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Job outlook for graduate teaching associates in the United States
Graduate teaching associate job and salary trends over time
Graduate teaching associate jobs over time
Graduate teaching associate job growth rate over time
| Year | # of jobs | % of population |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 115,471 | 0.03% |
| 2020 | 114,223 | 0.03% |
| 2019 | 119,251 | 0.04% |
| 2018 | 64,585 | 0.02% |
| 2017 | 67,203 | 0.02% |
Average graduate teaching associate salary over time
Graduate teaching associate salary by year
| Year | Avg. salary | Hourly rate | % Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $44,418 | $21.35 | +2.1% |
| 2024 | $43,524 | $20.92 | +8.5% |
| 2023 | $40,114 | $19.29 | +3.8% |
| 2022 | $38,638 | $18.58 | --5.2% |
| 2021 | $40,757 | $19.59 | +11.1% |
Graduate teaching associate jobs by state
Most common states for graduate teaching associates
| Rank | State | Population | # of jobs | Employment/ 1000ppl |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Alaska | 739,795 | 105 | 14% |
| 2 | Indiana | 6,666,818 | 322 | 5% |
| 3 | District of Columbia | 693,972 | 32 | 5% |
| 4 | Virginia | 8,470,020 | 316 | 4% |
| 5 | Massachusetts | 6,859,819 | 224 | 3% |
| 6 | Maryland | 6,052,177 | 210 | 3% |
| 7 | Colorado | 5,607,154 | 148 | 3% |
| 8 | Rhode Island | 1,059,639 | 27 | 3% |
| 9 | New York | 19,849,399 | 452 | 2% |
| 10 | Oregon | 4,142,776 | 77 | 2% |
| 11 | Nebraska | 1,920,076 | 34 | 2% |
| 12 | New Hampshire | 1,342,795 | 31 | 2% |
| 13 | Illinois | 12,802,023 | 180 | 1% |
| 14 | Pennsylvania | 12,805,537 | 174 | 1% |
| 15 | New Jersey | 9,005,644 | 126 | 1% |
| 16 | Ohio | 11,658,609 | 117 | 1% |
| 17 | Minnesota | 5,576,606 | 62 | 1% |
| 18 | Alabama | 4,874,747 | 38 | 1% |
| 19 | Connecticut | 3,588,184 | 18 | 1% |
| 20 | West Virginia | 1,815,857 | 11 | 1% |
Most common cities for graduate teaching associates
| Rank | City | # of jobs | Employment/ 1000ppl | Avg. salary |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Atlanta | 1 | 0% | $37,443 |
| 2 | Chicago | 1 | 0% | $53,703 |
Graduate Teaching Associate job outlook: Expert opinions
Our panel of graduate teaching associate experts
Tiffin University
Christopher Newport University
SUNY Potsdam: The State University of New York, Potsdam
California State Polytechnic University, Pomona
Wesley College
Bucknell University
The University of North Carolina Greensboro
Chicago State University
Dr. Stephanie Opfer
Associate Professor of English, Assistant Dean of the School of Creative and Media ArtsTiffin University
Visual And Performing Arts
What will help Graduate Teaching Associates increase their earning potential?
Dr. Stephanie Opfer: Unfortunately, teaching as an adjunct does not pay well. Students should keep their full-time jobs and teach part-time until they find a full-time job at a college or university. That part-time teaching provides them valuable experience and connections that make them more competitive candidates for full-time positions because they'd also be competing with candidates who have PhDs. So adjunct work is more of a long-term investment rather than an immediate return. Also, even full-time teaching jobs don't pay particularly well, so they'll really need to love teaching if they want to do it full-time. If they don't like teaching as an adjunct, they won't like doing it full-time.
What general advice would you give to a Graduate Teaching Associate?
