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Teaching Assistants Job Overview

Teaching assistants offer support services to classroom teachers. They provide clerical and instructional help. Teaching assistants also assist students learn the class material with the help of lesson plans. They are also in charge of supervising the activities of students in the cafeteria and during field trips.

Teaching Assistants Schools and Degrees

Requirements for the training of teaching assistants differ from state to state. Most states require a high school diploma, while some prefer college training. According to the federal requirements, it is important for teaching assistants to have two years of college education or pass a local or state examination.

Job Requirements

Academic qualifications are necessary in order to become a teaching assistant. A number of colleges offer certificates or associate’s degree courses for teaching assistants. There are also several educational programs that provide additional training to existing teaching assistants.

Teaching assistants usually require on-the-job training. They should be familiar with the operation processes of audiovisual apparatus and be able to prepare instructional manuals. Adequate knowledge of computers is another essential criterion. Teaching assistants also need to maintain records and review lessons with students.

Teaching assistants should ideally enjoy being in the company of young people. Good communication skills and writing ability are a must for success in this profession. Knowledge of one or more foreign languages can be an added advantage for those wishing to become teaching assistants.

Nature of Work

Teaching assistants perform clerical jobs, such as looking after non-academic settings. They attend to children in the playground and the lunchroom. Many teaching assistants, however, have job responsibilities which are a blend of both clerical and instructional functions. They work as instructional aides under the guidance of teachers. Sometimes, they work with the students individually, and at other times in groups. Some teaching assistants work in laboratories and help students use software related to education. They also take responsibility of particular projects and set up equipment or exhibits. Teaching assistants may also be required to check homework and grade papers.

Teaching assistants work in many different settings. They might be employed in preschool, community centers or child care centers. Junior, middle, and high schools also employ teaching assistants. However, their work is not always confined to the classroom. They might also be required to accompany students on field trips. Many teaching assistants work part-time, and even those in full-time jobs rarely have to work for more than forty hours a week.

Teaching Assistants Jobs and Outlook

In 2006, teaching assistants held about 1.3 million jobs in the US. Employment in this sector is expected to grow by ten percent in the next ten years. Industries offering the highest levels of employment to teaching assistants are:

• Grant-making and Giving Services
• Junior Colleges
• Professional Schools
• Scientific Research and Development Services
• Technical and Trade Schools

The average annual earnings of teaching assistants is about $20,740.

Job Numbers and Growth

Nationally, there are 1,312,000 teaching assistants. The occupation is characterized by a low joblessness level. The unemployment rate for employees was 4% in 2008.

Area Job Conditions

Looking at employees per capita, Hinesville (Georgia), Hanford (California), and El Centro (California) rise to the top of the list. West Palm Beach (Florida), Reno (Nevada), and Las Vegas (Nevada) have the fewest per capita.

The highest salaries for teaching assistants are in and around Dover (Delaware), Anchorage (Alaska), and Santa Ana (California). The lowest-paying areas are Victoria (Texas), Lubbock (Texas), and Alexandria (Louisiana).

Training and Education

Successful workers find it useful to have short-term on-the-job training. According to recent surveys, 18% of employees had received a degree. Teaching assistants with some schooling beyond high school, but not a college degree, total about 45%. A high school degree was all that was needed for 37% of workers. Recommended schools are shown in the column to the right; request information from them to help you decide which if any could help you with this career.

Part-Time Work and Self-Employment

Teaching assistants working less than full time, whether by design or chance, were 38% of the total.

Teaching Assistants by Metropolitan Area (city and its surroundings)

In the table below, a Job Density near 0% means the area has an average number of people in this occupation, for its population. A higher or lower Job Density (e.g., +22% or -45%) tells you there are that many more or fewer workers of that type there than in the average US metro area. So, the higher the number, the more common the occupation.

