Teaching Assistants, Except Postsecondary Salary
In Tuscaloosa, AL, teaching assistants, except postsecondaries earn $21,690 at the median. The range runs from $21K at the entry level to $28K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 87.72), which stretches that salary to about $24,726 in buying power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,169/month, about 76.2% of take-home, which is tight.
So what does $22K get you in Tuscaloosa?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Tuscaloosa’s Regional Price Parity (87.72). 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 Tuscaloosa
Pay for teaching assistants, except postsecondary in Tuscaloosa runs about 41% below the U.S. median of $37K. The catch: housing math doesn't keep up. A 2-bedroom at the HUD median rents for $1,169/month, which is 76.1% of the median worker's take-home, past the 30% guideline most planners use. Regional Price Parity sits at 87.72 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 12% 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 Tuscaloosa, 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, Tuscaloosa, AL
Entry-level teaching assistants, except postsecondaries (10th percentile) start around $21K. Mid-career wages sit at $22K. Top earners bring in $28K or more, a $6K 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 Tuscaloosa?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $22K, rent takes 76.1% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,169/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 Tuscaloosa?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new teaching assistants, except postsecondaries typically earn — is $21K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $1,286/month. At HUD’s $1,169/month FMR, rent would take 91% 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 Tuscaloosa?
Local pay runs 41% below the national median — $22K here vs. $37K nationally. Cost of living is 12% below the national average, which narrows that gap in real purchasing power.
How does Tuscaloosa compare to the national average for teaching assistants, except postsecondaries?
Tuscaloosa pays $22K median vs. the U.S. average of $37K — that’s -41%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 87.72), the purchasing-power equivalent is $25K — below the national median.
How much do teaching assistants, except postsecondaries make in Tuscaloosa, AL?
The median is $21,690 a year. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $21,440, and experienced teaching assistants, except postsecondaries can clear $27,900. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $22K enough to live in Tuscaloosa?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $1,537/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,169/month, which eats 76.1% 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 Tuscaloosa?
Tuscaloosa has a Regional Price Parity of 87.72 (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 $24,726 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.