Teaching Assistants, Preschool, Elementary, Middle, and Secondary School, Except Special Education
25-9042.00
Updated 2023

A subset of this occupation's profile is available. Data collection is currently underway to populate other parts of the profile.

Assist a preschool, elementary, middle, or secondary school teacher with instructional duties. Serve in a position for which a teacher has primary responsibility for the design and implementation of educational programs and services.

Sample of reported job titles: Educational Assistant, Instructional Assistant, Paraeducator, Paraprofessional, Teacher Aide, Teacher Assistant

Occupation-Specific Information

Tasks

  • Assist in bus loading and unloading.
  • Assist librarians in school libraries.
  • Attend staff meetings and serve on committees, as required.
  • Clean classrooms.
  • Collect money from students for school-related projects.
  • Conduct demonstrations to teach skills, such as sports, dancing, and handicrafts.
  • Discuss assigned duties with classroom teachers to coordinate instructional efforts.
  • Distribute teaching materials, such as textbooks, workbooks, papers, and pencils, to students.
  • Distribute tests and homework assignments and collect them when they are completed.
  • Enforce administration policies and rules governing students.
  • Grade homework and tests, and compute and record results, using answer sheets or electronic marking devices.
  • Instruct and monitor students in the use and care of equipment and materials to prevent injuries and damage.
  • Laminate teaching materials to increase their durability under repeated use.
  • Maintain computers in classrooms and laboratories, and assist students with hardware and software use.
  • Observe students' performance, and record relevant data to assess progress.
  • Operate and maintain audio-visual equipment.
  • Organize and label materials and display students' work in a manner appropriate for their eye levels and perceptual skills.
  • Organize and supervise games and other recreational activities to promote physical, mental, and social development.
  • Participate in teacher-parent conferences regarding students' progress or problems.
  • Plan, prepare, and develop various teaching aids, such as bibliographies, charts, and graphs.
  • Prepare lesson materials, bulletin board displays, exhibits, equipment, and demonstrations.
  • Prepare lesson outlines and plans in assigned subject areas and submit outlines to teachers for review.
  • Present subject matter to students under the direction and guidance of teachers, using lectures, discussions, supervised role-playing methods, or by reading aloud.
  • Requisition and stock teaching materials and supplies.
  • Supervise students in classrooms, halls, cafeterias, school yards, and gymnasiums, or on field trips.
  • Take class attendance and maintain attendance records.
  • Teach social skills to students.
  • Tutor and assist children individually or in small groups to help them master assignments and to reinforce learning concepts presented by teachers.
  • Type, file, and duplicate materials.
  • Use computers, audio-visual aids, and other equipment and materials to supplement presentations.
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Occupational Requirements

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Experience Requirements

Job Zone

Title
Job Zone Three: Medium Preparation Needed
Education
Most occupations in this zone require training in vocational schools, related on-the-job experience, or an associate's degree.
Related Experience
Previous work-related skill, knowledge, or experience is required for these occupations. For example, an electrician must have completed three or four years of apprenticeship or several years of vocational training, and often must have passed a licensing exam, in order to perform the job.
Job Training
Employees in these occupations usually need one or two years of training involving both on-the-job experience and informal training with experienced workers. A recognized apprenticeship program may be associated with these occupations.
Job Zone Examples
These occupations usually involve using communication and organizational skills to coordinate, supervise, manage, or train others to accomplish goals. Examples include hydroelectric production managers, desktop publishers, electricians, agricultural technicians, barbers, court reporters and simultaneous captioners, and medical assistants.
SVP Range
1-2 years of preparation (6.0 to < 7.0)

Training & Credentials

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Workforce Characteristics

Wages & Employment Trends

Median wage data for Teaching Assistants, Except Postsecondary.
Employment data for Teaching Assistants, Except Postsecondary.
Industry data for Teaching Assistants, Except Postsecondary.
Median wages (2022)
$30,920 annual
State wages
Local wages
Employment (2021)
1,235,100 employees
Projected growth (2021-2031)
Average (4% to 7%)
Projected job openings (2021-2031)
153,700
State trends
Top industries (2021)

Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics 2022 wage data and 2021-2031 employment projections . “Projected growth” represents the estimated change in total employment over the projections period (2021-2031). “Projected job openings” represent openings due to growth and replacement.

Job Openings on the Web

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Sources of Additional Information

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