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The differences between preschool teacher's assistants and preschool lead teachers can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 1-2 years to become both a preschool teacher's assistant and a preschool lead teacher. Additionally, a preschool lead teacher has an average salary of $33,176, which is higher than the $30,249 average annual salary of a preschool teacher's assistant.
The top three skills for a preschool teacher's assistant include open communication, child development and child care. The most important skills for a preschool lead teacher are CPR, professional development, and child care.
| Preschool Teacher's Assistant | Preschool Lead Teacher | |
| Yearly salary | $30,249 | $33,176 |
| Hourly rate | $14.54 | $15.95 |
| Growth rate | 15% | 15% |
| Number of jobs | 48,217 | 54,870 |
| Job satisfaction | - | 5 |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 43% | Bachelor's Degree, 54% |
| Average age | 40 | 40 |
| Years of experience | 2 | 2 |
Preschool teacher assistants, paid an average of $25K per year, must have skills in childcare and communication. This career requires a minimum of a high school diploma, though in some situations, a bachelor's degree may be needed. Those who choose this career path interact with children, prepare snacks, teach things like color and shapes, help children to get dressed and/or change diapers, and evaluate children's development and physical wellness.
A preschool lead teacher is responsible for managing the overall learning progress of preschool students. Preschool lead teachers to develop engaging and fun activities for the young learners to monitor their personal and social development. They also utilize learning techniques suitable for young learners' minds to improve their competencies and build self-confidence. They create progress reports and communicate the children's development to their parents. A preschool lead teacher should always adhere to the school regulations to ensure a safe and secure environment for the children.
Preschool teacher's assistants and preschool lead teachers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Preschool Teacher's Assistant | Preschool Lead Teacher | |
| Average salary | $30,249 | $33,176 |
| Salary range | Between $23,000 And $39,000 | Between $24,000 And $45,000 |
| Highest paying City | New York, NY | San Francisco, CA |
| Highest paying state | Vermont | New York |
| Best paying company | Archdiocese of Philadelphia | Columbia University in the City of New York |
| Best paying industry | Education | Government |
There are a few differences between a preschool teacher's assistant and a preschool lead teacher in terms of educational background:
| Preschool Teacher's Assistant | Preschool Lead Teacher | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 43% | Bachelor's Degree, 54% |
| Most common major | Early Childhood Education | Early Childhood Education |
| Most common college | Fairfield University | Northwestern University |
Here are the differences between preschool teacher's assistants' and preschool lead teachers' demographics:
| Preschool Teacher's Assistant | Preschool Lead Teacher | |
| Average age | 40 | 40 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 7.1% Female, 92.9% | Male, 6.0% Female, 94.0% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 8.4% Unknown, 4.5% Hispanic or Latino, 19.5% Asian, 5.3% White, 61.5% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.9% | Black or African American, 8.8% Unknown, 4.6% Hispanic or Latino, 16.1% Asian, 6.0% White, 63.6% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.9% |
| LGBT Percentage | 5% | 5% |