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The differences between resource paraprofessionals and instructional assistants can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. Additionally, an instructional assistant has an average salary of $32,170, which is higher than the $30,427 average annual salary of a resource paraprofessional.
The top three skills for a resource paraprofessional include classroom materials, instructional materials and math. The most important skills for an instructional assistant are CPR, math, and instructional materials.
| Resource Paraprofessional | Instructional Assistant | |
| Yearly salary | $30,427 | $32,170 |
| Hourly rate | $14.63 | $15.47 |
| Growth rate | 4% | 4% |
| Number of jobs | 8,852 | 50,185 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 70% | Bachelor's Degree, 58% |
| Average age | 44 | 44 |
| Years of experience | - | - |
A Resource Paraprofessional helps the human resource department in performing various tasks, such as training employees, coordinating the recruitment process, assessing training needs, and monitoring training programs. They work under the supervision of a professional and don't have any authority regarding signing paperwork or taking decisions.
An instructional assistant's role is to assist teachers and faculty members by performing various tasks. Their responsibilities will involve managing and monitoring the classroom environment, crafting visual aids and informative presentations, preparing laboratories and equipment, grading papers, recording data, and organizing schedules. An instructional assistant may also teach short courses when a teacher is not around, and provide tutorial sessions to small groups. Furthermore, they may also perform administrative tasks such as producing progress reports and necessary documentation, taking attendance, and responding to calls and correspondence.
Resource paraprofessionals and instructional assistants have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Resource Paraprofessional | Instructional Assistant | |
| Average salary | $30,427 | $32,170 |
| Salary range | Between $24,000 And $37,000 | Between $23,000 And $44,000 |
| Highest paying City | Detroit, MI | Salem, OR |
| Highest paying state | Hawaii | Alaska |
| Best paying company | South Washington County Schools | Kern Community College District |
| Best paying industry | Finance | Education |
There are a few differences between a resource paraprofessional and an instructional assistant in terms of educational background:
| Resource Paraprofessional | Instructional Assistant | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 70% | Bachelor's Degree, 58% |
| Most common major | Elementary Education | Psychology |
| Most common college | Northwestern University | Northwestern University |
Here are the differences between resource paraprofessionals' and instructional assistants' demographics:
| Resource Paraprofessional | Instructional Assistant | |
| Average age | 44 | 44 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 14.7% Female, 85.3% | Male, 27.3% Female, 72.7% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 7.4% Unknown, 4.9% Hispanic or Latino, 15.4% Asian, 7.0% White, 63.8% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.6% | Black or African American, 8.9% Unknown, 4.6% Hispanic or Latino, 21.0% Asian, 8.2% White, 55.9% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.4% |
| LGBT Percentage | 6% | 6% |