How much does a college teaching aide make?
a year · about $21 an hour
A typical college teaching aide in the United States makes $42,910 a year, about $21 an hour, about the same as a typical US worker (median, May 2025, US Bureau of Labor Statistics).
What do they do?
They prepare class materials, lead a small discussion or lab, and help students understand the lesson. Later, they grade papers and hold office hours to answer students’ questions.
Did you know? In the U.S., a graduate student who teaches a whole college course is counted as a postsecondary teacher—not a teaching assistant.
Is that a lot?
Compared with jobs you knowIf 100 people had this job
Most earn between $28,600 and $76,420How do you become one?
In the U.S., earn a bachelor’s degree in your subject, then enroll in a graduate program and apply for a college TA position. Graduate TAs need to stay enrolled and have a bachelor’s degree in the field they support.
School needed: Graduate degree or long training
Good for people who like helping and teaching and keeping things organized
Why does pay differ?
In the U.S., pay differs by location and workplace: BLS figures show different earnings across states and types of schools. The size of a graduate assistantship appointment also matters, since universities set pay by appointment level.
Where does it pay most?
Highest in Maryland ($58,330), lowest in Arkansas ($23,140).
See every state
Top 5 and bottom 3 states, typical (median) yearly pay.
Jobs like this
Data table and sources
| Lower earner (10th from bottom) | Typical person (median) | Higher earner (10th from top) | People in this job |
|---|---|---|---|
| $28,600 | $42,910 | $76,420 | about 164,000 |
| State | Typical person (median) | People in this job |
|---|---|---|
| Maryland | $58,330 | about 5,000 |
| Massachusetts | $56,370 | about 3,000 |
| Texas | $55,670 | about 14,000 |
| New Jersey | $54,260 | about 3,000 |
| Minnesota | $53,380 | about 600 |
Official definition: 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.
Source: US Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS May 2025 (bls.gov); descriptions and related jobs from O*NET 31.0. Figures as of May 2025, full-time yearly pay (hourly × 2,080 hours). bls.gov/oes · O*NET OnLine
Pages used for the text
- www.bls.gov/oes/2023/may/oes259044.htm
- www.onetonline.org/link/summary/25-9044.00
- www.mynextmove.org/profile/summary/25-9044.00
- engineering.purdue.edu/Engr/AboutUs/Administration/BusinessOffice/graduate-stude
Data: US BLS OEWS, May 2025 · 1 USD = 150 JPY