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The differences between teacher aides and preschool teachers can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. Additionally, a preschool teacher has an average salary of $33,582, which is higher than the $29,480 average annual salary of a teacher aide.
The top three skills for a teacher aide include child care, CPR and mathematics. The most important skills for a preschool teacher are child care, CPR, and classroom management.
| Teacher Aide | Preschool Teacher | |
| Yearly salary | $29,480 | $33,582 |
| Hourly rate | $14.17 | $16.15 |
| Growth rate | 4% | 15% |
| Number of jobs | 106,207 | 55,298 |
| Job satisfaction | 4 | 3.5 |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 39% | Bachelor's Degree, 52% |
| Average age | 44 | 40 |
| Years of experience | - | 2 |
Teacher aides help lead teachers in managing the classroom. They assist teachers in conducting classroom sessions by setting up the classroom in advance, sourcing materials needed for class activities, helping in presentations, and guiding students during class activities. Teacher aides are also responsible for maintaining classroom cleanliness and helping clean up after the children. They also help manage the students during breaks and during classes. They help the lead teacher keep the students'students' attention. They also assist the students in any other tasks that they may need.
A project leader is in charge of managing and leading a team to reach project goals in adherence to schedules and budgets. Their responsibilities revolve around setting objectives and guidelines, assessing workforce performance, assisting staff in difficult areas, answering inquiries, and resolving issues to maintain an efficient workflow. A project leader must also produce progress reports and presentations, updating managers or supervisors as needed. Furthermore, as a project leader, it is essential to lead and encourage the team, all while implementing the company's policies and regulations.
Teacher aides and preschool teachers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Teacher Aide | Preschool Teacher | |
| Average salary | $29,480 | $33,582 |
| Salary range | Between $23,000 And $36,000 | Between $23,000 And $47,000 |
| Highest paying City | Antioch, CA | San Jose, CA |
| Highest paying state | Rhode Island | Hawaii |
| Best paying company | Boston Public Schools | Kings Canyon Unified School District |
| Best paying industry | Finance | - |
There are a few differences between a teacher aide and a preschool teacher in terms of educational background:
| Teacher Aide | Preschool Teacher | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 39% | Bachelor's Degree, 52% |
| Most common major | Psychology | Early Childhood Education |
| Most common college | Duke University | San Diego State University |
Here are the differences between teacher aides' and preschool teachers' demographics:
| Teacher Aide | Preschool Teacher | |
| Average age | 44 | 40 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 17.4% Female, 82.6% | Male, 6.4% Female, 93.6% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 10.1% Unknown, 4.6% Hispanic or Latino, 20.3% Asian, 8.2% White, 55.4% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.4% | Black or African American, 8.6% Unknown, 4.5% Hispanic or Latino, 17.6% Asian, 5.5% White, 62.8% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.9% |
| LGBT Percentage | 6% | 5% |