Explore jobs
Find specific jobs
Explore careers
Explore professions
Best companies
Explore companies
The differences between para educators and early childhood teachers can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. Additionally, an early childhood teacher has an average salary of $33,205, which is higher than the $31,394 average annual salary of a para educator.
The top three skills for a para educator include behavioral issues, student performance and IEP. The most important skills for an early childhood teacher are CPR, child development, and professional development.
| Para Educator | Early Childhood Teacher | |
| Yearly salary | $31,394 | $33,205 |
| Hourly rate | $15.09 | $15.96 |
| Growth rate | 4% | 15% |
| Number of jobs | 56,897 | 56,821 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 51% | Bachelor's Degree, 58% |
| Average age | 44 | 40 |
| Years of experience | - | 2 |
Paraeducators' primary role is to provide students with extra guidance and support outside or inside the classroom. They are also called paraprofessional educators or teaching assistants who are expected to support teachers. In small group activities, they take the lead permitting teachers to help their students in many ways. The necessary skills required include organization, intellectual curiosity, and being calm. They should also be creative, a team player, and knowledgeable. A bachelor's degree in education is also a necessity for this job.
An early childhood teacher specializes in handling and teaching young learners as they prepare for their formal schooling stage. Their responsibilities revolve around addressing and meeting the needs of students, organizing recreational activities for learning processes, and devising strategies to help the learners with their interpersonal and emotional growth. Furthermore, as an early childhood teacher, it is essential to monitor the children's progress and provide updates to their parents, all while maintaining a safe and healthy learning environment for everyone.
Para educators and early childhood teachers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Para Educator | Early Childhood Teacher | |
| Average salary | $31,394 | $33,205 |
| Salary range | Between $24,000 And $39,000 | Between $22,000 And $48,000 |
| Highest paying City | Belmont, CA | Washington, DC |
| Highest paying state | Massachusetts | New York |
| Best paying company | Central Valley School District | Governors State University |
| Best paying industry | Education | - |
There are a few differences between a para educator and an early childhood teacher in terms of educational background:
| Para Educator | Early Childhood Teacher | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 51% | Bachelor's Degree, 58% |
| Most common major | Psychology | Early Childhood Education |
| Most common college | Northwestern University | Northwestern University |
Here are the differences between para educators' and early childhood teachers' demographics:
| Para Educator | Early Childhood Teacher | |
| Average age | 44 | 40 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 20.4% Female, 79.6% | Male, 7.6% Female, 92.4% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 5.7% Unknown, 4.6% Hispanic or Latino, 18.2% Asian, 8.6% White, 61.4% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.4% | Black or African American, 8.7% Unknown, 4.5% Hispanic or Latino, 18.3% Asian, 5.4% White, 62.3% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.9% |
| LGBT Percentage | 6% | 5% |