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The differences between substitute teachers and education paraprofessionals can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. Additionally, a substitute teacher has an average salary of $32,904, which is higher than the $31,158 average annual salary of an education paraprofessional.
The top three skills for a substitute teacher include kids, math and help support. The most important skills for an education paraprofessional are autism, behavioral issues, and mathematics.
| Substitute Teacher | Education Paraprofessional | |
| Yearly salary | $32,904 | $31,158 |
| Hourly rate | $15.82 | $14.98 |
| Growth rate | 4% | 4% |
| Number of jobs | 69,292 | 53,164 |
| Job satisfaction | - | 4.33 |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 67% | Bachelor's Degree, 59% |
| Average age | 42 | 44 |
| Years of experience | - | - |
Substitute teachers are responsible for filling in the role of regular teachers who will not be able to come to school. They may be engaged short-term or long-term, depending on the need. Substitute teachers should have a deep understanding of the topics that are related to the subject matter and are appropriate to the learning level of the student. They should be able to advance the lessons while the regular teacher is unavailable. At times, they are required to create their own lesson plans. Substitute teachers should have the skills of regular teachers. They should also be flexible and adaptable.
An education paraprofessional's role is to carry out support tasks for a teacher in a school setting. They are responsible for creating learning materials such as visual aids and presentations, participating in devising lesson plans and assessment methods, grading and evaluating student performances, and even maintaining order in the classroom. There are also instances where they must assist students who are having difficulties catching up with the lessons. Furthermore, an education paraprofessional may also teach under the supervision of a more experienced educator.
Substitute teachers and education paraprofessionals have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Substitute Teacher | Education Paraprofessional | |
| Average salary | $32,904 | $31,158 |
| Salary range | Between $23,000 And $45,000 | Between $24,000 And $39,000 |
| Highest paying City | San Francisco, CA | South San Francisco, CA |
| Highest paying state | Alaska | Massachusetts |
| Best paying company | Ethical Culture Fieldston School | Boston Public Schools |
| Best paying industry | Education | Finance |
There are a few differences between a substitute teacher and an education paraprofessional in terms of educational background:
| Substitute Teacher | Education Paraprofessional | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 67% | Bachelor's Degree, 59% |
| Most common major | Elementary Education | Psychology |
| Most common college | University of Pennsylvania | Northwestern University |
Here are the differences between substitute teachers' and education paraprofessionals' demographics:
| Substitute Teacher | Education Paraprofessional | |
| Average age | 42 | 44 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 27.2% Female, 72.8% | Male, 19.7% Female, 80.3% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 11.8% Unknown, 5.9% Hispanic or Latino, 16.0% Asian, 7.7% White, 58.1% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.5% | Black or African American, 9.5% Unknown, 4.4% Hispanic or Latino, 16.3% Asian, 8.3% White, 60.4% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.2% |
| LGBT Percentage | 11% | 6% |