How to become a Postsecondary Teaching Assistant
Official title: Teaching Assistants, Postsecondary
Also called: Graduate Assistant, Graduate Fellow, Graduate Research Assistant, Graduate Student, Graduate Student Instructor (GSI), Graduate Teaching Assistant (GTA), Research Assistant (RA), Teaching Assistant (TA), Teaching Fellow
Assist faculty or other instructional staff in postsecondary institutions by performing instructional support activities, such as developing teaching materials, leading discussion groups, preparing and giving examinations, and grading examinations or papers.
Main tasks
- Teach undergraduate-level courses.
- Evaluate and grade examinations, assignments, or papers, and record grades.
- Lead discussion sections, tutorials, or laboratory sections.
- Develop teaching materials, such as syllabi, visual aids, answer keys, supplementary notes, or course Web sites.
- Inform students of the procedures for completing and submitting class work, such as lab reports.
- Return assignments to students in accordance with established deadlines.
- Prepare or proctor examinations.
- Tutor or mentor students who need additional instruction.
How to become one
Typical education to start: Bachelor's degree
Ways in
- College: Education & Teaching degrees, Offered by 35 universities in the US
Pay · Outlook · AI and this job
- Median pay: $42,910 a year The middle half earn $35,270 to $60,510.
- About 205,500 people work in this job now, and about 211,000 are projected by 2035. (+2.7%)
- People already use generative AI for some of this work. Microsoft Research rates its AI applicability as medium.
Related jobs
- Teaching Assistants, Preschool, Elementary, Middle, and Secondary School, Except Special Education
- Teaching Assistants, Special Education
- Instructional Coordinators
- Farm and Home Management Educators
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Questions people ask
How do I become a Postsecondary Teaching Assistant?
Ways in include: Education & Teaching degrees.
How much does a Postsecondary Teaching Assistant earn in the US?
Median full-time pay is $42,910 a year (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics). The middle half earn $35,270 to $60,510.
Is a Postsecondary Teaching Assistant a growing career in the US?
Yes. Employment is projected to grow 3% by 2035, from about 205,500 to about 211,000 people (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics).
Do you need a degree to become a Postsecondary Teaching Assistant?
Not always. 34% of people in this job hold a bachelor's degree or higher. Ways in include: Education & Teaching degrees.
Will AI change the work of a Postsecondary Teaching Assistant?
People already use generative AI for some of this work. Microsoft Research rates its AI applicability as medium.
Sources
- Microsoft Research: Working with AI: AI applicability by occupation (2025-12-22 (built on O*NET 29.0)), CC BY 4.0, retrieved 2026-10-03
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics: Employment Projections (2025-35 (released 2026-08-27)), Public domain (BLS), retrieved 2026-10-03
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics: Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (May 2025), Public domain (BLS), retrieved 2026-10-03
Updated 2026-10-03
This page includes information from the O*NET 31.0 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA). Used under the CC BY 4.0 license. O*NET is a trademark of USDOL/ETA.