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The differences between special education assistants and special educators can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. Additionally, a special educator has an average salary of $53,565, 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 special educator are autism, student learning, and math.
| Special Education Assistant | Special Educator | |
| Yearly salary | $32,149 | $53,565 |
| Hourly rate | $15.46 | $25.75 |
| Growth rate | 4% | 4% |
| Number of jobs | 62,239 | 62,545 |
| Job satisfaction | 5 | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 57% | Bachelor's Degree, 61% |
| Average age | 44 | 43 |
| 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.
A special education teacher's role is to facilitate learning for students with disabilities. The responsibilities of a special education teacher typically revolve around identifying the needs of students, devising lesson plans and strategies to meet their needs, developing test structure to assess their learning, and assisting them in areas of difficulties. It is also essential to coordinate with families and guardians, reporting to them should there be any problems. Furthermore, as a special education teacher, it is necessary to monitor the students' progress and behavior, maintaining a safe and healthy learning environment for them.
Special education assistants and special educators have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Special Education Assistant | Special Educator | |
| Average salary | $32,149 | $53,565 |
| Salary range | Between $25,000 And $40,000 | Between $38,000 And $75,000 |
| Highest paying City | New York, NY | Oceanside, NY |
| Highest paying state | Rhode Island | New York |
| Best paying company | Benicia Unified School District | Capistrano Unified |
| Best paying industry | Education | Government |
There are a few differences between a special education assistant and a special educator in terms of educational background:
| Special Education Assistant | Special Educator | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 57% | Bachelor's Degree, 61% |
| Most common major | Psychology | Special Education |
| Most common college | Northwestern University | Northwestern University |
Here are the differences between special education assistants' and special educators' demographics:
| Special Education Assistant | Special Educator | |
| Average age | 44 | 43 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 21.9% Female, 78.1% | Male, 21.3% Female, 78.7% |
| 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, 9.2% Unknown, 4.0% Hispanic or Latino, 11.4% Asian, 3.6% White, 71.5% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.4% |
| LGBT Percentage | 6% | 8% |