Explore jobs
Find specific jobs
Explore careers
Explore professions
Best companies
Explore companies
Teaching assistant/laboratory instructor education requirements
Updated January 8, 2025
4 min read
There are several educational requirements to become a teaching assistant/laboratory instructor. Teaching assistant/laboratory instructors usually study biology, chemistry, or electrical engineering. 69% of teaching assistant/laboratory instructors hold a bachelor's degree, and 23% hold an master's degree. We analyzed 347 real teaching assistant/laboratory instructor resumes to see exactly what teaching assistant/laboratory instructor education sections show.
The most common colleges for teaching assistant/laboratory instructors are the The University of Alabama and the The University of Alabama.
There are also many online teaching assistant/laboratory instructor courses to help get the education required to be a teaching assistant/laboratory instructor.
What education do you need to become a teaching assistant/laboratory instructor?
What degree do you need to be a teaching assistant/laboratory instructor?
- Bachelor's, 69%
- Master's, 23%
- Doctorate, 4%
- Associate, 4%
- Other Degrees, 0%
What should I major in to become a teaching assistant/laboratory instructor?
Most common colleges for teaching assistant/laboratory instructors
| Teaching assistant/laboratory instructor common college | Percentages |
|---|---|
| The University of Alabama | 7.14% |
| Texas Tech University | 7.14% |
| University of California, Santa Barbara | 7.14% |
| Oklahoma State University | 7.14% |
| Carnegie Mellon University | 7.14% |
Best majors for teaching assistant/laboratory instructors
| Rank | Major | Percentages |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Biology | 13.3% |
| 2 | Chemistry | 12.8% |
| 3 | Electrical Engineering | 11.2% |
| 4 | Mechanical Engineering | 9.7% |
| 5 | Computer Science | 6.6% |
Best colleges for teaching assistant/laboratory instructors
The best colleges for teaching assistant/laboratory instructors are Stanford University, Northwestern University, and Columbia University in the City of New York.
A teaching assistant/laboratory instructor with advanced education typically earns a higher salary and has access to better jobs. That's why Zippia looked into the best colleges for teaching assistant/laboratory instructors. We based this list on several metrics: admissions rate, retention rate, mean earnings of graduates, the ratio of working vs. non-working students ten years after admission, the average cost of attendance, and median debt for graduates who become teaching assistant/laboratory instructors.
1. Stanford University
Stanford, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$51,354
Enrollment
7,083
2. Cornell University
Ithaca, NY • Private
In-state tuition
$55,188
Enrollment
15,105
3. Northwestern University
Evanston, IL • Private
In-state tuition
$54,568
Enrollment
8,451
4. Harvard University
Cambridge, MA • Private
In-state tuition
$50,420
Enrollment
7,582
5. Johns Hopkins University
Baltimore, MD • Private
In-state tuition
$53,740
Enrollment
5,567
6. Columbia University in the City of New York
New York, NY • Private
In-state tuition
$59,430
Enrollment
8,216
7. Georgia Institute of Technology
Atlanta, GA • Private
In-state tuition
$12,424
Enrollment
15,201
8. University of Pennsylvania
Philadelphia, PA • Private
In-state tuition
$55,584
Enrollment
10,764
9. Carnegie Mellon University
Pittsburgh, PA • Private
In-state tuition
$55,465
Enrollment
6,483
10. University of Michigan - Ann Arbor
Ann Arbor, MI • Private
In-state tuition
$15,262
Enrollment
30,079
20 best online courses for teaching assistant/laboratory instructors
Advertising disclosure
1. Uncommon Sense Teaching
The Uncommon Sense Teaching Specialization is a foundational program that prepares you to teach based on leading-edge insights from neuroscience, cognitive psychology, and movie-making. Your instructors have real-world experience in teaching some of the world’s most popular courses, and they bring their background from academia and beyond, including perspectives that could be obtained only from decades of teaching at virtually every level, personal experience with neurodiversity, adventure from...
