| Important Core Job Duties (in order of importance) For the Top 5 most important - How can you build experience and skill doing these? This will help now, to begin preparing for this type of occupation. |
|
| Importance (%) | Description |
| Importance: 100 (%) | Description: Supervise students in classrooms, halls, cafeterias, school yards, and gymnasiums, or on field trips. |
| Importance: 97 (%) | Description: Instruct and monitor students in the use and care of equipment and materials to prevent injuries and damage. |
| Importance: 97 (%) | Description: Provide assistance to students with special needs. |
| Importance: 97 (%) | Description: Distribute teaching materials, such as textbooks, workbooks, papers, and pencils, to students. |
| Importance: 95 (%) | Description: Present subject matter to students under the direction and guidance of teachers, using lectures, discussions, supervised role-playing methods, or by reading aloud. |
| Importance: 95 (%) | Description: Enforce administration policies and rules governing students. |
| Importance: 94 (%) | Description: Teach socially acceptable behavior, employing techniques such as behavior modification or positive reinforcement. |
| Importance: 90 (%) | Description: Tutor and assist children individually or in small groups to help them master assignments and to reinforce learning concepts presented by teachers. |
| Importance: 88 (%) | Description: Carry out therapeutic regimens, such as behavior modification and personal development programs, under the supervision of special education instructors, psychologists, or speech-language pathologists. |
| Importance: 86 (%) | Description: Employ special educational strategies or techniques during instruction to improve the development of sensory- and perceptual-motor skills, language, cognition, or memory. |
| Importance: 86 (%) | Description: Instruct students in daily living skills required for independent maintenance and self-sufficiency, such as hygiene, safety, or food preparation. |
| Importance: 86 (%) | Description: Discuss assigned duties with classroom teachers to coordinate instructional efforts. |
| Importance: 85 (%) | Description: Clean classrooms. |
| Importance: 83 (%) | Description: Organize and label materials and display students' work in a manner appropriate for their eye levels and perceptual skills. |
| Importance: 79 (%) | Description: Organize and supervise games and other recreational activities to promote physical, mental, and social development. |
| Importance: 78 (%) | Description: Prepare classrooms with a variety of materials or resources for children to explore, manipulate, or use in learning activities or imaginative play. |
| Importance: 78 (%) | Description: Provide students with disabilities with assistive devices, supportive technology, and assistance accessing facilities, such as restrooms. |
| Importance: 76 (%) | Description: Use computers, audio-visual aids, and other equipment and materials to supplement presentations. |
| Importance: 73 (%) | Description: Prepare lesson materials, bulletin board displays, exhibits, equipment, and demonstrations. |
| Importance: 73 (%) | Description: Observe students' performance, and record relevant data to assess progress. |
Child Development Careers and Jobs
Select, Find and Prepare for Child Development Careers and Jobs - all on one page
For people who want to work directly with young children in care, education, or intervention settings. Use the tools below to see which child development roles fit your background and goals.
This major is the direct pathway into early-childhood-focused careers and typically requires state-specific coursework/permits to work in licensed childcare settings. Use the tools below to explore Child Development-related job titles sorted by growth rate, salary, or required education. You can start with entry points like Preschool Teacher Aide, or look ahead to advanced roles such as Child Development Center Director or Program Coordinator. Along the way, you will see specific certifications, such as Child Development Associate (CDA) Credential, that can help you move up the career ladder.
Here is a short Helper Video 
This page will take you through 4 steps to (1) Select from Child Development careers/jobs, (2) Find Child Development job listings, (3) Prepare for Child Development careers, and (4) Provide Child Development career-specific resources.
Step 1: Select a Career/Job: This page starts with 4 ways for you to identify and select from listings of Child Development careers/jobs:
A) Fastest Growing Child Development Careers - 2023 to 2033 (est.)
