25 Series · SOC 25-9044

Teaching Assistants, Postsecondary Salary

National pay, percentile range, growth outlook, and state-by-state detail from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS survey (May 2025).

$42,910
Median / year
$76,420
Top 10% earn
+3.1%
Growth '23–'33
164,090
US workers

Teaching Assistants, Postsecondary earn a median of $42,910 per year.

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS survey, the median annual wage is $42,910, based on the most recent survey of employers. Reported pay ranges from $28,600 (10th percentile) to $76,420 (90th percentile) nationally, across roughly 164,090 US workers. Maryland pays the most ($58,330), since pay varies by state and metro area.

25 Series · Source: BLS OEWS Compare with another job →
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The pay verdict

Teaching Assistants, Postsecondary earn a median of $42,910, putting them among the lower-paid US occupations and higher than 16% of the 825 occupations with a published BLS median. Within Educational Instruction and Library, it ranks #61 of 64 by median pay. Employment is projected to grow 3.1% by 2033.

$42,910
Median annual wage
Top 84%
of 825 US occupations with published wages
#61 of 64
in Educational Instruction and Library
2.7×
90th-to-10th pay spread

Highest-paying state: Maryland at $58,330. Typical entry-level education: Bachelor's degree.

Teaching Assistants, Postsecondary (SOC 25-9044) pays a national median of $42,910 per year according to the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics survey released in May 2025. Full-range compensation stretches from $28,600 at the 10th percentile to $76,420 at the 90th, with a mean of $47,670 indicating a right-skew where top earners pull the average above the midpoint. An estimated 164,090 Americans work in this occupation across 46 reporting states and 181 metro areas.

BLS Employment Projections forecast a +3.1% change in employment from 2024 to 2034, which the agency classifies as slower than average relative to the 5% all-occupations baseline. About 24,600 openings are projected per year, combining new positions with replacement needs from retirements and occupation-switchers. Typical entry-level preparation is Bachelor's degree. The BLS Census of Fatal Occupational Injuries (CFOI) and Survey of Occupational Injuries and Illnesses (SOII) produce a workplace-safety grade of A for this role, with a fatality rate of 0.3 per 100,000 and injury rate of 0.8 per 100.

Geographic variation matters as much as the headline median. Maryland pays the highest state median at $58,330, which is +36% above the national figure. The top metro is Canton-Massillon, OH at $78,510 - metro premiums typically reflect higher cost of living, industry concentration, or specialized employer demand. When using this page for negotiation or career planning, pair the national median with the state and metro rows below, remember that BLS wages exclude benefits, bonuses, and overtime, and revisit after each May OEWS release since percentiles shift with cost-of-living cycles and industry demand. See our methodology for exactly how these figures are sourced, computed, and verified.

BLS OEWS May 2025 164,090 jobs Median $42,910/yr

Median Salary

$42,910

per year

Median Hourly

N/A

per hour

Mean Salary

$47,670

average

Employment

164,090

jobs nationwide

How does this pay compare nationally?

Where Teaching Assistants, Postsecondary pay sits nationally

Median annual wage vs. 825 detailed BLS occupations with a published median

$42,910 Bottom 16% higher than 16% of 825 US occupations

$0–$20,000: 0 US occupations (0%). Below this entry. $20,000–$40,000: 98 US occupations (12%). Below this entry. $40,000–$60,000: 298 US occupations (36%). This entry sits in this band. $60,000–$80,000: 209 US occupations (25%). Above this entry. $80,000–$100,000: 82 US occupations (10%). Above this entry. $100,000–$120,000: 58 US occupations (7%). Above this entry. $120,000–$140,000: 32 US occupations (4%). Above this entry. $140,000–$160,000: 14 US occupations (2%). Above this entry. $160,000–$180,000: 9 US occupations (1%). Above this entry. $180,000–$200,000: 25 US occupations (3%). Above this entry. This job $0 $200,000 every BLS occupation, bucketed by value

Each bar is a $20K-wide band; taller bars hold more US occupations. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count, share, and where it sits relative to this entry.

