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The differences between lead pre-kindergarten teachers and preschool teacher's assistants can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 1-2 years to become both a lead pre-kindergarten teacher and a preschool teacher's assistant. Additionally, a lead pre-kindergarten teacher has an average salary of $32,779, which is higher than the $30,249 average annual salary of a preschool teacher's assistant.
The top three skills for a lead pre-kindergarten teacher include classroom management, language arts and CPR. The most important skills for a preschool teacher's assistant are open communication, child development, and child care.
| Lead Pre-Kindergarten Teacher | Preschool Teacher's Assistant | |
| Yearly salary | $32,779 | $30,249 |
| Hourly rate | $15.76 | $14.54 |
| Growth rate | 15% | 15% |
| Number of jobs | 55,663 | 48,217 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 63% | Bachelor's Degree, 43% |
| Average age | 40 | 40 |
| Years of experience | 2 | 2 |
A Lead Pre-Kindergarten Teacher is responsible for running a public or private school. Their main duty is to prepare education programs for children, as well as prepare the children for kindergarten.
Preschool teacher assistants, paid an average of $25K per year, must have skills in childcare and communication. This career requires a minimum of a high school diploma, though in some situations, a bachelor's degree may be needed. Those who choose this career path interact with children, prepare snacks, teach things like color and shapes, help children to get dressed and/or change diapers, and evaluate children's development and physical wellness.
Lead pre-kindergarten teachers and preschool teacher's assistants have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Lead Pre-Kindergarten Teacher | Preschool Teacher's Assistant | |
| Average salary | $32,779 | $30,249 |
| Salary range | Between $20,000 And $51,000 | Between $23,000 And $39,000 |
| Highest paying City | - | New York, NY |
| Highest paying state | - | Vermont |
| Best paying company | - | Archdiocese of Philadelphia |
| Best paying industry | - | Education |
There are a few differences between a lead pre-kindergarten teacher and a preschool teacher's assistant in terms of educational background:
| Lead Pre-Kindergarten Teacher | Preschool Teacher's Assistant | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 63% | Bachelor's Degree, 43% |
| Most common major | Early Childhood Education | Early Childhood Education |
| Most common college | Northwestern University | Fairfield University |
Here are the differences between lead pre-kindergarten teachers' and preschool teacher's assistants' demographics:
| Lead Pre-Kindergarten Teacher | Preschool Teacher's Assistant | |
| Average age | 40 | 40 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 7.1% Female, 92.9% | Male, 7.1% Female, 92.9% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 10.3% Unknown, 4.7% Hispanic or Latino, 16.2% Asian, 6.4% White, 61.4% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.9% | Black or African American, 8.4% Unknown, 4.5% Hispanic or Latino, 19.5% Asian, 5.3% White, 61.5% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.9% |
| LGBT Percentage | 5% | 5% |