These listings are based on job growth estimates and helps you to identify the fastest growing and evolving Child Development careers. Some careers may not initially seem related to Child Development, so relevant Child Development jobs are listed alongside each listing. This can also help us to identify which careers (bottom of the listing) may have negative growth - perhaps due to automation or planned obsolescence.
B) Median Annual Salary U.S. Child Development Careers
These listings are sorted (descending) by median annual salary in the U.S. This may help us to identify our ideal career. We may not qualify at this time for the desired career, but this listing and the results provided can help us to explore job details, as well as learn how to appropriately prepare for the career.
C) Child Development Career Ladders (Educational Requirements)
These listings will help us to identify Child Development careers sorted by educational requirements (with the most difficult to obtain listed first). This may help us to identify career ladders (as we scroll down the list), and help us to get jobs that we qualify for now.
D) Select From a Listing of 103 Child Development Jobs.
The list may be quite long. There are two ways you might like to use this list:
1) Filter - As you enter a word, you will filter (limit) the list of job titles
2) Browse the list (Don't Filter) - You can simply explore the list of job titles. There may be many that you might never have considered to be of interest.
Once you have identified a job title of interest, simply click on it.
Step 2: Find a Job: After you have selected a career/job title above, you will see a form asking for your location. You will see several radio selection choices to utilize the job search site of your choice.
Step 3: Prepare For a Career: In this section you will gain access to detailed information to help you prepare for the chosen career. Information may include (not every career choice includes all of the elements below - updates occur quarterly):
Core Duties: Lists the primary worker-related tasks performed in this occupation
Supplemental Duties: Lists additional tasks that are performed but are secondary to the core duties
Work Activities: Summarizes the broad types of behaviors and actions related to this career
Specific Work Activities: Provides more granular day-to-day activities tied to the work performed
Essential Skills: Provides foundational skills that are core to performing this specific occupation
Transferable Skills: Provides career-portable skills that can be applied across multiple occupations and industries
Day-in-the-Life Summaries: Provides a snapshot of the key activities performed on a typical workday in this career
Knowledge Required: Provides the requirements regarding the acquisition of facts and principles
Software Skills: Lists software tools commonly used in this occupation, organized by category and priority
Preparation Required: Provides a summary of the required experience and education
Education Required: Detailed breakdown of the education required
Training and Experience Required: Detailed breakdown of the training and Training and Experience Required
Local Salary Information: Provides national and local salary ranges
Certifications: Provides appropriate government and private-sector certifications and/or credentials that may be required
Professional Associations: Provides professional associations that are related to the career selected
Job Listings: Provides links to active current job listings for the selected career, along with multiple similar job titles to explore. All information appears on this page without navigating away.
Related Careers to Consider: Lists up to 20 careers that might be of interest to you (related to your initial choice - what they do, what they know, and what they're called), ranked by best fit.
** If you clicked on a link from section D (as described in Step 1 above), you will see one or more links to an occupation that is usually a bit more general than your initial job selection - the link(s) is directly related to the specific job you identified through your prior selections.
*NOTE: It is possible that there may not be a career path identified for the specific job you selected in Step 1. If this is the case, scroll up the page and click on a different career/job.
Step 4: Career-Specific Resources (detailed and constantly updated): Continue to scroll down the page and you will find tabs that provide detailed (updated) links specific to the career you selected. This information includes:
Videos: Provides a listing of video links related to this career. A great way to get a quick overview of the occupation.
Resumes: Sources for resume materials and techniques. This can help to get you started.
Job Description: Sources that provide job descriptions, which are vital to resume and interview preparation.
Interviews: Provides links that can help you to prepare for and successfully complete the job interview. Can also assist with coffee chats.
Step by Step: Provides links to resources that can help to organize the career search process.
LinkedIn: One of the best professional social media sites that provides links, opportunities, and networking specifically for careers and career development.
