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Teacher assistant vs educational assistant

The differences between teacher assistants and educational assistants can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. Additionally, an educational assistant has an average salary of $31,100, 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 an educational assistant are CPR, IEP, and direct supervision.

Teacher assistant vs educational assistant overview

Teacher AssistantEducational Assistant
Yearly salary$27,103$31,100
Hourly rate$13.03$14.95
Growth rate4%4%
Number of jobs77,35849,979
Job satisfaction55
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 an educational assistant do?

An educational assistant, or often called teaching assistant, assists teachers in instruction delivery and provides learning support to students. Educational assistants may perform classroom duties such as class preparations, taking attendance, and paperwork management. They help students by reviewing materials presented by teachers through one-on-one tutoring or in small groups. They may also supervise and monitor the educational activities of children, such as playing and other primary care. Educational Assistants can work in elementary, middle, and high schools while others work in preschools and childcare centers.

Teacher assistant vs educational assistant salary

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

Teacher AssistantEducational Assistant
Average salary$27,103$31,100
Salary rangeBetween $21,000 And $34,000Between $20,000 And $47,000
Highest paying CityCoventry, RINew York, NY
Highest paying stateRhode IslandRhode Island
Best paying companyUniversity of California, BerkeleyColumbia University in the City of New York
Best paying industryFinanceNon Profits

Differences between teacher assistant and educational assistant education

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

Teacher AssistantEducational Assistant
Most common degreeBachelor's Degree, 49%Bachelor's Degree, 59%
Most common majorPsychologyBusiness
Most common collegeDuke UniversityNorthwestern University

Teacher assistant vs educational assistant demographics

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

Teacher AssistantEducational Assistant
Average age4444
Gender ratioMale, 21.5% Female, 78.5%Male, 23.2% Female, 76.8%
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, 9.1% Unknown, 4.6% Hispanic or Latino, 19.3% Asian, 8.1% White, 57.5% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.4%
LGBT Percentage6%6%

Differences between teacher assistant and educational 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.
  • Show more

Educational assistant example responsibilities.

  • Perform responsible human support and paraprofessional work assisting classroom teacher or other professionals, achieve institution objectives.
  • Perform basic administrative tasks like photocopying student work displays etc.
  • Support class teachers in photocopying and other tasks in order to support teaching.
  • Used CPI blocks, restraints, and escorts when necessary to ensure the safety of students and staff.
  • Serve special needs Pre-K students in a PPCD classroom, under the direction of a certify classroom teacher.
  • Provide assistance to non-English speaking students
  • Show more

Teacher assistant vs educational assistant skills

Common teacher assistant skills
  • CPR, 18%
  • Child Care, 14%
  • Mathematics, 10%
  • Art Projects, 7%
  • Instructional Materials, 5%
  • Learning Environment, 5%
Common educational assistant skills
  • CPR, 12%
  • IEP, 7%
  • Direct Supervision, 6%
  • Behavioral Issues, 6%
  • Clerical Support, 6%
  • Autism, 6%

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