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Job outlook for instructional assistants in the United States
Instructional assistant job growth summary. After extensive research, interviews, and analysis, Zippia's data science team found that:
The projected instructional assistant job growth rate is 4% from 2018-2028.
About 55,400 new jobs for instructional assistants are projected over the next decade.
Instructional assistant salaries have increased 14% for instructional assistants in the last 5 years.
There are over 134,938 instructional assistants currently employed in the United States.
There are 50,185 active instructional assistant job openings in the US.
The average instructional assistant salary is $32,170.
Are instructional assistant jobs in demand?
Instructional assistant job and salary trends over time
Instructional assistant jobs over time
Instructional assistant job growth rate over time
| Year | # of jobs | % of population |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 134,938 | 0.04% |
| 2020 | 145,563 | 0.04% |
| 2019 | 153,072 | 0.05% |
| 2018 | 137,310 | 0.04% |
| 2017 | 134,035 | 0.04% |
Average instructional assistant salary over time
Instructional assistant salary by year
| Year | Avg. salary | Hourly rate | % Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | $32,170 | $15.47 | +3.5% |
| 2025 | $31,069 | $14.94 | +3.4% |
| 2024 | $30,040 | $14.44 | +2.7% |
| 2023 | $29,250 | $14.06 | +3.3% |
| 2022 | $28,303 | $13.61 | +2.0% |
Instructional assistant jobs by state
Most common states for instructional assistants
| Rank | State | Population | # of jobs | Employment/ 1000ppl |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | New Hampshire | 1,342,795 | 308 | 23% |
| 2 | District of Columbia | 693,972 | 142 | 20% |
| 3 | Connecticut | 3,588,184 | 600 | 17% |
| 4 | Vermont | 623,657 | 104 | 17% |
| 5 | Delaware | 961,939 | 151 | 16% |
| 6 | Arizona | 7,016,270 | 1,059 | 15% |
| 7 | Montana | 1,050,493 | 153 | 15% |
| 8 | Colorado | 5,607,154 | 766 | 14% |
| 9 | Alaska | 739,795 | 100 | 14% |
| 10 | Maryland | 6,052,177 | 794 | 13% |
| 11 | Nevada | 2,998,039 | 397 | 13% |
| 12 | Wyoming | 579,315 | 76 | 13% |
| 13 | New Mexico | 2,088,070 | 258 | 12% |
| 14 | Illinois | 12,802,023 | 1,424 | 11% |
| 15 | New Jersey | 9,005,644 | 989 | 11% |
| 16 | Minnesota | 5,576,606 | 632 | 11% |
| 17 | Nebraska | 1,920,076 | 214 | 11% |
| 18 | Kansas | 2,913,123 | 282 | 10% |
| 19 | Rhode Island | 1,059,639 | 103 | 10% |
| 20 | Massachusetts | 6,859,819 | 645 | 9% |
Most common cities for instructional assistants
| Rank | City | # of jobs | Employment/ 1000ppl | Avg. salary |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Huntington Beach | 4 | 2% | $33,606 |
| 2 | Fairfield | 1 | 2% | $31,342 |
| 3 | Bend | 1 | 1% | $38,224 |
| 4 | Phoenix | 4 | 0% | $28,755 |
| 5 | Indianapolis | 3 | 0% | $28,452 |
| 6 | Chicago | 2 | 0% | $33,813 |
| 7 | San Francisco | 2 | 0% | $35,800 |
| 8 | Arlington | 1 | 0% | $31,190 |
| 9 | Atlanta | 1 | 0% | $23,983 |
| 10 | Baltimore | 1 | 0% | $31,018 |
| 11 | Boston | 1 | 0% | $39,739 |
| 12 | Chula Vista | 1 | 0% | $33,124 |
| 13 | Cincinnati | 1 | 0% | $24,178 |
| 14 | Fort Worth | 1 | 0% | $28,557 |
Instructional Assistant job outlook: Expert opinions
Our panel of instructional assistant experts
University of Puerto Rico - Humacao
Longwood University
Slippery Rock University
Howard University
University of Wyoming
The George Washington University
University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
Elmhurst 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
Utah State University
University of Mary Washington
What Instructional Assistant skills would you recommend for someone trying to advance their career?
Maritere Cardona Matos Ed.D.: Being able to collaborate is essential in the academia as well as in the workplace. Educators need to cultivate students' abilities to work effectively in teams and communicate their ideas clearly both orally and in writing. Educators also need to develop students' awareness of what is happening around the world to help them develop empathy and values. We live in a world that is in constant movement, so students need to be able to adapt and manage time and stress.
Dr. Audrey Church Ph.D.
Chair, Department of Education and Counseling; Professor of School LibrarianshipLongwood University
Education
What will help Instructional Assistants increase their earning potential?
Dr. Audrey Church Ph.D.: For those entering their first teaching position, I would give the following advice:
--Be sure that you are familiar with the policies of your school and school district. You want to be well-informed and knowledgeable so that you know what is expected of you as a teaching professional.
--Start immediately to build relationships with others on your team-your grade level team, your department team, etc.
--Become active in the professional association of your field, starting perhaps at the state level, for example, with the state affiliate of the National Council of Teachers of English or the Council for Exceptional Children or the American Association of School Librarians.
