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How to hire a learning assistant

Learning assistant hiring summary. Here are some key points about hiring learning assistants in the United States:

  • There are currently 6,705 learning assistants in the US, as well as 14,674 job openings.
  • Learning assistants are in the highest demand in Chicago, IL, with 6 current job openings.
  • The median cost to hire a learning assistant is $1,633.
  • It takes between 36 and 42 days to fill the average role in the US.
  • Human Resources use 15% of their expenses on recruitment on average.
  • On average, it takes around 12 weeks for a new learning assistant to become settled and show total productivity levels at work.

How to hire a learning assistant, step by step

To hire a learning assistant, consider the skills and experience you are looking for in a candidate, allocate a budget for the position, and post and promote the job opening to reach potential candidates. Follow these steps to hire a learning assistant:

Here's a step-by-step learning assistant hiring guide:

  • Step 1: Identify your hiring needs
  • Step 2: Create an ideal candidate profile
  • Step 3: Make a budget
  • Step 4: Write a learning assistant job description
  • Step 5: Post your job
  • Step 6: Interview candidates
  • Step 7: Send a job offer and onboard your new learning assistant
  • Step 8: Go through the hiring process checklist

What does a learning assistant do?

A learning assistant is often also known as a student assistant who is tasked with different school divisions. They are responsible for preparing and writing weekly accomplishment reports, taking down notes in a training program or meeting, as well as managing discussions and interacting with students and school officials if there are other activities to be done. Meaning, this career is for someone who has a sufficient communication skill, research-oriented and actively participates in a lot of discussions.

Learn more about the specifics of what a learning assistant does
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  1. Identify your hiring needs

    First, determine the employments status of the learning assistant you need to hire. Certain learning assistant roles might require a full-time employee, whereas others can be done by part-time workers or contractors.

    Determine employee vs contractor status
    Is the person you're thinking of hiring a US citizen or green card holder?

    A learning assistant's background is also an important factor in determining whether they'll be a good fit for the position. For example, learning assistants from different industries or fields will have radically different experiences and will bring different viewpoints to the role. You also need to consider the candidate's previous level of experience to make sure they'll be comfortable with the job's level of seniority.

    This list presents learning assistant salaries for various positions.

    Type of Learning AssistantDescriptionHourly rate
    Learning AssistantTeacher assistants work under a teacher’s supervision to give students additional attention and instruction.$10-18
    Learning Center InstructorLearning center instructors' primary goal is to give direct mediation instruction for recognized students. They cooperate with staff members on suitable student placement for constructive learning... Show more$10-24
  2. Create an ideal candidate profile

    Common skills:
    • Mathematics
    • Math
    • Student Learning
    • Professional Development
    • Academic Support
    • Computer Lab
    • General Chemistry
    • Learning Environment
    • Course Materials
    • Physics Concepts
    • Course Content
    • Student Athletes
    • Pre-Calculus
    • Study
    Check all skills
    Responsibilities:
    • Lead discussion sections for students to understand concepts including introductory quantum theory and statistical thermodynamics as well as their applications.
    • Tutor students in calculus, general chemistry and biochemistry
    • Tutor students in algebra, trigonometry, life-science base calculus, chemistry and basic genetics
    • Educate undergraduate students on math and computer technology especially on using the computer software to do their math assignments
    • Used blackboard to input student grades.
    • Grade students' homework and answer questions of algorithms
    More learning assistant duties
  3. Make a budget

    Including a salary range in your learning assistant job description helps attract top candidates to the position. A learning assistant salary can be affected by several factors, such as geography, experience, seniority, certifications, and the prestige of the hiring company.

    For example, the average salary for a learning assistant in Georgia may be lower than in Massachusetts, and an entry-level learning assistant usually earns less than a senior-level learning assistant. Additionally, a learning assistant with certifications may command a higher salary, and working for a well-known company or start-up may also impact an employee's pay.

