How long does it take to become a Teaching Assistant?

It takes 2 years of professional experience to become a teaching assistant. That is the time it takes to learn specific teaching assistant skills, but does not account for time spent in formal education. If you include the normal education requirements to complete a college degree, then it takes 5 to 7 years years to become a teaching assistant.

How To Become A Teaching Assistant: What It Is and Career Path

What is a teaching assistant and how to become one

Updated January 8, 2025

4 min read

Quoted expert

Dr. Greg Jones

A teaching assistant is an individual who assists a teacher in a classroom setting. They support teachers by preparing materials, supervising students, and providing one-on-one attention to students who need extra help. Teaching assistants may also provide feedback to teachers on student performance and help improve their teaching methods. A teaching assistant's role is critical in ensuring that students receive the support they need to learn and succeed in the classroom.

What general advice would you give to a teaching assistant?

Dr. Greg Jones

High School Principal, Orchard Farm High School

Be sure to learn about different aspects/departments of the company. If asked to volunteer time on a day off, do it. This will allow you to expand your skills and shows dedication and work ethic.

ScoreTeaching AssistantUS Average

Salary

2.9

Avg. Salary $36,519

Avg. Salary $59,228

Diversity

8.1

Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 1.11%

Asian 11.57%

Black or African American 10.95%

Hispanic or Latino 17.54%

Unknown 4.51%

White 54.32%

Gender

female 57.55%

male 42.45%

Age - 45

Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 3.00%

Asian 7.00%

Black or African American 14.00%

Hispanic or Latino 19.00%

White 57.00%

Gender

female 47.00%

male 53.00%

Age - 45

Stress level

3.7

Stress level is moderate

7.1 - high

Complexity level

5.8

Complexity level is intermediate

7 - challenging

Work life balance

8.0

Work life balance is good

6.4 - fair

What are the pros and cons of being a teaching assistant?

Pros

Opportunity to gain teaching experience
Chance to work with and help students
Ability to learn from experienced teachers
Opportunity for professional development and training
Potential for networking and meeting other educators

Cons

Heavy workload and long hours
Limited creativity in lesson planning
Little control over curriculum and teaching materials
Difficulty in establishing boundaries with students and parents
Possibility of dealing with difficult or challenging students

Key steps to become a teaching assistant

Explore teaching assistant education requirements

Most common teaching assistant degrees

Bachelor's

70.4 %

Master's

16.5 %

Associate

5.2 %

Start to develop specific teaching assistant skills

Skills	Percentages
Lab Experiments	20.33%
Laboratory Experiments	10.27%
TA	6.39%
Organic Chemistry	6.10%
Mathematics	5.95%

Research teaching assistant duties and responsibilities

Lead well-received labs aim at students learning SAS including: data step, general regression models building and plots generating.
Develop and lead ELA lessons at the 8th grade level, with an emphasis on critical reading and literary analysis.
Assist classmates with developing positive study habits and strategies for managing classroom material.
Lead discussion sections for students to understand concepts including introductory quantum theory and statistical thermodynamics as well as their applications.

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