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Teacher assistant vs classroom assistant

The differences between teacher assistants and classroom assistants can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. Additionally, a classroom assistant has an average salary of $27,801, which is higher than the $27,103 average annual salary of a teacher assistant.

The top three skills for a teacher assistant include CPR, child care and mathematics. The most important skills for a classroom assistant are CPR, mathematics, and photocopying.

Teacher assistant vs classroom assistant overview

Teacher AssistantClassroom Assistant
Yearly salary$27,103$27,801
Hourly rate$13.03$13.37
Growth rate4%4%
Number of jobs77,35849,273
Job satisfaction5-
Most common degreeBachelor's Degree, 49%Bachelor's Degree, 59%
Average age4444
Years of experience--

What does a teacher assistant do?

Teacher assistants are responsible for aiding teachers in their needs inside the classroom. They help teachers prepare for lessons in class, set up equipment, distribute educational materials to students, and monitor the progress of the students. Teacher assistants also help in managing the children in the classroom, as well as providing the necessary assistance a child may need. This may include helping with the lessons by going table to table, assisting in writing exercises, and tutoring kids one-to-one. Teacher assistants are required to have patience, flexibility, and classroom management skills.

What does a classroom assistant do?

A classroom assistant is responsible for monitoring the class activities and the students' learning progress under the command of a head instructor. Classroom assistants help the teachers in conducting engaging learning activities, creating comprehensive lesson plans, and gathering educational materials to support the students' needs. They take the initiative on observing the class when the teacher is away, leaving them activities to work on as the teacher instructed. A classroom assistant must have excellent communication and organization skills, as they also serve as a liaison between the students and the teacher for inquiries and concerns.

Teacher assistant vs classroom assistant salary

Teacher assistants and classroom assistants have different pay scales, as shown below.

Teacher AssistantClassroom Assistant
Average salary$27,103$27,801
Salary rangeBetween $21,000 And $34,000Between $22,000 And $34,000
Highest paying CityCoventry, RIBelmont, MA
Highest paying stateRhode IslandMassachusetts
Best paying companyUniversity of California, BerkeleyUniversity of California, Berkeley
Best paying industryFinanceTechnology

Differences between teacher assistant and classroom assistant education

There are a few differences between a teacher assistant and a classroom assistant in terms of educational background:

Teacher AssistantClassroom Assistant
Most common degreeBachelor's Degree, 49%Bachelor's Degree, 59%
Most common majorPsychologyPsychology
Most common collegeDuke UniversityDuke University

Teacher assistant vs classroom assistant demographics

Here are the differences between teacher assistants' and classroom assistants' demographics:

Teacher AssistantClassroom Assistant
Average age4444
Gender ratioMale, 21.5% Female, 78.5%Male, 19.3% Female, 80.7%
Race ratioBlack or African American, 10.2% Unknown, 4.6% Hispanic or Latino, 21.1% Asian, 7.8% White, 55.0% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.3%Black or African American, 9.4% Unknown, 4.6% Hispanic or Latino, 16.5% Asian, 8.7% White, 59.5% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.3%
LGBT Percentage6%6%

Differences between teacher assistant and classroom assistant duties and responsibilities

Teacher assistant example responsibilities.

  • Lead chemistry recitations, prepare lessons, and coordinate student problem solving sessions.
  • Manage student supervision in various environments including classrooms, halls, cafeterias, schoolyards, gymnasiums, and field trip locations.
  • Lead debates with advance students on topics including globalization, economics, and political history.
  • Help clients with ADL's.
  • Assist MH/MR clients with ADL's.
  • Substitute teacher grades from k-5.
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Classroom assistant example responsibilities.

  • Lead chemistry recitations, prepare lessons, and coordinate student problem solving sessions.
  • Work at PTA and PTO events in various capacities.
  • Support the educational growth of elementary school students by working with small groups in math, language arts, and science.
  • Provide support to kindergarten classroom teacher through individual reading intervention and math assistance
  • Direct group activities within learning centers emphasizing spatial recognition, understanding patterns of colors and numbers for kindergarten class.
  • Work with ESE, VPK, and Pre-K, students.
  • Show more

Teacher assistant vs classroom assistant skills

Common teacher assistant skills
  • CPR, 18%
  • Child Care, 14%
  • Mathematics, 10%
  • Art Projects, 7%
  • Instructional Materials, 5%
  • Learning Environment, 5%
Common classroom assistant skills
  • CPR, 25%
  • Mathematics, 20%
  • Photocopying, 17%
  • IEP, 12%
  • Homework Assignments, 8%
  • Child Care, 3%

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