    Average learning assistant salary

    $13.74hourly

    $28,576 yearly

    Entry-level learning assistant salary
    $21,000 yearly salary
    Updated January 20, 2026

    Average learning assistant salary by state

    RankStateAvg. salaryHourly rate
    1Massachusetts$34,423$17
    2New York$34,221$16
    3Washington$32,716$16
    4District of Columbia$32,165$15
    5Minnesota$31,751$15
    6Connecticut$30,897$15
    7Illinois$30,241$15
    8Pennsylvania$28,362$14
    9California$28,220$14
    10Colorado$27,451$13
    11Arizona$27,439$13
    12Wisconsin$26,510$13
    13Missouri$26,217$13
    14Ohio$25,727$12
    15Michigan$25,194$12
    16Texas$24,408$12
    17North Carolina$24,318$12
    18Virginia$23,661$11
    19Kentucky$23,419$11
    20Georgia$22,641$11

    Average learning assistant salary by company

    RankCompanyAverage salaryHourly rateJob openings
    1Google$75,362$36.23
    2Asheville-Buncombe Technical Community College$66,464$31.958
    3Saint Xavier University$56,272$27.052
    42U$50,559$24.31
    5University of California-Berkeley$49,590$23.84
    6Deborah's Place$44,988$21.63
    7Bridgewater State University$43,613$20.97
    8Cottage Health$38,399$18.46
    9Monroe Community College$38,173$18.3510
    10Chippewa Valley Schools$36,682$17.646
    11Independent Health$32,346$15.55
    12Children's Home Society of Washington$31,845$15.31
    13The University of Kansas Health System$31,250$15.021
    14Marple Newtown SD$30,219$14.536
    15University of Rochester$30,096$14.47
    16PSEA$29,988$14.4214
    17St. Louis Community College$29,518$14.19
    18Minneapolis Public Schools$29,017$13.957
    19Metropolitan State University of Denver$28,481$13.69
    20The Greentree Group$28,436$13.67
  4. Writing a learning assistant job description

    A job description for a learning assistant role includes a summary of the job's main responsibilities, required skills, and preferred background experience. Including a salary range can also go a long way in attracting more candidates to apply, and showing the first name of the hiring manager can also make applicants more comfortable. As an example, here's a learning assistant job description:

    Learning assistant job description example

    Intrinsic Schools is a public charter network whose mission is to create a revolutionary new school model that prepares all students for postsecondary success and world-changing endeavors. We offer a chance to make a unique impact in urban education by creating an academic model that leverages great teaching and the precision of technology to personalize education for each student. At our Belmont campus, we serve students in grades 7-12. At our Downtown campus, we will serve students in grades 9-12 (in the 21-22 school year, we will serve students in grades 9-11). Our student demographics are 90% people of color, 86% free and reduced lunch and 19% students with disabilities.

    Why Intrinsic

    We offer a chance to make a unique impact in urban education by creating an academic model that leverages great teaching and the precision of technology to personalize education for each student. Our goal is to prepare all students for post-secondary success as demonstrated by high quality student work, growth on assessments and “non­cognitive” factors such as empathy, student independence, perseverance, and intellectual curiosity.

    Culture at Intrinsic

    We believe that a strong student culture focused on learning and mutual respect between students and adults is foundational to a strong school.

    The Role of the Classroom Learning Assistant

    A Classroom Learning Assistant serves as an advocate for the needs of the diverse learning population. The learning assistant supports a classroom and works alongside a teacher to ensure that both the social-emotional and academic needs of each student are being met. Classroom learning assistants will receive support and coaching similar to teachers and will have the opportunity to be considered for support and tuition reimbursement to become full-time special education teachers.

    This person will:

    • Assist teacher in implementing lesson plans in a classroom by providing positive learning experiences, including large or small group instruction and one-on-one support
    • Prepare materials and resources for use in the classroom that support students’ learning goals
    • Assist with the maintenance of records of student needs, instructional programs, student progress, preparation of forms, organizing and maintaining files

    Qualifications

    • Bachelor's Degree required
    • Paraprofessional license or substitute teaching license preferred

    This position is only for the 22/23 school year

    Equal Opportunity Employer

    Intrinsic Schools is an Equal Opportunity Employer. Intrinsic Schools ensures equal employment opportunities regardless of race, creed, gender, color, national origin, religion, age, sexual orientation or disability. Intrinsic Schools has a policy of active recruitment of qualified minority teachers and non-certified employees. Any individual needing assistance in making an application for any opening should contact the Department of Human Resources.