Source U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS · May 2025

Does this job pay well and grow?

Each dot is a 25-series occupation, placed by projected 2024–2034 growth and median pay. The highlighted dot is Teaching Assistants, Postsecondary; the upper-right quadrant is the sweet spot (high pay + fast growth).

Among 24 25-series occupations with growth data, Teaching Assistants, Postsecondary sits on the slower-growing side at +3.1% growth and $42,910 median pay.

Among 24 25-series occupations with growth data, Teaching Assistants, Postsecondary sits on the slower-growing side at +3.1% growth and $42,910 median pay. Scatter plot of 24 data points. $20000$40000$60000$80000$100000$120000 -5%0%5%10%15%20% Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) Median annual wage
Among 24 25-series occupations with growth data, Teaching Assistants, Postsecondary sits on the slower-growing side at +3.1% growth and $42,910 median pay.

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS (wages, May 2025) and Employment Projections (2024–2034).

Job Outlook (2024–2034)

Projected Growth

+3.1%

Slower than average

Annual Openings

24,600

per year (projected)

Typical Education

Bachelor's degree

Source: BLS Employment Projections, 2024–2034

Workplace Safety

All safety ratings →
A

Very Safe

Safety Grade (BLS 2023)

Fatality Rate

0.3/100K

Injury Rate

0.8/100

Danger Index

3.4/100

Source: BLS Census of Fatal Occupational Injuries (CFOI) & Survey of Occupational Injuries and Illnesses (SOII), 2023

Career Intelligence

Skills, knowledge, and tasks most important for Teaching Assistants, Postsecondary roles, ranked by importance. Source: O*NET.

Top Skills

Reading Comprehension 3.9
Active Listening 3.6
Speaking 3.5
Instructing 3.5
Learning Strategies 3.4
Writing 3.3
Critical Thinking 3.1
Monitoring 3.1
Social Perceptiveness 3.1
Coordination 3.1

Knowledge Areas

English Language 4.7
Education and Training 4.5
Computers and Electronics 3.5
Mathematics 3.3
Communications and Media 2.9
Psychology 2.6
Administrative 2.6
Sociology and Anthropology 2.5
Customer and Personal Service 2.4
Biology 2.4

Key Tasks

  • Teach undergraduate-level courses.
  • Evaluate and grade examinations, assignments, or papers, and record grades.
  • Lead discussion sections, tutorials, or laboratory sections.
  • Develop teaching materials, such as syllabi, visual aids, answer keys, supplementary notes, or course Web sites.
  • Inform students of the procedures for completing and submitting class work, such as lab reports.
  • Return assignments to students in accordance with established deadlines.
  • Prepare or proctor examinations.
  • Tutor or mentor students who need additional instruction.
  • Complete laboratory projects prior to assigning them to students so that any needed modifications can be made.
  • Provide assistance to faculty members or staff with laboratory or field research.

Source: O*NET Online, National Center for O*NET Development. Data represents typical importance ratings for this occupation.

