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The differences between special education assistants and assistant daycare teachers can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. Additionally, a special education assistant has an average salary of $32,149, which is higher than the $27,524 average annual salary of an assistant daycare teacher.
The top three skills for a special education assistant include paraprofessional, behavior management and IEP. The most important skills for an assistant daycare teacher are child care, kids, and CPR.
| Special Education Assistant | Assistant Daycare Teacher | |
| Yearly salary | $32,149 | $27,524 |
| Hourly rate | $15.46 | $13.23 |
| Growth rate | 4% | 4% |
| Number of jobs | 62,239 | 80,847 |
| Job satisfaction | 5 | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 57% | High School Diploma, 40% |
| Average age | 44 | 44 |
| Years of experience | - | - |
A special education assistant is responsible for supporting class activities in an inclusive classroom setting, assisting students with their tasks under the supervision of a special education teacher. Special education assistants create comprehensive lesson plans which adhere to the students' curriculum and special needs. They also help with developing engaging activities to promote an active learning environment while monitoring the students' personal and social behavior. A special education assistant must have excellent communication and organization skills, ensuring the progress of the students by regular interaction, and managing their needs.
An assistant daycare teacher is responsible for performing support tasks in a daycare center. Most of the duties primarily revolve around maintaining a safe and healthy environment for children, preparing meals and learning materials, assisting children during bathroom or hygiene-related activities, and keeping the classroom clean and sanitized. Furthermore, there are instances when an assistant daycare teacher must come up with recreational activities, maintain student records, and help children improve their motor skills and basic knowledge in concepts such as recognizing the alphabet or coloring.
Special education assistants and assistant daycare teachers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Special Education Assistant | Assistant Daycare Teacher | |
| Average salary | $32,149 | $27,524 |
| Salary range | Between $25,000 And $40,000 | Between $20,000 And $36,000 |
| Highest paying City | New York, NY | - |
| Highest paying state | Rhode Island | - |
| Best paying company | Benicia Unified School District | - |
| Best paying industry | Education | - |
There are a few differences between a special education assistant and an assistant daycare teacher in terms of educational background:
| Special Education Assistant | Assistant Daycare Teacher | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 57% | High School Diploma, 40% |
| Most common major | Psychology | Psychology |
| Most common college | Northwestern University | Duke University |
Here are the differences between special education assistants' and assistant daycare teachers' demographics:
| Special Education Assistant | Assistant Daycare Teacher | |
| Average age | 44 | 44 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 21.9% Female, 78.1% | Male, 8.7% Female, 91.3% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 8.8% Unknown, 4.6% Hispanic or Latino, 18.8% Asian, 8.7% White, 57.6% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.4% | Black or African American, 11.1% Unknown, 4.3% Hispanic or Latino, 15.5% Asian, 8.2% White, 59.7% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.1% |
| LGBT Percentage | 6% | 6% |