How to hire a teaching associate

How to hire a teaching associate, step by step

Here's a step-by-step teaching associate hiring guide:

• Step 1: Identify your hiring needs
• Step 2: Create an ideal candidate profile
• Step 3: Make a budget
• Step 4: Write a teaching associate job description
• Step 5: Post your job
• Step 6: Interview candidates
• Step 7: Send a job offer and onboard your new teaching associate
• Step 8: Go through the hiring process checklist

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1. Identify your hiring needs

   Before you start hiring a teaching associate, identify what type of worker you actually need. Certain positions might call for a full-time employee, while others can be done by a part-time worker or contractor.

   Determine employee vs contractor status

   Is the person you're thinking of hiring a US citizen or green card holder?

   Yes

   No

   Hiring the perfect teaching associate also involves considering the ideal background you'd like them to have. Depending on what industry or field they have experience in, they'll bring different skills to the job. It's also important to consider what levels of seniority and education the job requires and what kind of salary such a candidate would likely demand.

   Here's a comparison of teaching associate salaries for various roles:

   Type of Teaching Associate	Description	Hourly rate
   Teaching Associate		$12-38
   Student Instructor	Typically, a Student Instructor engages students in learning the assignments, materials, pacing, resources, and activities. Student Instructors learn and enforce questioning and discussion strategies in promoting knowledge acquisition and student participation... Show more	$15-35
   College Instructor	A certified veterinary technician is in charge of performing laboratory tests, participating in medical procedures, and performing clerical support tasks at veterinary clinics, zoos, and private laboratories. Their responsibilities often include collecting information from pet owners, studying patients' medical histories, gathering and analyzing samples from patients through various laboratory procedures, operating equipment and machines, and monitoring patients' conditions... Show more	$16-35

   Show more

2. Create an ideal candidate profile

   Common skills:

   • Lab Reports
   • Mathematics
   • Laboratory Courses
   • Molecular Biology
   • TA
   • Student Learning
   • Literature
   • Undergraduate Courses
   • Organic Chemistry
   • Syllabus
   • Public Speaking
   • Course Materials
   • Student Performance
   • School Administration

   Check all skills

   Responsibilities:

   • Utilize digital technology for educational purposes by managing blackboard page.
   • Create weekly lesson plans using Microsoft PowerPoint, online resources, and textbooks.
   • Review subject materials, literature on economic development, and present lessons using visual aids such as graphs to explain material.
   • Prepare PowerPoint presentations for lectures.
   • Assist students with elementary mathematics concepts.
   • Tutor students in economics computer lab and one-on-one.

   More teaching associate duties

3. Make a budget

   Including a salary range in the teaching associate job description is a good way to get more applicants. A teaching associate salary can be affected by several factors, such as the location of the job, the level of experience, education, certifications, and the employer's prestige.

   For example, the average salary for a teaching associate in Nebraska may be lower than in New York, and an entry-level engineer typically earns less than a senior-level teaching associate. Additionally, a teaching associate with lots of experience in the field may command a higher salary as a result.

   Average teaching associate salary

   $47,409yearly

   $22.79 hourly rate

   ---

   Entry-level teaching associate salary

   $27,000 yearly salary

   Updated December 22, 2025

   Average teaching associate salary by state

   Rank	State	Avg. salary	Hourly rate
   1	New York	$65,544	$32
   2	Maryland	$63,404	$30
   3	New Jersey	$58,081	$28
   4	Illinois	$57,691	$28
   5	Wisconsin	$57,207	$28
   6	Connecticut	$51,001	$25
   7	Massachusetts	$49,985	$24
   8	Michigan	$49,545	$24
   9	North Carolina	$49,291	$24
   10	Washington	$46,501	$22
   11	West Virginia	$46,049	$22
   12	Oregon	$45,323	$22
   13	Ohio	$42,492	$20
   14	Mississippi	$42,280	$20
   15	Tennessee	$41,972	$20
   16	Louisiana	$39,495	$19
   17	California	$39,415	$19
   18	Georgia	$39,232	$19
   19	Florida	$37,810	$18
   20	Nebraska	$36,253	$17

   Average teaching associate salary by company

   Company

   Rank	Company	Average salary	Hourly rate	Job openings
   1	Saint Xavier University	$76,217	$36.64	13
   2	Cornell University	$68,111	$32.75	5
   3	Bentley School	$66,007	$31.73
   4	Morehouse School of Medicine	$62,732	$30.16	5
   5	Northeastern University	$62,104	$29.86	134
   6	Merritt Academy	$61,270	$29.46
   7	University of Illinois Springfield	$60,139	$28.91	22
   8	Oregon Health & Science University	$55,080	$26.48	59
   9	University of Mississippi Medical Center	$54,193	$26.05	6
   10	West Virginia University	$53,947	$25.94	65
   11	Stevens Institute of Technology	$52,815	$25.39	6
   12	PSEA	$52,725	$25.35	9
   13	University of Washington	$52,472	$25.23	43
   14	Washington State University	$50,875	$24.46	18
   15	Congressional Country Club	$50,839	$24.44
   16	University of Wisconsin System	$50,620	$24.34	101
   17	LA State University Continuing	$50,368	$24.22	370
   18	University of North Carolina	$49,154	$23.63	72
   19	University of Tennessee	$48,634	$23.38	88
   20	Kiddie Academy	$47,675	$22.92

4. Writing a teaching associate job description

   A job description for a teaching associate role includes a summary of the job's main responsibilities, required skills, and preferred background experience. Including a salary range can also go a long way in attracting more candidates to apply, and showing the first name of the hiring manager can also make applicants more comfortable. As an example, here's a teaching associate job description:

   Teaching associate job description example

   Lead laboratory sessions of designated biology courses under direction of faculty and with established objectives and collaborate with faculty regarding the delivery of laboratory instruction Includes the following. Other duties may be assigned.
   