Salary Range

Annual Salary Distribution

$28,600$35,270$42,910$60,510$76,420
10th pct25thMedian75th90th pct

Hourly Rate Distribution

10th Percentile

$28,600

25th Percentile

$35,270

Median

$42,910

75th Percentile

$60,510

90th Percentile

$76,420

Salary by State

View all 46 states →
# State Median Salary vs National
1 Maryland $58,330 +36% above national
2 Massachusetts $56,370 +31% above national
3 Texas $55,670 +30% above national
4 New Jersey $54,260 +26% above national
5 Minnesota $53,380 +24% above national
6 Utah $52,300 +22% above national
7 Washington $50,460 +18% above national
8 North Carolina $50,050 +17% above national
9 North Dakota $49,960 +16% above national
10 Oklahoma $49,920 +16% above national
11 Virginia $49,890 +16% above national
12 Arizona $49,810 +16% above national
13 Kentucky $49,680 +16% above national
14 Oregon $49,550 +15% above national
15 Rhode Island $49,420 +15% above national
16 California $49,140 +15% above national
17 Georgia $48,800 +14% above national
18 Ohio $48,710 +14% above national
19 Vermont $48,620 +13% above national
20 New Mexico $48,270 +12% above national
21 Wisconsin $47,990 +12% above national
22 Puerto Rico $47,440 +11% above national
23 Maine $47,210 +10% above national
24 South Carolina $46,760 +9% above national
25 New York $43,610 +2% above national
26 District of Columbia $43,160 +1% above national
27 Kansas $41,580 3% below national
28 South Dakota $39,840 7% below national
29 Michigan $39,830 7% below national
30 Nebraska $39,650 8% below national
31 Iowa $38,960 9% below national
32 Pennsylvania $38,020 11% below national
33 Louisiana $37,950 12% below national
34 Florida $37,770 12% below national
35 Colorado $37,450 13% below national
36 Idaho $37,310 13% below national
37 Tennessee $36,950 14% below national
38 Illinois $36,040 16% below national
39 West Virginia $35,960 16% below national
40 Alaska $35,790 17% below national
41 Indiana $34,910 19% below national
42 Montana $30,070 30% below national
43 New Hampshire $26,810 38% below national
44 Nevada $24,960 42% below national
45 Arkansas $23,140 46% below national
46 Alabama $22,600 47% below national

