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Special education teaching assistant education requirements
Updated January 8, 2025
4 min read
There are several educational requirements to become a special education teaching assistant. Special education teaching assistants usually study psychology, elementary education, or special education. 65% of special education teaching assistants hold a bachelor's degree, and 15% hold an master's degree. We analyzed 1,241 real special education teaching assistant resumes to see exactly what special education teaching assistant education sections show.
The most common colleges for special education teaching assistants are the Illinois State University and the Illinois State University.
There are also many online special education teaching assistant courses to help get the education required to be a special education teaching assistant.
There are certain special education teaching assistant certifications that you should consider. These special education teaching assistant certifications include Certified Nurse Assistant (CNA) and Educational Certificate: K-12 (Ed:).
What education do you need to become a special education teaching assistant?
What degree do you need to be a special education teaching assistant?
- Bachelor's, 65%
- Master's, 15%
- Associate, 13%
- High School Diploma, 4%
- Other Degrees, 3%
What should I major in to become a special education teaching assistant?
- Psychology, 18%
- Elementary Education, 11%
- Business, 9%
- Other Majors, 53%
Most common colleges for special education teaching assistants
| Special education teaching assistant common college | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Illinois State University | 11.76% |
| University of Massachusetts Boston | 7.35% |
| Montclair State University | 7.35% |
| University of Connecticut | 5.88% |
| Northern Illinois University | 5.88% |
Best majors for special education teaching assistants
| Rank | Major | Percentages |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Psychology | 17.7% |
| 2 | Elementary Education | 10.6% |
| 3 | Special Education | 9.2% |
| 4 | Business | 8.5% |
| 5 | Education | 7.4% |
Best colleges for special education teaching assistants
The best colleges for special education teaching assistants are Northwestern University, Johns Hopkins University, and Columbia University in the City of New York.
A special education teaching assistant with advanced education typically earns a higher salary and has access to better jobs. That's why Zippia looked into the best colleges for special education teaching assistants. We based this list on several metrics: admissions rate, retention rate, mean earnings of graduates, the ratio of working vs. non-working students ten years after admission, the average cost of attendance, and median debt for graduates who become special education teaching assistants.
1. Northwestern University
Evanston, IL • Private
In-state tuition
$54,568
Enrollment
8,451
2. University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
Chapel Hill, NC • Private
In-state tuition
$8,987
Enrollment
18,946
3. Columbia University in the City of New York
New York, NY • Private
In-state tuition
$59,430
Enrollment
8,216
4. Johns Hopkins University
Baltimore, MD • Private
In-state tuition
$53,740
Enrollment
5,567
5. New York University
New York, NY • Private
In-state tuition
$51,828
Enrollment
26,339
6. University of Pennsylvania
Philadelphia, PA • Private
In-state tuition
$55,584
Enrollment
10,764
7. California State University - Long Beach
Long Beach, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$6,798
Enrollment
31,503
8. University of California, Berkeley
Berkeley, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$14,184
Enrollment
30,845
9. University of Maryland - College Park
College Park, MD • Private
In-state tuition
$10,595
Enrollment
30,184
10. University of Washington
Seattle, WA • Private
In-state tuition
$11,207
Enrollment
30,905
20 best online courses for special education teaching assistants
Advertising disclosure
1. Music Education for Teachers
In the Music Education for Teachers specialization, you will explore ways of integrating popular music into your teaching. You'll begin by learning from two highly experienced teachers, Krystal Banfield, the Vice President of Educational Outreach for Berklee College of Music, and David Alexis a Berklee Professor and long-time instructor for the Berklee City Music Program. They will take you through their process of incorporating popular music, improvisation, arranging, and music technology into...
2. Online Learning Design for Educators
This specialization is for educators seeking to improve and expand their repertoire of online teaching skills related to the design, development and delivery of effective and engaging online courses and lessons for school age and adult learners.\n\nLearning in the 21st century no longer takes place exclusively between the four walls of a physical classroom. With advances in technology, learners now expect to be offered flexible study modes outside of the traditional face-to-face model. This...
3. Educational Psychology & Special Education (Certificate)
Informational content for educators and parents to learn about teaching and understanding exceptional children...
4. Complete Google Certified Educator Level 1 and 2 Masterclass
Google Certified Educator Level 1 and 2 Training - Mastering Google Classroom - G Suite - Teaching Online - Google Drive...
5. Instructional Methods in Health Professions Education
This course provides those involved in educating members of the health professions an asynchronous, interdisciplinary, and interactive way to obtain, expand, and improve their teaching skills. These skills can then be applied within their own professional context, with a variety of learners, extending across many stages. After completing this course, learners will: 1. Understand educational theory as it relates to health professions education 2. Match instructional methods with desired...