Alabama

City and Area	Median Salary	Employees	Job Density
Anniston	$21,000	170	-52%
Auburn	$21,000	360	+5%
Birmingham	$20,000	1,850	-58%
Decatur	$19,000	310	-26%
Dothan	$19,000	330	-29%
Florence	$19,000	320	-22%
Gadsden	$18,000	120	-54%
Huntsville	$21,000	1,010	-44%
Mobile	$20,000	900	-40%
Montgomery	$19,000	940	-33%
Tuscaloosa	$18,000	550	-26%

Alaska

City and Area	Median Salary	Employees	Job Density
Anchorage	$39,000	1,730	+21%

Arizona

City and Area	Median Salary	Employees	Job Density
Flagstaff	$22,000	590	+33%
Kingman	$23,000	480	+31%
Phoenix	$24,000	12,740	-19%
Prescott	$22,000	680	+60%
Tucson	$24,000	3,520	+17%
Yuma	$21,000	610	+39%

Arkansas

City and Area	Median Salary	Employees	Job Density
Fayetteville	$19,000	1,420	-19%
Fort Smith	$19,000	960	-7%
Hot Springs	$17,000	190	-30%
Little Rock	$20,000	1,960	-36%
Pine Bluff	$20,000	380	+69%

California

City and Area	Median Salary	Employees	Job Density
Bakersfield	$26,000	4,410	+94%
Chico	$26,000	1,000	+78%
El Centro	$26,000	1,090	+180%
Fresno	$28,000	4,470	+59%
Hanford	$29,000	930	+264%
Los Angeles	$31,000	48,250	+33%
Madera	$28,000	480	+101%
Merced	$31,000	1,380	+208%
Modesto	$30,000	2,310	+75%
Napa	$32,000	480	-4%
Oakland	$32,000	9,750	+9%
Oxnard	$31,000	2,580	-1%
Redding	$23,000	1,640	+244%
Riverside	$28,000	14,820	+38%
Sacramento	$30,000	8,550	+10%
Salinas	$29,000	1,380	+1%
San Diego	$27,000	12,330	+5%
San Francisco	$33,000	7,220	-19%
San Jose	$32,000	7,370	-8%
San Luis Obispo	$27,000	920	+20%
Santa Ana	$34,000	11,760	-10%
Santa Barbara	$33,000	1,660	+16%
Santa Cruz	$31,000	1,060	+48%
Santa Rosa	$26,000	2,000	+34%
Stockton	$30,000	1,810	0%
Vallejo	$29,000	1,080	+7%
Visalia	$28,000	2,610	+129%
Yuba City	$28,000	630	+117%

Colorado

City and Area	Median Salary	Employees	Job Density
Boulder	$28,000	1,470	+12%
Colorado Springs	$24,000	2,290	+4%
Denver	$28,000	8,190	-27%
Fort Collins	$25,000	1,010	-5%
Grand Junction	$25,000	670	+49%
Greeley	$23,000	830	+42%
Pueblo	$28,000	370	-18%

Connecticut

City and Area	Median Salary	Employees	Job Density
Bridgeport	$29,000	5,840	+55%
Danbury	$25,000	810	+48%
Hartford	$30,000	7,990	+56%
New Haven	$31,000	4,870	+104%
Norwich	$28,000	2,210	+114%
Waterbury	$27,000	1,180	+117%

Delaware

City and Area	Median Salary	Employees	Job Density
Dover	$31,000	370	-8%
Wilmington	$26,000	2,050	-28%

District of Columbia

City and Area	Median Salary	Employees	Job Density
Washington	$30,000	16,390	-25%

Florida

City and Area	Median Salary	Employees	Job Density
Deltona		810	-38%
Fort Lauderdale	$21,000	2,240	-64%
Fort Walton Beach	$26,000	440	-29%
Gainesville	$21,000	1,150	+13%
Jacksonville	$23,000	3,010	-44%
Lakeland	$19,000	2,030	+25%
Miami	$23,000	4,100	-53%
Orlando	$22,000	6,030	-34%
Palm Bay	$23,000	1,250	-27%
Port St Lucie	$23,000	790	-21%
Sarasota	$22,000	1,300	-39%
Sebastian	$25,000	330	-10%
Tallahassee	$26,000	1,270	-8%
Tampa	$22,000	7,170	-30%
West Palm Beach	$24,000	1,590	-65%