Salary by Metro Area

View all 181 metro areas →
# Metro Area Median Salary vs National
1 Canton-Massillon, OH $78,510 +83% above national
2 Bridgeport-Stamford-Danbury, CT $68,230 +59% above national
3 Syracuse, NY $65,670 +53% above national
4 South Georgia nonmetropolitan area $64,550 +50% above national
5 Lubbock, TX $64,160 +50% above national
6 Merced, CA $63,220 +47% above national
7 North Valley-Northern Mountains Region of California nonmetropolitan area $62,790 +46% above national
8 Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA $61,780 +44% above national
9 Flagstaff, AZ $61,730 +44% above national
10 Buffalo-Cheektowaga, NY $61,540 +43% above national
11 Duluth, MN-WI $60,470 +41% above national
12 Amherst Town-Northampton, MA $60,210 +40% above national
13 Northwest Minnesota nonmetropolitan area $59,530 +39% above national
14 Bellingham, WA $59,240 +38% above national
15 North Region of Texas nonmetropolitan area $59,040 +38% above national
16 Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV $58,330 +36% above national
17 Capital/Northern New York nonmetropolitan area $57,980 +35% above national
18 Salt Lake City-Murray, UT $57,930 +35% above national
19 College Station-Bryan, TX $57,790 +35% above national
20 Toledo, OH $54,390 +27% above national
21 Southern Ohio nonmetropolitan area $53,570 +25% above national
22 Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI $52,660 +23% above national
23 Appleton, WI $51,500 +20% above national
24 Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk, VA-NC $51,230 +19% above national
25 Springfield, MO $50,920 +19% above national
26 Albuquerque, NM $50,820 +18% above national
27 Lansing-East Lansing, MI $50,820 +18% above national
28 Eastern Washington nonmetropolitan area $50,710 +18% above national
29 Lexington-Fayette, KY $50,640 +18% above national
30 Boise City, ID $50,540 +18% above national
31 Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA $50,450 +18% above national
32 Richmond, VA $50,360 +17% above national
33 East Georgia nonmetropolitan area $50,340 +17% above national
34 Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA $50,310 +17% above national
35 Champaign-Urbana, IL $50,110 +17% above national
36 Baltimore-Columbia-Towson, MD $50,050 +17% above national
37 Greensboro-High Point, NC $50,050 +17% above national
38 Grand Forks, ND-MN $49,960 +16% above national
39 Oklahoma City, OK $49,920 +16% above national
40 Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler, AZ $49,810 +16% above national
41 Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH $49,760 +16% above national
42 North Missouri nonmetropolitan area $49,610 +16% above national
43 Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA $49,550 +15% above national
44 Providence-Warwick, RI-MA $49,420 +15% above national
45 Cleveland, OH $49,360 +15% above national
46 Cedar Rapids, IA $49,340 +15% above national
47 Northeastern Wisconsin nonmetropolitan area $49,190 +15% above national
48 Savannah, GA $49,160 +15% above national
49 Mayaguez, PR $49,020 +14% above national
50 Athens-Clarke County, GA $48,800 +14% above national
51 Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos, TX $48,710 +14% above national
52 Columbus, OH $48,710 +14% above national
53 Spokane-Spokane Valley, WA $48,650 +13% above national
54 Norwich-New London-Willimantic, CT $48,530 +13% above national
55 Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA $48,380 +13% above national
56 Central Kentucky nonmetropolitan area $48,310 +13% above national
57 Bakersfield-Delano, CA $48,280 +13% above national
58 Madison, WI $47,990 +12% above national
59 Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA $47,940 +12% above national
60 Southeast Iowa nonmetropolitan area $47,870 +12% above national
61 San Juan-Bayamon-Caguas, PR $47,860 +12% above national
62 Texarkana, TX-AR $47,440 +11% above national
63 Wilmington, NC $47,430 +11% above national
64 Southwest Oklahoma nonmetropolitan area $47,420 +11% above national
65 Walla Walla, WA $47,390 +10% above national
66 Central East New York nonmetropolitan area $47,360 +10% above national
67 North Northeastern Ohio nonmetropolitan area (noncontiguous) $47,280 +10% above national
68 Columbia, MO $47,220 +10% above national
69 Central North Carolina nonmetropolitan area $47,120 +10% above national
70 Corpus Christi, TX $47,030 +10% above national
71 Binghamton, NY $46,950 +9% above national
72 Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX $46,920 +9% above national
73 Fort Wayne, IN $46,910 +9% above national
74 Greenville-Anderson-Greer, SC $46,760 +9% above national
75 Waterbury-Shelton, CT $46,640 +9% above national
76 Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, MI $46,430 +8% above national
77 Western North Carolina nonmetropolitan area $46,370 +8% above national
78 El Paso, TX $46,330 +8% above national
79 Western Washington nonmetropolitan area $46,300 +8% above national
80 Akron, OH $46,150 +8% above national
81 Albany-Schenectady-Troy, NY $45,860 +7% above national
82 Tucson, AZ $45,810 +7% above national
83 Ponce, PR $45,670 +6% above national
84 Eau Claire, WI $45,400 +6% above national
85 San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA $45,120 +5% above national
86 San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA $45,110 +5% above national
87 New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ $45,100 +5% above national
88 La Crosse-Onalaska, WI-MN $45,030 +5% above national
89 San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA $44,330 +3% above national
