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What is a special education assistant teacher and how to become one

Updated January 8, 2025
2 min read
Quoted experts
Dr. Diana Jones,
Tara Kirton
There is more than meets the eye when it comes to being a special education assistant teacher. For example, did you know that they make an average of $15.85 an hour? That's $32,961 a year! Between 2018 and 2028, the career is expected to grow 4% and produce 55,400 job opportunities across the U.S.

What general advice would you give to a special education assistant teacher?

Dr. Diana JonesDr. Diana Jones LinkedIn profile

Chair, Department of Kinesiology, Anderson University

General advice: I would encourage graduates to find a mentor who can guide them in their careers, stay on top of the latest technology, not be too hard on themselves, be flexible, be team players, be present, and care about their students.
ScoreSpecial Education Assistant TeacherUS Average
Salary
2.6

Avg. Salary $32,961

Avg. Salary $59,228

Stability level
4.5

Growth rate 4%

Growth rate 0.3%

Diversity
10.0
Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 1.33%

Asian 8.02%

Black or African American 11.83%

Hispanic or Latino 18.13%

Unknown 4.60%

White 56.09%

Gender

female 72.37%

male 27.63%

Age - 45
Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 3.00%

Asian 7.00%

Black or African American 14.00%

Hispanic or Latino 19.00%

White 57.00%

Gender

female 47.00%

male 53.00%

Age - 45
Stress level
4.5

Stress level is manageable

7.1 - high

Complexity level
3.7

Complexity level is basic

7 - challenging

Work life balance
10.0

Work life balance is excellent

6.4 - fair

Special education assistant teacher career paths

Key steps to become a special education assistant teacher

  1. Explore special education assistant teacher education requirements

    Most common special education assistant teacher degrees

    Bachelor's

    59.6 %

    Master's

    17.6 %

    Associate

    16.9 %
  2. Start to develop specific special education assistant teacher skills

    SkillsPercentages
    Classroom Management14.14%
    Math11.81%
    CPR11.07%
    Mathematics10.21%
    Behavioral Problems7.81%
  3. Research special education assistant teacher duties and responsibilities

    • Perform responsible human support and paraprofessional work assisting classroom teacher or other professionals, achieve institution objectives.
    • Collect and record daily ABA data.
    • Plan lessons in mathematics, reading and writing.
    • Assist children with developmental skills such as reading, writing, and mathematics.
  4. Prepare your special education assistant teacher resume

    When your background is strong enough, you can start writing your special education assistant teacher resume.

    You can use Zippia's AI resume builder to make the resume writing process easier while also making sure that you include key information that hiring managers expect to see on a special education assistant teacher resume. You'll find resume tips and examples of skills, responsibilities, and summaries, all provided by Zippi, your career sidekick.

    Choose from 10+ customizable special education assistant teacher resume templates

    Build a professional special education assistant teacher resume in minutes. Browse through our resume examples to identify the best way to word your resume. Then choose from 10+ resume templates to create your special education assistant teacher resume.
    Special Education Assistant Teacher Resume
    Special Education Assistant Teacher Resume
    Special Education Assistant Teacher Resume
    Special Education Assistant Teacher Resume
    Special Education Assistant Teacher Resume
    Special Education Assistant Teacher Resume
    Special Education Assistant Teacher Resume
    Special Education Assistant Teacher Resume
    Special Education Assistant Teacher Resume
  5. Apply for special education assistant teacher jobs

    Now it's time to start searching for a special education assistant teacher job. Consider the tips below for a successful job search:

    1. Browse job boards for relevant postings
    2. Consult your professional network
    3. Reach out to companies you're interested in working for directly
    4. Watch out for job scams

How did you land your first special education assistant teacher job

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Average special education assistant teacher salary

The average special education assistant teacher salary in the United States is $32,961 per year or $16 per hour. Special education assistant teacher salaries range between $26,000 and $40,000 per year.

Average special education assistant teacher salary
$32,961 Yearly
$15.85 hourly

What am I worth?

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How do special education assistant teachers rate their job?

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Special education assistant teacher reviews

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A zippia user wrote a review on Feb 2024
Pros

Helping students with various intellectual or behavior disabilities to be successful in the classroom and in life.

Cons

As a paraprofessional, you often get left out of Professional Development activities, vertical team meetings, etc. and have a limited capacity to influence educational decisions within the organization.


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A zippia user wrote a review on Jan 2023
Pros

The kids light up my days.

Cons

The demand and low pay. Teachers have families, too.


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A zippia user wrote a review on Aug 2022
Pros

You got to work with learners who will love you unconditionally. It gives a great satisfaction to be able to help them. I love learners with Special Needs and I am a Mom of one.

Cons

I can't say, maybe because there is none.


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Updated January 8, 2025

Zippia Research Team
Zippia Team

Editorial Staff

The Zippia Research Team has spent countless hours reviewing resumes, job postings, and government data to determine what goes into getting a job in each phase of life. Professional writers and data scientists comprise the Zippia Research Team.

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