Teaching Assistants, Except Postsecondary Salary
In California, teaching assistants, except postsecondaries earn $46,490 at the median. The range runs from $37K at the entry level to $60K for experienced workers. Prices run high here (RPP 106.14), so that salary is closer to $43,801 in real purchasing power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $2,471/month, about 77% of take-home, which is tight.
Statewide average. Salary and cost of living vary significantly across California. Jump to a metro for precise data:
So what does $46K get you in California?
About teaching assistants, except postsecondaries
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What this looks like in California
California sits well above the national pay line for teaching assistants, except postsecondary, local pay runs about 26% higher than the U.S. median of $37K. The catch: housing math doesn't keep up. A 2-bedroom at the HUD median rents for $2,471/month, which is 77.4% of the median worker's take-home, past the 30% guideline most planners use. Cost-of-living overall is 6% above the national average (BEA RPP 106.14), so groceries and services cost more too. The pay premium is real, but so are the offsets.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, California
Entry-level teaching assistants, except postsecondaries (10th percentile) start around $37K. Mid-career wages sit at $46K. Top earners bring in $60K or more, a $22K spread from bottom to top.
Teaching Assistants, Except Postsecondary salary by metro in California
25 metro areas with BLS data, ranked by median pay
| Metro area | Median salary | vs. state | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont | $49K | +6% | 18,710 |
| San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara | $49K | +5% | 7,240 |
| Napa | $48K | +4% | 530 |
| Santa Rosa-Petaluma | $48K | +4% | 1,930 |
| Vallejo | $48K | +4% | 1,630 |
| Salinas | $48K | +3% | 2,290 |
| Modesto | $48K | +3% | 3,470 |
| Oxnard-Thousand Oaks-Ventura | $48K | +3% | 3,870 |
| Santa Cruz-Watsonville | $47K | +2% | 1,060 |
| Santa Maria-Santa Barbara | $47K | +0% | 2,360 |
| San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad | $46K | -0% | 13,260 |
| San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles | $46K | -0% | 1,270 |
| Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario | $46K | -0% | 22,500 |
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim | $46K | -1% | 53,010 |
| Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom | $46K | -1% | 11,110 |
| Yuba City | $46K | -1% | 1,220 |
| Hanford-Corcoran | $46K | -2% | 1,080 |
| Chico | $46K | -2% | 1,220 |
| Stockton-Lodi | $46K | -2% | 3,500 |
| Fresno | $45K | -2% | 6,530 |
| Visalia | $45K | -3% | 2,760 |
| Merced | $45K | -4% | 1,950 |
| Redding | $44K | -4% | 1,030 |
| El Centro | $44K | -5% | 1,110 |
| Bakersfield-Delano | $39K | -16% | 6,040 |
Showing 1–10 of 25 metros
Compare to other states
Track teaching assistants, except postsecondary salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when California numbers change.
Related careers in Education
Frequently asked questions
Can a teaching assistants, except postsecondary afford a 2BR apartment alone in California?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $46K, rent takes 77.4% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $2,471/month. The 30% guideline puts the comfortable ceiling at roughly $1,000/month in rent — so roommates or a 1-bedroom would ease the math significantly.
What’s the entry-level salary for teaching assistants, except postsecondaries in California?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new teaching assistants, except postsecondaries typically earn — is $37K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $2,234/month. At HUD’s $2,471/month FMR, rent would take 111% of that take-home — above the 30% guideline, so a 1-bedroom or shared housing is likely necessary starting out.
Is teaching assistants, except postsecondary a high-paying job in California?
Local pay is 26% above the national median — $46K here vs. $37K nationally. Keep in mind cost of living here is 6% above the national average, which offsets some of that premium.
How does California compare to the national average for teaching assistants, except postsecondaries?
California pays $46K median vs. the U.S. average of $37K — that’s +26%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 106.14), the purchasing-power equivalent is $44K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do teaching assistants, except postsecondaries make in California?
The median is $46,490 a year. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $37,240, and experienced teaching assistants, except postsecondaries can clear $59,520. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $46K enough to live in California?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $3,193/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $2,471/month, which eats 77.4% of your paycheck. That's above the 30% rule of thumb, housing will be a stretch at the median salary, though you can manage with roommates or a smaller place.
How far does a teaching assistants, except postsecondary salary go in California?
California has a Regional Price Parity of 106.14 (100 is the national average). Prices are above average here, so your dollar buys less than the same salary would in a cheaper metro. After cost-of-living adjustment, the median teaching assistants, except postsecondary salary is worth about $43,801 in national-average purchasing power.
Where do teaching assistants, except postsecondaries get paid the most?
The table above ranks every state by median pay for this role. Keep in mind that the highest-paying states tend to have the highest costs of living, so the top salary doesn't always mean the most money in your pocket.