90 Augusta-Richmond County, GA-SC $43,590 +2% above national
91 Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC $43,490 +1% above national
92 Louisville/Jefferson County, KY-IN $43,430 +1% above national
93 Omaha, NE-IA $43,190 +1% above national
94 Hill Country Region of Texas nonmetropolitan area $42,270 1% below national
95 New Orleans-Metairie, LA $40,730 5% below national
96 Arecibo, PR $40,520 6% below national
97 Brownsville-Harlingen, TX $40,520 6% below national
98 Colorado Springs, CO $40,390 6% below national
99 Napa, CA $40,080 7% below national
100 Allentown-Bethlehem-Easton, PA-NJ $40,020 7% below national
101 Baton Rouge, LA $40,020 7% below national
102 Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA $39,940 7% below national
103 Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton, NC $39,910 7% below national
104 Indianapolis-Carmel-Greenwood, IN $39,640 8% below national
105 Raleigh-Cary, NC $39,140 9% below national
106 Ann Arbor, MI $38,990 9% below national
107 Deltona-Daytona Beach-Ormond Beach, FL $38,830 10% below national
108 Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA $38,640 10% below national
109 Kansas City, MO-KS $38,620 10% below national
110 Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL $38,510 10% below national
111 Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD $38,500 10% below national
112 Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX $38,490 10% below national
113 Hartford-West Hartford-East Hartford, CT $38,440 10% below national
114 North Port-Bradenton-Sarasota, FL $38,350 11% below national
115 Birmingham, AL $38,310 11% below national
116 Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FL $38,260 11% below national
117 Eastern North Carolina nonmetropolitan area $38,130 11% below national
118 Cape Coral-Fort Myers, FL $37,930 12% below national
119 Jacksonville, FL $37,890 12% below national
120 Orlando-Kissimmee-Sanford, FL $37,780 12% below national
121 Columbia, SC $37,710 12% below national
122 Scranton--Wilkes-Barre, PA $37,570 12% below national
123 South Bend-Mishawaka, IN-MI $37,540 13% below national
124 Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO $37,450 13% below national
125 Fresno, CA $37,440 13% below national
126 Pittsburgh, PA $37,300 13% below national
127 Northwestern Region of Texas nonmetropolitan area $37,200 13% below national
128 San Antonio-New Braunfels, TX $37,030 14% below national
129 Tyler, TX $36,720 14% below national
130 Greenville, NC $36,660 15% below national
131 Mid Michigan nonmetropolitan area $36,610 15% below national
132 Coastal Plains Region of Texas nonmetropolitan area $36,580 15% below national
133 Amarillo, TX $36,360 15% below national
134 Terre Haute, IN $36,050 16% below national
135 Bloomington, IL $36,040 16% below national
136 Upper Peninsula of Michigan nonmetropolitan area $35,900 16% below national
137 Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN $35,760 17% below national
138 Arizona nonmetropolitan area $35,390 18% below national
139 Tallahassee, FL $35,380 18% below national
140 Northwest Iowa nonmetropolitan area $34,570 19% below national
141 Wichita, KS $33,940 21% below national
142 Grand Rapids-Wyoming-Kentwood, MI $33,680 22% below national
143 North Georgia nonmetropolitan area $33,570 22% below national
144 Tulsa, OK $33,060 23% below national
145 Southeast Oklahoma nonmetropolitan area $32,550 24% below national
146 South Central Wisconsin nonmetropolitan area $31,920 26% below national
147 Flint, MI $31,540 26% below national
148 West Central Illinois nonmetropolitan area $31,470 27% below national
149 Davenport-Moline-Rock Island, IA-IL $31,340 27% below national
150 Springfield, IL $31,260 27% below national
151 Laredo, TX $31,100 28% below national
152 Northwest Oklahoma nonmetropolitan area $30,930 28% below national
153 Harrisburg-Carlisle, PA $30,840 28% below national
154 Milwaukee-Waukesha, WI $30,670 29% below national
155 Beaumont-Port Arthur, TX $30,650 29% below national
156 Killeen-Temple, TX $29,630 31% below national
157 Mobile, AL $29,120 32% below national
158 South Nebraska nonmetropolitan area $29,120 32% below national
159 McAllen-Edinburg-Mission, TX $29,060 32% below national
160 Evansville, IN $28,140 34% below national
161 Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN $28,020 35% below national
162 Central Indiana nonmetropolitan area $27,710 35% below national
163 Kansas nonmetropolitan area $27,630 36% below national
164 Chattanooga, TN-GA $27,230 37% below national
165 Provo-Orem-Lehi, UT $26,930 37% below national
166 Little Rock-North Little Rock-Conway, AR $26,680 38% below national
167 Huntsville, AL $25,930 40% below national
168 Las Vegas-Henderson-North Las Vegas, NV $24,960 42% below national
169 South Arkansas nonmetropolitan area $23,400 45% below national
170 Manchester-Nashua, NH $23,100 46% below national
171 Jonesboro, AR $23,080 46% below national
172 Daphne-Fairhope-Foley, AL $22,910 47% below national
173 West Arkansas nonmetropolitan area $22,880 47% below national
174 Auburn-Opelika, AL $22,600 47% below national
175 Border Region of Texas nonmetropolitan area $21,570 50% below national
176 Oshkosh-Neenah, WI $21,060 51% below national
177 Southwest Alabama nonmetropolitan area $20,970 51% below national
178 Montgomery, AL $20,500 52% below national
179 Florence-Muscle Shoals, AL $19,550 54% below national
180 Northeast Alabama nonmetropolitan area $19,140 55% below national
181 Southeast Alabama nonmetropolitan area $18,070 58% below national