   Lead laboratory sessions of designated biology courses under direction of faculty and with established objectives;
   Collaborate with faculty regarding the delivery of laboratory instruction;
   
   Prepare labs for instruction;
   
   Assess student learning in labs and provide feedback to students;
   
   Maintain student records for lab attendance and lab assignments;
   
   Provide support for students during and outside of lab sessions;
   
   Coordinate and supervise student assistants;
   
   Collaborate with lab manager regarding the requisitioning of supplies for lab instruction;
   
   Assist department chairperson with matters pertaining to laboratory sections
   
   Other duties as needed (e.g., advising, tutoring, proctoring exams) To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily. The requirements listed below are representative of the knowledge skills and/or ability required.
   
   B.S. in Biology required; M.S. in Biology preferred
   
   Experience teaching biology lab required
   
   Experience in microbiology laboratory work preferred
   
   Excellent organization and communication skills;
   
   Knowledge of Window-based computer applications and ability to learn online course management systems
   
   We inspire success by working together to provide meaningful, personalized service in a spirit of excellence. SXU seeks candidates that deliver value-added services in a responsive, collaborative, effective, and respectful manner.
   
   The University is committed to diversity and encourages applications from individuals with a wide variety of backgrounds and experiences. Saint Xavier University affirms its position as a Catholic institution, inspired by the heritage of the Sisters of Mercy, and asserts its rights to employ persons who subscribe to the mission, vision and core values of the University.
   
   Saint Xavier University is an Equal Opportunity Employer that makes all decisions regarding recruitment, hiring, promotions and all other terms and conditions of employment without discrimination on the grounds of race, color, creed, sex, religion, national or ethnic origin, age, physical or mental disability, veteran status or other factors protected by law. Hiring decisions will be based on the bona fide occupational qualifications of each applicant.

   Copy this example

   

5. Post your job

   There are a few common ways to find teaching associates for your business:

   • Promoting internally or recruiting from your existing workforce.
   • Ask for referrals from friends, family members, and current employees.
   • Attend job fairs at local colleges to meet candidates with the right educational background.
   • Use social media platforms like LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter to recruit passive job-seekers.

   Post your job online:

   • Post your teaching associate job on Zippia to find and attract quality teaching associate candidates.
   • Use niche websites such as k12jobspot, learn4good, serious teachers, teachingjobs.com.
   • Post a job on free websites.

6. Interview candidates

   Your first interview with teaching associate candidates should focus on their interest in the role and background experience. As the hiring process goes on, you can learn more about how they'd fit into the company culture in later rounds of interviews.

   It's also good to ask about candidates' unique skills and talents. You can move on to the technical interview if a candidate is good enough for the next step.

   The right interview questions can help you assess a candidate's hard skills, behavioral intelligence, and soft skills.

7. Send a job offer and onboard your new teaching associate

   Once you've found the teaching associate candidate you'd like to hire, it's time to write an offer letter. This should include an explicit job offer that includes the salary and the details of any other perks. Qualified candidates might be looking at multiple positions, so your offer must be competitive if you like the candidate. Also, be prepared for a negotiation stage, as candidates may way want to tweak the details of your initial offer. Once you've settled on these details, you can draft a contract to formalize your agreement.

   It's equally important to follow up with applicants who don't get the job with an email letting them know that the position has been filled.

   To prepare for the new teaching associate first day, you should share an onboarding schedule with them that covers their first period on the job. You should also quickly complete any necessary paperwork, such as employee action forms and onboarding documents like I-9, benefits enrollment, and federal and state tax forms. Finally, Human Resources must ensure a new employee file is created for internal record keeping.

8. Go through the hiring process checklist

   • Determine employee type (full-time, part-time, contractor, etc.)
   • Submit a job requisition form to the HR department
   • Define job responsibilities and requirements
   • Establish budget and timeline
   • Determine hiring decision makers for the role
   • Write job description
   • Post job on job boards, company website, etc.
   • Promote the job internally
   • Process applications through applicant tracking system
   • Review resumes and cover letters
   • Shortlist candidates for screening
   • Hold phone/virtual interview screening with first round of candidates
   • Conduct in-person interviews with top candidates from first round
   • Score candidates based on weighted criteria (e.g., experience, education, background, cultural fit, skill set, etc.)
   • Conduct background checks on top candidates
   • Check references of top candidates
   • Consult with HR and hiring decision makers on job offer specifics
   • Extend offer to top candidate(s)
   • Receive formal job offer acceptance and signed employment contract
   • Inform other candidates that the position has been filled
   • Set and communicate onboarding schedule to new hire(s)
   • Complete new hire paperwork (i9, benefits enrollment, tax forms, etc.)

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