Step 1 of 4: Select a Career/Job
24 Child Development careers are listed below (sorted by Percentage Change in Total Job Openings - 2023 to 2033 est.). Child Development-related jobs specific to each career are also provided. This shows which careers are emerging and growing the fastest. Please Scroll and Select below:
| Occupations | U.S. Job Openings 2023-2033 (% change) | Child Development-Related Jobs |
30 Child Development careers are listed below (sorted by U.S. National Median Salary). Child Development-related jobs specific to each occupation are also provided. Please Scroll and Select below::
| Occupations | National Median Salary | Child Development-Related Jobs |
34 Child Development careers are listed (sorted by Education/Preparation Requirements - descending) to provide career ladders. Child Development-related jobs specific to each career are also provided.
|
Education/Preparation Categories: 5 = Usually requires graduate school (e.g., Master's degree, Ph.D., M.D., or J.D.) 4 = Usually requires a four-year Bachelor's degree 3 = Usually requires vocational training, related on-the-job experience, or Associate's degree 2 = Usually requires a high school diploma or GED, but not always Please Scroll and Select below: |
||
| Occupations | Education/Preparation | Child Development-Related Jobs |
Scroll through the picklist (below). There are 103 specific Child Development job titles listed. Select those that may be of interest - you will get active job listing links, along with detailed resources to help you prepare for a career related to that job.
You can use this form two ways:
Filter - As you enter a keyword, you will filter (limit) the list of job titles below
Browse the list (Don't Filter) - You can simply explore the list of job titles. There may be many that you might never have considered to be of interest.
OR - leave blank and scroll through the choices:
Select a Job Title (Scroll and Select) :
Step 2 of 4: Find a Job
Find Job Listings:
Teaching Assistants, Special Education.
Step 3 of 4: Prepare For a Career
Teaching Assistants, Special Education
Description: 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.
Please click on a section below to expand and see detailed occupational information related to "Teaching Assistants, Special Education":
Core Duties
Supplemental Duties
| Important Supplemental Job Duties (in order of importance)
For the Top 5 most important - How can you build experience and skill doing these? This will help now, to begin preparing for this type of occupation. |
|
| Importance (%) | Description |
| Importance: 98 (%) | Description: Attend staff meetings and serve on committees, as required. |
| Importance: 76 (%) | Description: Laminate teaching materials to increase their durability under repeated use. |
| Importance: 64 (%) | Description: Maintain computers in classrooms and laboratories, and assist students with hardware and software use. |
| Importance: 60 (%) | Description: Assist in bus loading and unloading. |
| Importance: 54 (%) | Description: Take class attendance and maintain attendance records. |
| Importance: 46 (%) | Description: Requisition and stock teaching materials and supplies. |
| Importance: 46 (%) | Description: Grade homework and tests, and compute and record results, using answer sheets or electronic marking devices. |
| Importance: 36 (%) | Description: Prepare lesson outlines and plans in assigned subject areas and submit outlines to teachers for review. |
| Importance: 31 (%) | Description: Assist librarians in school libraries. |
| Importance: 29 (%) | Description: Participate in teacher-parent conferences regarding students' progress or problems. |
Work Activities
| Important General Work Activities (in order of importance)
For the Top 5 most important - How can you build experience and skill doing these? This will help now, to begin preparing for this type of occupation. |
|
| Importance (%) | Description |
| Importance: 87 (%) | Description: Getting Information: Observing, receiving, and otherwise obtaining information from all relevant sources. |
| Importance: 81 (%) | Description: Assisting and Caring for Others: Providing personal assistance, medical attention, emotional support, or other personal care to others such as coworkers, customers, or patients. |
| Importance: 77 (%) | Description: Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates: Providing information to supervisors, co-workers, and subordinates by telephone, in written form, e-mail, or in person. |
| Importance: 76 (%) | Description: Establishing and Maintaining Interpersonal Relationships: Developing constructive and cooperative working relationships with others, and maintaining them over time. |
