Explore jobs
Find specific jobs
Explore careers
Explore professions
Best companies
Explore companies
Graduate assistant salary
Average graduate assistant salary
$15.24
Understanding Graduate Assistant Salaries
The Graduate Assistant role is vital in many academic institutions, providing support to faculty and administrative staff while allowing students to gain practical experience. On average, a Graduate Assistant earns around $31,704 annually, with hourly wages typically around $15.24. Factors influencing salary include geographical location, specific field of study, and the level of experience. For instance, graduate assistants in urban areas or specialized fields often receive higher compensation.
Where to Find Higher Salaries
Regions such as California and New York frequently offer better pay due to higher living costs and demand for academic positions. Additionally, graduate assistants in STEM fields may also see increased salaries compared to those in the humanities.
Average Salary Trends Over Time
Over the past few years, the salary for Graduate Assistants has shown a gradual increase, reflecting the evolving needs of educational institutions and the growing recognition of the contributions made by these positions. Considering these trends can help prospective graduate assistants make informed decisions about their career paths.
Let Zippia find your next graduate assistant job
Let Zippia find your next graduate assistant job
Where can a Graduate Assistant earn more?
Graduate assistant salary estimates from across the web
Average graduate assistant salary by state
The average graduate assistant salary in Massachusetts, Maine, and New York are the highest in the U.S. The lowest average graduate assistant salary states are Kentucky, Arizona, and Iowa.
- State view
- County view
Highest paying states for graduate assistants
| Rank | State | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Massachusetts | $50,237 | $24.15 |
| 2 | New York | $47,325 | $22.75 |
| 3 | Pennsylvania | $44,472 | $21.38 |
| 4 | Connecticut | $43,780 | $21.05 |
| 5 | New Jersey | $41,352 | $19.88 |
| 6 | Rhode Island | $37,211 | $17.89 |
| 7 | Vermont | $36,798 | $17.69 |
| 8 | Maryland | $39,859 | $19.16 |
| 9 | Alaska | $34,305 | $16.49 |
| 10 | New Hampshire | $38,940 | $18.72 |
| 11 | Maine | $47,649 | $22.91 |
| 12 | Michigan | $34,468 | $16.57 |
| 13 | Wisconsin | $36,135 | $17.37 |
| 14 | Colorado | $31,131 | $14.97 |
| 15 | Ohio | $32,508 | $15.63 |
| 16 | Indiana | $34,159 | $16.42 |
| 17 | Idaho | $30,726 | $14.77 |
| 18 | North Dakota | $27,437 | $13.19 |
| 19 | Minnesota | $29,731 | $14.29 |
| 20 | Illinois | $30,995 | $14.90 |
| 21 | West Virginia | $27,284 | $13.12 |
| 22 | District of Columbia | $30,403 | $14.62 |
| 23 | Kansas | $28,905 | $13.90 |
| 24 | Virginia | $29,144 | $14.01 |
| 25 | Delaware | $32,617 | $15.68 |
| 26 | Texas | $27,470 | $13.21 |
| 27 | Washington | $29,157 | $14.02 |
| 28 | Mississippi | $29,098 | $13.99 |
| 29 | California | $29,846 | $14.35 |
| 30 | Louisiana | $27,784 | $13.36 |
| 31 | South Dakota | $28,118 | $13.52 |
| 32 | South Carolina | $27,834 | $13.38 |
| 33 | Oregon | $25,655 | $12.33 |
| 34 | Tennessee | $26,143 | $12.57 |
| 35 | New Mexico | $27,271 | $13.11 |
| 36 | Nevada | $25,694 | $12.35 |
| 37 | Nebraska | $23,454 | $11.28 |
| 38 | Alabama | $24,842 | $11.94 |
| 39 | Missouri | $25,620 | $12.32 |
| 40 | North Carolina | $25,949 | $12.48 |
| 41 | Florida | $25,617 | $12.32 |
| 42 | Montana | $27,218 | $13.09 |
| 43 | Arizona | $24,605 | $11.83 |
| 44 | Hawaii | $30,903 | $14.86 |
| 45 | Kentucky | $24,757 | $11.90 |
| 46 | Wyoming | $25,807 | $12.41 |
| 47 | Oklahoma | $24,819 | $11.93 |
| 48 | Georgia | $25,783 | $12.40 |
| 49 | Iowa | $24,084 | $11.58 |
| 50 | Arkansas | $23,158 | $11.13 |
| 51 | Utah | $22,960 | $11.04 |
Highest paying cities for graduate assistants
The highest-paying cities for graduate assistants are Boston, MA, New York, NY, and Waterbury, CT.
| Rank | City | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Boston, MA | $49,658 | $23.87 |
| 2 | New York, NY | $46,268 | $22.24 |
| 3 | Waterbury, CT | $42,929 | $20.64 |
| 4 | Frederick, MD | $38,314 | $18.42 |
| 5 | Milwaukee, WI | $35,632 | $17.13 |
| 6 | Anchorage, AK | $34,353 | $16.52 |
| 7 | Hammond, IN | $33,988 | $16.34 |
| 8 | Ann Arbor, MI | $33,332 | $16.02 |
| 9 | Denver, CO | $30,909 | $14.86 |
| 10 | Joliet, IL | $30,269 | $14.55 |
| 11 | Irvine, CA | $29,080 | $13.98 |
| 12 | Lawrence, KS | $28,728 | $13.81 |
| 13 | Virginia Beach, VA | $27,692 | $13.31 |
| 14 | Bismarck, ND | $26,462 | $12.72 |
| 15 | Lubbock, TX | $26,455 | $12.72 |
| 16 | Greenville, NC | $25,549 | $12.28 |
| 17 | Huntington, WV | $25,211 | $12.12 |
| 18 | Jackson, TN | $25,121 | $12.08 |
| 19 | Dubuque, IA | $24,658 | $11.85 |
| 20 | Richmond, KY | $24,128 | $11.60 |
Graduate Assistants are the most in-demand in these five cities:
Graduate assistant salary details
A graduate assistant's salary ranges from $11,000 a year at the 10th percentile to $85,000 at the 90th percentile.
