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Graduate teaching assistant salary
Average graduate teaching assistant salary
$44,994
Understanding Graduate Teaching Assistant Salaries
As of October 2025, Graduate Teaching Assistants earn an average salary of $44,994 per year or approximately $22 per hour. These professionals often assist in teaching, grading, and providing academic support, making their contributions invaluable in educational settings. Salaries can fluctuate based on factors such as geographical location, level of experience, and specific academic field.
Salary Variations by State
In states where the demand for educational support is higher, salaries tend to be more competitive. For instance, states like California and New York offer higher average salaries compared to other regions. It's essential for candidates to research specific salaries in their desired location to make informed decisions.
Career Opportunities
Graduate Teaching Assistants can find diverse job opportunities across various academic institutions, enhancing their professional development while pursuing advanced degrees. Networking within educational circles and gaining experience through internships can lead to even better opportunities in the future.
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Where can a Graduate Teaching Assistant earn more?
Graduate teaching assistant salary estimates from across the web
Average graduate teaching assistant salary by state
The average graduate teaching assistant salary in Pennsylvania, Massachusetts, and Maryland are the highest in the U.S. The lowest average graduate teaching assistant salary states are Wyoming, Arizona, and Arkansas.
- State view
- County view
Highest paying states for graduate teaching assistants
| Rank | State | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Pennsylvania | $62,098 | $29.85 |
| 2 | Massachusetts | $61,100 | $29.38 |
| 3 | Indiana | $54,435 | $26.17 |
| 4 | Maryland | $58,680 | $28.21 |
| 5 | New Jersey | $55,200 | $26.54 |
| 6 | New York | $50,513 | $24.29 |
| 7 | Ohio | $50,284 | $24.18 |
| 8 | Maine | $57,165 | $27.48 |
| 9 | Illinois | $48,902 | $23.51 |
| 10 | Connecticut | $55,924 | $26.89 |
| 11 | Michigan | $50,343 | $24.20 |
| 12 | Alabama | $48,176 | $23.16 |
| 13 | Wisconsin | $54,478 | $26.19 |
| 14 | West Virginia | $42,940 | $20.64 |
| 15 | New Hampshire | $46,681 | $22.44 |
| 16 | Colorado | $44,297 | $21.30 |
| 17 | Mississippi | $43,796 | $21.06 |
| 18 | District of Columbia | $45,327 | $21.79 |
| 19 | Delaware | $46,067 | $22.15 |
| 20 | Minnesota | $44,219 | $21.26 |
| 21 | Rhode Island | $45,817 | $22.03 |
| 22 | Kansas | $43,311 | $20.82 |
| 23 | North Carolina | $40,747 | $19.59 |
| 24 | Vermont | $43,937 | $21.12 |
| 25 | Idaho | $42,871 | $20.61 |
| 26 | Louisiana | $41,162 | $19.79 |
| 27 | South Carolina | $42,809 | $20.58 |
| 28 | Kentucky | $39,114 | $18.80 |
| 29 | New Mexico | $40,683 | $19.56 |
| 30 | Virginia | $44,917 | $21.59 |
| 31 | South Dakota | $41,686 | $20.04 |
| 32 | California | $40,892 | $19.66 |
| 33 | Tennessee | $40,293 | $19.37 |
| 34 | Montana | $37,326 | $17.95 |
| 35 | Missouri | $39,063 | $18.78 |
| 36 | North Dakota | $38,616 | $18.57 |
| 37 | Iowa | $37,521 | $18.04 |
| 38 | Georgia | $39,163 | $18.83 |
| 39 | Oregon | $42,041 | $20.21 |
| 40 | Texas | $40,188 | $19.32 |
| 41 | Alaska | $33,475 | $16.09 |
| 42 | Washington | $39,352 | $18.92 |
| 43 | Utah | $37,641 | $18.10 |
| 44 | Florida | $36,823 | $17.70 |
| 45 | Nevada | $37,908 | $18.23 |
| 46 | Nebraska | $34,900 | $16.78 |
| 47 | Wyoming | $36,082 | $17.35 |
| 48 | Oklahoma | $37,133 | $17.85 |
| 49 | Arizona | $35,921 | $17.27 |
| 50 | Arkansas | $35,101 | $16.88 |
| 51 | Hawaii | $31,871 | $15.32 |
Highest paying cities for graduate teaching assistants
The highest-paying cities for graduate teaching assistants are Terre Haute, IN, New York, NY, and Denver, CO.
| Rank | City | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Terre Haute, IN | $52,750 | $25.36 |
| 2 | New York, NY | $50,667 | $24.36 |
| 3 | Denver, CO | $44,272 | $21.28 |
| 4 | Lynchburg, VA | $43,611 | $20.97 |
| 5 | Lawrence, KS | $43,541 | $20.93 |
| 6 | Portland, OR | $41,718 | $20.06 |
| 7 | Huntington, WV | $41,686 | $20.04 |
| 8 | Edinburg, TX | $40,530 | $19.49 |
| 9 | Fullerton, CA | $40,395 | $19.42 |
| 10 | Gainesville, GA | $39,695 | $19.08 |
| 11 | Kansas City, MO | $38,396 | $18.46 |
| 12 | Salt Lake City, UT | $37,439 | $18.00 |
| 13 | Fairbanks, AK | $31,021 | $14.91 |
Graduate Teaching Assistants are the most in-demand in these five cities:
Graduate teaching assistant salary details
A graduate teaching assistant's salary ranges from $27,000 a year at the 10th percentile to $74,000 at the 90th percentile.