2. Teach English Now! Lesson Design and Assessment
Learners will be introduced to designing lesson plans based on principles and knowledge of learning objectives, assessment plans, methods, materials, and learning activities. Learners will find and prepare appropriate teaching materials through careful analysis, adaptation and creation of professional resources. Learners will also reflect on the cohesion between lesson design and teaching philosophies...
3. TESOL - Teaching of English to Speakers of Other Languages
Teaching Skills and Classroom Management...
4. Complete Google Classroom Course: Teaching Google Classroom
Mastering the Art of Teaching with Google Classroom - Teaching Online with Google Classroom - Google Certified Educator...
5. Teaching with Google Classroom
Learn how to create, use, and teach creative, memorable lessons using Google Classroom...
6. Become a Microbiology Laboratory Technician
Microbiology...
7. Dr. K's Complete First Semester General Chemistry I Course
A Course to Prepare You for College Level General Chemistry...
8. The Complete MARINE BIOLOGY 101 Course, Beginner to Advanced
The NEW course with everything you need on Marine Biology - 2021 Online CERTIFICATE - Taught by a real marine biologist!...
9. Virtual Assistant Training, a Complete Guide: Work From Home
Rock Star Virtual Assistant Training: Create an online business + become a freelancing virtual professional in any field...
10. Complete General Chemistry 20+ hours of lectures & examples
Master General Chemistry in 4 weeks by solving examples & problems! Rahsoft Chemical Engineering Department RAHCH101...
11. My Google Classroom: Google Classroom Made Easy to Beginners
Master Google Classroom: Discover How to Successfully Setup and Start Teaching With Google Classroom in Minutes!...
12. General Biology I: Foundations of Biology
An essential course in Biology for students of all ages...
13. Become a Virtual Assistant
Live Free. Work Virtually. Virtual Assistant Training...
14. Google Assistant development with Actions on Google
Google Assistant development in Node.js with Actions on Google & Dialog Flow & Firebase for Google Home & Android device...
15. Virtual Assistant: Find, Hire, Train, and Manage
Work smarter, not harder: Learn how to win the war against Entrepreneurial Overwhelm with virtual assistants...
16. C++ Code Like you are in MATRIX: Mastering C++ in 12 Hours
Unleash the Power of C++ and Take Your Programming Skills to the Next Level! C++ and Data structures , CPP Unreal Engine...
17. Teacher Training - How to Teach Online - Remote Teaching 1Hr
Crash Course! Learn to Teach Online. Coronavirus Has Now Made Online and Remote Teaching a Necessary Teaching Skill...
18. Chemistry 101 - Part 1 Principles of Chemistry
An introductory course for anybody who wants to study chemistry - either towards future pathways or just for fun!...
19. Genetics and Next Generation Sequencing for Bioinformatics
For software professionals entering Bioinformatics: DNA sequencing data analysis, NGS, & Biology prerequisites...
20. Executive Assistants: Manage Client's GCal (Beginners)
Google Calendar (2018) Setup, Strategies and Scripts...
Top 10 most affordable universities for teaching assistant/laboratory instructors
The most affordable schools for teaching assistant/laboratory instructors are University of Florida, california state university - long beach, and california state university - bakersfield.
If the best universities for teaching assistant/laboratory instructors are out of your price range, check out these affordable schools. After factoring in in-state tuition and fees, the average cost of attendance, admissions rate, average net price, and mean earnings after six years, we found that these are the most affordable schools for teaching assistant/laboratory instructors.
1. University of Florida
Gainesville, FL • Private
In-state tuition
$6,381
Cost of attendance
21,034
2. California State University - Long Beach
Long Beach, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$6,798
Cost of attendance
18,306
3. California State University - Bakersfield
Bakersfield, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$7,309
Cost of attendance
16,714
4. Hunter College of the City University of New York
New York, NY • Private
In-state tuition
$7,182
Cost of attendance
13,998
5. California State University - Los Angeles
Los Angeles, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$6,749
Cost of attendance
14,823
6. California State University - Fullerton
Fullerton, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$6,886
Cost of attendance
17,645
7. Florida State University
Tallahassee, FL • Private
In-state tuition
$5,656
Cost of attendance
21,623
8. Florida International University
Miami, FL • Private
In-state tuition
$6,556
Cost of attendance
19,434
9. Brigham Young University
Provo, UT • Private
In-state tuition
$5,620
Cost of attendance
18,136
10. New Mexico Institute of Mining and Technology
Socorro, NM • Private
In-state tuition
$7,770
Cost of attendance
21,244
Top 10 hardest universities to get into for teaching assistant/laboratory instructors
The hardest universities for teaching assistant/laboratory instructors to get into are Stanford University, Northwestern University, and Columbia University in the City of New York.
