Test administrator vs instructional assistant

The differences between test administrators and instructional assistants can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. Additionally, an instructional assistant has an average salary of $32,170, which is higher than the $25,904 average annual salary of a test administrator.

The top three skills for a test administrator include exam process, technical issues and test materials. The most important skills for an instructional assistant are CPR, math, and instructional materials.

Test administrator vs instructional assistant overview

	Test Administrator	Instructional Assistant
Yearly salary	$25,904	$32,170
Hourly rate	$12.45	$15.47
Growth rate	4%	4%
Number of jobs	68,229	50,185
Job satisfaction	-	-
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 58%	Bachelor's Degree, 58%
Average age	44	44
Years of experience	-	-

What does a test administrator do?

A test administrator is responsible for observing and monitoring the students during examinations and related assessments. Test administrators discuss the procedures and rules before the test, responding to any inquiries and concerns the examinees may have. They provide the tools and materials needed for the assessment, as well as verifying the identity of each examinee. A test administrator must be highly observant and organizational, strictly implementing regulations and operating testing equipment, and perform troubleshooting for technical issues.

What does an instructional assistant do?

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.

Test administrator vs instructional assistant salary

Test administrators and instructional assistants have different pay scales, as shown below.

	Test Administrator	Instructional Assistant
Average salary	$25,904	$32,170
Salary range	Between $20,000 And $33,000	Between $23,000 And $44,000
Highest paying City	Rochester, NY	Salem, OR
Highest paying state	Hawaii	Alaska
Best paying company	Eli Lilly and Company	Kern Community College District
Best paying industry	Government	Education

Differences between test administrator and instructional assistant education

There are a few differences between a test administrator and an instructional assistant in terms of educational background:

	Test Administrator	Instructional Assistant
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 58%	Bachelor's Degree, 58%
Most common major	Business	Psychology
Most common college	Northwestern University	Northwestern University

Test administrator vs instructional assistant demographics

Here are the differences between test administrators' and instructional assistants' demographics:

	Test Administrator	Instructional Assistant
Average age	44	44
Gender ratio	Male, 32.7% Female, 67.3%	Male, 27.3% Female, 72.7%
Race ratio	Black or African American, 10.8% Unknown, 4.6% Hispanic or Latino, 18.2% Asian, 8.2% White, 56.9% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.3%	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	6%	6%

Differences between test administrator and instructional assistant duties and responsibilities

Test administrator example responsibilities.

Manage FTPS relationship by communicating SharePoint & OIM architecture standards and frameworks, answering questions, resolving concerns and issues.
Design, implement and manage corporate-wide DNS, including 5K+ objects, and manage both IBM DS4800 and N3600 SAN systems.
Manage incidents of unacceptable identification or authorization on behalf of Prometric clients.
Manage incidents of unacceptable identification or authorization-to-test documentation according to Prometric and the clients expectations
Manage and coordinate office operations and procedures to include payroll preparation, information management/filing systems, and supply requisitions.
Perform tests on the oil API, gas H2S and CO2 content, and water salinity.

Instructional assistant example responsibilities.

Assist teachers in the classroom environment for Pre-K-6 students with class materials, photocopying, correcting papers, clerical duties etc.
Substitute for Pre-K through 5th grade.
Assist lead teacher in a certify Montessori program.
Assist students in grades from kindergarten to high school.
Administer tests to determine if student continues in ESOL program.
Provide training skills to students to administer CPR safely and accurately.

Test administrator vs instructional assistant skills

Common test administrator skills

Exam Process, 28%
Technical Issues, 25%
Test Materials, 8%
Careful Judgment, 3%
Test Candidates, 3%
Administer Tests, 3%

Common instructional assistant skills

CPR, 17%
Math, 8%
Instructional Materials, 7%
Mathematics, 7%
Behavioral Issues, 7%
Instructional Support, 5%

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Test Administrator
Test Administrator vs Instructional Assistant

Updated January 8, 2025

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