Post job

What is a paraprofessional education assistant and how to become one

Updated January 8, 2025
3 min read
Quoted expert
Patricia Rogan Ph.D.
There is more than meets the eye when it comes to being a paraprofessional education assistant. For example, did you know that they make an average of $14.07 an hour? That's $29,268 a year! Between 2018 and 2028, the career is expected to grow 4% and produce 55,400 job opportunities across the U.S.

What general advice would you give to a paraprofessional education assistant?

Patricia Rogan Ph.D.Patricia Rogan Ph.D. LinkedIn profile

Professor, Special Education/Urban Teacher Education, Indiana University - Purdue University Indianapolis

Education graduates should work to stand out in the crowd during their Student Teaching experiences and make connections with school administrators. After graduation, they should tap all possible personal/professional contacts for job leads, stay in touch with their university faculty, and NETWORK, NETWORK, NETWORK. Our grads should interview schools as much as schools are interviewing them, so they find the right fit. Education graduates should remember that when they are interviewing and seeking employment, they should be asking questions that are important to them and align with their teaching values. It may make sense to take a short-term appointment (e.g., for maternity leave) in order to get a foot in the door in a district in which the graduate would like to work.
ScoreParaprofessional Education AssistantUS Average
Salary
2.3

Avg. Salary $29,268

Avg. Salary $59,228

Stability level
4.5

Growth rate 4%

Growth rate 0.3%

Diversity
9.5
Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 1.33%

Asian 8.00%

Black or African American 9.24%

Hispanic or Latino 20.10%

Unknown 4.60%

White 56.73%

Gender

female 83.53%

male 16.47%

Age - 45
Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 3.00%

Asian 7.00%

Black or African American 14.00%

Hispanic or Latino 19.00%

White 57.00%

Gender

female 47.00%

male 53.00%

Age - 45
Stress level
4.5

Stress level is manageable

7.1 - high

Complexity level
3.7

Complexity level is basic

7 - challenging

Work life balance
10.0

Work life balance is excellent

6.4 - fair

Paraprofessional education assistant career paths

Key steps to become a paraprofessional education assistant

  1. Explore paraprofessional education assistant education requirements

    Most common paraprofessional education assistant degrees

    Bachelor's

    53.4 %

    Associate

    25.5 %

    High School Diploma

    9.2 %
  2. Start to develop specific paraprofessional education assistant skills

    SkillsPercentages
    Public Schools26.35%
    Direct Supervision15.87%
    One Assistance9.64%
    Autism7.24%
    Classroom Management7.04%
  3. Research paraprofessional education assistant duties and responsibilities

    • Perform responsible human support and paraprofessional work assisting classroom teacher or other professionals, achieve institution objectives.
    • Work with students who have autism.
    • Teach mathematics to students seeking their GED.
    • Assist students with daily living and provide support in meeting student IEP goals.
  4. Prepare your paraprofessional education assistant resume

    When your background is strong enough, you can start writing your paraprofessional education assistant resume.

    You can use Zippia's AI resume builder to make the resume writing process easier while also making sure that you include key information that hiring managers expect to see on a paraprofessional education assistant resume. You'll find resume tips and examples of skills, responsibilities, and summaries, all provided by Zippi, your career sidekick.

    Choose from 10+ customizable paraprofessional education assistant resume templates

    Build a professional paraprofessional education assistant resume in minutes. Browse through our resume examples to identify the best way to word your resume. Then choose from 10+ resume templates to create your paraprofessional education assistant resume.
    Paraprofessional Education Assistant Resume
    Paraprofessional Education Assistant Resume
    Paraprofessional Education Assistant Resume
    Paraprofessional Education Assistant Resume
    Paraprofessional Education Assistant Resume
    Paraprofessional Education Assistant Resume
    Paraprofessional Education Assistant Resume
    Paraprofessional Education Assistant Resume
    Paraprofessional Education Assistant Resume
  5. Apply for paraprofessional education assistant jobs

    Now it's time to start searching for a paraprofessional education assistant job. Consider the tips below for a successful job search:

    1. Browse job boards for relevant postings
    2. Consult your professional network
    3. Reach out to companies you're interested in working for directly
    4. Watch out for job scams

How did you land your first paraprofessional education assistant job

Zippi

Are you a paraprofessional education assistant?

Share your story for a free salary report.

Average paraprofessional education assistant salary

The average paraprofessional education assistant salary in the United States is $29,268 per year or $14 per hour. Paraprofessional education assistant salaries range between $22,000 and $38,000 per year.

Average paraprofessional education assistant salary
$29,268 Yearly
$14.07 hourly

What am I worth?

salary-calculator

How do paraprofessional education assistants rate their job?

-/5

5 stars

4 stars

3 stars

2 stars

1 star

Paraprofessional education assistant reviews

profile
A zippia user wrote a review on Feb 2024
Pros

Helping students with various intellectual or behavior disabilities to be successful in the classroom and in life.

Cons

As a paraprofessional, you often get left out of Professional Development activities, vertical team meetings, etc. and have a limited capacity to influence educational decisions within the organization.


profile
A zippia user wrote a review on Jan 2023
Pros

The kids light up my days.

Cons

The demand and low pay. Teachers have families, too.


profile
A zippia user wrote a review on Aug 2022
Pros

You got to work with learners who will love you unconditionally. It gives a great satisfaction to be able to help them. I love learners with Special Needs and I am a Mom of one.

Cons

I can't say, maybe because there is none.


Working as a paraprofessional education assistant? Share your experience anonymously.
Overall rating*
Career growth
Work/Life balance
Pay/Salary

Updated January 8, 2025

Zippia Research Team
Zippia Team

Editorial Staff

The Zippia Research Team has spent countless hours reviewing resumes, job postings, and government data to determine what goes into getting a job in each phase of life. Professional writers and data scientists comprise the Zippia Research Team.

Browse education, training, and library jobs