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The differences between special education assistants and teacher assistants 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 $27,103 average annual salary of a teacher assistant.
The top three skills for a special education assistant include paraprofessional, behavior management and IEP. The most important skills for a teacher assistant are CPR, child care, and mathematics.
| Special Education Assistant | Teacher Assistant | |
| Yearly salary | $32,149 | $27,103 |
| Hourly rate | $15.46 | $13.03 |
| Growth rate | 4% | 4% |
| Number of jobs | 62,239 | 77,358 |
| Job satisfaction | 5 | 5 |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 57% | Bachelor's Degree, 49% |
| 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.
Teacher assistants are responsible for aiding teachers in their needs inside the classroom. They help teachers prepare for lessons in class, set up equipment, distribute educational materials to students, and monitor the progress of the students. Teacher assistants also help in managing the children in the classroom, as well as providing the necessary assistance a child may need. This may include helping with the lessons by going table to table, assisting in writing exercises, and tutoring kids one-to-one. Teacher assistants are required to have patience, flexibility, and classroom management skills.
Special education assistants and teacher assistants have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Special Education Assistant | Teacher Assistant | |
| Average salary | $32,149 | $27,103 |
| Salary range | Between $25,000 And $40,000 | Between $21,000 And $34,000 |
| Highest paying City | New York, NY | Coventry, RI |
| Highest paying state | Rhode Island | Rhode Island |
| Best paying company | Benicia Unified School District | University of California, Berkeley |
| Best paying industry | Education | Finance |
There are a few differences between a special education assistant and a teacher assistant in terms of educational background:
| Special Education Assistant | Teacher Assistant | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 57% | Bachelor's Degree, 49% |
| Most common major | Psychology | Psychology |
| Most common college | Northwestern University | Duke University |
Here are the differences between special education assistants' and teacher assistants' demographics:
| Special Education Assistant | Teacher Assistant | |
| Average age | 44 | 44 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 21.9% Female, 78.1% | Male, 21.5% Female, 78.5% |
| 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, 10.2% Unknown, 4.6% Hispanic or Latino, 21.1% Asian, 7.8% White, 55.0% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.3% |
| LGBT Percentage | 6% | 6% |