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The differences between student assistants and instructional assistants can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. Additionally, an instructional assistant has an average salary of $32,170, which is higher than the $25,439 average annual salary of a student assistant.
The top three skills for a student assistant include customer service, front desk and administrative assistance. The most important skills for an instructional assistant are CPR, math, and instructional materials.
| Student Assistant | Instructional Assistant | |
| Yearly salary | $25,439 | $32,170 |
| Hourly rate | $12.23 | $15.47 |
| Growth rate | 4% | 4% |
| Number of jobs | 29,093 | 50,185 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 70% | Bachelor's Degree, 58% |
| Average age | 44 | 44 |
| Years of experience | - | - |
Student assistants are university students who are working part-time for a staff member or department. They are usually assigned to do administrative or clerical activities to help ease the load of their supervisor. They may manage files and information dissemination channels of the department. They may extend assistance during the registration period by helping other students fill out forms, managing the department's enrollment procedure, or doing any other activity required by their supervisor. They may also be asked to mentor younger students. Student assistants should be organized and trustworthy.
An instructional assistant's role is to assist teachers and faculty members by performing various tasks. Their responsibilities will involve managing and monitoring the classroom environment, crafting visual aids and informative presentations, preparing laboratories and equipment, grading papers, recording data, and organizing schedules. An instructional assistant may also teach short courses when a teacher is not around, and provide tutorial sessions to small groups. Furthermore, they may also perform administrative tasks such as producing progress reports and necessary documentation, taking attendance, and responding to calls and correspondence.
Student assistants and instructional assistants have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Student Assistant | Instructional Assistant | |
| Average salary | $25,439 | $32,170 |
| Salary range | Between $17,000 And $37,000 | Between $23,000 And $44,000 |
| Highest paying City | Albany, NY | Salem, OR |
| Highest paying state | Rhode Island | Alaska |
| Best paying company | Ncar - The National Center For Atmospheric Research | Kern Community College District |
| Best paying industry | Government | Education |
There are a few differences between a student assistant and an instructional assistant in terms of educational background:
| Student Assistant | Instructional Assistant | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 70% | Bachelor's Degree, 58% |
| Most common major | Business | Psychology |
| Most common college | Northwestern University | Northwestern University |
Here are the differences between student assistants' and instructional assistants' demographics:
| Student Assistant | Instructional Assistant | |
| Average age | 44 | 44 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 36.8% Female, 63.2% | Male, 27.3% Female, 72.7% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 9.8% Unknown, 4.6% Hispanic or Latino, 20.1% Asian, 8.1% White, 56.0% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.3% | Black or African American, 8.9% Unknown, 4.6% Hispanic or Latino, 21.0% Asian, 8.2% White, 55.9% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.4% |
| LGBT Percentage | 6% | 6% |