| Importance: 74 (%) | Description: Monitoring Processes, Materials, or Surroundings: Monitoring and reviewing information from materials, events, or the environment, to detect or assess problems. |
| Importance: 73 (%) | Description: Identifying Objects, Actions, and Events: Identifying information by categorizing, estimating, recognizing differences or similarities, and detecting changes in circumstances or events. |
| Importance: 72 (%) | Description: Making Decisions and Solving Problems: Analyzing information and evaluating results to choose the best solution and solve problems. |
| Importance: 72 (%) | Description: Resolving Conflicts and Negotiating with Others: Handling complaints, settling disputes, and resolving grievances and conflicts, or otherwise negotiating with others. |
| Importance: 71 (%) | Description: Coaching and Developing Others: Identifying the developmental needs of others and coaching, mentoring, or otherwise helping others to improve their knowledge or skills. |
| Importance: 69 (%) | Description: Training and Teaching Others: Identifying the educational needs of others, developing formal educational or training programs or classes, and teaching or instructing others. |
| Importance: 67 (%) | Description: Organizing, Planning, and Prioritizing Work: Developing specific goals and plans to prioritize, organize, and accomplish your work. |
| Importance: 66 (%) | Description: Updating and Using Relevant Knowledge: Keeping up-to-date technically and applying new knowledge to your job. |
| Importance: 64 (%) | Description: Documenting/Recording Information: Entering, transcribing, recording, storing, or maintaining information in written or electronic/magnetic form. |
| Importance: 64 (%) | Description: Evaluating Information to Determine Compliance with Standards: Using relevant information and individual judgment to determine whether events or processes comply with laws, regulations, or standards. |
| Importance: 63 (%) | Description: Thinking Creatively: Developing, designing, or creating new applications, ideas, relationships, systems, or products, including artistic contributions. |
| Importance: 62 (%) | Description: Working with Computers: Using computers and computer systems (including hardware and software) to program, write software, set up functions, enter data, or process information. |
| Importance: 60 (%) | Description: Developing Objectives and Strategies: Establishing long-range objectives and specifying the strategies and actions to achieve them. |
Specific Work Activities
| Important Specific Work Activities
How can you begin to build experience and skill doing these? This will help now, to begin preparing for this type of occupation. Specific Work Activities appear below: |
|
| Assist other educational professionals with projects or research. | |
| Assist students with special educational needs. | |
| Clean facilities or work areas. | |
| Collaborate with other teaching professionals to develop educational programs. | |
| Create technology-based learning materials. | |
| Develop instructional materials. | |
| Develop strategies or programs for students with special needs. | |
| Discuss student progress with parents or guardians. | |
| Display student work. | |
| Distribute instructional or library materials. | |
| Document lesson plans. | |
| Enforce rules or policies governing student behavior. | |
| Evaluate student work. | |
| Implement therapeutic programs to improve patient functioning. | |
| Lead classes or community events. | |
| Maintain clean work areas. | |
| Maintain computer equipment or software. | |
| Maintain inventories of materials, equipment, or products. | |
| Maintain student records. | |
| Monitor student performance. | |
| Plan educational activities. | |
| Serve on institutional or departmental committees. | |
| Set up classroom materials or equipment. | |
| Supervise school or student activities. | |
| Teach life skills. | |
| Teach others to use technology or equipment. | |
| Tutor students who need extra assistance. | |
Knowledge Required
| Knowledge Required (in order of importance)
For the Top 5 most important - How can you build experience and skill doing these? This will help now, to begin preparing for this type of occupation. |
|
| Importance (%) | Description |
| Importance: 69 (%) | Description: English Language: Knowledge of the structure and content of the English language including the meaning and spelling of words, and rules of composition and grammar. |
| Importance: 66 (%) | Description: Psychology: Knowledge of human behavior and performance; individual differences in ability, personality, and interests; learning and motivation; psychological research methods; and the assessment and treatment of behavioral and affective disorders. |
Essential Skills
