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The differences between special needs teachers and lead 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 $33,652 average annual salary of a lead teacher.
The top three skills for a special needs teacher include autism, behavioral issues and mathematics. The most important skills for a lead teacher are CPR, customer service, and child care.
| Special Needs Teacher | Lead Teacher | |
| Yearly salary | $47,334 | $33,652 |
| Hourly rate | $22.76 | $16.18 |
| Growth rate | 4% | 5% |
| Number of jobs | 74,039 | 56,131 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 61% | Bachelor's Degree, 51% |
| Average age | 43 | 43 |
| 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.
The Lead Teacher works with parents to resolve student issues and train new teachers on effective teaching techniques. A Lead Teacher is a licensed teacher with extensive teaching experience and preferably has a master's in education or related studies. They are an integral part of a school's faculty and the principal's arm in drafting policies for implementation.
Special needs teachers and lead teachers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Special Needs Teacher | Lead Teacher | |
| Average salary | $47,334 | $33,652 |
| Salary range | Between $34,000 And $65,000 | Between $22,000 And $50,000 |
| Highest paying City | Berkeley, CA | San Francisco, CA |
| Highest paying state | Alaska | California |
| Best paying company | San Mateo County Office Of Education | Success Preparatory Academy |
| Best paying industry | Education | - |
There are a few differences between a special needs teacher and a lead teacher in terms of educational background:
| Special Needs Teacher | Lead Teacher | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 61% | Bachelor's Degree, 51% |
| Most common major | Special Education | Early Childhood Education |
| Most common college | Northwestern University | San Diego State University |
Here are the differences between special needs teachers' and lead teachers' demographics:
| Special Needs Teacher | Lead Teacher | |
| Average age | 43 | 43 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 20.8% Female, 79.2% | Male, 10.2% Female, 89.8% |
| 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, 7.8% Unknown, 4.0% Hispanic or Latino, 11.4% Asian, 3.5% White, 72.9% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.5% |
| LGBT Percentage | 8% | 12% |