Teaching Assistants, Postsecondary Salary
In Columbia, SC, teaching assistants, postsecondaries earn $37,710 at the median. The range runs from $19K at the entry level to $82K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 93.66), which stretches that salary to about $40,263 in buying power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,276/month, about 49.6% of take-home, which is tight.
So what does $38K 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, postsecondaries
Sponsored links, AffordMap may earn a commission at no cost to you. Learn more
What this looks like in Columbia
Pay for teaching assistants, postsecondary in Columbia runs about 12% below the U.S. median of $43K. The catch: housing math doesn't keep up. A 2-bedroom at the HUD median rents for $1,276/month, which is 48.5% 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, postsecondarys.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for teaching assistants, postsecondaries in metros near Columbia, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Greenville-Anderson-Greer | $47K | $50K |
| Raleigh-Cary | $39K | $40K |
| Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell | $48K | $48K |
| Greensboro-High Point | $50K | $54K |
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, postsecondaries (10th percentile) start around $19K. Mid-career wages sit at $38K. Top earners bring in $82K or more, a $63K spread from bottom to top.
Teaching Assistants, Postsecondary pay across states
Median income ranked highest to lowest, compared to the national figure
View Teaching Assistants, Postsecondary salary in all states
| State | Median salary | vs. national | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Maryland | $58K | +36% | 5,030 |
| Massachusetts | $56K | +31% | 3,040 |
| Texas | $56K | +30% | 13,540 |
| New Jersey | $54K | +26% | 3,390 |
| Minnesota | $53K | +24% | 600 |
| Utah | $52K | +22% | 2,020 |
| Washington | $50K | +18% | 1,480 |
| North Carolina | $50K | +17% | 2,900 |
| North Dakota | $50K | +16% | 90 |
| Oklahoma | $50K | +16% | 1,680 |
| Virginia | $50K | +16% | 1,660 |
| Arizona | $50K | +16% | 7,200 |
| Kentucky | $50K | +16% | 990 |
| Oregon | $50K | +15% | 880 |
| Rhode Island | $49K | +15% | 50 |
| California | $49K | +15% | 19,120 |
| Georgia | $49K | +14% | 2,470 |
| Ohio | $49K | +14% | 2,210 |
| Vermont | $49K | +13% | 60 |
| New Mexico | $48K | +12% | 370 |
| Wisconsin | $48K | +12% | 4,210 |
| Maine | $47K | +10% | 90 |
| South Carolina | $47K | +9% | 2,730 |
| New York | $44K | +2% | 17,390 |
| District of Columbia | $43K | +1% | 130 |
| Kansas | $42K | -3% | 640 |
| South Dakota | $40K | -7% | 460 |
| Michigan | $40K | -7% | 18,440 |
| Nebraska | $40K | -8% | 730 |
| Iowa | $39K | -9% | 560 |
| Pennsylvania | $38K | -11% | 2,480 |
| Louisiana | $38K | -12% | 440 |
| Florida | $38K | -12% | 9,130 |
| Colorado | $37K | -13% | 530 |
| Idaho | $37K | -13% | 220 |
| Tennessee | $37K | -14% | 300 |
| Illinois | $36K | -16% | 12,340 |
| West Virginia | $36K | -16% | 40 |
| Alaska | $36K | -17% | 70 |
| Indiana | $35K | -19% | 1,940 |
| Montana | $30K | -30% | 380 |
| New Hampshire | $27K | -38% | 480 |
| Nevada | $25K | -42% | 540 |
| Arkansas | $23K | -46% | 2,600 |
| Alabama | $23K | -47% | N/A |
Showing 1–10 of 45 states with published data
BLS does not publish data for every state when sample sizes are too small
Track teaching assistants, postsecondary salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Columbia numbers change.
Related careers in Education
Frequently asked questions
Can a teaching assistants, postsecondary afford a 2BR apartment alone in Columbia?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $38K, rent takes 48.5% 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 $800/month in rent — so roommates or a 1-bedroom would ease the math significantly.
What’s the entry-level salary for teaching assistants, postsecondaries in Columbia?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new teaching assistants, postsecondaries typically earn — is $19K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $1,153/month. At HUD’s $1,276/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, postsecondary a high-paying job in Columbia?
Local pay runs 12% below the national median — $38K here vs. $43K 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, postsecondaries?
Columbia pays $38K median vs. the U.S. average of $43K — that’s -12%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 93.66), the purchasing-power equivalent is $40K — below the national median.
How much do teaching assistants, postsecondaries make in Columbia, SC?
The median is $37,710 a year. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $19,220, and experienced teaching assistants, postsecondaries can clear $82,490. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $38K enough to live in Columbia?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $2,629/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,276/month, which eats 48.5% 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, 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, postsecondary salary is worth about $40,263 in national-average purchasing power.
Where do teaching assistants, 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.