Georgia

City and Area	Median Salary	Employees	Job Density
Albany	$20,000	670	+36%
Athens	$19,000	970	+69%
Atlanta	$21,000	19,360	-7%
Augusta	$19,000	2,620	+47%
Brunswick	$19,000	420	+34%
Columbus	$19,000	1,110	+20%
Dalton	$18,000	470	-14%
Gainesville	$19,000	490	-13%
Hinesville	$21,000	200	+117%
Macon	$18,000	970	+30%
Rome	$18,000	380	+44%
Savannah	$23,000	1,440	+13%
Valdosta	$18,000	640	+65%
Warner Robins	$17,000	460	+9%

Hawaii

City and Area	Median Salary	Employees	Job Density
Honolulu	$25,000	4,220	+8%

Idaho

City and Area	Median Salary	Employees	Job Density
Boise	$20,000	2,000	-12%
Coeur Dalene	$22,000	300	-24%
Idaho Falls	$20,000	630	+74%
Lewiston	$25,000	310	+86%
Pocatello	$18,000	220	-2%

Illinois

City and Area	Median Salary	Employees	Job Density
Bloomington	$22,000	840	+48%
Champaign	$21,000	600	-29%
Chicago	$24,000	22,380	-34%
Danville	$21,000	350	+75%
Decatur		370	+5%
Kankakee	$21,000	260	-17%
Peoria	$21,000	1,130	-23%
Rockford	$21,000	920	-23%
Springfield	$28,000	950	+6%

Indiana

City and Area	Median Salary	Employees	Job Density
Anderson	$23,000	420	+46%
Bloomington	$20,000	580	+3%
Columbus	$21,000	350	+21%
Elkhart	$25,000	820	-9%
Evansville	$21,000	1,050	-29%
Fort Wayne	$23,000	1,990	+13%
Gary	$22,000	3,330	+41%
Indianapolis	$23,000	5,860	-27%
Kokomo	$20,000	460	+56%
Lafayette	$21,000	860	+40%
Michigan City	$21,000	560	+78%
Muncie	$20,000	400	+13%
South Bend	$22,000	1,640	+50%
Terre Haute	$21,000	640	+17%

Iowa

City and Area	Median Salary	Employees	Job Density
Ames	$20,000	310	+10%
Cedar Rapids	$26,000	1,550	+31%
Davenport	$20,000	1,500	-7%
Des Moines	$21,000	2,840	-2%
Dubuque	$24,000	940	+124%
Iowa City	$21,000	660	+16%
Sioux City	$21,000	630	+7%
Waterloo	$18,000	980	+39%

Kansas

City and Area	Median Salary	Employees	Job Density
Lawrence	$23,000	730	+119%
Manhattan	$19,000	760	+86%
Topeka	$21,000	1,660	+80%
Wichita	$25,000	3,430	+36%

Kentucky

City and Area	Median Salary	Employees	Job Density
Bowling Green	$21,000	670	+52%
Elizabethtown	$24,000	560	+64%
Lexington	$26,000	2,070	-1%
Louisville	$28,000	4,880	-10%
Owensboro	$25,000	540	+47%

Louisiana

City and Area	Median Salary	Employees	Job Density
Alexandria	$17,000	680	+32%
Baton Rouge	$19,000	2,660	-19%
Houma	$18,000	730	-7%
Lafayette	$19,000	880	-28%
Lake Charles	$17,000	980	+35%
Monroe	$17,000	650	+5%
New Orleans	$22,000	3,640	-23%
Shreveport	$18,000	1,690	+9%

Maine

City and Area	Median Salary	Employees	Job Density
Bangor	$29,000	750	+54%
Lewiston	$28,000	720	+83%
Portland	$31,000	2,160	+24%

