Teaching Assistants, Except Postsecondary Salary
In Columbia, SC, teaching assistants, except postsecondaries earn $27,860 at the median. The range runs from $22K at the entry level to $46K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 93.66), which stretches that salary to about $29,746 in buying power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,276/month, about 64.8% of take-home, which is tight.
So what does $28K get you in Columbia?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Columbia’s Regional Price Parity (93.66). Rent from HUD Fair Market Rents. Taxes estimated for single filer, standard deduction. * Healthcare is the employee-paid share only (premiums + out-of-pocket). Actual costs vary by coverage type: employer-sponsored, ACA marketplace, or uninsured.
About teaching assistants, except postsecondaries
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What this looks like in Columbia
Pay for teaching assistants, except postsecondary in Columbia runs about 24% below the U.S. median of $37K. The catch: housing math doesn't keep up. A 2-bedroom at the HUD median rents for $1,276/month, which is 63.5% of the median worker's take-home, past the 30% guideline most planners use. Regional Price Parity sits at 93.66 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 6% cheaper here. Your dollar stretches further than the headline salary suggests. That combination, below-market pay with high housing costs, makes this a financially demanding market for teaching assistants, except postsecondarys.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for teaching assistants, except postsecondaries in metros near Columbia, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Charleston-North Charleston | $28K | $28K |
| Greenville-Anderson-Greer | $34K | $37K |
| Spartanburg | $28K | $30K |
| Myrtle Beach-Conway-North Myrtle Beach | $23K | $25K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Columbia, SC
Entry-level teaching assistants, except postsecondaries (10th percentile) start around $22K. Mid-career wages sit at $28K. Top earners bring in $46K or more, a $23K spread from bottom to top.
Teaching Assistants, Except Postsecondary pay across states
Median income ranked highest to lowest, compared to the national figure
View Teaching Assistants, Except Postsecondary salary in all states
| State | Median salary | vs. national | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Washington | $49K | +34% | 43,420 |
| District of Columbia | $47K | +28% | 3,950 |
| Maine | $47K | +27% | 8,700 |
| California | $46K | +26% | 177,140 |
| Vermont | $44K | +19% | 4,960 |
| Minnesota | $40K | +9% | 38,540 |
| Oregon | $40K | +8% | 23,030 |
| Massachusetts | $39K | +7% | 39,210 |
| Virginia | $39K | +5% | 31,370 |
| New Hampshire | $38K | +5% | 7,880 |
| New York | $38K | +4% | 137,820 |
| North Dakota | $38K | +4% | 5,600 |
| Connecticut | $38K | +4% | 19,740 |
| Delaware | $38K | +3% | 5,040 |
| Wisconsin | $38K | +3% | 26,520 |
| New Jersey | $37K | +1% | 55,580 |
| Rhode Island | $37K | +1% | 5,200 |
| Alaska | $37K | +1% | 3,810 |
| Maryland | $37K | +1% | 23,340 |
| Utah | $37K | +1% | 18,170 |
| Illinois | $37K | +1% | 64,210 |
| Hawaii | $37K | +0% | 5,470 |
| Missouri | $36K | -1% | 20,930 |
| Wyoming | $36K | -2% | 3,680 |
| Ohio | $36K | -2% | 47,300 |
| New Mexico | $36K | -2% | 8,970 |
| Arizona | $36K | -2% | 25,280 |
| Colorado | $36K | -3% | 21,910 |
| Idaho | $36K | -3% | 8,710 |
| Nebraska | $35K | -4% | 11,190 |
| Michigan | $35K | -5% | 39,030 |
| Montana | $35K | -6% | 3,930 |
| Pennsylvania | $35K | -6% | 48,310 |
| Florida | $34K | -6% | 54,530 |
| Indiana | $33K | -9% | 28,450 |
| Nevada | $32K | -13% | 7,100 |
| Iowa | $31K | -17% | 24,520 |
| Kentucky | $30K | -18% | 16,330 |
| Texas | $30K | -19% | 108,960 |
| West Virginia | $30K | -19% | 5,110 |
| North Carolina | $30K | -19% | 32,150 |
| Kansas | $29K | -20% | 20,000 |
| Tennessee | $29K | -21% | 23,280 |
| Arkansas | $29K | -22% | 11,270 |
| Georgia | $29K | -22% | 33,410 |
| South Dakota | $28K | -23% | 4,650 |
| Oklahoma | $28K | -24% | 13,860 |
| South Carolina | $28K | -24% | 14,410 |
| Louisiana | $27K | -26% | 14,530 |
| Mississippi | $26K | -30% | 9,750 |
| Alabama | $24K | -35% | 10,140 |
Showing 1–10 of 51 (all 50 states + DC)
Track teaching assistants, except postsecondary salary changes
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Related careers in Education
Frequently asked questions
Can a teaching assistants, except postsecondary afford a 2BR apartment alone in Columbia?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $28K, rent takes 63.5% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,276/month. The 30% guideline puts the comfortable ceiling at roughly $600/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 Columbia?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new teaching assistants, except postsecondaries typically earn — is $22K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $1,346/month. At HUD’s $1,276/month FMR, rent would take 95% 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 Columbia?
Local pay runs 24% below the national median — $28K here vs. $37K nationally. Cost of living is 6% below the national average, which narrows that gap in real purchasing power.
How does Columbia compare to the national average for teaching assistants, except postsecondaries?
Columbia pays $28K median vs. the U.S. average of $37K — that’s -24%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 93.66), the purchasing-power equivalent is $30K — below the national median.
How much do teaching assistants, except postsecondaries make in Columbia, SC?
The median is $27,860 a year. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $22,430, and experienced teaching assistants, except postsecondaries can clear $45,510. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $28K enough to live in Columbia?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $2,011/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,276/month, which eats 63.5% 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 Columbia?
Columbia has a Regional Price Parity of 93.66 (100 is the national average). That's below average, your money stretches further here than the raw salary number suggests. After cost-of-living adjustment, the median teaching assistants, except postsecondary salary is worth about $29,746 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.