What is a graduate assistant's salary?
| Percentile | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 90th Percentile | $85,000 | $7,083 | $41 |
| 75th Percentile | $53,000 | $4,417 | $25 |
| Average | $31,704 | $2,642 | $15 |
| 25th Percentile | $18,000 | $1,500 | $9 |
| 10th Percentile | $11,000 | $917 | $5 |
Highest paying graduate assistant jobs
The highest paying types of graduate assistants are faculty assistant, graduate fellow, and graduate instruction assistant.
| Job title | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate | Job openings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Teaching Fellow | $44,040 | $3,670 | $21.17 | 40,551 |
| Student Instructor | $49,436 | $4,120 | $23.77 | 39,719 |
| Graduate Student Internship | $30,945 | $2,579 | $14.88 | 56,982 |
| Graduate Internship | $52,511 | $4,376 | $25.25 | 48,962 |
| Graduate Researcher | $32,346 | $2,696 | $15.55 | 17,313 |
| Graduate Research Student | $34,658 | $2,888 | $16.66 | 58,921 |
Which companies pay graduate assistants the most?
Graduate assistant salaries at Sotheby's Institute of Art and New Jersey Institute of Technology are the highest-paying according to our most recent salary estimates. In addition, the average graduate assistant salary at companies like Brigham and Women's Hospital and San Francisco University High School are highly competitive.
| Rank | Company | Average salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Sotheby's Institute of Art | $85,318 | $41.02 |
| 2 | New Jersey Institute of Technology | $80,844 | $38.87 |
| 3 | Brigham and Women's Hospital | $78,862 | $37.91 |
| 4 | San Francisco University High School | $77,146 | $37.09 |
| 5 | Massachusetts General Hospital | $76,427 | $36.74 |
| 6 | Bunker Hill Community College | $75,045 | $36.08 |
| 7 | Massachusetts Institute of Technology | $72,451 | $34.83 |
| 8 | Ursinus College | $70,599 | $33.94 |
| 9 | Curry College | $70,280 | $33.79 |
| 10 | University of California-Berkeley | $69,700 | $33.51 |
| 11 | Emerson College | $68,517 | $32.94 |
| 12 | University of Nebraska at Omaha | $66,691 | $32.06 |
| 13 | Misericordia University | $65,815 | $31.64 |
| 14 | Union University | $65,106 | $31.30 |
| 15 | Newman University | $64,825 | $31.17 |
| 16 | Barnard College | $64,030 | $30.78 |
| 17 | MCPHS University - Boston | $63,888 | $30.72 |
| 18 | Rutgers University | $63,852 | $30.70 |
| 19 | Post University, Inc. | $62,091 | $29.85 |
| 20 | Bridgewater State University | $61,626 | $29.63 |
Wage gap by gender, race and education
Graduate assistant salary trends
The average graduate assistant salary has risen by $5,170 over the last ten years. In 2014, the average graduate assistant earned $26,534 annually, but today, they earn $31,704 a year. That works out to a 9% change in pay for graduate assistants over the last decade.
Compare graduate assistant salaries for cities or states with the national average over time.
Average graduate assistant salary over time
Compare graduate assistant salaries for individual cities or states with the national average.
Graduate assistant salary by year
| Year | Avg. salary | Hourly rate | % Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $31,700 | $15.24 | +2.0% |
| 2024 | $31,100 | $14.94 | +7.8% |
| 2023 | $28,600 | $13.77 | +3.7% |
| 2022 | $27,600 | $13.26 | -5.5% |
| 2021 | $29,100 | $13.99 | +10.0% |
Recently added graduate assistant salaries
| Company | Job | Location | Date added | Salary |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| University of Arkansas | Graduate Assistant-Cfanr | Campus, IL | 06/30/2025 | $15,000 |
| University of Arkansas | Graduate Assistant-Information Science | Little Rock, AR | 06/30/2025 | $9,000 |
| Indiana State University | Fraternity and Sorority Life Graduate Assistant | Terre Haute, IN | 06/28/2025 | $55,200 |
| University of Maryland | Graduate Assistant, Scholarships | Mitchell, SD | 06/27/2025 | $35,426 |
| CSU Careers | Speaking Center at Jhbc Graduate Assistant Pool | San Bernardino, CA | 06/27/2025 | $43,344 |
| The Principia | Athletics: Graduate Assistant | Elsah, IL | 06/27/2025 | $31,305 |
| University of St. Francis, Il | Graduate Assistant-Residence Hall Director | Joliet, IL | 06/26/2025 | $60,000 |
| Sul Ross State University | Graduate Assistant-Marketing & Fan Engagement | Alpine, TX | 06/26/2025 | $12,000 |
| Pool | Speaking Center at Jhbc Graduate Assistant Pool | San Bernardino, CA | 06/25/2025 | $43,344 |
| Iowa Lakes Community College | Volleyball/Housing Graduate Assistant | Estherville, IA | 06/25/2025 | $15,000 |
Graduate assistant salary FAQs
Search for graduate assistant jobs