Maryland

City and Area	Median Salary	Employees	Job Density
Baltimore	$28,000	10,650	-9%
Bethesda	$32,000	4,390	-15%
Hagerstown	$26,000	780	-3%
Salisbury	$22,000	660	+57%

Massachusetts

City and Area	Median Salary	Employees	Job Density
Barnstable Town	$28,000	1,120	+36%
Boston	$29,000	16,460	+5%
Brockton	$27,000	870	+17%
Framingham	$32,000	1,290	-8%
Haverhill	$28,000	1,470	+119%
Lawrence	$27,000	780	+64%
Leominster	$25,000	780	+102%
Lowell	$24,000	1,190	+18%
New Bedford	$29,000	850	+64%
Peabody	$27,000	1,240	+46%
Pittsfield	$23,000	520	+115%
Springfield	$26,000	4,230	+62%
Taunton	$23,000	700	+102%
Worcester	$26,000	3,070	+40%

Michigan

City and Area	Median Salary	Employees	Job Density
Ann Arbor	$26,000	2,430	+69%
Battle Creek	$24,000	530	+31%
Bay City	$23,000	320	+32%
Detroit	$27,000	6,870	+15%
Flint	$27,000	1,590	+44%
Grand Rapids	$27,000	3,960	+19%
Holland	$27,000	1,060	+33%
Jackson	$25,000	620	+63%
Kalamazoo	$22,000	1,300	+13%
Lansing	$24,000	2,020	+18%
Monroe	$24,000	630	+128%
Muskegon	$26,000	570	+29%
Niles	$28,000	590	+28%
Saginaw	$23,000	720	+7%
Warren	$27,000	7,290	-25%

Minnesota

City and Area	Median Salary	Employees	Job Density
Duluth	$25,000	1,500	+37%
Mankato	$23,000	570	+28%
Minneapolis	$30,000	18,010	+13%
Rochester	$25,000	1,220	+43%
St Cloud	$27,000	1,250	+58%

Mississippi

City and Area	Median Salary	Employees	Job Density
Gulfport	$19,000	820	-9%
Hattiesburg	$18,000	530	+17%
Jackson	$18,000	2,050	-7%
Pascagoula	$18,000	860	+140%

Missouri

City and Area	Median Salary	Employees	Job Density
Cape Girardeau	$21,000	220	-36%
Columbia	$21,000	480	-27%
Jefferson City	$22,000	360	-40%
Joplin	$18,000	540	-16%
Kansas City	$23,000	8,470	-7%
Springfield	$22,000	990	-40%
St Joseph	$20,000	330	-17%
St Louis	$25,000	8,720	-27%

Montana

City and Area	Median Salary	Employees	Job Density
Billings	$19,000	450	-35%
Great Falls	$19,000	180	-35%
Missoula	$24,000	310	-25%

Nebraska

City and Area	Median Salary	Employees	Job Density
Lincoln	$25,000	1,210	-12%
Omaha	$21,000	5,280	+26%

Nevada

City and Area	Median Salary	Employees	Job Density
Las Vegas	$29,000	2,970	-61%
Reno	$27,000	750	-55%

New Hampshire

City and Area	Median Salary	Employees	Job Density
Manchester	$27,000	1,040	+20%
Nashua	$27,000	2,080	+79%
Portsmouth	$28,000	460	+1%
Rochester	$29,000	910	+115%

New Jersey

City and Area	Median Salary	Employees	Job Density
Atlantic City	$25,000	1,230	0%
Camden	$23,000	6,580	+41%
Edison	$26,000	10,930	+19%
Newark	$26,000	11,340	+27%
Ocean City	$23,000	430	+36%
Trenton	$28,000	2,090	+6%
Vineland	$23,000	1,160	+143%

New Mexico

City and Area	Median Salary	Employees	Job Density
Albuquerque	$18,000	4,700	+38%
Farmington	$19,000	820	+112%
Las Cruces	$23,000	1,170	+128%
Santa Fe	$22,000	730	+47%