6. Educating Deaf Children: Becoming an Empowered Teacher
Many Deaf children around the world still leave school functionally illiterate. In some cases, there is no allowance made for the education of Deaf children at all. This 4-week course provides you with invaluable knowledge and skills about teaching Deaf children. You will learn about the importance of Deaf culture and community, the need for a language-rich environment for the Deaf child from as young as possible, and that having access to sign language can help Deaf children academically,...
7. Outcome Based Education (OBE) & Academic Quality Assurance
Master Course for Teachers' Development: Grow Your Teaching-Learning Expertise to World-Class Level...
8. Complete Google Classroom Course: Teaching Google Classroom
Mastering the Art of Teaching with Google Classroom - Teaching Online with Google Classroom - Google Certified Educator...
9. Critical Issues in Urban Education
Urban school reform in the United States is characterized by contentious, politicized debate. This course explores a set of critical issues in the education and educational reform space, with a focus on aspects of the field that have sparked controversy and polarized views. We will dig into these debates, situating them within the larger history of public education and school reform, and considering the viewpoints, the evidence, and translation of issues into educational policy. We will...
10. Activity Design with PhET Simulations for STEM Education
PhET Interactive Simulations ( https://phet.colorado.edu/ ), a project of the University of Colorado Boulder, provides fun, free, interactive, research-based science and mathematics simulations for use across, primary, secondary, and higher education levels. We extensively test and evaluate each simulation to ensure educational effectiveness. All simulations are open source and free to all students and teachers. In this course, we will review strategies for how to use PhET to create sim-based...
11. Seth Godin on learning and education
Build the future of community, culture and possibility...
12. Google Certified Educator Level 1 Technical Training
Google Apps for Education...
13. What future for education?
Through this course you will start to critically examine your own ideas about education, teaching and learning. The critique will be developed through engagement with theories and ideas developed through educational research. You will be encouraged to use these ideas to challenge or support your own ideas about education. Each week we will focus on one key question, using video lectures, key readings and challenges to explore some commonplace notions about education. With the guidance of the...
14. Climate change education
This specialization offers tools and resources developed as part of the "Rise up" initiative by the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) to combat climate change and improve the sustainability of the planet. Through the three courses that make up this specialization, you will learn what we can do individually, as a school, and as a community to lead a more sustainable and healthier life. You'll also delve into the primary ethical and social issues related to climate change, how to use games to...
15. Train the Trainer Foundation: Adult Education Mastery Course
Deploy a repeatable system for employee learning to ensure you reach every learner…every time...
16. Introduction to Early Childhood Montessori Education
Learning Montessori Philosophy and Materials by visiting classrooms across the U.S...
17. Diversity and Inclusion in Education
Student diversity is becoming the rule rather than the exception in education systems across the world. Students bring to classroom different characteristics such as ability and disability, socio-economic background, race, ethnicity, and cultural background, beliefs and religion, and gender characteristics. The United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goal 4 aims to ensure inclusive and equitable quality education and promote lifelong learning opportunities for all (United Nations, 2015)...
18. Aboriginal Worldviews and Education
Intended for both Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal learners, this course will explore indigenous ways of knowing and how they can benefit all students. Topics include historical, social, and political issues in Aboriginal education; terminology; cultural, spiritual and philosophical themes in Aboriginal worldviews; and how Aboriginal worldviews can inform professional programs and practices, including but not limited to the field of education...
19. ICT in Primary Education: Transforming children's learning across the curriculum
Why and how are teachers integrating ICT (Information and Communication Technology) into primary education? In this course we analyse examples from schools in different parts of the world, and bring professional teachers, headteachers and policymakers together to share their best ideas and inspiring stories. The materials in the course are based on studies carried out for the UNESCO Institute of IT in Education, Moscow. Learning Outcomes: to be aware of the range of reasons for using ICT to...
20. Teaching Impacts of Technology in K-12 Education
2% That’s the estimate of how many high school students in all of California took a Computer Science class in 2015. And yet, computers and data are everywhere. Just consider a typical 24 hours in your life … how many different computer devices do you use? We all live in multiple digital worlds that are changing rapidly with new apps, devices, and data analyses offering a constant stream of innovations and technology integrations for our lives.\n\nAs it's an integral part of our lives, we’re...
Top 10 most affordable universities for special education teaching assistants
The most affordable schools for special education teaching assistants are Baruch College of the City University of New York, california state university - long beach, and hunter college of the city university of new york.
