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Job outlook for graduate research and teaching assistants in the United States
Graduate research and teaching assistant job and salary trends over time
Graduate research and teaching assistant jobs over time
Graduate research and teaching assistant job growth rate over time
| Year | # of jobs | % of population |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 59,653 | 0.02% |
| 2020 | 59,008 | 0.02% |
| 2019 | 61,606 | 0.02% |
| 2018 | 33,365 | 0.01% |
| 2017 | 34,717 | 0.01% |
Average graduate research and teaching assistant salary over time
Graduate research and teaching assistant salary by year
| Year | Avg. salary | Hourly rate | % Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $34,347 | $16.51 | +2.1% |
| 2024 | $33,655 | $16.18 | +8.5% |
| 2023 | $31,019 | $14.91 | +3.8% |
| 2022 | $29,877 | $14.36 | --5.2% |
| 2021 | $31,516 | $15.15 | +11.1% |
Graduate research and teaching assistant jobs by state
Most common states for graduate research and teaching assistants
| Rank | State | Population | # of jobs | Employment/ 1000ppl |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Massachusetts | 6,859,819 | 1,075 | 16% |
| 2 | Vermont | 623,657 | 92 | 15% |
| 3 | Colorado | 5,607,154 | 786 | 14% |
| 4 | Maryland | 6,052,177 | 814 | 13% |
| 5 | Oregon | 4,142,776 | 537 | 13% |
| 6 | Rhode Island | 1,059,639 | 140 | 13% |
| 7 | District of Columbia | 693,972 | 88 | 13% |
| 8 | New Hampshire | 1,342,795 | 148 | 11% |
| 9 | Virginia | 8,470,020 | 808 | 10% |
| 10 | Minnesota | 5,576,606 | 553 | 10% |
| 11 | Delaware | 961,939 | 101 | 10% |
| 12 | Alaska | 739,795 | 77 | 10% |
| 13 | New York | 19,849,399 | 1,703 | 9% |
| 14 | Pennsylvania | 12,805,537 | 1,135 | 9% |
| 15 | Utah | 3,101,833 | 271 | 9% |
| 16 | Nebraska | 1,920,076 | 182 | 9% |
| 17 | South Dakota | 869,666 | 78 | 9% |
| 18 | Illinois | 12,802,023 | 993 | 8% |
| 19 | New Jersey | 9,005,644 | 748 | 8% |
| 20 | New Mexico | 2,088,070 | 162 | 8% |
Most common cities for graduate research and teaching assistants
| Rank | City | # of jobs | Employment/ 1000ppl | Avg. salary |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Fairbanks | 1 | 3% | $28,870 |
| 2 | Anchorage | 1 | 0% | $29,200 |
Graduate Research And Teaching Assistant job outlook: Expert opinions
Our panel of graduate research and teaching assistant experts
Seattle University
California State Polytechnic University, Pomona
Elizabethtown College
Creighton University
Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey-Newark
East Tennessee State University
Utah State University
University of Wisconsin – La Crosse
Towson University
University of Akron
Bucknell University
Harriet Phinney Ph.D.
Associate ProfessorSeattle University
Department of Anthropology and Sociology
What soft skills should all Graduate Research And Teaching Assistants possess?
Harriet Phinney Ph.D.: Understanding human diversity, effective communication (speaking and writing: the ability to convey complex ideas respectfully to a diverse audience) across differences, adept at working in groups, yet also independent thinkers.
What hard/technical skills are most important for Graduate Research And Teaching Assistants?
Harriet Phinney Ph.D.: Empirical data collection: Research skills for collecting original data, analyzing the data, writing up the information collected, and presenting it in a professional manner.
David Brown
Professor of HistoryElizabethtown College
History Department
What soft skills should all Graduate Research And Teaching Assistants possess?
David Brown: It's critical to be able to work as a team. Empathy, understanding, a bit of diplomacy, and integrity - aside from the obvious need of technical competency - are highly valued. As always, motivation is terribly important and this can be conjoined with flexibility. If energy and attitude remain positive this will rub off on others and create an attractive dynamic that draws people in. Finally, the ability to make a decision and follow through with it is perhaps too little appreciated.
What will help Graduate Research And Teaching Assistants increase their earning potential?
David Brown: Salaries have generally kept up with inflation, though with the decline of funding in the Humanities disciplines, the number of jobs has not been robust. There is a wide variance in compensation within a highly stratified university system that includes adjuncts, lecturers, visiting faculty and full-time faculty in the ranks of assistant, associate, and full professor. There is an increasing interest in pubic history - in museums, archives, and historical societies - that provide opportunities for those seeking opportunities outside of the academy.
Richard Witmer Ph.D.
Distinguished Professor of Government and PoliticsCreighton University
Department of Political Science
What are the biggest trends we'll see in the Graduate Research And Teaching Assistant job market given the pandemic?
Richard Witmer Ph.D.: Students interested in preparing for life after the pandemic, and/or graduation will need to start online with internships. In-person opportunities will be harder to come by.
In addition, I expect the job market to continue to reward skilled applicants. This includes liberal arts students with evidence of research and presentation skills. Students with more advanced skills in quantitative research and statistical analysis should find the job search less daunting as well. Having the ability to show this on a resume is even more important now as new and recent grads compete for the same jobs.
What certifications/licenses/courses can have the biggest impact for Graduate Research And Teaching Assistants?
Richard Witmer Ph.D.: With the move to online a few key ones are adaptability, a willingness to continue to learn, teamwork, and reliability.
Dr. Rachel Emas Ph.D.
Assistant Teaching Professor, MPA Program DirectorRutgers, The State University of New Jersey-Newark
School of Public Affairs and Administration
What certifications/licenses/courses can have the biggest impact for Graduate Research And Teaching Assistants?
