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The differences between para educators and high school teachers can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. Additionally, a high school teacher has an average salary of $52,441, 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 a high school teacher are classroom management, professional development, and culinary.
| Para Educator | High School Teacher | |
| Yearly salary | $31,394 | $52,441 |
| Hourly rate | $15.09 | $25.21 |
| Growth rate | 4% | 5% |
| Number of jobs | 56,897 | 83,554 |
| Job satisfaction | - | 4 |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 51% | Bachelor's Degree, 68% |
| Average age | 44 | 43 |
| 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.
High school teachers play an essential role in preparing students for college or life following graduation. They typically teach students from the ninth to 12th grades. They plan and develop lessons, evaluate their students' strengths, weaknesses and abilities, and grade their exams and assignments. Other duties include working with individual students to challenge and improve their abilities, developing and implementing classroom rules, and overseeing students outside the classroom. Some of them also take on additional tasks, such as advising academic clubs or coaching sports teams.
Para educators and high school teachers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Para Educator | High School Teacher | |
| Average salary | $31,394 | $52,441 |
| Salary range | Between $24,000 And $39,000 | Between $37,000 And $72,000 |
| Highest paying City | Belmont, CA | New York, NY |
| Highest paying state | Massachusetts | New York |
| Best paying company | Central Valley School District | Boston Public Schools |
| Best paying industry | Education | Professional |
There are a few differences between a para educator and a high school teacher in terms of educational background:
| Para Educator | High School Teacher | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 51% | Bachelor's Degree, 68% |
| Most common major | Psychology | Education |
| Most common college | Northwestern University | Harvard University |
Here are the differences between para educators' and high school teachers' demographics:
| Para Educator | High School Teacher | |
| Average age | 44 | 43 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 20.4% Female, 79.6% | Male, 46.5% Female, 53.5% |
| 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, 8.1% Unknown, 4.0% Hispanic or Latino, 11.8% Asian, 3.6% White, 72.1% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.5% |
| LGBT Percentage | 6% | 12% |