If the best universities for special education teaching assistants are out of your price range, check out these affordable schools. After factoring in in-state tuition and fees, the average cost of attendance, admissions rate, average net price, and mean earnings after six years, we found that these are the most affordable schools for special education teaching assistants.
1. Baruch College of the City University of New York
New York, NY • Private
In-state tuition
$7,262
Cost of attendance
14,046
2. California State University - Long Beach
Long Beach, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$6,798
Cost of attendance
18,306
3. Hunter College of the City University of New York
New York, NY • Private
In-state tuition
$7,182
Cost of attendance
13,998
4. Brooklyn College of the City University of New York
Brooklyn, NY • Private
In-state tuition
$7,240
Cost of attendance
13,991
5. California State University - Dominguez Hills
Carson, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$6,942
Cost of attendance
14,469
6. University of South Florida
Tampa, FL • Private
In-state tuition
$6,410
Cost of attendance
20,456
7. University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
Chapel Hill, NC • Private
In-state tuition
$8,987
Cost of attendance
25,527
8. California State University - Los Angeles
Los Angeles, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$6,749
Cost of attendance
14,823
9. USF Sarasota-Manatee
Sarasota, FL • Private
In-state tuition
$5,587
Cost of attendance
13,043
10. Florida Atlantic University
Boca Raton, FL • Private
In-state tuition
$4,831
Cost of attendance
19,559
Top 10 hardest universities to get into for special education teaching assistants
The hardest universities for special education teaching assistants to get into are Northwestern University, Johns Hopkins University, and Columbia University in the City of New York.
Some great schools for special education teaching assistants are hard to get into, but they also set your career up for greater success. The list below shows the most challenging universities to get into for special education teaching assistants based on an institution's admissions rates, average SAT scores accepted, median ACT scores accepted, and mean earnings of students six years after admission.
1. Northwestern University
Evanston, IL • Private
Admissions rate
8%
SAT average
1,508
2. Johns Hopkins University
Baltimore, MD • Private
Admissions rate
11%
SAT average
1,513
3. Columbia University in the City of New York
New York, NY • Private
Admissions rate
6%
SAT average
1,512
4. Vanderbilt University
Nashville, TN • Private
Admissions rate
10%
SAT average
1,514
5. University of Pennsylvania
Philadelphia, PA • Private
Admissions rate
8%
SAT average
1,492
6. New York University
New York, NY • Private
Admissions rate
20%
SAT average
1,419
7. Boston University
Boston, MA • Private
Admissions rate
22%
SAT average
1,420
8. University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
Chapel Hill, NC • Private
Admissions rate
23%
SAT average
1,398
9. University of Southern California
Los Angeles, CA • Private
Admissions rate
13%
SAT average
1,445
10. University of California, Berkeley
Berkeley, CA • Private
Admissions rate
15%
SAT average
1,448
Top 10 easy-to-apply-to universities for special education teaching assistants
The easiest schools for special education teaching assistants to get into are Mount Saint Mary's University, barry university, and gwynedd mercy university.
Some schools are much easier to get into. If you want to start your career as a special education teaching assistant without much hassle, check out the list of schools where you will be accepted in no time. We compiled admissions rates, average SAT scores, average ACT scores, and average salary of students six years after graduation to uncover which were the easiest schools to get into for special education teaching assistants.
1. Mount Saint Mary's University
Los Angeles, CA • Private
Admissions rate
84%
SAT average
1,031
2. Barry University
Miami, FL • Private
Admissions rate
91%
SAT average
1,006
3. Gwynedd Mercy University
Gwynedd Valley, PA • Private
Admissions rate
92%
SAT average
1,031
4. Curry College
Milton, MA • Private
Admissions rate
93%
SAT average
1,026
5. Felician University
Lodi, NJ • Private
Admissions rate
81%
SAT average
999
6. Notre Dame College
Cleveland, OH • Private
Admissions rate
90%
SAT average
994
7. Notre Dame de Namur University
Belmont, CA • Private
Admissions rate
82%
SAT average
983
8. D'Youville College
Buffalo, NY • Private
Admissions rate
100%
SAT average
1,072
9. Saint Martin's University
Lacey, WA • Private
Admissions rate
96%
SAT average
1,111
10. Bluefield College
Bluefield, VA • Private
Admissions rate
95%
SAT average
980
Average special education teaching assistant salary by education level
| Special education teaching assistant education level | Special education teaching assistant salary |
|---|---|
| Master's Degree | $37,932 |
| High School Diploma or Less | $34,537 |
| Bachelor's Degree | $35,632 |
| Doctorate Degree | $38,582 |
| Some College/ Associate Degree | $34,876 |
Special education teaching assistant education FAQs
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Updated January 8, 2025
Updated January 8, 2025