Best cities for a graduate assistant
The best cities for graduate assistants are Boston, MA, Buffalo, NY, and Brookhaven, NY, based on factors like average salary and job availability per capita. Jobs and pay for graduate assistants vary across the country, but we've determined the ten best cities for graduate assistants in the U.S.
Whether you're starting your career as a graduate assistant or considering a move, this list of the best cities for graduate assistants to live in will help you decide. These aren't just the best-paying cities for graduate assistants. We also consider how easy it is to find work as a graduate assistant. While the absolute best city for graduate assistants is Boston, MA, there are plenty of other great places to consider.
Keep reading to learn more about the best cities for graduate assistants in 2024.
If you're looking for a graduate assistant job, here are five companies hiring now:
10 best cities for graduate assistants in 2026
1. Boston, MA
Graduate assistant jobs in BostonTotal graduate assistant jobs: 19 Average annual salary: $49,658 Lowest 10 percent warn: $17,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $137,000 Location quotient: 3.33 2. Buffalo, NY
Graduate assistant jobs in BuffaloTotal graduate assistant jobs: 29 Average annual salary: $45,042 Lowest 10 percent warn: $16,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $126,000 Location quotient: 35.56 3. Brookhaven, NY
Total graduate assistant jobs: 0 Average annual salary: $47,226 Lowest 10 percent warn: $15,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $140,000 Location quotient: 0.00 4. New York, NY
Graduate assistant jobs in New YorkTotal graduate assistant jobs: 14 Average annual salary: $46,268 Lowest 10 percent warn: $15,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $138,000 Location quotient: 0.54 5. Philadelphia, PA
Graduate assistant jobs in PhiladelphiaTotal graduate assistant jobs: 0 Average annual salary: $44,080 Lowest 10 percent warn: $14,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $136,000 Location quotient: 0.00 6. Cleveland, OH
Total graduate assistant jobs: 0 Average annual salary: $33,959 Lowest 10 percent warn: $11,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $97,000 Location quotient: 0.00 7. Wichita, KS
Graduate assistant jobs in WichitaTotal graduate assistant jobs: 1 Average annual salary: $28,441 Lowest 10 percent warn: $11,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $72,000 Location quotient: 1.48 8. Islip, NY
Total graduate assistant jobs: 0 Average annual salary: $46,901 Lowest 10 percent warn: $15,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $140,000 Location quotient: 0.00 9. Pittsburgh, PA
Graduate assistant jobs in PittsburghTotal graduate assistant jobs: 0 Average annual salary: $38,763 Lowest 10 percent warn: $12,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $115,000 Location quotient: 0.00 10. Oyster Bay, NY
Total graduate assistant jobs: 0 Average annual salary: $46,759 Lowest 10 percent warn: $15,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $139,000 Location quotient: 0.00
Choose from 10+ customizable graduate assistant resume templates
Choose from a variety of easy-to-use graduate assistant resume templates and get expert advice from Zippia’s AI resume writer along the way. Using pre-approved templates, you can rest assured that the structure and format of your graduate assistant resume is top notch. Choose a template with the colors, fonts & text sizes that are appropriate for your industry.
Best cities for graduate assistants
- Boston, MA
- Buffalo, NY
- Brookhaven, NY
- New York, NY
- Philadelphia, PA
- Cleveland, OH
- Wichita, KS
- Islip, NY
- Pittsburgh, PA
- Oyster Bay, NY
- (19 graduate assistant jobs)
- (29 graduate assistant jobs)
- (0 graduate assistant jobs)
- (14 graduate assistant jobs)
- (0 graduate assistant jobs)
- (0 graduate assistant jobs)
- (1 graduate assistant jobs)
- (0 graduate assistant jobs)
