How long does it take to become an Instructional Assistant?

It takes 3 years of professional experience to become an instructional assistant. That is the time it takes to learn specific instructional assistant skills, but does not account for time spent in formal education. If you include the normal education requirements to complete a college degree, then it takes 6 to 8 years years to become an instructional assistant.

How To Become An Instructional Assistant: What It Is and Career Path

What is an instructional assistant and how to become one

Updated January 8, 2025

3 min read

The role of an instructional assistant can be quite interesting. They primarily help teachers with overall classroom management and they assist in schooling operations. If you are not a teacher, but interested in shadowing the tasks performed by them, or learning the ins and outs of the student learning process, this role will fit you well.

Daily, an instructional assistant is involved in accompanying students from bus to classrooms, overseeing independent student learning time, providing behavior management classes, and monitoring students during unstructured schooling hours. Besides that, they also help teachers complete clerical tasks and update them on student progress.

There are no strict education requirements to become an instructional assistant. An individual can assume this role by just having a high school diploma. However, different job scopes may require higher education, such as a degree or a nursery certification. An instructional assistant earns, on average, $14 per hour.

ScoreInstructional AssistantUS Average

Salary

2.5

Avg. Salary $32,170

Avg. Salary $59,228

Stability level

4.5

Growth rate 4%

Growth rate 0.3%

Diversity

9.3

Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 1.36%

Asian 8.18%

Black or African American 8.90%

Hispanic or Latino 21.00%

Unknown 4.63%

White 55.93%

Gender

female 72.69%

male 27.31%

Age - 45

Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 3.00%

Asian 7.00%

Black or African American 14.00%

Hispanic or Latino 19.00%

White 57.00%

Gender

female 47.00%

male 53.00%

Age - 45

Stress level

4.5

Stress level is manageable

7.1 - high

Complexity level

3.7

Complexity level is basic

7 - challenging

Work life balance

10.0

Work life balance is excellent

6.4 - fair

Key steps to become an instructional assistant

Explore instructional assistant education requirements

Most common instructional assistant degrees

Bachelor's

58.0 %

Associate

19.4 %

Master's

9.6 %

Start to develop specific instructional assistant skills

Skills	Percentages
CPR	16.67%
Math	8.26%
Instructional Materials	7.45%
Mathematics	7.31%
Behavioral Issues	6.69%

Gain additional instructional assistant certifications

Instructional assistant certifications can show employers you have a baseline of knowledge expected for the position. Certifications can also make you a more competitive candidate. Even if employers don't require a specific instructional assistant certification, having one may help you stand out relative to other applicants.

The most common certifications for instructional assistants include Certified Nurse Assistant (CNA) and Medical Assistant.

More About Certifications

Research instructional assistant duties and responsibilities

Assist teachers in the classroom environment for Pre-K-6 students with class materials, photocopying, correcting papers, clerical duties etc.
Substitute for Pre-K through 5th grade.
Assist lead teacher in a certify Montessori program.
Assist students in grades from kindergarten to high school.

Prepare your instructional assistant resume

When your background is strong enough, you can start writing your instructional assistant resume.

You can use Zippia's AI resume builder to make the resume writing process easier while also making sure that you include key information that hiring managers expect to see on an instructional assistant resume. You'll find resume tips and examples of skills, responsibilities, and summaries, all provided by Zippi, your career sidekick.

Choose from 10+ customizable instructional assistant resume templates

Build a professional instructional assistant resume in minutes. Browse through our resume examples to identify the best way to word your resume. Then choose from 10+ resume templates to create your instructional assistant resume.

Apply for instructional assistant jobs

Now it's time to start searching for an instructional assistant job. Consider the tips below for a successful job search:

Browse job boards for relevant postings
Consult your professional network
Reach out to companies you're interested in working for directly
Watch out for job scams

How do instructional assistants rate their job?

-/5

5 stars

4 stars

3 stars

2 stars

1 star

Instructional assistant reviews

A zippia user wrote a review on Feb 2024

Pros

Helping students with various intellectual or behavior disabilities to be successful in the classroom and in life.

Cons

As a paraprofessional, you often get left out of Professional Development activities, vertical team meetings, etc. and have a limited capacity to influence educational decisions within the organization.

A zippia user wrote a review on May 2021

Pros

Working one on one with students who struggle because I get to see their confidence boost and their grades improve. Also have the summers off to be with my kids who are out of school

Cons

Not being recognized as the valuable team member I am and being considered another number in the hr system. It's very impersonable.

A zippia user wrote a review on Aug 2020

Pros

Being able to make an impact on kids with a disability and being there friend.

Cons

Just the time I invest with all the work I did for the school district. I was a volunteer wrestling coach and a para for Jenks high school in Tulsa Oklahoma. I enjoyed my experience but realize safety and health was want to go into.

What is an instructional assistant and how to become one

Instructional assistant career paths

Key steps to become an instructional assistant

Explore instructional assistant education requirements

Most common instructional assistant degrees

Start to develop specific instructional assistant skills

Gain additional instructional assistant certifications

Research instructional assistant duties and responsibilities

Prepare your instructional assistant resume

Choose from 10+ customizable instructional assistant resume templates

Apply for instructional assistant jobs

How did you land your first instructional assistant job

Average instructional assistant salary

How do instructional assistants rate their job?

Instructional assistant reviews

Instructional assistant FAQs

How long does it take to become an Instructional Assistant?

Search for instructional assistant jobs

Instructional assistant jobs by state