Teaching Assistants, Postsecondary Salary
Educational Instruction and Library Occupations · 164K employed in the U.S.
Median annual
$42,910
Median hourly
$21
Average annual
$47,670
Typical range
$28,600–$76,420
Pay distribution
10th to 90th percentile, with the median marked.
What this role pays
The median annual salary for Teaching Assistants, Postsecondary is $42,910 as of May 2025, based on the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) survey. That works out to about $21 an hour at a full-time schedule.
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..
Most earn between $28,600 and $76,420 a year. There are roughly 164K people employed as teaching assistants, postsecondary in the United States. Use the state and metro pages below to see how pay changes by location, and the calculator to convert any hourly or annual figure.
Salary calculator
Convert your pay and see where it lands for Teaching Assistants, Postsecondary.
- Hourly
- $20.63
- Daily
- $165
- Weekly
- $825
- Bi-weekly
- $1,650
- Monthly
- $3,576
- Annual
- $42,910
$42,910 a year is around the 50th percentile for Teaching Assistants, Postsecondarys. The median is $42,910.
Highest-paying states
Median annual wage by state.
- 1Maryland$58,330
- 2Massachusetts$56,370
- 3Texas$55,670
- 4New Jersey$54,260
- 5Minnesota$53,380
- 6Utah$52,300
- 7Washington$50,460
- 8North Carolina$50,050
- 9North Dakota$49,960
- 10Oklahoma$49,920
- 11Virginia$49,890
- 12Arizona$49,810
Top-paying metro areas
Median annual wage by metro area.
- 1Canton-Massillon, OH$78,510
- 2Bridgeport-Stamford-Danbury, CT$68,230
- 3Syracuse, NY$65,670
- 4Lubbock, TX$64,160
- 5Merced, CA$63,220
- 6Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA$61,780
- 7Flagstaff, AZ$61,730
- 8Buffalo-Cheektowaga, NY$61,540
- 9Duluth, MN-WI$60,470
- 10Amherst Town-Northampton, MA$60,210
- 11Bellingham, WA$59,240
- 12Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV$58,330
Related job titles
Employers advertise Teaching Assistants, Postsecondary roles under these titles.
- Exam Proctor
- Faculty Research Assistant
- Graduate Assistant
- Graduate Fellow
- Graduate Research Assistant
- Graduate Student
- Graduate Student Instructor (GSI)
- Graduate Teaching Assistant (GTA)
- Graduate Teaching Associate
- Proctor
- Research Assistant (RA)
- Teacher Assistant
- Teaching Assistant (TA)
- Teaching Fellow
- Testing Proctor
Related occupations
- Tutors$43,350
- Secondary School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical Education$72,040
- Middle School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical Education$64,370
- Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education$63,970
- Career/Technical Education Teachers, Middle School$65,030
- Education Teachers, Postsecondary$75,350
- Instructional Coordinators$77,440
- Adult Basic Education, Adult Secondary Education, and English as a Second Language Instructors$61,540
What a Teaching Assistants, Postsecondary does
- Evaluate and grade examinations, assignments, or papers, and record grades.
- Lead discussion sections, tutorials, or laboratory sections.
- Inform students of the procedures for completing and submitting class work, such as lab reports.
- Prepare or proctor examinations.
- Tutor or mentor students who need additional instruction.
- Meet with supervisors to discuss students' grades or to complete required grade-related paperwork.
- Schedule and maintain regular office hours to meet with students.
- Order or obtain materials needed for classes.
Frequently asked questions
- How much does a Teaching Assistants, Postsecondary make?
- The median annual wage for Teaching Assistants, Postsecondary is $42,910 ($21 per hour). Pay ranges from about $28,600 at the 10th percentile to $76,420 at the 90th percentile.
- What is the average salary for a Teaching Assistants, Postsecondary?
- The average (mean) annual salary is $47,670, which is higher than the median because a small number of high earners pull the average up.
- Which state pays Teaching Assistants, Postsecondarys the most?
- Maryland has the highest median annual wage for this occupation at $58,330.
- Is Teaching Assistants, Postsecondary a growing occupation?
- BLS employment data for May 2025 counts about 164K people in this occupation. Projected growth is published separately in the BLS Employment Projections program.
- What does a Teaching Assistants, Postsecondary do?
- Evaluate and grade examinations, assignments, or papers, and record grades.; Lead discussion sections, tutorials, or laboratory sections.; Inform students of the procedures for completing and submitting class work, such as lab reports..