Teacher Assistants : Occupational Outlook Handbook : U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics

Summary

Teacher assistants work under the supervision of a teacher and provide additional attention and instruction to students.

Quick Facts: Teacher Assistants
2010 Median Pay	$23,220 per year
Entry-Level Education	High school diploma or equivalent
Work Experience in a Related Occupation	None
On-the-job Training	Short-term on-the-job training
Number of Jobs, 2010	1,288,300
Job Outlook, 2010-20	15% (About as fast as average)
Employment Change, 2010-20	191,100

What Teacher Assistants Do

Teacher assistants work under a teacher’s supervision to give students additional attention and instruction.

Work Environment

Teacher assistants work in public and private schools, childcare centers, and for religious organizations. About 37 percent work part time. Most do not work during the summer.

How to Become a Teacher Assistant

Educational requirements, which vary by school district and position, range from a high school diploma to an associate’s degree.

Pay

The median annual wage of teacher assistants was $23,220 in May 2010.

Employment of teacher assistants is expected to grow by 15 percent from 2010 to 2020, about as fast as the average for all occupations. Growth is expected to result from increases in student enrollment and increases in childcare and preschool enrollment.

Similar Occupations

Compare the job duties, education, job growth, and pay of teacher assistants with similar occupations.

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What Teacher Assistants Do About this section

Some teacher assistants work exclusively with special education students who attend traditional classes.

Teacher assistants work under a teacher’s supervision to give students additional attention and instruction.

Duties

Teacher assistants typically do the following:

Reinforce lessons presented by teachers by reviewing material with students one-on-one or in small groups
Enforce school and class rules to help teach students proper behavior
Help teachers with recordkeeping, such as tracking attendance and calculating grades
Help teachers prepare for lessons by getting materials ready or setting up equipment, such as computers
Supervise students in class, between classes, during lunch and recess, and on field trips

Teacher assistants are also called teacher aides, instructional aides, paraprofessionals, and paraeducators.

Generally, teachers introduce new material to students, and teacher assistants help reinforce the lessons by working with individual students or small groups of students. For example, they may help students learn research skills by helping them find information for reports.

Teacher assistants sometimes help teachers by grading tests and checking homework.

Teachers may seek feedback from assistants to monitor students’ progress. Some teachers and teacher assistants meet regularly to discuss lesson plans and student development.

Some teacher assistants work only with special education students. These students often are mainstreamed (attend regular classes), and teacher assistants help them understand the material and adapt the information to their learning style.

With students who have more severe disabilities, assistants may work with them both in regular classes and in separate classes. Teacher assistants may help these students with basic needs, such as feeding or personal hygiene. With young adults, they may help students with disabilities learn skills necessary for them to find a job after graduation.

Some teacher assistants work in specific locations in the school. For example, some work in computer laboratories, teaching students how to use computers and helping them use software. Others work as recess or lunchroom attendants, supervising students during these times of the day.

Although most teacher assistants work in elementary, middle, and high schools, others work in preschools and other childcare centers. Often, one or two assistants work with a lead teacher to give the individual attention that young children need. They help with educational activities. They also supervise the children at play and help with feeding and other basic care.

Work Environment About this section

Some teacher assistants work in specific locations within schools, such as libraries.

Teacher assistants held 1.3 million jobs in 2010. They work in both private and public elementary, middle, and high schools. They also work in preschools, childcare centers, community centers, and for religious organizations.

In 2010, 76 percent of teacher assistants were employed by elementary and secondary schools and 9 percent were employed by child day care services.

Teacher assistants may spend some time outside, when students are at recess or getting on and off the bus. Those who work with special education students may need to lift them.

Work Schedules

About 37 percent of teacher assistants work part time. Some ride the bus with students before and after school. Many do not work during the summer, but some work in year-round schools or help teachers in summer school.

How to Become a Teacher Assistant About this section

Teacher assistants reinforce lessons presented in class by reviewing material with students one-on-one or in small groups.

Educational requirements, which vary by school district and position, range from a high school diploma to an associate’s degree.

Education

Some districts require applicants to have a high school diploma; others require at least 2 years of college or an associate’s degree. Teacher assistants in schools that have Title 1 programs (a federal program for schools with a large proportion of students from low-income households) must have at least a 2-year degree, or 2 years of college, or pass a state or local assessment.

Associate’s degree programs for teacher assistants prepare the participants to develop educational materials, observe students, and understand the role of teachers in the classroom.

Most states require passing a skills-based test for instructional aides who work with special needs students.

Training

Schools may provide training for teacher assistants to acquaint them with the school district and school policies. Unions or professional associations may offer additional training. Teacher assistants must familiarize themselves with the material their students are covering in class. Doing so may require reviewing the topics with teachers to ensure that the assistants understand and can properly explain the information to students.

Important Qualities

Communication skills. Teacher assistants need to discuss students’ progress with teachers, so they need to be able to communicate well.

