Teacher Assistants
Salary, job outlook, AI risk & career information
Teacher Assistants in the United States earn a median salary of $36,780 per year — about $18 per hour, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Roughly 1.4M people work in this occupation nationwide, with projected employment growth of -1%.
AI & Automation Risk
Teacher assistants have moderate exposure because AI can significantly automate their administrative and instructional support tasks, such as grading, lesson preparation, and providing personalized tutoring through AI agents. However, a large portion of the role involves physical supervision, behavioral management, and assisting students with special needs or personal hygiene, which require a physical human presence that AI cannot replace.
Salary by City — What You Actually Take Home
Real purchasing power = salary adjusted for cost of living. Higher = more money in your pocket.
| City | Local Salary | Cost of Living | Real Purchasing Power |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mount Vernon-Anacortes, WABEST VALUE | $57,950 | Average (102.4) | $56,568 |
| Decatur, IL | $48,480 | Below avg (88.4) | $54,828 |
| Pueblo, CO | $46,280 | Below avg (91.8) | $50,435 |
| Bellingham, WA | $51,670 | Above avg (103.3) | $50,003 |
| Lewiston-Auburn, ME | $47,120 | Below avg (94.7) | $49,738 |
| Yakima, WA | $47,380 | Below avg (95.5) | $49,589 |
| Olympia-Lacey-Tumwater, WA | $51,350 | Above avg (103.7) | $49,532 |
| Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA | $53,950 | Above avg (111.1) | $48,545 |
| Bismarck, ND | $44,110 | Below avg (91.0) | $48,460 |
| Portland-South Portland, ME | $48,770 | Average (101.9) | $47,880 |
| Bremerton-Silverdale-Port Orchard, WA | $50,530 | Above avg (105.6) | $47,847 |
| Bangor, ME | $45,120 | Below avg (96.5) | $46,753 |
| Longview-Kelso, WA | $45,400 | Average (97.5) | $46,543 |
| El Centro, CA | $43,970 | Below avg (95.2) | $46,200 |
| Modesto, CA | $47,990 | Above avg (104.1) | $46,096 |