Teaching Assistants earn $42,910 nationally at the median. The middle 50% of workers fall between $35,270 and $60,510. Where you land depends on specialization, employer, and experience.
Assist faculty or other instructional staff in postsecondary institutions by performing instructional support activities, such as developing teaching materials, leading discussion groups, preparing and giving examinations, and grading examinations or papers.
Also known as:
Teaching Assistants earn $42,910 nationally, significantly below average for college graduates. The middle 50% of earners fall between $35,270 and $60,510. Actual pay varies by employer, specialization, and location.
Significantly below average. Specialized roles can raise this considerably.
25th to 75th percentile. Most workers earn within this band.
O*NET data identifies 5 core activities and 5 measurable skills for Teaching Assistants roles. Use this section to judge whether the day-to-day reality aligns with what you actually want to spend time doing.
Working closely with people, teaching, advising, or helping others navigate challenges is a defining feature of this career's daily work.
Success depends on precision and structured processes, where detail-oriented people who work consistently within established systems perform best.
This career demands analytical thinking: researching problems, interpreting data, and applying logical reasoning to find practical solutions.
What the physical and mental conditions of this job actually look like day to day, based on O*NET Work Context data collected from people working in this occupation.
Split between indoor and outdoor or field settings.
Mix of sitting and movement throughout the day.
Moderate pressure. Regular deadlines exist but are generally manageable with experience.
The BLS projects +3.1% employment change for Teaching Assistants through 2034, below the national average of +5%. About 24,600 openings per year keep the field accessible to new entrants.
About as fast as average.
New positions plus replacements for retirees and career-changers.
Total US employment as of BLS May 2024.
Source: BLS Employment Projections 2024–2034 and Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics May 2024.
The five states below employ the most Teaching Assistants professionals nationwide. State-level wages can differ significantly from the $42,910 national median. Research your specific market before committing to a program.
| # | State | Jobs | Median Wage | vs. National |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | California | 26,370 | $50,330 | +17.3% |
| 2 | Michigan | 18,240 | $38,450 | -10.4% |
| 3 | New York | 14,290 | $47,400 | +10.5% |
| 4 | Texas | 13,960 | $46,440 | +8.2% |
| 5 | Illinois | 11,860 | $36,120 | -15.8% |
Source: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2024. Employment figures rounded. Read our methodology →
Most Teaching Assistants positions require a bachelor's degree to qualify. The program below is the most common academic pathways into this field, ranked by how many graduates they produce each year.
Extensive education (usually a master's or doctoral degree) plus years of field experience is required to qualify for most positions.
| # | Program | Graduates/yr | 4yr Median | Colleges |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Teaching Assistance | 2,942 | — | 230 |
Colleges offering the degree programs that lead to this career, ranked by UCD Score. A strong program plus solid outcomes is a good place to begin your search.
| # | College | UCD Score | Net Price | Salary 10yr |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Santa Ana College Santa Ana, CA | 82 | $3,133 | $43,552 |
| 2 | West Virginia University at Parkersburg Parkersburg, WV | 80 | $1,807 | $35,171 |
| 3 | Maysville Community and Technical College Maysville, KY | 80 | $4,605 | $32,194 |
| 4 | Charter Oak State College New Britain, CT | 80 | $15,815 | $64,209 |
| 5 | Moraine Valley Community College Palos Hills, IL | 79 | $2,829 | $43,892 |
| 6 | Southeast Kentucky Community & Technical College Cumberland, KY | 79 | $3,731 | $29,482 |
Once you've sized up Teaching Assistants, these tools turn the numbers into a plan. Estimate the real cost of a degree that leads here, weigh the long-term payoff, compare specific colleges side-by-side, and find programs that match your profile.
See if the degree that leads to Teaching Assistants pays off. Weighs each college's cost against the earnings graduates see.
Enter a budget and see the colleges whose net price fits, with the out-of-pocket cost and likely loan load for each.
Put any 2–4 colleges side-by-side. Admissions, cost, outcomes, and earnings, all on one screen, no tab-hopping.
Answer six quick questions and see your best-fit colleges ranked by budget, field of study, and what matters most to you.
The data on Teaching Assistants shows 0 measurable strengths and 2 real trade-offs. All points are drawn from BLS wage data, employment projections, and IPEDS program completions.
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