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Kindergarten paraprofessional education requirements

Updated January 8, 2025
4 min read

There are several educational requirements to become a kindergarten paraprofessional. Kindergarten paraprofessionals usually study early childhood education, elementary education, or education. 64% of kindergarten paraprofessionals hold a bachelor's degree, and 21% hold an associate degree. We analyzed 397 real kindergarten paraprofessional resumes to see exactly what kindergarten paraprofessional education sections show.

The most common colleges for kindergarten paraprofessionals are the Georgia State University and the Georgia State University.

There are also many online kindergarten paraprofessional courses to help get the education required to be a kindergarten paraprofessional.

What education do you need to become a kindergarten paraprofessional?

What degree do you need to be a kindergarten paraprofessional?

The most common degree for kindergarten paraprofessionals is bachelor's degree, with 64% of kindergarten paraprofessionals earning that degree. The second and third most common degree levels are associate degree degree at 21% and associate degree degree at 9%.
  • Bachelor's, 64%
  • Associate, 21%
  • Master's, 9%
  • High School Diploma, 4%
  • Other Degrees, 2%

What should I major in to become a kindergarten paraprofessional?

You should major in early childhood education to become a kindergarten paraprofessional. 18% of kindergarten paraprofessionals major in early childhood education. Other common majors for a kindergarten paraprofessional include elementary education and education.

Most common colleges for kindergarten paraprofessionals

Kindergarten paraprofessionals often get their degrees at Georgia State University, Kennesaw State University, and University of Phoenix. Here are the most common colleges for kindergarten paraprofessionals in the US based on their resumes.
Kindergarten paraprofessional common collegePercentages
Georgia State University7.81%
Kennesaw State University7.81%
University of Phoenix7.81%
University of Connecticut6.25%
Valdosta State University6.25%

Best majors for kindergarten paraprofessionals

Best colleges for kindergarten paraprofessionals

The best colleges for kindergarten paraprofessionals are Northwestern University, Johns Hopkins University, and University of Pennsylvania.

A kindergarten paraprofessional with advanced education typically earns a higher salary and has access to better jobs. That's why Zippia looked into the best colleges for kindergarten paraprofessionals. We based this list on several metrics: admissions rate, retention rate, mean earnings of graduates, the ratio of working vs. non-working students ten years after admission, the average cost of attendance, and median debt for graduates who become kindergarten paraprofessionals.

1. Northwestern University

Evanston, IL • Private

In-state tuition

$54,568

Enrollment

8,451

2. University of Pennsylvania

Philadelphia, PA • Private

In-state tuition

$55,584

Enrollment

10,764

3. University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

Chapel Hill, NC • Private

In-state tuition

$8,987

Enrollment

18,946

4. New York University

New York, NY • Private

In-state tuition

$51,828

Enrollment

26,339

5. Columbia University in the City of New York

New York, NY • Private

In-state tuition

$59,430

Enrollment

8,216

6. Johns Hopkins University

Baltimore, MD • Private

In-state tuition

$53,740

Enrollment

5,567

7. Harvard University

Cambridge, MA • Private

In-state tuition

$50,420

Enrollment

7,582

8. California State University - Long Beach

Long Beach, CA • Private

In-state tuition

$6,798

Enrollment

31,503

9. University of Michigan - Ann Arbor

Ann Arbor, MI • Private

In-state tuition

$15,262

Enrollment

30,079

10. University of Maryland - College Park

College Park, MD • Private

In-state tuition

$10,595

Enrollment

30,184

20 best online courses for kindergarten paraprofessionals

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5. Instructional Planning with Genially

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6. Activity Design with PhET Simulations for STEM Education

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Top 10 most affordable universities for kindergarten paraprofessionals

The most affordable schools for kindergarten paraprofessionals are Baruch College of the City University of New York, california state university - long beach, and usf sarasota-manatee.

If the best universities for kindergarten paraprofessionals are out of your price range, check out these affordable schools. After factoring in in-state tuition and fees, the average cost of attendance, admissions rate, average net price, and mean earnings after six years, we found that these are the most affordable schools for kindergarten paraprofessionals.

