Loading
Assembling your view…
Crunching costs, sorting signals, rendering insights.
Crunching costs, sorting signals, rendering insights.
Real salary distribution from 288 tracked cities across 46 states. Compare entry-level, median, and senior compensation — then adjust for cost of living.
Every Teaching Assistant has a salary range. Few people know how wide it actually is. The national median salary for Teaching Assistants in 2026 is $37,131, with entry-level positions averaging $24,135 and senior roles reaching $52,726. But those numbers flatten a reality with enormous geographic variation — Sunnyvale pays a median of $67,840, while other markets fall well below the national average. We tracked 288 cities to build the complete picture.
A career as a Teaching Assistant sits at the intersection of Education and Education. Most professionals enter with High school diploma, and the field is characterized by steady. The work itself is school-based. Understanding that context matters: it explains why certain markets pay premiums and others lag.
$41,280 separates the highest and lowest-paying cities. A Teaching Assistant in Sunnyvale, California earns a median of $67,840 — $41,280 more than their counterpart in Toledo, Ohio ($26,560). That gap alone is more than many cities' annual rent. In the right market, this is a six-figure career path.
Breaking down the numbers: entry-level Teaching Assistants average $24,135, the median sits at $37,131, and senior earners pull in $52,726. That $28,591 gap represents the full earning trajectory of this career. The median is $43,236 below the national median household income of $80,367 — which tells you location and cost of living are critical factors in making this salary work.
The pay gap between the top and bottom markets is dramatic: $63,360 (average of the top 3 cities) versus $26,773 (average of the bottom 3). That $36,587 delta is real money — $3,049/month before taxes. But the highest-paying cities tend to be the most expensive. The cost-adjusted comparison below tells the more important story.
A Teaching Assistant in Sunnyvale, California earns a median of $67,840 — $41,280 more than their counterpart in Toledo, Ohio ($26,560). That gap alone is more than many cities' annual rent.
The 10th-percentile (entry-level) Teaching Assistant salary averages $24,135 nationally. That's below the typical median household income, which means early-career earnings depend heavily on location and cost of living.
| Country | Coverage | Entry (P10) | Median | Senior (P90) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| United States | 288 | $24,135 | $37,131 | $52,726 |
| United Kingdom | 27 | £13,865 | £19,257 | £27,345 |
| Canada | 21 | CA$25,785 | CA$35,812 | CA$50,853 |
| Australia | 13 | A$30,576 | A$42,467 | A$60,303 |
| Sweden | 24 | 165,102 kr | 229,309 kr | 325,618 kr |
| State | Cities | Entry (P10) | Median | Senior (P90) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| California | 61 | $29,219 | $44,952 | $63,832 |
| Massachusetts | 4 | $28,236 | $43,440 | $61,685 |
| Hawaii | 1 | $28,080 | $43,200 | $61,344 |
| District of Columbia | 1 | $26,000 | $40,000 | $56,800 |
| New Jersey | 4 | $25,688 | $39,520 | $56,118 |
| Washington | 8 | $25,194 | $38,760 | $55,039 |
| New York | 5 | $23,712 | $36,480 | $51,801 |
| Rhode Island | 1 | $23,712 | $36,480 | $51,802 |
| Florida | 22 | $23,532 | $36,204 | $51,409 |
| Colorado | 11 | $23,126 | $35,578 | $50,521 |
| New Hampshire | 1 | $23,088 | $35,520 | $50,438 |
| Nevada | 5 | $23,046 | $35,456 | $50,347 |
| Arizona | 12 | $22,932 | $35,280 | $50,098 |
| Oregon | 5 | $22,880 | $35,200 | $49,984 |
| Idaho | 3 | $22,811 | $35,093 | $49,833 |
| Connecticut | 5 | $22,630 | $34,816 | $49,439 |
| Utah | 4 | $22,568 | $34,720 | $49,302 |
| Virginia | 7 | $22,197 | $34,149 | $48,491 |
| South Carolina | 3 | $21,909 | $33,707 | $47,863 |
| Alaska | 1 | $21,840 | $33,600 | $47,712 |
| Illinois | 5 | $21,590 | $33,216 | $47,167 |
| North Carolina | 9 | $21,054 | $32,391 | $45,995 |
| New Mexico | 3 | $20,800 | $32,000 | $45,440 |
| Montana | 1 | $20,800 | $32,000 | $45,440 |
| Tennessee | 6 | $20,731 | $31,893 | $45,288 |
| Texas | 40 | $20,628 | $31,736 | $45,065 |
| Minnesota | 2 | $20,592 | $31,680 | $44,986 |
| Wisconsin | 2 | $20,488 | $31,520 | $44,759 |
| Georgia | 6 | $20,419 | $31,413 | $44,607 |
| Pennsylvania | 3 | $20,384 | $31,360 | $44,531 |
| Kansas | 4 | $20,280 | $31,200 | $44,304 |
| Michigan | 6 | $20,211 | $31,093 | $44,153 |
| Kentucky | 2 | $19,968 | $30,720 | $43,623 |
| Maryland | 1 | $19,968 | $30,720 | $43,622 |
| Nebraska | 2 | $19,760 | $30,400 | $43,168 |
| South Dakota | 1 | $19,760 | $30,400 | $43,168 |
| Oklahoma | 4 | $19,240 | $29,600 | $42,032 |
| North Dakota | 1 | $19,136 | $29,440 | $41,805 |
| Louisiana | 4 | $18,876 | $29,040 | $41,237 |
| Missouri | 4 | $18,876 | $29,040 | $41,237 |
| Alabama | 5 | $18,803 | $28,928 | $41,078 |
| Indiana | 3 | $18,512 | $28,480 | $40,442 |
| Arkansas | 1 | $18,512 | $28,480 | $40,442 |
| Iowa | 2 | $18,304 | $28,160 | $39,987 |
| Ohio | 6 | $18,269 | $28,107 | $39,912 |
| Mississippi | 1 | $17,472 | $26,880 | $38,170 |
Geography shapes Teaching Assistant pay in predictable and not-so-predictable ways. California tops the state leaderboard at $44,952 median, with 61 cities providing data. Massachusetts and Hawaii follow. On the flip side, Mississippi and Ohio anchor the bottom — reflecting lower local cost structures and smaller metro premiums.
