The median pay for Teaching Assistants, Special Education is $37,010 a year, according to BLS OEWS, May 2025. Employment is projected to grow 0.0% through 2035, with about 201,900 openings a year (BLS EP, 2025–2035). Typical entry-level education: Job Zone Three: Medium Preparation Needed.
- SOC 25-9043
- Educational Instruction and Library
- Last updated October 9, 2026
At a glance
Teaching Assistant, Special Education in four numbers
- Median pay
- $37,010a yearBLS OEWS, May 2025Lowest 10% $27KTop 10% $56K
US median, all jobs: $50,980
- Projected growth
- 0.0%Slower than averageBLS EP, 2025–2035This career0%All jobs+3.5%
Projected employment change, 2025–2035 Item Value This career 0% All jobs +3.5% - Openings a year
- 201,9001,668,500 jobs todayBLS EP, 2025–2035
- Jobs in 20251.7M
- Projected 20351.7M
Employment, 2025–2035 Item Value Jobs in 2025 1.7M Projected 2035 1.7M - Typical education
- Job Zone Three: Medium Preparation Neededneeded to enterBLS EP, 2025–2035; mix: O*NET
- High school24.6%
- Some college18.2%
- Associate's14.5%
- Bachelor's39.2%
- Master's3.6%
Highest education held by teaching assistants, special education Segment Value High school 24.6% Some college 18.2% Associate's 14.5% Bachelor's 39.2% Master's 3.6%
Also advertised as: Assistant Instructor, Co-Teacher, Educational Assistant, Paraeducator, Paraprofessional (Para), SPED Aide (Special Education Aide).
Pay
How much do Teaching Assistants, Special Education make?
Every teaching assistant, special education in the US, by percentile of annual wage
Median
$37,010
Middle half earn $31,200 to $46,000
- 10th
- $27,360
- 25th
- $31,200
- 75th
- $46,000
- 90th
- $55,520
All US occupations: $50,980
| Percentile | Value |
|---|---|
| 10th | $27,360 |
| 25th | $31,200 |
| Median | $37,010 |
| 75th | $46,000 |
| 90th | $55,520 |
| All US occupations | $50,980 |
Source: BLS OEWS, May 2025
- Median annual wage
- $37,010
- Median hourly wage
- N/A
- Mean annual wage
- $39,260
- People employed
- 1,584,440
Versus all US occupations
At $37,010, Teaching Assistants, Special Education earn 27% below the $50,980 median across all US occupations, a difference of $13,970 a year.
Versus educational instruction and library occupations
Inside the Educational Instruction and Library group, where the middle occupation pays $68,270, this is 46% below the group median.
Pay range
The top 10% earn $55,520 or more while the bottom 10% earn $27,360, a gap of 2.0×. That is a typical spread for a US occupation.
Rank in the bank
This median pays more than 4% of the 1,741 occupations in the NueCareer career bank.
Job outlook
Is Teaching Assistant, Special Education a growing career?
Employment change over 2025–2035, against every US occupation
Slower than average. 0.0% projected growth vs 3.5% for all occupations.
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| Teaching Assistants, Special Education | 0% |
| All US occupations | +3.5% |
Source: BLS EP, 2025–2035
Slower than average
BLS projects employment of Teaching Assistants, Special Education to change 0.0% over 2025–2035, against 3.5% projected for all occupations. That is 500 more jobs.
Annual openings
About 201,900 openings are projected each year, 12.1% of the 1,668,500 jobs that existed in 2025. Most come from workers leaving the occupation, not from growth alone.
Getting in
How to become a Teaching Assistant, Special Education
- 1
Typical entry-level education
Job Zone Three: Medium Preparation Needed
- 2
Work experience in a related occupation
N/A
- 3
Typical on-the-job training
N/A
- 4
Preparation needed (O*NET job zone)
Some preparation
BLS Employment Projections, 2025–2035; job zone from O*NET 31.0 Database.
What education people in the job have
O*NET incumbent survey: the highest level of education reported by people already working as teaching assistants, special education.