New York

City and Area	Median Salary	Employees	Job Density
Albany	$25,000	5,710	+43%
Binghamton	$23,000	1,420	+50%
Buffalo	$25,000	7,400	+50%
Elmira	$19,000	560	+93%
Glens Falls	$22,000	910	+122%
Ithaca	$22,000	590	+88%
Kingston	$24,000	1,420	+195%
Nassau	$28,000	22,210	+96%
New York	$28,000	61,120	+31%
Poughkeepsie	$25,000	5,590	+159%
Rochester	$24,000	7,980	+77%
Syracuse	$25,000	4,800	+74%
Utica	$23,000	2,410	+129%

North Carolina

City and Area	Median Salary	Employees	Job Density
Asheville	$22,000	1,390	-9%
Burlington	$20,000	670	+49%
Charlotte	$22,000	6,570	-14%
Durham	$22,000	1,970	-19%
Fayetteville	$20,000	1,820	+70%
Goldsboro	$21,000	760	+145%
Greensboro	$21,000	2,670	-15%
Greenville	$23,000	810	+49%
Hickory	$21,000	1,470	+17%
Raleigh	$21,000	4,190	-9%
Rocky Mount	$21,000	780	+70%
Wilmington	$21,000	1,260	+9%
Winston Salem	$21,000	1,760	-4%

North Dakota

City and Area	Median Salary	Employees	Job Density
Bismarck	$28,000	610	+16%
Fargo	$25,000	1,070	+4%
Grand Forks	$25,000	650	+73%

Ohio

City and Area	Median Salary	Employees	Job Density
Akron	$26,000	2,380	-16%
Canton	$23,000	1,210	-15%
Cincinnati	$25,000	8,060	-11%
Cleveland	$28,000	6,310	-31%
Columbus	$28,000	5,970	-28%
Dayton	$26,000	3,510	+4%
Lima	$21,000	410	+0%
Mansfield	$24,000	380	-7%
Sandusky	$26,000	320	+22%
Springfield	$23,000	160	-57%
Steubenville	$19,000	380	+19%
Youngstown	$24,000	1,780	-10%

Oklahoma

City and Area	Median Salary	Employees	Job Density
Lawton	$18,000	490	+57%
Oklahoma City	$21,000	3,450	-33%
Tulsa	$24,000	3,300	-14%

Oregon

City and Area	Median Salary	Employees	Job Density
Bend	$29,000	540	+7%
Corvallis	$25,000	480	+143%
Eugene	$28,000	1,660	+39%
Medford	$25,000	890	+41%
Portland	$28,000	8,960	-2%
Salem	$31,000	2,410	+89%

Pennsylvania

City and Area	Median Salary	Employees	Job Density
Allentown	$24,000	3,220	+5%
Altoona	$20,000	590	+22%
Erie	$21,000	1,340	+23%
Harrisburg	$24,000	2,220	-21%
Johnstown	$22,000	380	-15%
Lancaster	$24,000	2,040	-1%
Lebanon	$22,000	380	+8%
Philadelphia	$26,000	17,220	+0%
Pittsburgh	$22,000	6,560	-36%
Reading	$23,000	2,030	+42%
Scranton	$22,000	2,180	-5%
State College	$38,000	1,090	+117%
Williamsport	$21,000	350	-14%
York	$25,000	1,310	-14%

Rhode Island

City and Area	Median Salary	Employees	Job Density
Providence	$28,000	5,730	+15%

South Carolina

City and Area	Median Salary	Employees	Job Density
Anderson	$20,000	450	+1%
Charleston	$23,000	1,630	-35%
Columbia	$20,000	2,960	-4%
Florence	$21,000	640	-1%
Greenville	$18,000	1,340	-49%
Spartanburg	$20,000	1,010	+4%
Sumter	$20,000	350	+43%

