The median pay for Teaching Assistants, Postsecondary is $42,910 a year, according to BLS OEWS, May 2025. Employment is projected to grow 2.7% through 2035, with about 25,700 openings a year (BLS EP, 2025–2035). Typical entry-level education: Bachelor's degree.
- SOC 25-9044
- Educational Instruction and Library
- Last updated October 9, 2026
At a glance
Teaching Assistant, Postsecondary in four numbers
- Median pay
- $42,910a yearBLS OEWS, May 2025Lowest 10% $29KTop 10% $76K
US median, all jobs: $50,980
- Projected growth
- +2.7%About as fast as averageBLS EP, 2025–2035This career+2.7%All jobs+3.5%
Projected employment change, 2025–2035 Item Value This career +2.7% All jobs +3.5% - Openings a year
- 25,700205,500 jobs todayBLS EP, 2025–2035
- Jobs in 2025205.5K
- Projected 2035211K
Employment, 2025–2035 Item Value Jobs in 2025 205.5K Projected 2035 211K - Typical education
- Bachelor'sneeded to enterBLS EP, 2025–2035; mix: O*NET
- Some college1.5%
- Bachelor's57.3%
- Master's37.3%
- Post-master’s certificate0.2%
- Doctorate3.7%
Highest education held by teaching assistants, postsecondary Segment Value Some college 1.5% Bachelor's 57.3% Master's 37.3% Post-master’s certificate 0.2% Doctorate 3.7%
Also advertised as: Graduate Assistant, Graduate Fellow, Graduate Research Assistant, Graduate Student, Graduate Student Instructor (GSI), Graduate Teaching Assistant (GTA).
Pay
How much do Teaching Assistants, Postsecondary make?
Every teaching assistant, postsecondary in the US, by percentile of annual wage
Median
$42,910
Middle half earn $35,270 to $60,510
- 10th
- $28,600
- 25th
- $35,270
- 75th
- $60,510
- 90th
- $76,420
All US occupations: $50,980
| Percentile | Value |
|---|---|
| 10th | $28,600 |
| 25th | $35,270 |
| Median | $42,910 |
| 75th | $60,510 |
| 90th | $76,420 |
| All US occupations | $50,980 |
Source: BLS OEWS, May 2025
- Median annual wage
- $42,910
- Median hourly wage
- N/A
- Mean annual wage
- $47,670
- People employed
- 164,090
Versus all US occupations
At $42,910, Teaching Assistants, Postsecondary earn 16% below the $50,980 median across all US occupations, a difference of $8,070 a year.
Versus educational instruction and library occupations
Inside the Educational Instruction and Library group, where the middle occupation pays $68,270, this is 37% below the group median.
Pay range
The top 10% earn $76,420 or more while the bottom 10% earn $28,600, a gap of 2.7×. That is a typical spread for a US occupation.
Rank in the bank
This median pays more than 10% of the 1,741 occupations in the NueCareer career bank.
Cost of living
Maryland posts the highest raw median ($58,330), but once local prices are taken into account Texas leads at $57,358 in national-average dollars.
Pay by state
Which states pay Teaching Assistants, Postsecondary the most?
State medians come from the same OEWS release as the national figures. The cost-of-living column divides each state median by that state's BEA Regional Price Parity, restating pay in national-average dollars so a high-cost state and a low-cost one can be compared directly.
| State | Median | COL-adjusted | Employed |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1Maryland | $58,330 | $55,574 | 5,030 |
| 2Massachusetts | $56,370 | $53,301 | 3,040 |
| 3Texas | $55,670 | $57,358 | 13,540 |
| 4New Jersey | $54,260 | $49,869 | 3,390 |
| 5Minnesota | $53,380 | $54,126 | 600 |
| 6Utah | $52,300 | $52,901 | 2,020 |
| 7Washington | $50,460 | $47,153 | 1,480 |
| 8North Carolina | $50,050 | $53,061 | 2,900 |
| 9North Dakota | $49,960 | $56,161 | 90 |
| 10Oklahoma | $49,920 | $56,829 | 1,680 |
Job outlook
Is Teaching Assistant, Postsecondary a growing career?
Employment change over 2025–2035, against every US occupation
About as fast as average. +2.7% projected growth vs 3.5% for all occupations.
