportunity to learn this during student teaching. Finally, new teachers need to understand social and emotional development and how the pandemic, protests, and other current events in our world and how things happening in the student's own lives can impact learning and behavior.
What experience really stands out on Instructional Aide resumes?
Christie Lewis: I believe that graduates that go above and beyond the "check the box" really stand out. What I mean by this is that graduates who have been involved in the school and that became part of the school community really stand out. Perhaps a graduate volunteered to help with events at the school, started a tutoring club, and/or participated and did other things than teach in the classroom stands out. In addition, I think that volunteering in the community and also participating in teacher professional development really stands out. These things show that a graduate is excited and passionate.
Terry Chvala
Senior Lecturer of Early Childhood EducationUniversity of Houston-Clear Lake
College of Education
What skills stand out on Instructional Aide resumes?
Terry Chvala: Growing trend in "soft marketable skills," professional dispositions (body language, active listening, confidence, modeling professional attributes, etc.) (some more so due to Covid, but will continue to be skills that are sought after).
Are there any particularly good places in the United States for Instructional Aides to find work opportunities?
Terry Chvala: Although oil & gas continue to suffer locally and regionally, there is still a growing trend that people continue to move to Texas. So this area continues to be a positive job market for educators and other industry. Most area school districts have become fairly competitive (with each other, but nowhere near northern and northeastern states and many others) on their starting teacher pay.
What are the biggest trends we'll see in the Instructional Aide job market given the pandemic?
Terry Chvala: 1. Nationwide (not locally): In certain parts of the country where education is highly valued, and pay is aligned with that value, there is a growing trend that requires all teachers to have a Master's Degree to teach in the public schools. (This is not trending in TX or in our local Houston region).
2. Blended learning
3. Personalized learning
4. Covid-19 related trends:
-self care
-connecting students to learning in new ways
-how to reach and engage students in online and blended learning
Lisa Diebel
Associate Professor of InstructionOhio University
Human and Consumer Sciences
What are the biggest trends we'll see in the Instructional Aide job market given the pandemic?
Lisa Diebel: I expect my current FCS teacher education student to have at least one teaching offer, if not multiple requests, at the end of the spring semester. Two of my community leadership students, who graduate this weekend, have reasonable job offers. One at a hospital daycare center as an assistant teacher and another at a local grocery market as a manager. Much to my delight, the pandemic has not stopped their ability to move forward.
What skills stand out on Instructional Aide resumes?
Lisa Diebel: I think when you can show experiential experiences and an internship, you will stand out. An error-free resume is also critical.
Are there any particularly good places in the United States for Instructional Aides to find work opportunities?
Lisa Diebel: I think FCS, ED, and CL graduates will successfully find employment anywhere in the US. An FCS degree offers a lot of versatility.
Tatiana Joseph Ph.D.
Assistant Professor of Teaching and Learning Program Director, Second Language ProgramUniversity of Wisconsin-Milwaukee
Department of Curriculum and Instruction
Will there be an enduring impact of the coronavirus pandemic on Instructional Aides?
Tatiana Joseph Ph.D.: A two-faced one.
On the one hand, this time is absolutely terrifying for any teacher, new or senior. The amount of work and training needed to maneuver the current teaching space is astronomical.
On the other hand, this is a new challenge for teachers. And this is what teaching is all about. Embracing challenges and ensuring that children ARE receiving the best opportunities.
Are there any particularly good places in the United States for Instructional Aides to find work opportunities?
Bret Cormier: Yes, we have already received numerous inquiries from districts in and around New England, and we have been in school less than a month, so I imagine that will continue moving forward. We have received inquiries from as far as Hawaii, where school districts there a looking to fill numerous jobs as well as various positions. As previously stated, we also have a lot of interest from our district and community partners, where many of our students conduct field observations, as well as student teaching.
Will there be an enduring impact of the coronavirus pandemic on Instructional Aides?
Dr. Matt Tincani: Certainly, yes. Because most K - 12 schools have gone virtual, we have had to change the way we prepare teachers. Graduates of teacher preparation programs must complete student teaching; however, now they must do so virtually, along with their host teachers teaching virtually. Student teaching in an online environment is a fundamentally different experience. While candidates who student teach during the pandemic will be better prepared for online education in the future, they may not be as well prepared to teach face-to-face. At Temple University, we are planning to offer extra support to our recent graduates who haven't had the opportunity to participate in face-to-face student teaching.