Dr. Matthew Erickson
Chairman and Associate Professor of Special EducationSlippery Rock University
Special Education Department
What skills will help Instructional Assistants earn the most?
Dr. Matthew Erickson: Ultimately be a good person and work with faculty, staff, students, and their family to put children first. You cannot teach heart, and that is what it takes to be an excellent teacher.
James Thomas Jackson Ph.D.
Professor of Special EducationHoward University
Department of Curriculum and Instruction
What skills will help Instructional Assistants earn the most?
James Thomas Jackson Ph.D.: The skills that will help you earn the most is an interesting question as most school budgets depend heavily on local property taxes. Because of this, salaries will vary depending on where one seeks employment. However, the skills that generally will lead to the most money are the following:
the possession of a graduate degree and maybe years of experience,
Dr. Andrea Burrows
Associate Dean for Undergraduate Programs, Professor, Science Education, School of Teacher EducationUniversity of Wyoming
College of Education
How do you envision technology impacting Instructional Assistants in the next 5 years?
Dr. Andrea Burrows: The definition of technology can be a tricky one; for example, see a newly published article by Ellis et al. (2020) in CITE Journal Science. The authors explore technology perspectives relating to vocational education, instructional technology, computing, and practitioners of science, mathematics, and engineering. In all of these spaces, technology has and continues to be important to education, and in the next five years, it has the potential to dramatically impact the field. It is important for the educational community to understand what technology is and how it is being assessed for effectiveness before making technology decisions and deciding if it has an impact or not.
Will there be an enduring impact of the coronavirus pandemic on Instructional Assistants?
Dr. Doran Gresham: The whole world has been asked to pivot to online instruction or at least hybrid instruction. This will require graduates to learn from each other and require more from their administrators and coaches on the ground level. For instance, teachers should routinely share best practices with their colleagues to ensure that their lessons move all learners from where they are, forward.
What technical skills for an Instructional Assistant stand out to employers?
Jennifer Anne Diliberto Ph.D.: Collaborative, problem solver, leader, passion for teaching, learning, and helping others - technology savvy, planner, lifelong learner
What's a good job out of college for Instructional Assistants?
Linda Dauksas: "Choose a job you love and you will never have to work a day in your life". Any job that you LOVE is a good job out of college! No one can teach you to love your job or to love teaching. During the interview process, the candidate should be selective about the job opportunity, just as much as the district is making a decision about or selecting the candidate.
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 Assistant 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.
What skills stand out on Instructional Assistant resumes?
Dr. Elizabeth Doone Ph.D.: Teachers must be responsive, engaging, flexible and creative. While these skills are not so notable on resumes, having experience with online teaching and a range of educational apps to engage and target instruction is beneficial. For ESE teachers, identifying specific student needs and targeting interventions with appropriate strategies to meet those needs while monitoring progress and adjusting accordingly is a crucial skill set.
Are there any particularly good places in the United States for Instructional Assistants to find work opportunities?
Dr. Elizabeth Doone Ph.D.: The need for ESE teachers and paraprofessionals is a national trend, low salaries, lack of respect, an increased work load contribute to an increased need in Florida.
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 Assistant job market given the pandemic?
Dr. Linda Davis-Delano: Many more job openings as teachers retire early.
What skills stand out on Instructional Assistant 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 Assistants 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 Assistant 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 Assistant 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 Assistants 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 Assistant 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 Assistant 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 Assistant 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 Assistant 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 Assistant 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 Assistant 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 Assistants 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 Assistants?
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 Assistants 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 Assistant 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 are the biggest trends we'll see in the Instructional Assistant 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
Are there any particularly good places in the United States for Instructional Assistants 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.
Lisa Diebel
Associate Professor of InstructionOhio University
Human and Consumer Sciences
What are the biggest trends we'll see in the Instructional Assistant 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 Assistant 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.
Sylvia Read Ph.D.
Professor and Associate Dean for Teacher EducationUtah State University
Department of Education
How do you envision technology impacting Instructional Assistants in the next 5 years?
Sylvia Read Ph.D.: Teachers have had to become much more fluent with technology to enable their teaching and student learning, and this will carry through and be refined over time. The challenge is how to leverage technology to differentiate learning based on students' needs.
Janine Davis Ph.D.
Associate ProfessorUniversity of Mary Washington
College of Education
Will there be an enduring impact of the coronavirus pandemic on Instructional Assistants?
Janine Davis Ph.D.: For our teacher education graduates, the impact of the pandemic will most likely work in their favor when it comes to finding jobs-the pandemic has led to many retirements, which will mean that we will need even more teachers to fill those empty positions. At the same time, the advent of increased virtual learning means that it will no longer be an option that teachers know and use technology, including teaching online and using learning management and data analysis systems-those skills will almost certainly be a non-negotiable for future teaching positions. Finally, I think that this event has highlighted the importance of working as part of a team of teachers and other school leaders.
How do you envision technology impacting Instructional Assistants in the next 5 years?
Janine Davis Ph.D.: Already we see some amazing resources that help with virtual learning, and teachers are teaching students in so many different ways in the virtual setting. Not just will teachers be using more technology to communicate, teach, and collect and analyze student data, but it is likely that students will also use technology in more advanced ways-for example, more students may be editing video, producing podcasts, and collecting and analyzing data with technology.