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The differences between special education assistants and certified medical technicians can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. Additionally, a certified medical technician has an average salary of $38,859, which is higher than the $32,149 average annual salary of a special education assistant.
The top three skills for a special education assistant include paraprofessional, behavior management and IEP. The most important skills for a certified medical technician are patients, vital signs, and CPR.
| Special Education Assistant | Certified Medical Technician | |
| Yearly salary | $32,149 | $38,859 |
| Hourly rate | $15.46 | $18.68 |
| Growth rate | 4% | 5% |
| Number of jobs | 62,239 | 164,424 |
| Job satisfaction | 5 | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 57% | Bachelor's Degree, 28% |
| Average age | 44 | 44 |
| Years of experience | - | 12 |
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.
Certified Medical Technicians are specialists in medical diagnoses by performing laboratory testing and analysis for hospitals and physicians. Their duties include lab sanitization to prepare for testing and collection, recording medical samples for testing, specimen preparation, blood drawing for donation and testing, and assisting physicians with sample collection as well as equipment handling in surgical rooms. They must also understand how to use complex and sensitive testing equipment such as cell counters, analyzers, microscopes, and centrifuges.
Special education assistants and certified medical technicians have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Special Education Assistant | Certified Medical Technician | |
| Average salary | $32,149 | $38,859 |
| Salary range | Between $25,000 And $40,000 | Between $28,000 And $53,000 |
| Highest paying City | New York, NY | Denton, TX |
| Highest paying state | Rhode Island | Alaska |
| Best paying company | Benicia Unified School District | Favorite Healthcare Staffing |
| Best paying industry | Education | Health Care |
There are a few differences between a special education assistant and a certified medical technician in terms of educational background:
| Special Education Assistant | Certified Medical Technician | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 57% | Bachelor's Degree, 28% |
| Most common major | Psychology | Nursing |
| Most common college | Northwestern University | University of Connecticut |
Here are the differences between special education assistants' and certified medical technicians' demographics:
| Special Education Assistant | Certified Medical Technician | |
| Average age | 44 | 44 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 21.9% Female, 78.1% | Male, 20.4% Female, 79.6% |
| 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, 15.9% Unknown, 5.0% Hispanic or Latino, 14.6% Asian, 10.0% White, 53.8% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.8% |
| LGBT Percentage | 6% | 8% |