Special education assistant demographics and statistics in the US
Special education assistant demographics research summary. Zippia estimates special education assistant demographics and statistics in the United States by using a database of 30 million profiles. Our special education assistant estimates are verified against BLS, Census, and current job openings data for accuracy. Zippia's data science team found the following key facts about special education assistants after extensive research and analysis:
- There are over 231,310 special education assistants currently employed in the United States.
- 78.1% of all special education assistants are women, while 21.9% are men.
- The average special education assistant age is 44 years old.
- The most common ethnicity of special education assistants is White (57.6%), followed by Hispanic or Latino (18.8%), Black or African American (8.8%) and Asian (8.7%).
- In 2022, women earned 94% of what men earned.
- 6% of all special education assistants are LGBT.
- Special education assistants are 89% more likely to work at education companies in comparison to private companies.
On this page
Special education assistant demographics by:
Special education assistant gender statistics
78.1% of special education assistants are women and 21.9% of special education assistants are men.
- Female, 78.1%
- Male, 21.9%
Special education assistant gender ratio
| Gender | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Female | 78.1% |
| Male | 21.9% |
Special education assistant gender pay gap
Women earn 94¢ for every $1 earned by men
Male income
$35,784
Female income
$33,790
Special education assistant gender ratio over time
This data breaks down the percentage of men and women in special education assistant positions over time. Currently, 78.1% of special education assistants are female.
Special education assistant gender ratio by year
| Year | Male | Female |
|---|---|---|
| 2010 | 10.56% | 89.44% |
| 2011 | 11.79% | 88.21% |
| 2012 | 11.66% | 88.34% |
| 2013 | 12.79% | 87.21% |
| 2014 | 14.74% | 85.26% |
| 2015 | 15.00% | 85.00% |
| 2016 | 16.24% | 83.76% |
| 2017 | 14.11% | 85.89% |
| 2018 | 20.33% | 79.67% |
| 2019 | 21.46% | 78.54% |
| 2020 | 21.51% | 78.49% |
| 2021 | 21.90% | 78.10% |
Special education assistant related jobs gender ratio
We compared special education assistants with similar job titles to see how gender ratios vary. As you can see, agriculture consultant and torque tester have the biggest gender ratio gaps.
| Job title | Male | Female |
|---|---|---|
| Lead Toddler Teacher | 4% | 96% |
| Infant Teacher | 5% | 95% |
| Kindergarten Aide | 6% | 94% |
| Special Education Assistant | 22% | 78% |
| Certified Performance Technologist | 79% | 21% |
| Torque Tester | 84% | 16% |
| Agriculture Consultant | 84% | 16% |
Male
Female
100%
75%
50%
25%
0%
0%
25%
50%
75%
100%
Special education assistant demographics by race
The most common ethnicity among special education assistants is White, which makes up 57.6% of all special education assistants. Comparatively, 18.8% of special education assistants are Hispanic or Latino and 8.8% of special education assistants are Black or African American.
- White, 57.6%
- Hispanic or Latino, 18.8%
- Black or African American, 8.8%
- Asian, 8.7%
- Unknown, 4.6%
- American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.5%
Special education assistant race
| Special education assistant race | Percentages |
|---|---|
| White | 57.6% |
| Hispanic or Latino | 18.8% |
| Black or African American | 8.8% |
| Asian | 8.7% |
| Unknown | 4.6% |
| American Indian and Alaska Native | 1.5% |
Special education assistant race and ethnicity over time
See how special education assistant racial and ethnic diversity trended since 2010 according to the United States Census Bureau data.
Special education assistant race and ethnicity by year
| Year | White | Black or African American | Asian | Hispanic or Latino |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 | 65.17% | 9.89% | 5.41% | 16.29% |
| 2011 | 63.57% | 11.16% | 5.41% | 16.23% |
| 2012 | 63.55% | 10.57% | 5.44% | 16.91% |
| 2013 | 65.34% | 10.24% | 5.46% | 15.44% |
| 2014 | 63.35% | 10.41% | 5.95% | 16.64% |
| 2015 | 63.15% | 10.12% | 5.98% | 17.30% |
| 2016 | 62.63% | 9.65% | 6.04% | 17.48% |
| 2017 | 62.62% | 9.58% | 6.43% | 17.63% |
| 2018 | 60.87% | 9.17% | 8.30% | 17.92% |
| 2019 | 61.56% | 8.33% | 8.39% | 17.85% |
| 2020 | 58.89% | 8.58% | 8.79% | 18.17% |
| 2021 | 57.65% | 8.84% | 8.68% | 18.82% |
Special education assistant wage gap by race
According to our data, asian special education assistants have the highest average salary compared to other ethnicities. White special education assistants have the lowest average salary at $34,745.
| Ethnicity | Salary |
|---|---|
| Unknown | $35,373 |
| White | $34,745 |
| Black or African American | $36,305 |
| Asian | $36,735 |
| Hispanic or Latino | $35,794 |
Average special education assistant age
See how the average age of special education assistants varies based on ethnicity and gender.
Male
Female
Special education assistant age by race and gender
| Race | Male age | Female age |
|---|---|---|
| Black or African American | 39.5 | 46 |
| Unknown | 31 | 44 |
| Asian | 30 | 45 |
| Hispanic or Latino | 33 | 40 |
| White | 34 | 49 |
| American Indian and Alaska Native | 31.5 | 42 |
Special education assistant age breakdown
The average age of special education assistants is 40+ years years old, representing 62% of the special education assistant population.