| Essential Skills (in order of importance)
These are the foundational skills most central to success in this occupation. For the Top 5 most important, how can you begin building experience and confidence using these skills now? |
|
| Importance (%) | Description |
| Importance: 64 (%) | Description: Active Listening: Giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times. |
| Importance: 62 (%) | Description: Speaking: Talking to others to convey information effectively. |
| Importance: 60 (%) | Description: Reading Comprehension: Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work-related documents. |
| Importance: 60 (%) | Description: Learning Strategies: Selecting and using training/instructional methods and procedures appropriate for the situation when learning or teaching new things. |
| Importance: 60 (%) | Description: Monitoring: Monitoring/Assessing performance of yourself, other individuals, or organizations to make improvements or take corrective action. |
| Importance: 56 (%) | Description: Critical Thinking: Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions, or approaches to problems. |
| Importance: 52 (%) | Description: Writing: Communicating effectively in writing as appropriate for the needs of the audience. |
Transferable Skills
| Transferable Skills (in order of importance)
These are skills that can transfer across occupations and industries. For the Top 5 most important, how can you strengthen these skills now so they support both this career and future career flexibility? |
|
| Importance (%) | Description |
| Importance: 62 (%) | Description: Social Perceptiveness: Being aware of others' reactions and understanding why they react as they do. |
| Importance: 60 (%) | Description: Service Orientation: Actively looking for ways to help people. |
| Importance: 58 (%) | Description: Instructing: Teaching others how to do something. |
| Importance: 52 (%) | Description: Coordination: Adjusting actions in relation to others' actions. |
| Importance: 52 (%) | Description: Persuasion: Persuading others to change their minds or behavior. |
Day-in-the-Life Summaries
| Day-in-the-Life Summaries These summaries show the main types of activities you are likely to perform on a regular basis in this occupation. How can you imagine your typical workday — using these examples to see if this type of work fits you? |
| Activity: Administer therapeutic treatments. |
| Activity: Advise others on educational or vocational matters. |
| Activity: Assess student capabilities, needs, or performance. |
| Activity: Assist individuals with special needs. |
| Activity: Assist scientists, scholars, or technical specialists with projects or research. |
| Activity: Clean tools, equipment, facilities, or work areas. |
| Activity: Collaborate in the development of educational programs. |
| Activity: Develop educational programs, plans, or procedures. |
| Activity: Distribute materials, supplies, or resources. |
| Activity: Maintain electronic, computer, or other technical equipment. |
| Activity: Maintain operational records. |
| Activity: Monitor individual behavior or performance. |
| Activity: Prepare informational or instructional materials. |
| Activity: Replenish inventories of materials, equipment, or products. |
| Activity: Serve on organizational committees. |
| Activity: Set up classrooms, facilities, educational materials, or equipment. |
| Activity: Teach academic or vocational subjects. |
| Activity: Teach life skills. |
| Activity: Train others to use equipment or products. |
Software Skills
|
Software Skills These are examples of software tools commonly used in this occupation, organized from most to least important for your career preparation. How can you start learning or practicing the highest-priority tools so that you feel confident using them on the job? |
||||||
| High-Priority Tech Skills | ||||||
| Office suite software: | ||||||
| Microsoft Office software | ||||||
| Emerging Tech Skills | ||||||
| Electronic mail software: | ||||||
| Microsoft Outlook | ||||||
| Presentation software: | ||||||
| Microsoft PowerPoint | ||||||
| Spreadsheet software: | ||||||
| Microsoft Excel | ||||||
| Word processing software: | ||||||
| Microsoft Word | ||||||
| General Software Tools | ||||||
| Calendar and scheduling software: | ||||||
| High School Scheduling and Transcript HSST | ||||||
| Computer based training software (scroll table below): | ||||||
| ||||||
| Data base user interface and query software: | ||||||
| Automate the Schools ATS Blackboard software Special Education Student Information System SESIS Student information systems SIS software | ||||||
| Desktop communications software: | ||||||
| ClassDojo ParentSquare Tadpoles | ||||||