What is a graduate teaching assistant's salary?
| Percentile | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 90th Percentile | $74,000 | $6,167 | $36 |
| 75th Percentile | $58,000 | $4,833 | $28 |
| Average | $44,994 | $3,750 | $22 |
| 25th Percentile | $34,000 | $2,833 | $16 |
| 10th Percentile | $27,000 | $2,250 | $13 |
Highest paying graduate teaching assistant jobs
The highest paying types of graduate teaching assistants are adjunct assistant professor, adjunct faculty, and adjunct lecturer.
| Job title | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate | Job openings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Adjunct Lecturer | $79,657 | $6,638 | $38.30 | 26,546 |
| Lecturer | $61,988 | $5,166 | $29.80 | 26,449 |
| Peer Tutor | $26,473 | $2,206 | $12.73 | 39,558 |
| College Instructor | $50,584 | $4,215 | $24.32 | 41,053 |
| Adjunct Faculty Member | $60,817 | $5,068 | $29.24 | 28,981 |
| Student Instructor | $49,436 | $4,120 | $23.77 | 39,719 |
Top companies hiring graduate teaching assistants now:
Which companies pay graduate teaching assistants the most?
Graduate teaching assistant salaries at California State University, Fullerton and Brenau University are the highest-paying according to our most recent salary estimates. In addition, the average graduate teaching assistant salary at companies like Oregon Health & Science University and The University of Kansas Health System are highly competitive.
| Rank | Company | Average salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | California State University, Fullerton | $56,544 | $27.18 |
| 2 | Brenau University | $53,835 | $25.88 |
| 3 | Oregon Health & Science University | $51,947 | $24.97 |
| 4 | The University of Kansas Health System | $51,791 | $24.90 |
| 5 | PSEA | $51,299 | $24.66 |
| 6 | Jacksonville State University | $49,873 | $23.98 |
| 7 | University of Houston | $48,300 | $23.22 |
| 8 | University of Georgia Small Business Development Center | $46,892 | $22.54 |
| 9 | Fredonia | $38,937 | $18.72 |
| 10 | Marshall University | $38,708 | $18.61 |
| 11 | Metropolitan State University of Denver | $33,667 | $16.19 |
| 12 | UTRGV - The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley | $33,383 | $16.05 |
| 13 | University of Alaska | $31,434 | $15.11 |
| 14 | Stephen F. Austin State University | $30,649 | $14.74 |
| 15 | Liberty University | $27,467 | $13.21 |
| 16 | The Texas A&M University System | $27,195 | $13.07 |
| 17 | The University of Kansas | $26,433 | $12.71 |
| 18 | Prairie View A&M University | $25,367 | $12.20 |
Wage gap by gender, race and education
Graduate teaching assistant salary trends
The average graduate teaching assistant salary has risen by $7,338 over the last ten years. In 2014, the average graduate teaching assistant earned $37,656 annually, but today, they earn $44,994 a year. That works out to a 9% change in pay for graduate teaching assistants over the last decade.
Compare graduate teaching assistant salaries for cities or states with the national average over time.
Average graduate teaching assistant salary over time
Compare graduate teaching assistant salaries for individual cities or states with the national average.
Graduate teaching assistant salary by year
| Year | Avg. salary | Hourly rate | % Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $45,000 | $21.63 | +2.0% |
| 2024 | $44,100 | $21.20 | +7.8% |
| 2023 | $40,600 | $19.54 | +3.7% |
| 2022 | $39,100 | $18.82 | -5.5% |
| 2021 | $41,300 | $19.85 | +10.0% |
Recently added graduate teaching assistant salaries
| Company | Job | Location | Date added | Salary |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ou Health | Graduate Teaching Assistant (Summer) | Oklahoma City, OK | 06/29/2025 | $28,800 |
| KUMC University of Kansas Medical Center | Graduate Teaching Assistant-SON | Kansas City, KS | 06/13/2025 | $74,800 |
| University of Arkansas | Graduate Teaching Assistant | Little Rock, AR | 05/27/2025 | $15,000 |
| Ou Health | Graduate Teaching Assistant (Summer) | Oklahoma City, OK | 05/26/2025 | $28,800 |
| University of Texas Rio Grande Valley | Graduate Teaching Assistant for Health & Biomedical Sciences | Edinburg, TX | 05/23/2025 | $15,000 |
| Illinois State | Studio Teach/Fls Student Staff | Normal, IL | 05/22/2025 | $31,305 |
| University of Arkansas System | Graduate Teaching Assistant-Computer Science | Little Rock, AR | 05/16/2025 | $15,000 |
| University of Arkansas | Graduate Teaching Assistant | Little Rock, AR | 04/29/2025 | $15,000 |
| Metropolitan State University of Denver | Graduate Teaching Assistant (Temporary Hourly Administrative) | Nunez, GA | 04/28/2025 | $39,256 |
| University of Arkansas | Graduate Teaching Assistant | Little Rock, AR | 03/30/2025 | $15,000 |
Graduate teaching assistant salary FAQs
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