🎒
Public K-12 Education
New York City Public Schools, Los Angeles Unified School District, Chicago Public Schools
Teaching Assistants, Except Postsecondary
Teaching assistants help the classroom keep moving: they hand out materials, back up the teacher during lessons, tutor small groups, and watch students in hallways, cafeterias, and on the playground. The job is hands-on and relational, but the tradeoff is clear—pay is modest and the work can swing from instruction to supervision to cleanup in the same day.
Also known as Teacher AssistantTeacher AideInstructional AssistantParaprofessional EducatorClassroom Aide
Median Salary
$35,240
Mean $35,960
U.S. Workforce
~1.4M
170.4K openings per year
10-Year Growth
+-1.5%
1422.8K to 1401.7K
Entry Education
Some college, no degree
+ None experience
What This Role Looks Like in Practice
Teaching Assistants, Except Postsecondary sits in the Education category. In practical terms, this role combines day-to-day execution, cross-team coordination, and consistent decision-making under real business constraints.
U.S. employment is currently about ~1.4M workers, with a median annual pay of $35,240 and roughly 170.4K openings each year. Based on BLS projections, total employment is expected to decline from 1422.8 K in 2024 to 1401.7K in 2034.
Most hiring paths start with High school diploma, and employers typically expect none of related experience. Many careers in this track begin around School Aide and can progress toward Lead Paraeducator. High-value skills usually include Active Listening, Social Perceptiveness, and Speaking, paired with soft skills such as Patience, Empathy, and Clear communication.
Core Responsibilities
- Hand out books, worksheets, pencils, and other supplies before class starts.
- Help students use classroom tools and materials safely so they do not get hurt or damage equipment.
- Clean up the classroom and reset desks, materials, and work areas after activities.
- Check in with the classroom teacher to line up on lessons, assignments, and student needs.
Keep exploring: more Education careers or browse all job titles.
A Day in the Life
01 Hand out books, worksheets, pencils, and other supplies before class starts.
02 Help students use classroom tools and materials safely so they do not get hurt or damage equipment.
03 Clean up the classroom and reset desks, materials, and work areas after activities.
04 Check in with the classroom teacher to line up on lessons, assignments, and student needs.
05 Help teach small parts of a lesson, read directions aloud, and work with small groups under the teacher's guidance.
06 Supervise students during class time, in hallways, lunchrooms, gyms, recess, and field trips, and give one-on-one help when needed.
Industries That Hire
🏫
Charter School Networks
KIPP, IDEA Public Schools, Success Academy
🧩
Special Education Services
Easterseals, The MENTOR Network, Special School District of St. Louis County
👶
Early Childhood Education
KinderCare, Bright Horizons, Primrose Schools
📚
Tutoring & Test Prep
Kumon, Sylvan Learning, Huntington Learning Center
Pros and Cons
Advantages
+
Low barrier to entry: the BLS says the typical entry point is some college, no degree, and many workers come in with a high school diploma or some college.
+
Steady hiring need: even with employment projected to slip by 1.5% to 1,401.7K by 2034, the occupation still shows about 170.4K annual openings.
+
You work directly with students every day, so the impact of helping a child understand a lesson is immediate and visible.
+
The work is built around the school calendar in many districts, which can mean predictable daytime hours and school breaks.
+
The job can be a useful way to test whether you want to move into teaching, special education, or another student-facing career.
Challenges
-
Pay is modest for the amount of responsibility: the median wage is $35,240 a year, and the mean is only slightly higher at $35,960.
-
The long-term outlook is weak, with employment projected to fall 1.5% from 1,422.8K to 1,401.7K by 2034.
-
There is a real career ceiling unless you earn more education or certification; many assistants do not move into higher-paid roles without changing paths.
-
The work can be physically tiring and emotionally draining because it includes supervision, cleanup, and behavior management, not just tutoring.
-
Funding and staffing depend on school budgets and enrollment, so hours, assignments, and class support needs can change from year to year.
Career Progression
School Aide
0-2 years
$28K-$32K
New workers usually start by preparing materials, keeping students organized, and helping with basic supervision.
Teaching Assistant
2-5 years
$33K-$40K
At this level, you work directly with students, support the teacher during lessons, and help small groups or individual learners.
Senior Teaching Assistant THIS ROLE
5-8 years
$40K-$48K
Experienced assistants often handle more complex student support, including behavior guidance, lesson reinforcement, and special education help.
Lead Paraeducator
8+ years
$48K-$58K
Lead-level staff may coordinate support across a classroom or grade level and serve as the go-to person for routine instructional help.
Education Paths
High school diploma
A high school diploma is a common starting point for this work, and 25.86% of workers in the O*NET distribution report this level.
Some college, no degree
This is the BLS typical entry point, and 17.66% of workers in the O*NET data report some college courses.
Bachelor's degree
A bachelor's degree is also a real pathway, especially for people aiming at stronger classroom support roles, and 16.28% of workers report this level.
Postsecondary certificate or paraprofessional training
Short credential programs are an alternative route, and 9.95% of workers in the O*NET distribution report a post-secondary certificate.
Key Skills
Technical
Active Listening 76%
Social Perceptiveness 75%
Speaking 74%
Reading Comprehension 72%
Learning Strategies 70%
Monitoring 70%
Soft Skills
PatienceEmpathyClear communicationTeamwork with teachersConflict de-escalationAdaptability Job Outlook and Trends
+-1.5%
Projected growth (2024-2034)
170.4K
Annual job openings
Employment is projected to rise from 1422.8K to 1401.7 K over the next decade, representing -1.5% growth. Around 170.4 K openings per year include both newly created roles and replacement hiring from turnover.
Remote availability is currently Rare. Demand remains strongest where employers need practical domain knowledge plus modern workflow and data skills.