Teaching assistants, except postsecondary salary
| Measure | Annual | Hourly |
|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile | $27,150 | Data unavailable |
| Median (50th percentile) | $36,780 | Data unavailable |
| Mean (average) | $38,290 | Data unavailable |
| 90th percentile | $50,040 | Data unavailable |
BLS publishes only annual wages for this occupation because workers are typically paid on an annual basis rather than hourly.
These wages describe everyone employed in the occupation, from new entrants to experienced workers. They are not starting salaries and not earnings of graduates from any particular program. Verified data
Teaching assistants, except postsecondary pay by state and metro area
Table: median wage and employment for all 54 states and territories
| State | Median | 10th pct | 90th pct | Employment | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama | $24,070 | $21,440 | $30,590 | 10,140 | 0.53 |
| Alaska | $37,190 | $27,440 | $57,210 | 3,810 | 1.28 |
| Arizona | $35,900 | $30,960 | $42,590 | 25,280 | 0.85 |
| Arkansas | $28,790 | $23,670 | $38,360 | 11,270 | 0.95 |
| California | $46,490 | $37,240 | $59,520 | 177,140 | 1.06 |
| Colorado | $35,760 | $30,800 | $48,470 | 21,910 | 0.83 |
| Connecticut | $38,110 | $34,010 | $49,690 | 19,740 | 1.27 |
| Delaware | $37,830 | $31,200 | $47,300 | 5,040 | 1.14 |
| District of Columbia | $46,920 | $38,370 | $58,100 | 3,950 | 0.62 |
| Florida | $34,430 | $28,490 | $40,150 | 54,530 | 0.6 |
| Georgia | $28,770 | $21,190 | $39,120 | 33,410 | 0.75 |
| Guam | $21,250 | $21,180 | $35,010 | 180 | 0.3 |
| Hawaii | $36,810 | $30,130 | $46,990 | 5,470 | 0.95 |
| Idaho | $35,560 | $23,980 | $48,800 | 8,710 | 1.11 |
| Illinois | $36,990 | $31,200 | $48,100 | 64,210 | 1.15 |
| Indiana | $33,300 | $23,970 | $44,610 | 28,450 | 0.97 |
| Iowa | $30,510 | $22,400 | $37,520 | 24,520 | 1.72 |
| Kansas | $29,490 | $21,800 | $38,190 | 20,000 | 1.52 |
| Kentucky | $30,160 | $23,980 | $46,370 | 16,330 | 0.89 |
| Louisiana | $27,400 | $20,680 | $38,620 | 14,530 | 0.82 |
| Maine | $46,750 | $36,210 | $56,920 | 8,700 | 1.49 |
| Maryland | $37,060 | $31,200 | $59,680 | 23,340 | 0.92 |
| Massachusetts | $39,380 | $31,200 | $59,970 | 39,210 | 1.18 |
| Michigan | $35,110 | $27,550 | $45,370 | 39,030 | 0.97 |
| Minnesota | $40,100 | $31,420 | $50,410 | 38,540 | 1.43 |
| Mississippi | $25,840 | $18,830 | $32,300 | 9,750 | 0.92 |
| Missouri | $36,300 | $28,600 | $47,310 | 20,930 | 0.78 |
| Montana | $34,750 | $23,950 | $45,430 | 3,930 | 0.84 |
| Nebraska | $35,160 | $28,080 | $45,110 | 11,190 | 1.2 |
| Nevada | $31,900 | $27,880 | $41,640 | 7,100 | 0.5 |
| New Hampshire | $38,440 | $28,920 | $48,780 | 7,880 | 1.26 |
| New Jersey | $37,290 | $32,220 | $49,580 | 55,580 | 1.42 |
| New Mexico | $35,900 | $27,050 | $46,390 | 8,970 | 1.13 |
| New York | $38,240 | $32,240 | $54,990 | 137,820 | 1.56 |
| North Carolina | $29,790 | $25,110 | $38,050 | 32,150 | 0.71 |
| North Dakota | $38,240 | $29,130 | $46,260 | 5,600 | 1.43 |
| Ohio | $35,920 | $26,810 | $46,890 | 47,300 | 0.93 |
| Oklahoma | $27,920 | $17,940 | $37,370 | 13,860 | 0.89 |
| Oregon | $39,850 | $30,300 | $50,860 | 23,030 | 1.28 |
| Pennsylvania | $34,740 | $23,380 | $45,980 | 48,310 | 0.87 |
| Puerto Rico | $23,180 | $22,230 | $31,030 | 9,910 | 1.16 |
| Rhode Island | $37,220 | $31,200 | $47,720 | 5,200 | 1.14 |
| South Carolina | $27,860 | $21,910 | $44,290 | 14,410 | 0.68 |
| South Dakota | $28,220 | $24,800 | $35,410 | 4,650 | 1.11 |
| Tennessee | $29,210 | $22,010 | $40,310 | 23,280 | 0.78 |
| Texas | $29,850 | $22,480 | $42,520 | 108,960 | 0.85 |
| Utah | $37,050 | $27,730 | $47,400 | 18,170 | 1.15 |
| Vermont | $43,800 | $29,140 | $51,580 | 4,960 | 1.79 |
| Virgin Islands | $37,710 | $29,820 | $43,800 | 400 | 1.36 |
| Virginia | $38,520 | $28,220 | $57,030 | 31,370 | 0.84 |
| Washington | $49,120 | $37,870 | $62,810 | 43,420 | 1.34 |
| West Virginia | $29,800 | $27,400 | $36,750 | 5,110 | 0.8 |
| Wisconsin | $37,800 | $29,060 | $46,270 | 26,520 | 0.99 |
| Wyoming | $36,100 | $27,840 | $44,040 | 3,680 | 1.44 |
A location quotient above 1 means the occupation is more concentrated in that state than in the nation overall.
