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The differences between substitute teachers and instructional assistants 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 $32,170 average annual salary of an instructional assistant.
The top three skills for a substitute teacher include kids, math and help support. The most important skills for an instructional assistant are CPR, math, and instructional materials.
| Substitute Teacher | Instructional Assistant | |
| Yearly salary | $32,904 | $32,170 |
| Hourly rate | $15.82 | $15.47 |
| Growth rate | 4% | 4% |
| Number of jobs | 69,292 | 50,185 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 67% | Bachelor's Degree, 58% |
| 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 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.
Substitute teachers and instructional assistants have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Substitute Teacher | Instructional Assistant | |
| Average salary | $32,904 | $32,170 |
| Salary range | Between $23,000 And $45,000 | Between $23,000 And $44,000 |
| Highest paying City | San Francisco, CA | Salem, OR |
| Highest paying state | Alaska | Alaska |
| Best paying company | Ethical Culture Fieldston School | Kern Community College District |
| Best paying industry | Education | Education |
There are a few differences between a substitute teacher and an instructional assistant in terms of educational background:
| Substitute Teacher | Instructional Assistant | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 67% | Bachelor's Degree, 58% |
| Most common major | Elementary Education | Psychology |
| Most common college | University of Pennsylvania | Northwestern University |
Here are the differences between substitute teachers' and instructional assistants' demographics:
| Substitute Teacher | Instructional Assistant | |
| Average age | 42 | 44 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 27.2% Female, 72.8% | Male, 27.3% Female, 72.7% |
| 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, 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 | 11% | 6% |