- Bachelor's Degree39.2%
- High School Diploma or the equivalent (such as a GED)24.6%
- Some College Courses18.2%
- Associate's Degree or other 2-year degree14.5%
- Master's Degree3.6%
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| Bachelor's Degree | 39.2% |
| High School Diploma or the equivalent (such as a GED) | 24.6% |
| Some College Courses | 18.2% |
| Associate's Degree or other 2-year degree | 14.5% |
| Master's Degree | 3.6% |
Source: O*NET 31.0 Database
The work
What does a Teaching Assistant, Special Education do?
Assist a preschool, elementary, middle, or secondary school teacher to provide academic, social, or life skills to students who have learning, emotional, or physical disabilities. Serve in a position for which a teacher has primary responsibility for the design and implementation of educational programs and services.
Day-to-day tasks
- Supervise students in classrooms, halls, cafeterias, school yards, and gymnasiums, or on field trips.
- Instruct and monitor students in the use and care of equipment and materials to prevent injuries and damage.
- Provide assistance to students with special needs.
- Distribute teaching materials, such as textbooks, workbooks, papers, and pencils, to students.
- Present subject matter to students under the direction and guidance of teachers, using lectures, discussions, supervised role-playing methods, or by reading aloud.
- Enforce administration policies and rules governing students.
- Teach socially acceptable behavior, employing techniques such as behavior modification or positive reinforcement.
- Tutor and assist children individually or in small groups to help them master assignments and to reinforce learning concepts presented by teachers.
O*NET core tasks, ordered by reported importance.
Working conditions and hours
Where the work happens
Indoors, climate-controlled
NeverEvery dayOutdoors in all weather
NeverEvery day
Physical demands
Sitting
NeverAlmost all the timeStanding
NeverAlmost all the timeBending or twisting
NeverAlmost all the time
Working with people
Contact with other people
NoneConstantConstant contact with other people.
Face-to-face discussions
NeverEvery dayDealing with the public
Not importantExtremely important
Pressure and stakes
Strict deadlines
NeverEvery dayConflict situations
NeverEvery dayCost of a mistake
Not seriousExtremely serious
Autonomy
Freedom to decide
NoneA lot
Conditions: O*NET Work Context survey. Each item has its own scale, so each dot is read against the two answers that end its own line.
Core skills
O*NET importance, 1 to 5
- Active Listening3.9
- Speaking3.8
- Reading Comprehension3.6
- Learning Strategies3.6
- Monitoring3.6
- Critical Thinking3.4
- Writing3.1
- Active Learning3.0
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| Active Listening | 3.9 |
| Speaking | 3.8 |
| Reading Comprehension | 3.6 |
| Learning Strategies | 3.6 |
| Monitoring | 3.6 |
| Critical Thinking | 3.4 |
| Writing | 3.1 |
| Active Learning | 3.0 |
Source: O*NET 31.0 Database
Transferable skills
O*NET importance, 1 to 5
- Social Perceptiveness3.8
- Service Orientation3.6
- Instructing3.5
- Coordination3.1
- Persuasion3.1
- Complex Problem Solving3.0
- Negotiation2.9
- Judgment and Decision Making2.9
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| Social Perceptiveness | 3.8 |
| Service Orientation | 3.6 |
| Instructing | 3.5 |
| Coordination | 3.1 |
| Persuasion | 3.1 |
| Complex Problem Solving | 3.0 |
| Negotiation | 2.9 |
| Judgment and Decision Making | 2.9 |
Source: O*NET 31.0 Database
Tools and software
- Electronic mail software · in demand
- Office suite software · in demand
- Presentation software · in demand
- Spreadsheet software · in demand
- Word processing software · in demand
- Calendar and scheduling software
- Computer based training software
- Data base user interface and query software
- Desktop communications software
- Device drivers or system software
- Internet browser software
- Multi-media educational software
“In demand” marks an O*NET Employer-Based Hot Technology, software named in real job postings for this occupation.
Personality fit
What personality type suits a Teaching Assistant, Special Education?
O*NET Occupational Interests (RIASEC), scored 1 to 7
| Axis | Teaching Assistant, Special Education |
|---|---|
| Realistic | 2 |
| Investigative | 3 |
| Artistic | 3 |
| Social | 7 |
| Enterprising | 2 |
| Conventional | 4 |
Source: O*NET 31.0 Database
What the work is built around
Day to day this is work built around teaching, helping and working directly with other people, combined with organising, following procedures and working precisely with data.