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| Teaching Assistants, Postsecondary | +2.7% |
| All US occupations | +3.5% |
Source: BLS EP, 2025–2035
About as fast as average
BLS projects employment of Teaching Assistants, Postsecondary to change 2.7% over 2025–2035, against 3.5% projected for all occupations. That is 5,500 more jobs.
Annual openings
About 25,700 openings are projected each year, 12.5% of the 205,500 jobs that existed in 2025. Most come from workers leaving the occupation, not from growth alone.
Getting in
How to become a Teaching Assistant, Postsecondary
- 1
Typical entry-level education
Bachelor's degree
- 2
Work experience in a related occupation
None
- 3
Typical on-the-job training
None
- 4
Preparation needed (O*NET job zone)
Considerable preparation
BLS Employment Projections, 2025–2035; job zone from O*NET 31.0 Database.
What education people in the job have
O*NET incumbent survey: the highest level of education reported by people already working as teaching assistants, postsecondary.
- Bachelor's Degree57.3%
- Master's Degree37.3%
- Doctoral Degree3.7%
- Some College Courses1.5%
- Post-Master's Certificate0.2%
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| Bachelor's Degree | 57.3% |
| Master's Degree | 37.3% |
| Doctoral Degree | 3.7% |
| Some College Courses | 1.5% |
| Post-Master's Certificate | 0.2% |
Source: O*NET 31.0 Database
The work
What does a Teaching Assistant, Postsecondary do?
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.
Day-to-day tasks
- Copy and distribute classroom materials.
- Tutor or mentor students who need additional instruction.
- Evaluate and grade examinations, assignments, or papers, and record grades.
- Develop teaching materials, such as syllabi, visual aids, answer keys, supplementary notes, or course Web sites.
- Return assignments to students in accordance with established deadlines.
- Meet with supervisors to discuss students' grades or to complete required grade-related paperwork.
- Inform students of the procedures for completing and submitting class work, such as lab reports.
- Schedule and maintain regular office hours to meet with students.
O*NET core tasks, ordered by reported importance.
Working conditions and hours
Where the work happens
Indoors, climate-controlled
NeverEvery dayOutdoors in all weather
NeverEvery dayAlmost never works outdoors.
Physical demands
Sitting
NeverAlmost all the timeStanding
NeverAlmost all the timeBending or twisting
NeverAlmost all the time
Working with people
Contact with other people
NoneConstantConstant contact with other people.
Face-to-face discussions
NeverEvery dayFace-to-face discussions every day.
Dealing with the public
Not importantExtremely important
Pressure and stakes
Strict deadlines
NeverEvery dayConflict situations
NeverEvery dayCost of a mistake
Not seriousExtremely serious
Autonomy
Freedom to decide
NoneA lotA lot of freedom to make decisions without checking first.
Conditions: O*NET Work Context survey. Each item has its own scale, so each dot is read against the two answers that end its own line.
Core skills
O*NET importance, 1 to 5
- Reading Comprehension3.9
- Active Listening3.6
- Speaking3.5
- Learning Strategies3.4
- Writing3.3
- Critical Thinking3.1
- Monitoring3.1
- Active Learning3.0
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| Reading Comprehension | 3.9 |
| Active Listening | 3.6 |
| Speaking | 3.5 |
| Learning Strategies | 3.4 |
| Writing | 3.3 |
| Critical Thinking | 3.1 |
| Monitoring | 3.1 |
| Active Learning | 3.0 |
Source: O*NET 31.0 Database
Transferable skills
O*NET importance, 1 to 5
- Instructing3.5
- Social Perceptiveness3.1
- Coordination3.1
- Service Orientation3.1
- Complex Problem Solving3.1
- Judgment and Decision Making3.0
- Time Management3.0
- Persuasion2.4
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| Instructing | 3.5 |
| Social Perceptiveness | 3.1 |
| Coordination | 3.1 |
| Service Orientation | 3.1 |
| Complex Problem Solving | 3.1 |
| Judgment and Decision Making | 3.0 |
| Time Management | 3.0 |
| Persuasion | 2.4 |
Source: O*NET 31.0 Database
Tools and software
- Analytical or scientific software · in demand
- Data base user interface and query software · in demand
- Electronic mail software · in demand
- Graphics or photo imaging software · in demand
- Office suite software · in demand
- Presentation software · in demand
- Spreadsheet software · in demand
- Word processing software · in demand
- Computer based training software
- Information retrieval or search software
- Internet browser software
- Optical character reader OCR or scanning software
“In demand” marks an O*NET Employer-Based Hot Technology, software named in real job postings for this occupation.