Dr. Rachel Emas Ph.D.: The courses or certifications that have the greatest impact on a person's public service job prospects are highly dependent on that person's career goals. Some of the courses that are helpful for nearly all public servants include topics like grant writing, administrative ethics, leadership of organizations, equity and diversity, and evidence-based decision making.
What are the biggest trends we'll see in the Graduate Research And Teaching Assistant job market given the pandemic?
Dr. Rachel Emas Ph.D.: The COVID-19 pandemic has highlighted the importance of good governance and effective public services. I believe that career opportunities in the public sector will grow as we better support our local and state governments. Public service careers in the nonprofit sector will also advance, as we have witnessed the significance of these organizations in supporting and uplifting people in times of crisis. Within the field of public administration, I believe that the healthcare, technology, infrastructure, and emergency management fields will be a critical focus. It is also important that public servants understand and address issues of inequity, injustice, and systemic oppression throughout all social systems and public institutions.
What certifications/licenses/courses can have the biggest impact for Graduate Research And Teaching Assistants?
Paul Trogen Ph.D.: Some surveys suggest that as many as half of local government jobs may be filled by business graduates. One should take courses similar to what those business students study. One of our graduate students surveyed local governments, and found the skills most in demand included accounting, human resource management, budgeting, public relations, and risk management. The ability to use spreadsheets and communicate clearly with tables and graphs helps. Quantitative skills like linear programming, PERT/CPM, inventory models, and queuing theory will make you an indispensable problem solver. Some high demand niches that are unique to the public sector include geographic information systems (GIS), city planning, and economic development. Hard skills will increase your chances of landing an interview.
Dr. John Stevens
Professor of StatisticsUtah State University
Department of Mathematics and Statistics
What certifications/licenses/courses can have the biggest impact for Graduate Research And Teaching Assistants?
Dr. John Stevens: In statistics and data science, there are a lot of good jobs for people with BS degrees, and those who also have a MS degree have more opportunities longer-term for team leadership. For higher-level leadership (like VP-level), a lot of companies do look for the PhD degree, but in statistics and data science many students don't consider going that far because they can already get a good-paying job in industry with the BS or MS. I think those who look longest-term and seriously consider getting a PhD (even without any academic career goals) will have tremendous senior leadership opportunities down the road. That's not to say you can't develop those opportunities in other ways, and of course there's no substitute for good, hard work, in any field. For shorter-term boosts in job prospects, the hot things now are Python and R programming, but I'd emphasize the need to do more than just taste those things in a surface-level introduction. True understanding and value only come with deep experience, and deep experience requires real, dedicated time.
What technical skills for a Graduate Research And Teaching Assistant stand out to employers?
Shelly Lesher: Employers value our graduates for their ability to independently solve complex problems, whether in or out of the lab. This skill has not and will not change regardless of instructional mode.
Sya Kedzior Ph.D.
Associate ProfessorTowson University
Department of Geography and Environmental Planning
What technical skills for a Graduate Research And Teaching Assistant stand out to employers?
Sya Kedzior Ph.D.: The ability to understand technical or complex scientific processes and communicate that information with the public is one of the most attractive skills for an entry-level worker to possess. Many employers may not have staff skilled in the latest GIS technologies or social media trends. While the ability to use last year's software or network via Instagram might not seem particularly novel to recent graduates, these are skills less likely to be found in the workforce of even 10 years ago. Geographers are particularly well prepared for today's workforce because they've often had coursework across the "hard" and social sciences, along with training in technical skills (usually GIS or quantitative analysis) and written and oral communication skills. Another skill in high demand today is data collection and analysis. I often talk with potential employers who want to hire people who can develop and administer a public survey, and then analyze and write up the results. That requires understanding human behavior, public communication, and different forms of data analysis. But, these are skills that can be developed in perhaps only a few classes as part of a major or minor in Geography and other cognate fields.
What are the biggest trends we'll see in the Graduate Research And Teaching Assistant job market given the pandemic?
Dr. Bill Lyons: Work that can be done remotely has been undisrupted while other work has been struggling to survive. In education, the argument about advancing online education is over: online education is here to stay.
What certifications/licenses/courses can have the biggest impact for Graduate Research And Teaching Assistants?
Dr. Bill Lyons: Conflict Management/Transformation skills. Quantitative analysis skills. Writing skills. Creativity and imagination skills developed in the arts.
What are the biggest trends we'll see in the Graduate Research And Teaching Assistant job market given the pandemic?
Tom Solomon: I don't think that what I am saying here is different than what you will hear elsewhere, but it is pretty obvious that the importance of higher education and technical skills becomes even more important in light of the pandemic. It seems pretty clear that people working in the service sector are the ones who are getting hit (economically) most hard by the pandemic, especially since face-to-face interactions on a regular basis can be dangerous. I have not seen a significant slow-down in the technology sector. Scientific and industrial research have always been important, but they are even more so in the midst of a pandemic. It is important to note that the coronavirus pandemic isn't the only crisis facing the planet over the next decade or so. Of course, global climate change is critical, as is the need for sustainable energy sources (cough! nuclear fusion!) and economical production of fresh drinking water. These are all areas that are going to require people who are well-trained in the natural sciences.
I also want to emphasize that it isn't just natural sciences that are critical. The social sciences and arts and humanities are also a critical part of higher education, as people graduating from college need to understand the human element of the work that they are doing. So, I feel very strongly that a strong and broad liberal arts education best prepares someone to address and meet the future challenges facing society going forward. As an example, I always tell my students that they could come up with the most brilliant scientific discovery or engineering development in the history of civilization, but it will be completely worthless if they are unable to communicate their ideas to other people.