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The differences between instructional assistants and special education assistants can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. Additionally, an instructional assistant has an average salary of $32,170, which is higher than the $32,149 average annual salary of a special education assistant.
The top three skills for an instructional assistant include CPR, math and instructional materials. The most important skills for a special education assistant are paraprofessional, behavior management, and IEP.
| Instructional Assistant | Special Education Assistant | |
| Yearly salary | $32,170 | $32,149 |
| Hourly rate | $15.47 | $15.46 |
| Growth rate | 4% | 4% |
| Number of jobs | 50,185 | 62,239 |
| Job satisfaction | - | 5 |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 58% | Bachelor's Degree, 57% |
| Average age | 44 | 44 |
| Years of experience | - | - |
An instructional assistant's role is to assist teachers and faculty members by performing various tasks. Their responsibilities will involve managing and monitoring the classroom environment, crafting visual aids and informative presentations, preparing laboratories and equipment, grading papers, recording data, and organizing schedules. An instructional assistant may also teach short courses when a teacher is not around, and provide tutorial sessions to small groups. Furthermore, they may also perform administrative tasks such as producing progress reports and necessary documentation, taking attendance, and responding to calls and correspondence.
A special education assistant is responsible for supporting class activities in an inclusive classroom setting, assisting students with their tasks under the supervision of a special education teacher. Special education assistants create comprehensive lesson plans which adhere to the students' curriculum and special needs. They also help with developing engaging activities to promote an active learning environment while monitoring the students' personal and social behavior. A special education assistant must have excellent communication and organization skills, ensuring the progress of the students by regular interaction, and managing their needs.
Instructional assistants and special education assistants have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Instructional Assistant | Special Education Assistant | |
| Average salary | $32,170 | $32,149 |
| Salary range | Between $23,000 And $44,000 | Between $25,000 And $40,000 |
| Highest paying City | Salem, OR | New York, NY |
| Highest paying state | Alaska | Rhode Island |
| Best paying company | Kern Community College District | Benicia Unified School District |
| Best paying industry | Education | Education |
There are a few differences between an instructional assistant and a special education assistant in terms of educational background:
| Instructional Assistant | Special Education Assistant | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 58% | Bachelor's Degree, 57% |
| Most common major | Psychology | Psychology |
| Most common college | Northwestern University | Northwestern University |
Here are the differences between instructional assistants' and special education assistants' demographics:
| Instructional Assistant | Special Education Assistant | |
| Average age | 44 | 44 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 27.3% Female, 72.7% | Male, 21.9% Female, 78.1% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 8.9% Unknown, 4.6% Hispanic or Latino, 21.0% Asian, 8.2% White, 55.9% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.4% | Black or African American, 8.8% Unknown, 4.6% Hispanic or Latino, 18.8% Asian, 8.7% White, 57.6% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.4% |
| LGBT Percentage | 6% | 6% |