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The differences between special education teachers and resource teachers can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. Additionally, a special education teacher has an average salary of $54,290, which is higher than the $43,487 average annual salary of a resource teacher.
The top three skills for a special education teacher include classroom management, autism and behavior management. The most important skills for a resource teacher are classroom management, math, and professional development.
| Special Education Teacher | Resource Teacher | |
| Yearly salary | $54,290 | $43,487 |
| Hourly rate | $26.10 | $20.91 |
| Growth rate | 4% | 4% |
| Number of jobs | 67,699 | 73,796 |
| Job satisfaction | 4.33 | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 66% | Bachelor's Degree, 64% |
| Average age | 43 | 42 |
| Years of experience | - | - |
A special education teacher is responsible for teaching students with disabilities. Special education teachers are trained professionals to provide distinct learning instructions for children with special cases for them to achieve their potentials and improve their self-confidence. A special education teacher must have excellent communication and organizational skills to assist the students with their learning areas. Special education teachers should be able to come up with engaging activities to support the students' behavioral and intellectual development.
A Resource Teacher is responsible for providing curriculum support systems for students, teachers, and administrators. Another role of a Resource Teacher is to assist the class teacher and provide additional support for children with moderate learning difficulties.
Special education teachers and resource teachers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Special Education Teacher | Resource Teacher | |
| Average salary | $54,290 | $43,487 |
| Salary range | Between $39,000 And $73,000 | Between $15,000 And $123,000 |
| Highest paying City | Baltimore, MD | Salinas, CA |
| Highest paying state | Maryland | California |
| Best paying company | Baltimore City Public Schools | Boston Public Schools |
| Best paying industry | Government | Manufacturing |
There are a few differences between a special education teacher and a resource teacher in terms of educational background:
| Special Education Teacher | Resource Teacher | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 66% | Bachelor's Degree, 64% |
| Most common major | Special Education | Special Education |
| Most common college | Northwestern University | University of Pennsylvania |
Here are the differences between special education teachers' and resource teachers' demographics:
| Special Education Teacher | Resource Teacher | |
| Average age | 43 | 42 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 24.6% Female, 75.4% | Male, 18.4% Female, 81.6% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 9.4% Unknown, 4.0% Hispanic or Latino, 11.6% Asian, 3.6% White, 71.1% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.4% | Black or African American, 10.0% Unknown, 3.9% Hispanic or Latino, 12.8% Asian, 3.7% White, 69.1% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.5% |
| LGBT Percentage | 8% | 9% |