- Social7.0
- Conventional3.6
- Artistic3.3
- Investigative3.3
- Enterprising2.1
- Realistic2.0
Closest MBTI types
NueCareer fit scores: cosine similarity between each MBTI type's interest vector and this occupation's O*NET interest profile. Not a BLS or O*NET figure; the method is documented on our methodology page.
Explore further
Careers related to Teaching Assistant, Special Education
O*NET related occupations
- Educational Instruction and Library
Special Education Teacher, Kindergarten
$67,170median a year
Most earn $49K to $105K
−0.1%Job Zone Four: Considerable Preparation Needed - Educational Instruction and Library
Special Education Teacher, Secondary School
$74,260median a year
Most earn $50K to $109K
−0.2%Bachelor's - Educational Instruction and Library
Special Education Teacher, Elementary School
$67,170median a year
Most earn $49K to $105K
−0.1%Job Zone Four: Considerable Preparation Needed - Educational Instruction and Library
Teaching Assistant, Preschool, Elementary, Middle, and Secondary School, Except Special Education
$37,010median a year
Most earn $27K to $56K
0.0%Job Zone Three: Medium Preparation Needed - Educational Instruction and Library
- Educational Instruction and Library
More educational instruction and library careers
Median annual pay, with teaching assistants, special education highlighted
- Nursing Instructor and Teacher, Postsecondary$80,250
- Special Education Teacher, Secondary School$74,260
- Librarian$68,270
- Career/Technical Education Teacher, Secondary School$66,270
- Kindergarten Teacher$62,680
- Library Technician$44,580
- Tutor$43,350
- Preschool Teacher, Except Special Education$38,140
- Teaching Assistant, Special Education$37,010
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| Nursing Instructor and Teacher, Postsecondary | $80,250 |
| Special Education Teacher, Secondary School | $74,260 |
| Librarian | $68,270 |
| Career/Technical Education Teacher, Secondary School | $66,270 |
| Kindergarten Teacher | $62,680 |
| Library Technician | $44,580 |
| Tutor | $43,350 |
| Preschool Teacher, Except Special Education | $38,140 |
| Teaching Assistant, Special Education | $37,010 |
Source: BLS OEWS, May 2025
Lists Teaching Assistant, Special Education appears on
Questions
Teaching Assistant, Special Education: frequently asked questions
How much do Teaching Assistants, Special Education make?
Teaching Assistants, Special Education earn a median of $37,010 a year (BLS OEWS, May 2025), 27% below the $50,980 median for all US occupations. The middle half earn between $31,200 and $46,000. The top 10% earn $55,520 or more.
Do you need a degree to become a Teaching Assistant, Special Education?
Yes. BLS reports a job Zone Three: Medium Preparation Needed as the typical entry-level education for Teaching Assistants, Special Education, and O*NET rates the preparation needed as some preparation. In O*NET's survey of people already doing the job, 39.2% hold bachelor's degree.
Is Teaching Assistant, Special Education a growing career?
It is growing, but slowly: 0.0% over 2025–2035 against 3.5% for all occupations (BLS EP, 2025–2035). BLS still projects about 201,900 openings a year, mostly from workers retiring or moving to other work.
What does a Teaching Assistant, Special Education do?
Assist a preschool, elementary, middle, or secondary school teacher to provide academic, social, or life skills to students who have learning, emotional, or physical disabilities. A core O*NET task: supervise students in classrooms, halls, cafeterias, school yards, and gymnasiums, or on field trips. Employers most often ask for Electronic mail software, Office suite software, Presentation software.
What personality type suits a Teaching Assistant, Special Education?
O*NET scores Teaching Assistants, Special Education highest on the Social, Conventional and Artistic interest areas, so the work mixes teaching, helping and working directly with other people with organising, following procedures and working precisely with data. On NueCareer's MBTI-to-interest mapping the closest types are ENFJ, ESFP, ESFJ. Personality is a fit signal, not a gate. The free NueCareer quiz scores your own profile against all 1,731 careers in the bank.