Metro areas with the most jobs
Highest paying metro areas
Job outlook for teaching assistants, except postsecondary
- Average annual openings, 2025 to 2035: 176,200. Openings include new jobs plus replacement needs when workers retire or leave the occupation. Official projection
- Share of workers who are self-employed (2025): 0.1%.
- Read the official BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook profile.
These are official BLS projections. ConnectPrep does not alter them or present its own forecasts as official statistics.
Education and training for teaching assistants, except postsecondary
- Typical entry education
- Some college, no degree
- Related work experience
- None
- On-the-job training
- None
- O*NET Job Zone
- Job Zone Three: Medium Preparation Needed
Highest education of people working in this occupation
O*NET describes this preparation level as: Most occupations in this zone require training in vocational schools, related on-the-job experience, or an associate's degree.
Degrees and programs that lead to this career
Data unavailable No academic program is mapped to this occupation in the official crosswalk. Entry is usually through work experience, training, or apprenticeship.
Skills, knowledge, and daily work
BLS groups this occupation differently from O*NET. Skills and tasks below come from the closest O*NET occupation, Teaching Assistants, Preschool, Elementary, Middle, and Secondary School, Except Special Education (25-9042.00).
Most important skills
Most important knowledge areas
Typical tasks
- Supervise students in classrooms, halls, cafeterias, school yards, and gymnasiums, or on field trips.
- Tutor and assist children individually or in small groups to help them master assignments and to reinforce learning concepts presented by teachers.
- Enforce administration policies and rules governing students.
- Teach social skills to students.
- Instruct and monitor students in the use and care of equipment and materials to prevent injuries and damage.
- Discuss assigned duties with classroom teachers to coordinate instructional efforts.
- Present subject matter to students under the direction and guidance of teachers, using lectures, discussions, supervised role-playing methods, or by reading aloud.
- Clean classrooms.
Technology skills
- Microsoft Excel (hot technology)
- Microsoft Office software (hot technology)
- Microsoft Outlook (hot technology)
- Microsoft PowerPoint (hot technology)
- Microsoft Word (hot technology)
- Appletree
- Automate the Schools ATS
- Blackboard software
- Children's educational software
- ClassDojo
- Email software
- Flipgrid
- Google Classroom
- Google Meet
- Hand held spell checkers
- High School Scheduling and Transcript HSST
Transferable skills for career changers: Social Perceptiveness, Coordination, Service Orientation, Instructing, Time Management, Complex Problem Solving.
Common job titles: Classroom Aide, Educational Assistant, Instructional Assistant, Kindergarten Assistant, Paraeducator, Paraprofessional, Preschool Aide, TA (Teacher Assistant), TA (Teaching Assistant), Teacher Aide.
Is it worth it? Model the cost of getting there
Use the ROI calculator to compare the cost of the education this career usually requires against staying on your current path. It starts from the official wage distribution above, and you can change every assumption.
Frequently asked questions
How much do teaching assistants, except postsecondary make?
The national median annual wage for teaching assistants, except postsecondary was $36,780 in May 2025, according to the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics program. The lowest paid 10 percent earned less than $27,150 and the highest paid 10 percent earned more than $50,040. These figures cover all workers in the occupation, not only new entrants.
What education do teaching assistants, except postsecondary need?
BLS lists some college, no degree as the typical education needed to enter this occupation, with none of related work experience and none on-the-job training typically needed to become competent.
Is teaching assistants, except postsecondary a growing career?
BLS projects employment of teaching assistants, except postsecondary to change -0.3% from 2025 to 2035, compared with +3.5% for all occupations. About 176,200 openings are projected each year on average, including openings from workers who retire or change occupations.
Which states pay teaching assistants, except postsecondary the most?
By median annual wage in May 2025, the highest paying states were Washington ($49,120), District of Columbia ($46,920), Maine ($46,750). Pay differences partly reflect differences in living costs.