Dr. Mike Levine: In the next 3–5 years, I anticipate that research will be expected that explores more interdisciplinarity; owing both to intellectual trends in the academy, and to an ever-shrinking job market, which means that more will be demanded by less people. As well, you will be expected to be an expert in the exciting, interesting research niche that you have found and written about in your dissertation; but also quite knowledgeable about a broad range of information applicable towards teaching large general education (GE) classes filled with non-major students. Expertise in both of these areas will make you more competitive and give you a broader network to work with.
Will there be an enduring impact of the coronavirus pandemic on Graduate Teaching Associates?
(Lily) Li Linghong: Yes, remote work will play an increasingly important role in employment. The implications of this change include, but are not limited to, a more distributed workforce that is no longer concentrated in expensive metropolitan cities, and increasing demand for computer and internet savvy. Challenges to team member communication will require new tools for conducting meetings and brainstorming sessions, as well as facilitating project collaboration. The pandemic has accelerated the need for technological innovations that support remote learning and remote employment.
Mary Yu Danico Ph.D.
Professor of Sociology, College of Letters Arts and Social Science Director, Weglyn Endowed Chair for Multicultural Studies, Cal Poly Pomona Director, Asian American Transnational Research Initiative, Cal Poly PomonaCalifornia State Polytechnic University, Pomona
College of Letters, Arts and Social Sciences
What Graduate Teaching Associate skills would you recommend for someone trying to advance their career?
Mary Yu Danico Ph.D.: It depends on the graduate. If someone does not have to worry about the economic reality of paying their bills, I would say that volunteering and gaining opportunities where they give back is always wonderful. Get out of your comfort zone, meet new people, support underserved communities, and learn from them. For students who may not have that privilege, I would encourage them to find work that has meaning and purpose for them. The ideas of passion and happiness are a bit overrated as passion and happiness can be in flux. I'd try to find your core value or sense of purpose, and talk to mentors, elders, and peers about their careers and their life's journey.
If there is a career that you are interested in, then look at a job description with the minimum qualifications and ask yourself if you meet them. If you are missing some things, you can also take some courses to gain more knowledge which will showcase your confidence when you apply. There are also lots of great virtual internships outs there. InterTrend Communications has a wonderful summer paid internship open to all majors, and they love our social science majors. In fact, when I was an advertising educational fellow, many large ad marketing firms said that they loved sociology and psychology students because they have a better foundation of learning about human behavior. In the era of "woke" culture or "cancel" culture, it is really important to have a critical race framework. I would also encourage you to read books for enjoyment and fun. Explore the outdoors. Try to meet people with shared interests.
What are the biggest trends we'll see in the Graduate Teaching Associate job market given the pandemic?
William K. Kroen Ph.D.: I work little with Delaware businesses, so pandemic-induced changes in jobs might elude me. However, some fields such as pharmaceuticals will certainly be doing well, while others such as outpatient physical therapy clinics might not. It is also likely that all geographic areas of the country are not affected equally.
Are there any particularly good places in the United States for Graduate Teaching Associates to find work opportunities?
William K. Kroen Ph.D.: I know of no specific geographic areas. Our recent graduates have found jobs and gone to graduate schools mainly in the Mid-Atlantic region.
What are the biggest trends we'll see in the Graduate Teaching Associate 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.
April Dawkins Ph.D.
Assistant ProfessorThe University of North Carolina Greensboro
Library & Information Science Department
What experience really stands out on Graduate Teaching Associate resumes?
April Dawkins Ph.D.: Across the United States, most school librarians are required to have a graduate degree in either education or library and information science with licensure as a school librarian (school library media coordinator). The most likely experience to benefit them in their job search is a previous experience as a classroom teacher. Teaching is one of the significant roles that school librarians play in schools, through direct and indirect instruction with students, and professional development for classroom teachers.
Are there any particularly good places in the United States for Graduate Teaching Associates to find work opportunities?
Alvin Daniels: Because of the World Wide Web, everywhere is a great place for an opportunity to find you. Many companies will have their workers working from home for a while, so if you have talent, you can be found and work from anywhere.