1. Baruch College of the City University of New York

New York, NY • Private

In-state tuition

$7,262

Cost of attendance

14,046

2. California State University - Long Beach

Long Beach, CA • Private

In-state tuition

$6,798

Cost of attendance

18,306

3. USF Sarasota-Manatee

Sarasota, FL • Private

In-state tuition

$5,587

Cost of attendance

13,043

4. Hunter College of the City University of New York

New York, NY • Private

In-state tuition

$7,182

Cost of attendance

13,998

5. California State University - Dominguez Hills

Carson, CA • Private

In-state tuition

$6,942

Cost of attendance

14,469

6. Brooklyn College of the City University of New York

Brooklyn, NY • Private

In-state tuition

$7,240

Cost of attendance

13,991

7. University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

Chapel Hill, NC • Private

In-state tuition

$8,987

Cost of attendance

25,527

8. University of South Florida

Tampa, FL • Private

In-state tuition

$6,410

Cost of attendance

20,456

9. California State University - Bakersfield

Bakersfield, CA • Private

In-state tuition

$7,309

Cost of attendance

16,714

10. Florida Atlantic University

Boca Raton, FL • Private

In-state tuition

$4,831

Cost of attendance

19,559

Top 10 hardest universities to get into for kindergarten paraprofessionals

The hardest universities for kindergarten paraprofessionals to get into are Northwestern University, Johns Hopkins University, and University of Pennsylvania.

Some great schools for kindergarten paraprofessionals are hard to get into, but they also set your career up for greater success. The list below shows the most challenging universities to get into for kindergarten paraprofessionals based on an institution's admissions rates, average SAT scores accepted, median ACT scores accepted, and mean earnings of students six years after admission.

1. Northwestern University

Evanston, IL • Private

Admissions rate

8%

SAT average

1,508

2. Johns Hopkins University

Baltimore, MD • Private

Admissions rate

11%

SAT average

1,513

3. University of Pennsylvania

Philadelphia, PA • Private

Admissions rate

8%

SAT average

1,492

4. Columbia University in the City of New York

New York, NY • Private

Admissions rate

6%

SAT average

1,512

5. Vanderbilt University

Nashville, TN • Private

Admissions rate

10%

SAT average

1,514

6. Harvard University

Cambridge, MA • Private

Admissions rate

5%

SAT average

1,520

7. New York University

New York, NY • Private

Admissions rate

20%

SAT average

1,419

8. Washington University in St Louis

Saint Louis, MO • Private

Admissions rate

15%

SAT average

1,506

9. Stanford University

Stanford, CA • Private

Admissions rate

4%

SAT average

1,497

10. Boston University

Boston, MA • Private

Admissions rate

22%

SAT average

1,420

Top 10 easy-to-apply-to universities for kindergarten paraprofessionals

The easiest schools for kindergarten paraprofessionals to get into are Mount Saint Mary's University, barry university, and gwynedd mercy university.

Some schools are much easier to get into. If you want to start your career as a kindergarten paraprofessional without much hassle, check out the list of schools where you will be accepted in no time. We compiled admissions rates, average SAT scores, average ACT scores, and average salary of students six years after graduation to uncover which were the easiest schools to get into for kindergarten paraprofessionals.

1. Mount Saint Mary's University

Los Angeles, CA • Private

Admissions rate

84%

SAT average

1,031

2. Barry University

Miami, FL • Private

Admissions rate

91%

SAT average

1,006

3. Gwynedd Mercy University

Gwynedd Valley, PA • Private

Admissions rate

92%

SAT average

1,031

4. Curry College

Milton, MA • Private

Admissions rate

93%

SAT average

1,026

5. Felician University

Lodi, NJ • Private

Admissions rate

81%

SAT average

999

6. Notre Dame College

Cleveland, OH • Private

Admissions rate

90%

SAT average

994

7. Oklahoma Wesleyan University

Bartlesville, OK • Private

Admissions rate

68%

SAT average

964

8. Saint Martin's University

Lacey, WA • Private

Admissions rate

96%

SAT average

1,111

9. Ottawa University

Ottawa, KS • Private

Admissions rate

78%

SAT average

1,024

10. Holy Family University

Philadelphia, PA • Private

Admissions rate

72%

SAT average

1,017

Average kindergarten paraprofessional salary by education level

According to our data, kindergarten paraprofessionals with a Doctorate degree earn the highest average salary, at $32,911 annually. Kindergarten paraprofessionals with a Master's degree earn an average annual salary of $32,484.
Kindergarten paraprofessional education levelKindergarten paraprofessional salary
Master's Degree$32,484
High School Diploma or Less$30,221
Bachelor's Degree$30,956
Doctorate Degree$32,911
Some College/ Associate Degree$30,449

Kindergarten paraprofessional education FAQs

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Updated January 8, 2025

Zippia Research Team
Zippia Team

Editorial Staff

The Zippia Research Team has spent countless hours reviewing resumes, job postings, and government data to determine what goes into getting a job in each phase of life. Professional writers and data scientists comprise the Zippia Research Team.

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