Teaching Assistants, Except Postsecondary Salary
In Decatur, AL, teaching assistants, except postsecondaries earn $23,210 at the median. The range runs from $21K at the entry level to $30K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 87.21), which stretches that salary to about $26,614 in buying power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $961/month, about 58.6% of take-home, which is tight.
Where the paycheck goes
What $23K actually covers in Decatur, month by month
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Decatur’s Regional Price Parity (87.21). 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 Decatur
Pay for teaching assistants, except postsecondary in Decatur runs about 37% below the U.S. median of $37K. The catch: housing math doesn't keep up. A 2-bedroom at the HUD median rents for $961/month, which is 58.8% of the median worker's take-home, past the 30% guideline most planners use. Regional Price Parity sits at 87.21 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 13% 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 Decatur, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Birmingham | $27K | $30K |
| Huntsville | $26K | $28K |
| Mobile | $23K | $27K |
| Auburn-Opelika | $23K | $26K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Decatur, AL
Entry-level teaching assistants, except postsecondaries (10th percentile) start around $21K. Mid-career wages sit at $23K. Top earners bring in $30K or more, a $8K 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
Quick answers
The stuff people actually ask about this job
Can a teaching assistants, except postsecondary afford a 2BR apartment alone in Decatur?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $23K, rent takes 58.8% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $961/month. The 30% guideline puts the comfortable ceiling at roughly $500/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 Decatur?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new teaching assistants, except postsecondaries typically earn — is $21K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $1,523/month. At HUD’s $961/month FMR, rent would take 63% 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 Decatur?
Local pay runs 37% below the national median — $23K here vs. $37K nationally. Cost of living is 13% below the national average, which narrows that gap in real purchasing power.
How does Decatur compare to the national average for teaching assistants, except postsecondaries?
Decatur pays $23K median vs. the U.S. average of $37K — that’s -37%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 87.21), the purchasing-power equivalent is $27K — below the national median.
How much do teaching assistants, except postsecondaries make in Decatur, AL?
The median is $23,210 a year. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $21,480, and experienced teaching assistants, except postsecondaries can clear $29,770. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $23K enough to live in Decatur?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $1,635/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $961/month, which eats 58.8% 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 Decatur?
Decatur has a Regional Price Parity of 87.21 (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 $26,614 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.