Teaching Assistants, Postsecondary: Salary, Job Outlook & How to Become One (2026 Parent Guide)

Teaching Assistants, Postsecondary fall under the Education, Training, and Library category in the U.S. occupational classification. Teaching Assistants, Postsecondary earn a median salary of $42,910 per year, ranking in the top 84% of all U.S. occupations. The Bureau of Labor Statistics projects +2.7% job growth through 2035, projected to grow slower than the US average. Entry into this field typically requires a bachelor's degree, with specific licensing or certification depending on the state and employer. For parents whose teenager is exploring this path, the most actionable step is mapping the education requirements to specific colleges and majors before junior year — not waiting until application season.

What do teaching assistants, postsecondary earn?

The median annual wage for teaching assistants, postsecondary is $42,910. That puts teaching assistants, postsecondary at #691 on the BLS ranked list of all U.S. occupations by median pay. This salary is around or below the U.S. median for individual workers, so career growth often depends on advancement into supervisory roles, specialization, or additional credentials. Actual pay varies meaningfully by state, employer type, and years of experience — entry-level salaries are typically 30–40% below the median, while top-decile earners often exceed it by 50% or more.

Is teaching assistants, postsecondary a growing career?

The 10-year outlook for teaching assistants, postsecondary is +2.7%, projected to grow slower than the US average. Employment is projected to move from approximately 205K positions in 2024 to 211K in 2034, a net change of 6K. Flat growth typically reflects a mature, stable field. Most openings will come from retirements rather than new positions, which can favor candidates with strong networks and willingness to relocate.

What do teaching assistants, postsecondary do every day?

According to O*NET task surveys of working teaching assistants, postsecondary, these are the core responsibilities most professionals perform. This is what your teen would actually be doing in this role.

1. 1.Tutor or mentor students who need additional instruction.
2. 2.Inform students of the procedures for completing and submitting class work, such as lab reports.
3. 3.Notify instructors of errors or problems with assignments.
4. 4.Develop teaching materials, such as syllabi, visual aids, answer keys, supplementary notes, or course Web sites.
5. 5.Lead discussion sections, tutorials, or laboratory sections.
6. 6.Return assignments to students in accordance with established deadlines.
7. 7.Prepare or proctor examinations.
8. 8.Teach undergraduate-level courses.

Top skills for teaching assistants, postsecondary

O*NET ranks these as the most important skills for this occupation, on a 1–5 importance scale derived from worker surveys.

What education does my child need to become teaching assistants, postsecondary?

The standard path into teaching assistants, postsecondary begins with a bachelor's degree in a related field, followed by entry-level experience or internships during college. For parents helping a teen prepare, the highest-leverage step before junior year is identifying colleges and programs that feed reliably into this occupation — Solyo's college search lets parents filter by major and admissions data side by side.

Related careers your child might also consider

• Substitute Teachers, Short-Term
  $41,670 median
• Preschool Teachers, Except Special Education
  $38,140 median
• Law Teachers, Postsecondary
  $128,500 median
• Economics Teachers, Postsecondary
  $123,920 median
• Engineering Teachers, Postsecondary
  $109,270 median
• Health Specialties Teachers, Postsecondary
  $107,310 median

Common questions parents ask about teaching assistants, postsecondary