Teaching Assistants, Except Postsecondary Salary
In Salem, OR, teaching assistants, except postsecondaries earn $38,950 at the median. The range runs from $32K at the entry level to $51K for experienced workers. Adjusted for local prices (RPP 103.65), that's roughly $37,578 in purchasing power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,560/month, about 58% of take-home, which is tight.
So what does $39K get you in Salem?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Salem’s Regional Price Parity (103.65). 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 Salem
Teaching assistants, except postsecondary pay in Salem tracks closely to the national median, $39K locally vs. $37K nationwide, a 6% difference. The catch: housing math doesn't keep up. A 2-bedroom at the HUD median rents for $1,560/month, which is 61.5% of the median worker's take-home, past the 30% guideline most planners use. Cost of living (RPP 103.65) is near the national average, so spending patterns here track the typical American budget fairly closely. Use the affordability calculator above to model your specific situation.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for teaching assistants, except postsecondaries in metros near Salem, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro | $45K | $43K |
| Eugene-Springfield | $40K | $40K |
| Medford | $39K | $38K |
| Bend | $44K | $42K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Salem, OR
Entry-level teaching assistants, except postsecondaries (10th percentile) start around $32K. Mid-career wages sit at $39K. Top earners bring in $51K or more, a $19K 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 Salem?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $39K, rent takes 61.5% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,560/month. The 30% guideline puts the comfortable ceiling at roughly $800/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 Salem?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new teaching assistants, except postsecondaries typically earn — is $32K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $1,906/month. At HUD’s $1,560/month FMR, rent would take 82% 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 Salem?
Pay here is roughly in line with the national average — $39K locally vs. $37K nationally, a 6% difference.
How does Salem compare to the national average for teaching assistants, except postsecondaries?
Salem pays $39K median vs. the U.S. average of $37K — that’s +6%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 103.65), the purchasing-power equivalent is $38K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do teaching assistants, except postsecondaries make in Salem, OR?
The median is $38,950 a year. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $31,760, and experienced teaching assistants, except postsecondaries can clear $50,590. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $39K enough to live in Salem?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $2,538/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,560/month, which eats 61.5% 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 Salem?
Salem has a Regional Price Parity of 103.65 (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 $37,578 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.