| Device drivers or system software: | ||||||
| Screen magnification software Screen reader software | ||||||
| Electronic mail software: | ||||||
| Email software | ||||||
| Internet browser software: | ||||||
| Web browser software | ||||||
| Multi-media educational software: | ||||||
| Kahoot! Seesaw | ||||||
| Project management software: | ||||||
| Google Classroom | ||||||
| Spell checkers: | ||||||
| Hand held spell checkers | ||||||
| Video conferencing software: | ||||||
| Google Meet | ||||||
| Video creation and editing software: | ||||||
| Flipgrid Loom |
Preparation Required
| Preparation Required - How much preparation is needed to obtain this type of job? |
| Job Zone Three: Medium Preparation Needed |
| 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. |
| Most occupations in this zone require training in vocational schools, related on-the-job experience, or an associate's degree. |
| 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. |
| 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. |
Education Required
| Education Required - by frequency of educational attainment This shows you details about the level of education most commonly held by workers in this occupation. How can you begin planning the educational pathway that will prepare you best for this type of work? |
|
| Frequency of Attainment (%) | Level of Education |
| Frequency of Attainment: 39.2 (%) | Level of Education: Bachelor's Degree |
| Frequency of Attainment: 24.6 (%) | Level of Education: High School Diploma - or the equivalent (for example, GED) |
| Frequency of Attainment: 18.2 (%) | Level of Education: Some College Courses |
| Frequency of Attainment: 14.5 (%) | Level of Education: Associate's Degree (or other 2-year degree) |
| Frequency of Attainment: 3.6 (%) | Level of Education: Master's Degree |
Training and Experience Required
| Training and Experience Required - by frequency of training and work experience attainment This section shows you how often different types of training and work experience are required for this occupation. How can you start gaining the kinds of experience and training that are most common for this type of work? |
|
| Frequency of Attainment (%) | Level of Training and Work Experience |
| Frequency of Attainment: 36.6 (%) | Level of Training and Work Experience: None |
| Frequency of Attainment: 26.9 (%) | Level of Training and Work Experience: Over 6 months, up to and including 1 year |
| Frequency of Attainment: 25.7 (%) | Level of Training and Work Experience: Over 1 month, up to and including 3 months |
| Frequency of Attainment: 6.5 (%) | Level of Training and Work Experience: Over 1 year, up to and including 2 years |
| Frequency of Attainment: 2.9 (%) | Level of Training and Work Experience: Over 3 months, up to and including 6 months |
| Frequency of Attainment: 1.1 (%) | Level of Training and Work Experience: Up to and including 1 month |
| Frequency of Attainment: 0.4 (%) | Level of Training and Work Experience: Over 10 years |
Local Salary Information
There are no Salary data available for this occupation - updates are made quarterly
Job Listings
| Job Listings and Similar Occupational Titles - scroll and click to identify common requirements, keywords, and skills in current job listings |
Related Careers to Consider
Step 4 of 4: Career-Specific Resources
This section contains detailed external resources appropriate to "Teaching Assistants, Special Education". Explore these resources to start learning more. Links are constantly updated, so bookmark this page.
Videos
Here is a listing of videos related to this career. A great way to get a quick overview of the occupation.
Resumes
Here are resources that allow you to see example resumes for this occupation. It may be helpful to see examples from others who have this type of experience.
Job Description
Here are resources that provide job descriptions, which are vital for resume and interview preparation.
Interviews
There are many great resources that can help guide you through the interview process. These links provide help in preparing and performing an effective interview, specific to this occupation.
Step-by-Step
Here are links to help guide you, step-by-step, to become a(n): Teaching Assistants, Special Education
LinkedIn®
Here are links to various posts and groups from LinkedIn ® that relate to this occupation. Great way to start building professional contacts in the field that might be most appropriate for you.
Developed by Dr. Ralph Jagodka, Ed.D., Professor Emeritus of Business Management at Mt. San Antonio College and author of the Harvard Business Impact article "What to Do When Students Ask You for Career Advice." - Full bio. © 2026 About This Page
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