- (0 graduate assistant jobs)
- (0 graduate assistant jobs)
Detailed list of the best cities for a graduate assistant
| Rank | City | Average salary | Lowest 10% Earn | Population | Job count |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Boston, MA | $49,658 | $17,000 | 673,184 | 19 |
| 2 | Buffalo, NY | $45,042 | $16,000 | 256,902 | 29 |
| 3 | Brookhaven, NY | $47,226 | $15,000 | 486,040 | - |
| 4 | New York, NY | $46,268 | $15,000 | 8,537,673 | 14 |
| 5 | Philadelphia, PA | $44,080 | $14,000 | 1,567,872 | - |
| 6 | Cleveland, OH | $33,959 | $11,000 | 385,809 | - |
| 7 | Wichita, KS | $28,441 | $11,000 | 389,902 | 1 |
| 8 | Islip, NY | $46,901 | $15,000 | 335,543 | - |
| 9 | Pittsburgh, PA | $38,763 | $12,000 | 303,625 | - |
| 10 | Oyster Bay, NY | $46,759 | $15,000 | 293,214 | - |
| 11 | Columbus, OH | $30,691 | $10,000 | 860,090 | 1 |
| 12 | Hempstead, NY | $46,486 | $15,000 | 759,757 | - |
| 13 | Indianapolis, IN | $33,166 | $11,000 | 855,164 | - |
| 14 | Fort Wayne, IN | $34,944 | $12,000 | 264,488 | - |
| 15 | Toledo, OH | $32,484 | $11,000 | 278,508 | - |
| 16 | Anchorage, AK | $34,353 | $14,000 | 298,192 | 1 |
| 17 | Aurora, CO | $30,907 | $13,000 | 361,710 | 5 |
| 18 | Madison, WI | $34,591 | $13,000 | 252,551 | - |
| 19 | Cincinnati, OH | $29,239 | $10,000 | 298,800 | - |
| 20 | Saint Paul, MN | $29,563 | $12,000 | 302,398 | 3 |
| 21 | Jersey City, NJ | $40,667 | $13,000 | 264,152 | - |
| 22 | Milwaukee, WI | $35,632 | $14,000 | 595,047 | - |
| 23 | Detroit, MI | $34,088 | $12,000 | 672,795 | - |
| 24 | Nashville, TN | $25,454 | $8,000 | 660,388 | - |
| 25 | Newark, NJ | $40,620 | $13,000 | 281,764 | - |
| 26 | El Paso, TX | $27,127 | $8,000 | 683,080 | - |
| 27 | Lexington, KY | $24,228 | $8,000 | 318,449 | 3 |
| 28 | Baltimore, MD | $39,001 | $12,000 | 614,664 | 1 |
| 29 | Chicago, IL | $30,813 | $11,000 | 2,704,958 | - |
| 30 | Memphis, TN | $24,954 | $8,000 | 652,717 | - |
| 31 | Denver, CO | $30,909 | $13,000 | 693,060 | 7 |
| 32 | Lubbock, TX | $26,455 | $9,000 | 252,506 | 1 |
| 33 | Albuquerque, NM | $26,811 | $10,000 | 559,277 | - |
| 34 | Fort Worth, TX | $26,025 | $8,000 | 854,113 | - |
| 35 | Arlington, TX | $26,008 | $8,000 | 392,772 | - |
| 36 | Minneapolis, MN | $29,515 | $12,000 | 413,651 | - |
| 37 | Irving, TX | $26,006 | $8,000 | 238,289 | - |
| 38 | Virginia Beach, VA | $27,692 | $8,000 | 452,602 | 9 |
| 39 | Plano, TX | $26,003 | $8,000 | 286,057 | - |
| 40 | Colorado Springs, CO | $30,897 | $13,000 | 465,101 | - |
| 41 | San Antonio, TX | $26,237 | $6,000 | 1,492,510 | 3 |
| 42 | Dallas, TX | $25,992 | $8,000 | 1,317,929 | - |
| 43 | Garland, TX | $25,991 | $8,000 | 234,943 | - |
| 44 | Louisville, KY | $23,955 | $8,000 | 597,337 | 2 |
| 45 | Seattle, WA | $29,194 | $13,000 | 704,352 | - |
| 46 | Laredo, TX | $26,353 | $6,000 | 257,156 | - |
| 47 | Austin, TX | $26,155 | $7,000 | 947,890 | - |
| 48 | Henderson, NV | $25,504 | $10,000 | 292,969 | - |
| 49 | Corpus Christi, TX | $26,108 | $6,000 | 325,733 | - |
| 50 | Las Vegas, NV | $25,496 | $10,000 | 632,912 | - |
Highest paying cities for graduate assistants
| Rank | City | Avg. graduate assistant salary |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Boston, MA | $49,658 |
| 2 | New York, NY | $46,268 |
| 3 | Waterbury, CT | $42,929 |
| 4 | Frederick, MD | $38,314 |
| 5 | Milwaukee, WI | $35,632 |
| 6 | Anchorage, AK | $34,353 |
| 7 | Hammond, IN | $33,988 |
| 8 | Ann Arbor, MI | $33,332 |
| 9 | Denver, CO | $30,909 |
| 10 | Joliet, IL | $30,269 |
| 11 | Irvine, CA | $29,080 |
| 12 | Lawrence, KS | $28,728 |
| 13 | Virginia Beach, VA | $27,692 |
| 14 | Bismarck, ND | $26,462 |
| 15 | Lubbock, TX | $26,455 |
| 16 | Greenville, NC | $25,549 |
| 17 | Huntington, WV | $25,211 |
| 18 | Jackson, TN | $25,121 |
| 19 | Dubuque, IA | $24,658 |
| 20 | Richmond, KY | $24,128 |
Graduate assistant best cities FAQs
Have more questions? See all answers to common education, training, and library questions.
Search for graduate assistant jobs
Updated January 8, 2025