Similar Occupations in the Same Category

Other roles in SOC major group 25 (education) with comparable pay and career paths.

Frequently Asked Questions

How much does a Teaching Assistants, Postsecondary make?
The median annual salary for Teaching Assistants, Postsecondary is $42,910 ($N/A/hour). The salary range spans from $28,600 at the 10th percentile to $76,420 at the 90th percentile.
What state pays Teaching Assistants, Postsecondary the most?
Maryland pays the highest median salary for Teaching Assistants, Postsecondary at $58,330/year, which is +36% above the national median.
What education do you need to become a Teaching Assistants, Postsecondary?
The typical entry-level education for Teaching Assistants, Postsecondary is Bachelor's degree.
How dangerous is being a Teaching Assistants, Postsecondary?
Teaching Assistants, Postsecondary has a safety grade of A (Very Safe) based on BLS data. The fatality rate is 0.3 per 100,000 workers and the injury rate is 0.8 per 100 workers.
Is Teaching Assistants, Postsecondary a good career?
Employment for Teaching Assistants, Postsecondary is projected to grow 3.1% from 2024 to 2034, which is slower than average. About 24,600 openings are projected each year.
How does Teaching Assistants, Postsecondary pay vary by state?
Teaching Assistants, Postsecondary salaries vary significantly by state. The highest-paying state is Maryland at $58,330/year, while Montana pays the least at $30,070/year. BLS data covers 46 states and territories.
Which metro areas pay the most for Teaching Assistants, Postsecondary?
The highest-paying metro area for Teaching Assistants, Postsecondary is Canton-Massillon, OH at $78,510/year. BLS reports wage data for 181 metro areas for this occupation, with pay varying based on local demand and cost of living.

What to do with this data

How to use Teaching Assistants, Postsecondary pay figures in a real decision

  • For an experienced offer, anchor on the 75th percentile (about $60,510/year), not the median. The median marks the middle worker; the upper quartile is the realistic target with strong experience. Salary calculator
  • Location moves pay significantly: Maryland leads at $58,330/year for this role. Weigh state pay against local cost of living before relocating or negotiating remote. Pay by state
  • Compare this occupation against similar roles before you decide, so you are reading the pay band in context rather than in isolation. Compare jobs

These are BLS survey estimates for the occupation, not a salary offer or a prediction for any individual. Your pay depends on experience, employer, exact role, and location.

Data as of May 2025. Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS).

Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025 annual release. Employment projections from BLS Employment Projections program, 2024–2034. Data reflects cross-industry estimates for all ownership types.

These are survey estimates for the occupation, not a salary offer or a prediction for any individual. See how to use them.

Every figure on WageDex is rendered directly from U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics wage data, no number is typed in by an editor. This occupation's figures are computed directly from the BLS OEWS and Employment Projections datasets, nothing is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error. Data current as of May 2025.

This page is for informational purposes only and does not constitute financial or career advice. Actual pay for a specific role, employer, or offer may differ from these national/state figures, consult a qualified career counselor, recruiter, or financial advisor before making decisions based on this data.