Teaching Assistants, Postsecondary Salary
In Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV, teaching assistants, postsecondaries earn $58,330 at the median. The range runs from $53K at the entry level to $76K for experienced workers. Prices run high here (RPP 108.88), so that salary is closer to $53,573 in real purchasing power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $2,246/month, about 59% of take-home, which is tight.
So what does $58K get you in Washington-Arlington-Alexandria?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Washington-Arlington-Alexandria’s Regional Price Parity (108.88). 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
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What this looks like in Washington-Arlington-Alexandria
Washington-Arlington-Alexandria sits well above the national pay line for teaching assistants, postsecondary, local pay runs about 36% higher than the U.S. median of $43K. The catch: housing math doesn't keep up. A 2-bedroom at the HUD median rents for $2,246/month, which is 58% of the median worker's take-home, past the 30% guideline most planners use. Cost-of-living overall is 9% above the national average (BEA RPP 108.88), so groceries and services cost more too. The pay premium is real, but so are the offsets.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for teaching assistants, postsecondaries in metros near Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Baltimore-Columbia-Towson | $50K | $48K |
| Richmond | $50K | $51K |
| Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk | $51K | $52K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV
Entry-level teaching assistants, postsecondaries (10th percentile) start around $53K. Mid-career wages sit at $58K. Top earners bring in $76K or more, a $23K 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 Washington-Arlington-Alexandria numbers change.
Related careers in Education
Frequently asked questions
Can a teaching assistants, postsecondary afford a 2BR apartment alone in Washington-Arlington-Alexandria?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $58K, rent takes 58% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $2,246/month. The 30% guideline puts the comfortable ceiling at roughly $1,200/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 Washington-Arlington-Alexandria?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new teaching assistants, postsecondaries typically earn — is $53K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $3,176/month. At HUD’s $2,246/month FMR, rent would take 71% 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 Washington-Arlington-Alexandria?
Local pay is 36% above the national median — $58K here vs. $43K nationally. Keep in mind cost of living here is 9% above the national average, which offsets some of that premium.
How does Washington-Arlington-Alexandria compare to the national average for teaching assistants, postsecondaries?
Washington-Arlington-Alexandria pays $58K median vs. the U.S. average of $43K — that’s +36%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 108.88), the purchasing-power equivalent is $54K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do teaching assistants, postsecondaries make in Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV?
The median is $58,330 a year. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $52,930, and experienced teaching assistants, postsecondaries can clear $75,980. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $58K enough to live in Washington-Arlington-Alexandria?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $3,872/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $2,246/month, which eats 58% 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 Washington-Arlington-Alexandria?
Washington-Arlington-Alexandria has a Regional Price Parity of 108.88 (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, postsecondary salary is worth about $53,573 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.