Teaching Assistants, Postsecondary Salary
In Tennessee, teaching assistants, postsecondaries earn $36,950 at the median. The range runs from $23K at the entry level to $45K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 89.78), which stretches that salary to about $41,156 in buying power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,215/month, about 45.7% of take-home, which is tight.
Statewide average. Salary and cost of living vary significantly across Tennessee. Jump to a metro for precise data:
So what does $37K get you in Tennessee?
About teaching assistants, postsecondaries
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What this looks like in Tennessee
Pay for teaching assistants, postsecondary in Tennessee runs about 14% below the U.S. median of $43K. The catch: housing math doesn't keep up. A 2-bedroom at the HUD median rents for $1,215/month, which is 46% of the median worker's take-home, past the 30% guideline most planners use. Regional Price Parity sits at 89.78 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 10% 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.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Tennessee
Entry-level teaching assistants, postsecondaries (10th percentile) start around $23K. Mid-career wages sit at $37K. Top earners bring in $45K or more, a $23K spread from bottom to top.
Teaching Assistants, Postsecondary salary by metro in Tennessee
1 metro area with BLS data, ranked by median pay
| Metro area | Median salary | vs. state | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chattanooga | $27K | -26% | 70 |
Compare to other states
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Frequently asked questions
Can a teaching assistants, postsecondary afford a 2BR apartment alone in Tennessee?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $37K, rent takes 46% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,215/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 Tennessee?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new teaching assistants, postsecondaries typically earn — is $23K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $1,355/month. At HUD’s $1,215/month FMR, rent would take 90% 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 Tennessee?
Local pay runs 14% below the national median — $37K here vs. $43K nationally. Cost of living is 10% below the national average, which narrows that gap in real purchasing power.
How does Tennessee compare to the national average for teaching assistants, postsecondaries?
Tennessee pays $37K median vs. the U.S. average of $43K — that’s -14%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 89.78), the purchasing-power equivalent is $41K — below the national median.
How much do teaching assistants, postsecondaries make in Tennessee?
The median is $36,950 a year. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $22,580, and experienced teaching assistants, postsecondaries can clear $45,270. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $37K enough to live in Tennessee?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $2,644/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,215/month, which eats 46% 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 Tennessee?
Tennessee has a Regional Price Parity of 89.78 (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 $41,156 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.