How much does a teaching assistant make?
The median teaching assistant in the United States earns $36,780 per year. That is the midpoint of the profession: half of all teaching assistants earn more, and half earn less.
Source: BLS OEWS, May 2025. SOC code 25-9045.
Teaching assistant salary range
Pay for teaching assistants spans a wide band. The lowest paid 10 percent earn under $27,150 a year, while the highest paid 10 percent take home more than $50,040. The average (mean) wage of $38,290 runs a bit higher than the median, which is normal for jobs where a group of top earners pulls the average up.
| Percentile | Annual | |
|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile | $27,150 | Lowest paid |
| 25th percentile | $31,060 | |
| Median (50th) | $36,780 | Midpoint |
| 75th percentile | $45,360 | |
| 90th percentile | $50,040 | Highest paid |
Figures are national wage estimates for teaching assistants, except postsecondary (SOC 25-9045), U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS, May 2025.
Teaching assistant salary by state
Where you work changes the paycheck. Teaching assistants earn the most in Washington at $49,120 a year, and the least in Alabama at $24,070. The table below lists every state with published data, ranked by median annual salary.
| State | Median annual | Employed |
|---|---|---|
| Washington | $49,120 | 43,420 |
| District of Columbia | $46,920 | 3,950 |
| Maine | $46,750 | 8,700 |
| California | $46,490 | 177,140 |
| Vermont | $43,800 | 4,960 |
| Minnesota | $40,100 | 38,540 |
| Oregon | $39,850 | 23,030 |
| Massachusetts | $39,380 | 39,210 |
| Virginia | $38,520 | 31,370 |
| New Hampshire | $38,440 | 7,880 |
| New York | $38,240 | 137,820 |
| North Dakota | $38,240 | 5,600 |
| Connecticut | $38,110 | 19,740 |
| Delaware | $37,830 | 5,040 |
| Wisconsin | $37,800 | 26,520 |
| New Jersey | $37,290 | 55,580 |
| Rhode Island | $37,220 | 5,200 |
| Alaska | $37,190 | 3,810 |
| Maryland | $37,060 | 23,340 |
| Utah | $37,050 | 18,170 |
| Illinois | $36,990 | 64,210 |
| Hawaii | $36,810 | 5,470 |
| Missouri | $36,300 | 20,930 |
| Wyoming | $36,100 | 3,680 |
| Ohio | $35,920 | 47,300 |
| Arizona | $35,900 | 25,280 |
| New Mexico | $35,900 | 8,970 |
| Colorado | $35,760 | 21,910 |
| Idaho | $35,560 | 8,710 |
| Nebraska | $35,160 | 11,190 |
| Michigan | $35,110 | 39,030 |
| Montana | $34,750 | 3,930 |
| Pennsylvania | $34,740 | 48,310 |
| Florida | $34,430 | 54,530 |
| Indiana | $33,300 | 28,450 |
| Nevada | $31,900 | 7,100 |
| Iowa | $30,510 | 24,520 |
| Kentucky | $30,160 | 16,330 |
| Texas | $29,850 | 108,960 |
| West Virginia | $29,800 | 5,110 |
| North Carolina | $29,790 | 32,150 |
| Kansas | $29,490 | 20,000 |
| Tennessee | $29,210 | 23,280 |
| Arkansas | $28,790 | 11,270 |
| Georgia | $28,770 | 33,410 |
| South Dakota | $28,220 | 4,650 |
| Oklahoma | $27,920 | 13,860 |
| South Carolina | $27,860 | 14,410 |
| Louisiana | $27,400 | 14,530 |
| Mississippi | $25,840 | 9,750 |
| Alabama | $24,070 | 10,140 |
State median wages for teaching assistants, except postsecondary (SOC 25-9045), U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS state files, May 2025. States where the BLS does not publish a median are not shown.
Job outlook for teaching assistants
The BLS projects employment of teaching assistants to shrink from 2025 to 2035 (down 0.3%). That is a decline, against 3.5% average growth for all occupations. That works out to roughly 1,463,000 jobs in 2025 moving toward 1,458,000 by 2035.
Across the decade, the BLS expects about 176,200 openings a year for teaching assistants. Most come from the need to replace workers who move to other jobs or leave the workforce, on top of any new positions from growth.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Employment Projections program, 2025-35 (Table 1.2, Occupational projections and worker characteristics).
How to become a teaching assistant
The typical entry-level education for teaching assistants is some college but no degree, according to the BLS.
A four-year college degree is usually not required to start, which makes this one of the jobs you can enter without a bachelor's degree. See more high paying jobs without a degree .
Education, training, and experience data: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Employment Projections program.
What affects how much a teaching assistant earns
District budget, level taught, degree, and region drive pay, along with years of service on a step-and-lane salary schedule. High cost metros and senior educators land near the top.
Location is one of the clearest factors. The gap between the top paying state (Washington, $49,120) and the lowest (Alabama, $24,070) shows how much geography alone can move the number, before experience or specialization.
About 1,420,350 people work as teaching assistants in the United States. At $36,780 a year, the job pays below the $50,980 median for all U.S. jobs.
Teaching assistant salary FAQ
How much does a teaching assistant make an hour?
Teaching assistants are generally salaried rather than paid by the hour, so the BLS does not publish an hourly wage for this job. The median annual salary is $36,780.
What is the highest teaching assistant salary?
The highest paid 10 percent of teaching assistants earn more than $50,040 per year. Top earners usually have the most experience and work in the best paying regions and industries.
How much does a teaching assistant make a year?
The median annual salary for a teaching assistant is $36,780. The average (mean) wage of $38,290 runs a bit higher than the median, which is normal for jobs where a group of top earners pulls the average up.
Is being a teaching assistant a well paid job?
At $36,780 a year, a teaching assistant earns below the $50,980 median for all U.S. jobs. About 1,420,350 people work as teaching assistants in the United States.
Which state pays teaching assistants the most?
Washington has the highest median salary for teaching assistants at $49,120 a year. District of Columbia ($46,920) and Maine ($46,750) follow. State medians come from the BLS OEWS state files, May 2025.
Is being a teaching assistant a good career?
Employment of teaching assistants is projected to shrink 0.3% from 2025 to 2035, a decline, against 3.5% average growth for all occupations. The BLS projects about 176,200 openings each year, from growth and from workers leaving the occupation.
Do you need a degree to become a teaching assistant?
No. The BLS lists the typical entry-level education for teaching assistants as some college but no degree, so a four-year degree is usually not required to start.
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