Occupation salary profile

Teaching Assistants, Postsecondary

SOC 25-9044 BLS OEWS May 2025

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. Graduate students who teach one or more full courses should be classified in the 25-1000 minor group.

National median · BLS
$42,910
▼ -4.5% YoY
H-1B sponsor median
—
Too few H-1B filings
Average salary · BLS
$47,670
Mean annual wage
U.S. employment
164,090
Jobs (BLS)
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Pay range for Teaching Assistants, Postsecondary

Annual base pay at each percentile. BLS covers all U.S. workers in this occupation.

Percentile All U.S. workers (BLS)
10th — entry pay$28,600
25th$35,270
Median (50th)$42,910
75th$60,510
90th — top pay$76,420

Hourly ⇄ annual pay

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Based on hrs/week × weeks/year = 2,080 hrs
Projections 2025–2035

Job outlook for Teaching Assistants, Postsecondary

BLS projects employment of teaching assistants, postsecondary to grow 2.7% from 2025 to 2035, slower than the 3.5% average for all occupations. About 25,700 openings are projected each year, on average, from new jobs and from replacing workers who retire or move to other occupations.

Jobs 2025 → 2035
205,500 → 211,000
+5,500 jobs
Projected change
+2.7%
All occupations: +3.5%
Openings per year
25,700
Average, 2025–2035
Typical entry education
Bachelor's degree
No related experience required
Self-employed
0.1% of workers (2025)
Preparation needed (O*NET Job Zone 5)
Extensive Preparation Needed. Most of these occupations require graduate school. For example, they may require a master's degree, and some require a Ph.D., M.D., or J.D. (law degree).
Fastest-growing jobs → Best-paying jobs that need a bachelor's degree →

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Employment Projections 2025–2035

Skills & tools

Skills needed for Teaching Assistants, Postsecondary

How important each skill and knowledge area is for this job, rated by O*NET on a 1–5 scale from surveys of workers and occupational analysts.

Top skills
  • Reading Comprehension3.9
  • Active Listening3.6
  • Instructing3.5
  • Speaking3.5
  • Learning Strategies3.4
  • Writing3.3
  • Complex Problem Solving3.1
  • Coordination3.1
  • Critical Thinking3.1
  • Monitoring3.1
Top knowledge areas
  • English Language4.7
  • Education and Training4.5
  • Computers and Electronics3.5
  • Mathematics3.3
  • Communications and Media2.9
  • Psychology2.6
  • Administrative2.6
  • Sociology and Anthropology2.5
Software and technology used
Microsoft ExcelMicrosoft Office softwareAdobe PhotoshopGoogle DocsIBM SPSS StatisticsMicrosoft OutlookMicrosoft PowerPointMicrosoft WordSASStructured query language SQLBlackboard LearnCollaborative editing softwareCourse management system softwareDesire2Learn LMS softwareDOC CopEmail softwareImage scanning softwareiParadigms Turnitin

Highlighted = in demand: frequently listed in employer job postings for this occupation (O*NET).

Source: O*NET 31.0 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA), used under the CC BY 4.0 license. O*NET® is a trademark of USDOL/ETA.

About the job

What teaching assistants, postsecondary do

  • 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.
Also called
Graduate AssistantGraduate Teaching Assistant (GTA)Research Assistant (RA)Teaching Assistant (TA)Graduate FellowGraduate Research AssistantGraduate StudentGraduate Student Instructor (GSI)Teaching Fellow
More job titles for this occupation (11)
Classroom AssistantCollege AssistantCollege Biology Teaching Assistant (College Biology TA)Exam ProctorFaculty Research AssistantGraduate Teaching AssociateProctorStudent AssistantTeacher AssistantTesting ProctorUndergraduate TA (Undergraduate Teaching Assistant)

Source: O*NET 31.0 (USDOL/ETA, CC BY 4.0). These are general job titles, not H-1B filings; for titles employers actually filed, see “Job titles” above.