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The differences between para educators and special educators can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. Additionally, a special educator has an average salary of $53,565, 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 special educator are autism, student learning, and math.
| Para Educator | Special Educator | |
| Yearly salary | $31,394 | $53,565 |
| Hourly rate | $15.09 | $25.75 |
| Growth rate | 4% | 4% |
| Number of jobs | 56,897 | 62,545 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 51% | Bachelor's Degree, 61% |
| Average age | 44 | 43 |
| Years of experience | - | - |
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.
A special education teacher's role is to facilitate learning for students with disabilities. The responsibilities of a special education teacher typically revolve around identifying the needs of students, devising lesson plans and strategies to meet their needs, developing test structure to assess their learning, and assisting them in areas of difficulties. It is also essential to coordinate with families and guardians, reporting to them should there be any problems. Furthermore, as a special education teacher, it is necessary to monitor the students' progress and behavior, maintaining a safe and healthy learning environment for them.
Para educators and special educators have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Para Educator | Special Educator | |
| Average salary | $31,394 | $53,565 |
| Salary range | Between $24,000 And $39,000 | Between $38,000 And $75,000 |
| Highest paying City | Belmont, CA | Oceanside, NY |
| Highest paying state | Massachusetts | New York |
| Best paying company | Central Valley School District | Capistrano Unified |
| Best paying industry | Education | Government |
There are a few differences between a para educator and a special educator in terms of educational background:
| Para Educator | Special Educator | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 51% | Bachelor's Degree, 61% |
| Most common major | Psychology | Special Education |
| Most common college | Northwestern University | Northwestern University |
Here are the differences between para educators' and special educators' demographics:
| Para Educator | Special Educator | |
| Average age | 44 | 43 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 20.4% Female, 79.6% | Male, 21.3% Female, 78.7% |
| 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, 9.2% Unknown, 4.0% Hispanic or Latino, 11.4% Asian, 3.6% White, 71.5% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.4% |
| LGBT Percentage | 6% | 8% |