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  5. Post your job

    To find the right learning assistant for your business, consider trying out a few different recruiting strategies:

    • Consider internal talent. One of the most important sources of talent for any company is its existing workforce.
    • Ask for referrals. Reach out to friends, family members, and current employees and ask if they know or have worked with learning assistants they would recommend.
    • Recruit at local colleges. Attend job fairs at local colleges to recruit learning assistants who meet your education requirements.
    • Social media platforms. LinkedIn, Facebook and Twitter now have more than 3.5 billion users, and you can use social media to reach potential job candidates.
    Post your job online:
    • Post your learning assistant job on Zippia to find and recruit learning assistant candidates who meet your exact specifications.
    • Use field-specific websites.
    • Post a job on free websites.
  6. Interview candidates

    Recruiting learning assistants requires you to bring your A-game to the interview process. The first interview should introduce the company and the role to the candidate as much as they present their background experience and reasons for applying for the job. During later interviews, you can go into more detail about the technical details of the job and ask behavioral questions to gauge how they'd fit into your current company culture.

    It's also good to ask about candidates' unique skills and talents to see if they match your ideal candidate profile. If you think a candidate is good enough for the next step, you can move on to the technical interview.

    The right interview questions can help you assess a candidate's hard skills, behavioral intelligence, and soft skills.

  7. Send a job offer and onboard your new learning assistant

    Once you've selected the best learning assistant candidate for the job, it's time to write an offer letter. In addition to salary, this letter should include details about the benefits and perks you offer the candidate. Ensuring that your offer is competitive is essential, as qualified candidates may be considering other job opportunities. The candidate may wish to negotiate the terms of the offer, and you should be open to discussion. After you reach an agreement, the final step is formalizing the agreement with a contract.

    It's also good etiquette to follow up with applicants who don't get the job by sending them an email letting them know that the position has been filled.

    After that, you can create an onboarding schedule for a new learning assistant. Human Resources and the hiring manager should complete Employee Action Forms. Human Resources should also ensure that onboarding paperwork is completed, including I-9s, benefits enrollment, federal and state tax forms, etc., and that new employee files are created.

  8. Go through the hiring process checklist

    • Determine employee type (full-time, part-time, contractor, etc.)
    • Submit a job requisition form to the HR department
    • Define job responsibilities and requirements
    • Establish budget and timeline
    • Determine hiring decision makers for the role
    • Write job description
    • Post job on job boards, company website, etc.
    • Promote the job internally
    • Process applications through applicant tracking system
    • Review resumes and cover letters
    • Shortlist candidates for screening
    • Hold phone/virtual interview screening with first round of candidates
    • Conduct in-person interviews with top candidates from first round
    • Score candidates based on weighted criteria (e.g., experience, education, background, cultural fit, skill set, etc.)
    • Conduct background checks on top candidates
    • Check references of top candidates
    • Consult with HR and hiring decision makers on job offer specifics
    • Extend offer to top candidate(s)
    • Receive formal job offer acceptance and signed employment contract
    • Inform other candidates that the position has been filled
    • Set and communicate onboarding schedule to new hire(s)
    • Complete new hire paperwork (i9, benefits enrollment, tax forms, etc.)
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How much does it cost to hire a learning assistant?

There are different types of costs for hiring learning assistants. One-time cost per hire for the recruitment process. Ongoing costs include employee salary, training, onboarding, benefits, insurance, and equipment. It is essential to consider all of these costs when evaluating hiring a new learning assistant employee.

Learning assistants earn a median yearly salary is $28,576 a year in the US. However, if you're looking to find learning assistants for hire on a contract or per-project basis, hourly rates typically range between $10 and $18.

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