Education & Care

How to become a Special Education Aide

From teacher assistant: every step, how long it takes, and the credential it earns.

Time to get there

0–12 months

Typical pay

$32k–$44k

Starting from

Teacher assistant

The steps

1. 1

   Meet paraprofessional requirements

   Same bar as a teacher assistant: associate degree or ParaPro.

   0–2 years

   Course that covers thisTeaching Assistant with Special Education & Phonics CourseUdemy · around $24.99 →
2. 2

   Learn behaviour support

   De-escalation, IEP goals, and data collection on student progress.

   3–6 months

   Course that covers thisMaster Course in Early Childhood EducationUdemy · around $89.99 →
3. 3

   Get safety-intervention trained

   CPI or a similar program, provided by most districts.

   CPI crisis prevention

4. 4

   Consider the RBT credential

   Registered Behavior Technician — 40 hours of training, and it raises your pay.

   RBT (BACB)

Course links are Udemy affiliate links — we earn a commission if you buy, at no extra cost to you. Licences and exams named above are issued by state boards and certifying bodies we have no relationship with; we list them because they are what the job actually requires.