South Dakota

City and Area	Median Salary	Employees	Job Density
Rapid City	$24,000	630	+23%
Sioux Falls	$23,000	890	-25%

Tennessee

City and Area	Median Salary	Employees	Job Density
Chattanooga	$18,000	1,310	-34%
Clarksville	$24,000	800	+25%
Cleveland	$18,000	490	+90%
Jackson	$18,000	540	+16%
Johnson City	$19,000	1,130	+94%
Kingsport	$18,000	1,170	+14%
Knoxville	$19,000	2,680	-9%
Memphis	$20,000	4,240	-23%
Morristown	$18,000	800	+126%
Nashville	$22,000	4,790	-28%

Texas

City and Area	Median Salary	Employees	Job Density
Abilene	$20,000	600	+19%
Amarillo	$22,000	770	-14%
Austin	$24,000	5,390	-23%
Beaumont	$20,000	1,400	+1%
Brownsville	$19,000	2,070	+88%
College Station	$19,000	740	-3%
Corpus Christi	$23,000	1,530	0%
Dallas	$24,000	12,230	-35%
El Paso	$24,000	2,070	-13%
Fort Worth	$20,000	6,620	-14%
Houston	$22,000	17,160	-27%
Killeen	$19,000	1,980	+82%
Longview	$21,000	840	+6%
Lubbock	$17,000	1,110	+4%
Mcallen	$21,000	3,910	+96%
Odessa	$18,000	330	-26%
San Angelo	$20,000	440	+38%
San Antonio	$21,000	7,550	-3%
Sherman	$20,000	400	+26%
Texarkana	$19,000	470	+10%
Tyler	$18,000	670	-10%
Victoria	$20,000	400	+7%
Waco	$19,000	1,080	+30%
Wichita Falls	$18,000	660	+51%

Utah

City and Area	Median Salary	Employees	Job Density
Logan	$23,000	1,010	+174%
Ogden	$24,000	2,260	+31%
Provo	$25,000	1,280	-13%
St George	$23,000	490	+38%

Vermont

City and Area	Median Salary	Employees	Job Density
Burlington	$26,000	1,650	+76%

Virginia

City and Area	Median Salary	Employees	Job Density
Blacksburg	$23,000	550	+13%
Charlottesville	$23,000	1,030	+45%
Danville	$21,000	410	+58%
Harrisonburg	$18,000	370	-17%
Lynchburg	$18,000	860	+5%
Richmond	$22,000	4,310	-21%
Roanoke	$21,000	1,310	-2%
Virginia Beach	$23,000	7,140	+5%
Winchester	$25,000	460	+18%

Washington

City and Area	Median Salary	Employees	Job Density
Bellingham	$28,000	950	+59%
Bremerton	$30,000	1,190	+75%
Kennewick	$27,000	1,420	+71%
Longview	$29,000	510	+107%
Mount Vernon	$31,000	730	+114%
Olympia	$28,000	1,300	+58%
Seattle	$32,000	9,930	-21%
Spokane	$28,000	2,110	+19%
Tacoma	$30,000	3,530	+52%
Wenatchee	$28,000	620	+110%
Yakima	$28,000	1,580	+130%

West Virginia

City and Area	Median Salary	Employees	Job Density
Charleston	$23,000	520	-58%
Huntington	$21,000	840	-12%
Morgantown	$21,000	190	-55%
Parkersburg	$21,000	360	-34%
Wheeling	$21,000	380	-27%

Wisconsin

City and Area	Median Salary	Employees	Job Density
Appleton	$25,000	460	-52%
Eau Claire	$25,000	540	-10%
Fond	$25,000	380	+16%
Green Bay	$29,000	1,010	-30%
Janesville	$23,000	760	+50%
La Crosse	$24,000	620	+7%
Madison	$25,000	2,070	-31%
Milwaukee	$24,000	5,970	-20%
Oshkosh	$21,000	600	-17%
Racine	$23,000	370	-39%
Sheboygan	$26,000	490	+11%
Wausau	$24,000	520	-2%