Some great schools for teaching assistant/laboratory instructors are hard to get into, but they also set your career up for greater success. The list below shows the most challenging universities to get into for teaching assistant/laboratory instructors based on an institution's admissions rates, average SAT scores accepted, median ACT scores accepted, and mean earnings of students six years after admission.
1. Stanford University
Stanford, CA • Private
Admissions rate
4%
SAT average
1,497
2. Northwestern University
Evanston, IL • Private
Admissions rate
8%
SAT average
1,508
3. Columbia University in the City of New York
New York, NY • Private
Admissions rate
6%
SAT average
1,512
4. Harvard University
Cambridge, MA • Private
Admissions rate
5%
SAT average
1,520
5. Carnegie Mellon University
Pittsburgh, PA • Private
Admissions rate
17%
SAT average
1,507
6. Johns Hopkins University
Baltimore, MD • Private
Admissions rate
11%
SAT average
1,513
7. University of Pennsylvania
Philadelphia, PA • Private
Admissions rate
8%
SAT average
1,492
8. California Institute of Technology
Pasadena, CA • Private
Admissions rate
7%
SAT average
1,566
9. Cornell University
Ithaca, NY • Private
Admissions rate
11%
SAT average
1,471
10. Vanderbilt University
Nashville, TN • Private
Admissions rate
10%
SAT average
1,514
Top 10 easy-to-apply-to universities for teaching assistant/laboratory instructors
The easiest schools for teaching assistant/laboratory instructors to get into are Mount Saint Mary's University, wayland baptist university, and texas a&m; university - kingsville.
Some schools are much easier to get into. If you want to start your career as a teaching assistant/laboratory instructor without much hassle, check out the list of schools where you will be accepted in no time. We compiled admissions rates, average SAT scores, average ACT scores, and average salary of students six years after graduation to uncover which were the easiest schools to get into for teaching assistant/laboratory instructors.
1. Mount Saint Mary's University
Los Angeles, CA • Private
Admissions rate
84%
SAT average
1,031
2. Wayland Baptist University
Plainview, TX • Private
Admissions rate
98%
SAT average
1,003
3. Texas A&M University - Kingsville
Kingsville, TX • Private
Admissions rate
89%
SAT average
1,035
4. San Francisco State University
San Francisco, CA • Private
Admissions rate
72%
SAT average
1,054
5. Notre Dame College
Cleveland, OH • Private
Admissions rate
90%
SAT average
994
6. Barry University
Miami, FL • Private
Admissions rate
91%
SAT average
1,006
7. Thomas More University
Crestview Hills, KY • Private
Admissions rate
90%
SAT average
1,099
8. The University of Texas at El Paso
El Paso, TX • Private
Admissions rate
100%
SAT average
1,035
9. Sonoma State University
Rohnert Park, CA • Private
Admissions rate
90%
SAT average
1,072
10. Our Lady of the Lake University
San Antonio, TX • Private
Admissions rate
93%
SAT average
1,002
Average teaching assistant/laboratory instructor salary by education level
| Teaching assistant/laboratory instructor education level | Teaching assistant/laboratory instructor salary |
|---|---|
| Master's Degree | $50,229 |
| High School Diploma or Less | $39,399 |
| Bachelor's Degree | $42,718 |
| Doctorate Degree | $52,490 |
| Some College/ Associate Degree | $40,410 |
Teaching assistant/laboratory instructor education FAQs
Have more questions? See all answers to common education, training, and library questions.
Search for teaching assistant/laboratory instructor jobs
Updated January 8, 2025
Updated January 8, 2025