When you adjust the top-paying cities for cost of living, the ranking reshuffles. Sunnyvale ($67,840 nominal, 212 cost index) delivers $32,000 in purchasing power — maintaining its lead even after cost adjustment. This is the metric that matters for anyone considering a geo-based career move.
Raw salary divided by the local cost index — this shows where your paycheck buys the most.
| # | City | Nominal Salary | Cost Index | Adjusted Salary | Est. Take-Home |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Sunnyvale California | $67,840 | 212 | $32,000 | $43,650 |
| 2 | Santa Clara California | $63,360 | 198 | $32,000 | $41,094 |
| 3 | Irvine California | $58,880 | 184 | $32,000 | $38,538 |
| 4 | San Francisco California | $57,920 | 181 | $32,000 | $37,990 |
| 5 | Carlsbad California | $56,960 | 178 | $32,000 | $37,443 |
| 6 | San Jose California | $56,640 | 177 | $32,000 | $37,260 |
| 7 | Fremont California | $56,640 | 177 | $32,000 | $37,260 |
| 8 | Berkeley California | $55,360 | 173 | $32,000 | $36,530 |
| 9 | Costa Mesa California | $55,360 | 173 | $32,000 | $36,530 |
| 10 | Huntington Beach California | $54,080 | 169 | $32,000 | $35,800 |
From a career planning perspective, Teaching Assistant offers a $28,591 earning range. The 2.2× multiplier from entry to senior makes this a field where longevity pays off. The typical entry requires High school diploma. Day-to-day, expect school-based work environments. With data from 288 cities, the geographic flexibility is substantial — this career travels well.
The weighted national median salary for Teaching Assistants is $37,131 in 2026, based on BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics across 288 U.S. metro areas. Entry-level (10th percentile) averages $24,135, while experienced professionals at the 90th percentile average $52,726.
The highest-paying city for Teaching Assistants is Sunnyvale, California with a median salary of $67,840. The top 3 cities are Sunnyvale ($67,840), Santa Clara ($63,360), Irvine ($58,880). Note: high-paying cities often have higher costs of living — check the cost-adjusted rankings above for purchasing power.
The lowest median Teaching Assistant salary in our data is in Toledo, Ohio at $26,560. However, lower-paying cities often have significantly lower costs of living, which can offset the pay gap. Always compare salary data alongside local cost of living.
Entry-level Teaching Assistants (10th percentile) average $24,135 nationally. This varies by city — in the highest-paying markets, entry-level pay can be close to $44,096. Experience, certifications, and employer type all influence starting salary.
At the 90th percentile (senior level), Teaching Assistants average $52,726 nationally — $28,591 more than entry-level. In top-paying cities, senior Teaching Assistants can earn up to $96,333.
The top-paying states for Teaching Assistants are California ($44,952 median), Massachusetts ($43,440 median), Hawaii ($43,200 median). State averages are computed across all tracked cities in each state, weighted equally.
The typical education path for a Teaching Assistant involves High school diploma. The field is in the Education sector (Education), and the career outlook is steady. Work style is typically school-based.
With a national median of $37,131 and representation across 288 metro areas, Teaching Assistant offers a foundation that can be strengthened by strategic location choices. The $28,591 gap between entry and senior pay shows room for salary growth. Industry outlook: steady.
All salary data on this page is sourced from the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) program, which surveys employers across U.S. metropolitan areas. We present 10th percentile (entry), 50th percentile (median), and 90th percentile (senior) pay benchmarks. Cost-of-living adjustments use our core database of 288 cities.
Salary data is sourced from the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) program, which surveys employers across U.S. metropolitan and non-metropolitan areas. We present the 10th percentile (entry-level), 50th percentile (median), and 90th percentile (senior) pay benchmarks.
Cost-of-living adjustments use Livably's core index derived from Zillow rent data, Census income surveys, and regional BLS price data. Take-home pay estimates apply simplified federal brackets, 7.65% FICA, and state income tax rates from the Tax Foundation.
State and national averages are computed as simple means across all tracked cities with data for this occupation. Rankings are updated monthly as new BLS releases become available.