Instructional skills. To reinforce lessons, teacher assistants must explain information to students in a way that meets each student's learning style.

Patience. Working with students of different abilities and backgrounds can be difficult. Teacher assistants must be patient with students who struggle with material.

People skills. Teacher assistants interact with a variety of people, including teachers, students, parents, and administrators. They need to develop good working relationships with the people they work with.

Pay About this section

Teacher Assistants

Median annual wages, May 2010

Education, Training, and Library Occupations: $45,690
Total, All Occupations: $33,840
Teacher Assistants: $23,220

The median annual wage of teacher assistants was $23,220 in May 2010. The median wage is the wage at which half the workers in an occupation earned more than that amount and half earned less. The lowest 10 percent earned less than $16,510, and the top 10 percent earned more than $36,130.

Job Outlook About this section

Teacher Assistants

Percent change in employment, projected 2010-20

Teacher Assistants: 15%
Education, Training, and Library Occupations: 15%
Total, All Occupations: 14%

Employment of teacher assistants is expected to grow by 15 percent from 2010 to 2020, about as fast as the average for all occupations. Growth is expected to result from increases in student enrollment, continued demand for special education services, and increases in childcare and preschool enrollment.

Student enrollment in public and private elementary and secondary schools is expected to increase from 2010 to 2020. Because teacher assistants work directly with students, the increase in the number of students will spur demand for teacher assistants. In addition, there will be continued demand for special education services and, in turn, demand for teacher assistants who work with these students.

Furthermore, enrollment is expected to increase in childcare services and preschool programs, both of which employ teacher assistants. Increases in enrollment will increase demand for teacher assistants in these settings.

Job Prospects

In addition to job openings from employment growth, numerous openings will arise as assistants leave the job and must be replaced. Because this occupation requires limited formal education and has low pay, many workers transfer to other occupations or leave the labor force because of family responsibilities, to return to school, or for other reasons.

Job opportunities for teach assistants vary significantly by geography. Opportunities should be better in the South and West, which are expected to have rapid increases in enrollment, and in urban schools, which often have difficulty recruiting and keeping teacher assistants.

Employment projections data for teacher assistants, 2010-20
Occupational Title	SOC Code	Employment, 2010	Projected Employment, 2020	Change, 2010-20		Employment by Industry
Occupational Title	SOC Code	Employment, 2010	Projected Employment, 2020	Percent	Numeric	Employment by Industry
SOURCE: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Employment Projections program
Teacher Assistants	25-9041	1,288,300	1,479,300	15	191,100	[XLS]

Similar Occupations About this section

This table shows a list of occupations with job duties that are similar to those of teacher assistants.

Occupation	Job Duties	ENTRY-LEVEL EDUCATION	2010 MEDIAN PAY
Career and Technical Education Teachers	Career and technical education teachers help students in middle school and high school develop career-related and technical skills. They help students explore or prepare to enter a particular occupation, such as one in auto repair, healthcare, business, or the culinary arts.	Bachelor’s degree	$53,920
Childcare Workers	Childcare workers care for children when parents and other family members are unavailable. They care for children’s basic needs, such as bathing and feeding. In addition, some help children prepare for kindergarten, and many help older children with homework.	High school diploma or equivalent	$19,300
High School Teachers	High school teachers help prepare students for life after graduation. They teach academic lessons and various skills that students will need to attend college and to enter the job market.	Bachelor’s degree	$53,230
Kindergarten and Elementary School Teachers	Kindergarten and elementary school teachers prepare younger students for future schooling by teaching them the basics of subjects such as math and reading.	Bachelor’s degree	$51,380
Library Technicians and Assistants	Library technicians and assistants help librarians acquire, prepare, and organize materials. They also do other tasks that are needed to run a library.	See How to Become One	$26,330
Middle School Teachers	Middle school teachers educate students, most of whom are in sixth through eighth grades. They help students build on the fundamentals they learned in elementary school and prepare them for the more difficult lessons they will learn in high school.	Bachelor’s degree	$51,960
Occupational Therapy Assistants and Aides	Occupational therapy assistants and aides work under the direction of occupational therapists in treating patients with injuries, illnesses, or disabilities through the therapeutic use of everyday activities. They help these patients develop, recover, and improve the skills needed for daily living and working.	See How to Become One	$47,490
Preschool Teachers	Preschool teachers educate and care for children, usually ages 3 to 5, who have not yet entered kindergarten. They explain reading, writing, science, and other subjects in a way that young children can understand.	Associate’s degree	$25,700
Special Education Teachers	Special education teachers work with students who have a wide range of learning, mental, emotional and physical disabilities. With students who have mild or moderate disabilities, they ensure that lessons and teaching strategies are modified to meet the students’ needs. With students who have severe disabilities, they teach the students independent living skills and basic literacy, communication, and math.	Bachelor’s degree	$53,220