Personality fit
What personality type suits a Teaching Assistant, Postsecondary?
O*NET Occupational Interests (RIASEC), scored 1 to 7
| Axis | Teaching Assistant, Postsecondary |
|---|---|
| Realistic | 2 |
| Investigative | 3 |
| Artistic | 2 |
| Social | 7 |
| Enterprising | 3 |
| Conventional | 5 |
Source: O*NET 31.0 Database
What the work is built around
Day to day this is work built around teaching, helping and working directly with other people, combined with organising, following procedures and working precisely with data.
- Social6.5
- Conventional5.0
- Investigative3.1
- Enterprising2.8
- Realistic2.1
- Artistic2.0
Closest MBTI types
NueCareer fit scores: cosine similarity between each MBTI type's interest vector and this occupation's O*NET interest profile. Not a BLS or O*NET figure; the method is documented on our methodology page.
Explore further
Careers related to Teaching Assistant, Postsecondary
O*NET related occupations
- Educational Instruction and Library
- Educational Instruction and Library
- Educational Instruction and Library
- Educational Instruction and Library
Career/Technical Education Teacher, Middle School
$65,030median a year
Most earn $49K to $102K
−0.5%Bachelor's - Educational Instruction and Library
- Educational Instruction and Library
More educational instruction and library careers
Median annual pay, with teaching assistants, postsecondary highlighted
- Nursing Instructor and Teacher, Postsecondary$80,250
- Special Education Teacher, Secondary School$74,260
- Librarian$68,270
- Career/Technical Education Teacher, Secondary School$66,270
- Kindergarten Teacher$62,680
- Library Technician$44,580
- Tutor$43,350
- Teaching Assistant, Postsecondary$42,910
- Preschool Teacher, Except Special Education$38,140
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| Nursing Instructor and Teacher, Postsecondary | $80,250 |
| Special Education Teacher, Secondary School | $74,260 |
| Librarian | $68,270 |
| Career/Technical Education Teacher, Secondary School | $66,270 |
| Kindergarten Teacher | $62,680 |
| Library Technician | $44,580 |
| Tutor | $43,350 |
| Teaching Assistant, Postsecondary | $42,910 |
| Preschool Teacher, Except Special Education | $38,140 |
Source: BLS OEWS, May 2025
Lists Teaching Assistant, Postsecondary appears on
Questions
Teaching Assistant, Postsecondary: frequently asked questions
How much do Teaching Assistants, Postsecondary make?
Teaching Assistants, Postsecondary earn a median of $42,910 a year (BLS OEWS, May 2025), 16% below the $50,980 median for all US occupations. The middle half earn between $35,270 and $60,510. The top 10% earn $76,420 or more.
Do you need a degree to become a Teaching Assistant, Postsecondary?
Yes. BLS reports a bachelor's degree as the typical entry-level education for Teaching Assistants, Postsecondary, and O*NET rates the preparation needed as considerable preparation. In O*NET's survey of people already doing the job, 57.3% hold bachelor's degree.
Is Teaching Assistant, Postsecondary a growing career?
It is stable rather than fast-growing: employment is projected to change 2.7% over 2025–2035, about the same as the 3.5% projected across all occupations (BLS EP, 2025–2035). BLS still projects about 25,700 openings a year, mostly from workers retiring or moving to other work.
What does a Teaching Assistant, Postsecondary do?
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. A core O*NET task: copy and distribute classroom materials. Employers most often ask for Analytical or scientific software, Data base user interface and query software, Electronic mail software.
Which states pay Teaching Assistants, Postsecondary the most?
The highest state medians for Teaching Assistants, Postsecondary are Maryland ($58,330), Massachusetts ($56,370), Texas ($55,670) (BLS OEWS, May 2025). Adjusted for local prices using BEA Regional Price Parities, Texas moves to the top at $57,358.
What personality type suits a Teaching Assistant, Postsecondary?
O*NET scores Teaching Assistants, Postsecondary highest on the Social, Conventional and Investigative interest areas, so the work mixes teaching, helping and working directly with other people with organising, following procedures and working precisely with data. On NueCareer's MBTI-to-interest mapping that lines up most closely with ESFJ personalities. Personality is a fit signal, not a gate. The free NueCareer quiz scores your own profile against all 1,731 careers in the bank.