Special education assistant age breakdown
| Special Education Assistant Years | Percentages |
|---|---|
| 40+ years | 62% |
| 30-40 years | 19% |
| 20-30 years | 18% |
Special education assistant educational attainment
The most common degree for special education assistants is bachelor's degree, with 57% of special education assistants earning that degree. The second and third most common degree levels are associate degree degree at 20% and associate degree degree at 10%.
- Bachelor's, 57%
- Associate, 20%
- Master's, 10%
- High School Diploma, 8%
- Other Degrees, 5%
Special education assistants by degree level
| Special education assistant degree | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Bachelor's | 57% |
| Associate | 20% |
| Master's | 10% |
| High School Diploma | 8% |
| Other Degrees | 5% |
Special education assistant jobs you might like
Special education assistant wage gap by degree level
According to the data, special education assistants with a Doctorate degree earn more than those without, at $37,406 annually. With a Master's degree, special education assistants earn a median annual income of $36,788 compared to $34,600 for special education assistants with an Bachelor's degree.
| Education | Salary |
|---|---|
| Master's Degree | $36,788 |
| High School Diploma or Less | $33,557 |
| Bachelor's Degree | $34,600 |
| Doctorate Degree | $37,406 |
| Some College/ Associate Degree | $33,880 |
Special education assistant employment statistics
Most special education assistants work for a education in the education industry.
Company size where special education assistants work
Below, you can see the size of companies where special education assistants work.
Special education assistant jobs by employer size
| Company size | Percentages |
|---|---|
| < 50 employees | 12% |
| 50 - 100 employees | 31% |
| 100 - 500 employees | 26% |
| 500 - 1,000 employees | 6% |
| 1,000 - 10,000 employees | 22% |
| > 10,000 employees | 3% |
Special education assistant jobs by company type
Employees with the special education assistant job title have their preferences when it comes to working for a company. For instance, most special education assistants prefer to work at education companies over private companies.
Special education assistant jobs by sector
| Company type | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Education | 89% |
| Public | 1% |
| Private | 5% |
| Government | 5% |
Special education assistant jobs by industry
The most common industries for special education assistants are education, government and professional.
Special education assistant industry statistics
| Industry | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Education | 86% |
| Government | 5% |
| Telecommunication | 1% |
| Media | 1% |
| Start-up | 1% |
| Real Estate | 1% |
| Non Profits | 1% |
| Health Care | 1% |
| Professional | 1% |
| Hospitality | 1% |
| Technology | 1% |
Special education assistant turnover and employment statistics
Special education assistant unemployment rate over time
The unemployment rate for special education assistants between 2008 and the most recent data has varied, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
Special education assistant unemployment rate by year
| Year | Special education assistant unemployment rate |
|---|---|
| 2010 | 6.72% |
| 2011 | 6.98% |
| 2012 | 6.55% |
| 2013 | 5.97% |
| 2014 | 5.07% |
| 2015 | 4.04% |
| 2016 | 3.88% |
| 2017 | 3.84% |
| 2018 | 3.51% |
| 2019 | 3.20% |
| 2020 | 5.05% |
| 2021 | 5.11% |
Average special education assistant tenure
The average special education assistant stays at their job for 1-2 years, based on the 9,810 special education assistants resumes in Zippia's database.
Special education assistant tenure statistics
| Number of years | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Less than 1 year | 23% |
| 1-2 years | 28% |
| 3-4 years | 13% |
| 5-7 years | 17% |
| 8-10 years | 7% |
| 11+ years | 12% |
Special education assistant LGBT ratio compared to similar jobs
Review the percent of special education assistants that are members of the LGBT community. You can see how this compares to similar jobs in the chart below.
| Job title | LGBT | Job openings |
|---|---|---|
| Special Education Assistant | 6.14% | - |
| Art Teacher | 9.52% | 69,820 |
| Multimedia Services Coordinator | 10.75% | 63,060 |
| General Education Teacher | 11.12% | 101,124 |
| Faculty Member | 12.94% | 30,325 |
| Library Technician | 13.69% | 24,941 |
| Human Performance Technologist | 16.25% | 87,692 |
Similar special education assistant jobs LGBT demographics
| Profession | Percentages of LGBT | Job openings |
|---|---|---|
| Art Teacher | 9.52% | 69,820 |
| Multimedia Services Coordinator | 10.75% | 63,060 |
| General Education Teacher | 11.12% | 101,124 |
| Faculty Member | 12.94% | 30,325 |
| Library Technician | 13.69% | 24,941 |
| Human Performance Technologist | 16.25% | 87,692 |
Foreign languages spoken by special education assistants
The most common foreign language among special education assistants is Spanish at 73.5%. The second-most popular foreign language spoken is French at 5.4% and Arabic is the third-most popular at 2.6%.
- Spanish, 73.5%
- French, 5.4%
- Arabic, 2.6%
- Portuguese, 2.3%
- Chinese, 1.8%
- Other, 14.4%
Special education assistant languages spoken
| Foreign language | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Spanish | 73.5% |
| French | 5.4% |
| Arabic | 2.6% |
| Portuguese | 2.3% |
| Chinese | 1.8% |
| Other | 14.4% |
