Teaching Assistants, Postsecondary Salary in the United States
The median annual wage for teaching assistants, postsecondary in the U.S. is $42,910, according to the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics program, May 2025 estimates.
- Median annual wage
- $42,910
- Mean annual wage
- $47,670
- Median hourly wage
- —
- Employment
- 164,090
164,090 employed
Wage percentiles
| Percentile | Annual wage | Hourly wage |
|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile | $28,600 | — |
| 25th percentile | $35,270 | — |
| Median (50th) | $42,910 | — |
| 75th percentile | $60,510 | — |
| 90th percentile | $76,420 | — |
Highest-paying states for teaching assistants, postsecondary
| State | Median annual wage | Employment |
|---|---|---|
| Maryland | $58,330 | 5,030 |
| Massachusetts | $56,370 | 3,040 |
| Texas | $55,670 | 13,540 |
| New Jersey | $54,260 | 3,390 |
| Minnesota | $53,380 | 600 |
| Utah | $52,300 | 2,020 |
| Washington | $50,460 | 1,480 |
| North Carolina | $50,050 | 2,900 |
| North Dakota | $49,960 | 90 |
| Oklahoma | $49,920 | 1,680 |
Lowest-paying states
- Alabama: $22,600 median annual wage
- Arkansas: $23,140 median annual wage
- Nevada: $24,960 median annual wage
- New Hampshire: $26,810 median annual wage
- Montana: $30,070 median annual wage
About this occupation
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.
Typical tasks
- Provide assistance to faculty members or staff with laboratory or field research.
- Inform students of the procedures for completing and submitting class work, such as lab reports.
- Prepare or proctor examinations.
- Copy and distribute classroom materials.
- Develop teaching materials, such as syllabi, visual aids, answer keys, supplementary notes, or course Web sites.
- Demonstrate use of laboratory equipment and enforce laboratory rules.
Education of the current workforce — typical entry: Bachelor's degree
| Education level | Share of workers |
|---|---|
| Less than high school diploma | 5.0% |
| High school diploma or equivalent | 25.7% |
| Some college, no degree | 21.1% |
| Associate's degree | 14.5% |
| Bachelor's degree | 23.4% |
| Master's degree | 8.4% |
| Doctoral or professional degree | 1.8% |
Occupation profile data from CareerOneStop, sponsored by the U.S. Department of Labor.
Related occupations
- Teaching Assistants, Except Postsecondary$36,780
- Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education$63,970
- Secondary School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical Education$72,040
- Middle School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical Education$64,370
- Substitute Teachers, Short-Term$41,670
- Preschool Teachers, Except Special Education$38,140
- Self-Enrichment Teachers$46,800
- Special Education Teachers, Kindergarten and Elementary School$65,120
About this data
- Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics — data period May 2025, retrieved August 13, 2026.
- Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics — data period May 2025, retrieved August 13, 2026.
- CareerOneStop Occupation Profiles — data period 2026-08, retrieved August 14, 2026.
Figures are shown exactly as published by the source or derived by the documented formulas on our methodology page. Where a source suppresses an estimate, we show “—” rather than a substitute value.