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The differences between special needs teachers and head start teachers can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. Additionally, a special needs teacher has an average salary of $47,334, which is higher than the $33,865 average annual salary of a head start teacher.
The top three skills for a special needs teacher include autism, behavioral issues and mathematics. The most important skills for a head start teacher are kids, math, and CPR.
| Special Needs Teacher | Head Start Teacher | |
| Yearly salary | $47,334 | $33,865 |
| Hourly rate | $22.76 | $16.28 |
| Growth rate | 4% | 15% |
| Number of jobs | 74,039 | 67,747 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 61% | Bachelor's Degree, 55% |
| Average age | 43 | 40 |
| Years of experience | - | 2 |
A Special Needs Teacher works with children and young people who need support with their learning because they find it difficult. They evaluate students skills to determine their needs, develop teaching plans, and adapt lessons to meet the needs of students.
A head start teacher is responsible for organizing lectures and monitoring classroom operations for students with financial difficulties. Head start teachers have the same roles as regular teachers, such as preparing lesson plans, conducting assessments to test the students' knowledge, documenting their progress, and planning group activities to observe their personal and social behaviors. They also coordinate with the students' parents to share the child's difficulties and strategize methods to enhance capabilities. A head start teacher must have excellent communication skills, especially in attending to students for their needs and encouraging them to reach their maximum potentials.
Special needs teachers and head start teachers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Special Needs Teacher | Head Start Teacher | |
| Average salary | $47,334 | $33,865 |
| Salary range | Between $34,000 And $65,000 | Between $23,000 And $49,000 |
| Highest paying City | Berkeley, CA | New York, NY |
| Highest paying state | Alaska | Massachusetts |
| Best paying company | San Mateo County Office Of Education | Topeka Public Schools |
| Best paying industry | Education | Education |
There are a few differences between a special needs teacher and a head start teacher in terms of educational background:
| Special Needs Teacher | Head Start Teacher | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 61% | Bachelor's Degree, 55% |
| Most common major | Special Education | Early Childhood Education |
| Most common college | Northwestern University | University of Pennsylvania |
Here are the differences between special needs teachers' and head start teachers' demographics:
| Special Needs Teacher | Head Start Teacher | |
| Average age | 43 | 40 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 20.8% Female, 79.2% | Male, 7.9% Female, 92.1% |
| Race ratio | 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% | Black or African American, 8.8% Unknown, 4.6% Hispanic or Latino, 19.0% Asian, 5.9% White, 60.9% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.9% |
| LGBT Percentage | 8% | 5% |