Aldebol details low wages and limited benefits for paraprofessionals
Aldebol highlights that starting pay for full-time paras is around $32,000 with a max of roughly $54,000, contrasting these figures with a March 2026 mayoral report estimating the true cost of living in NYC at $70,000 for a single adult. She notes paras receive only 10 days of paid leave and substitutes get no benefits.
And yet, despite fulfilling a crucial hands-on role for the city's students, paraprofessionals are woefully underpaid and have limited benefits.
Starting pay for full-time paraprofessionals sits around $32,000, and the maximum salary for those over 15 years of experience remains at roughly $54,000.
These wages are particularly staggering when contrasted
contrasted with a March 2026 report from the mayor that estimates that the true cost of living in New York City for a single adult sitting at roughly $70,000
or $166,000 for a family of two adults and two children.