My work week is balanced across taking graduate coursework, teaching undergraduate courses, assisting with existing research projects, and investigating and theorizing original research plans.
CAREER
Teaching Assistants, Postsecondary
Overview
Salary Median (2020)
$36,250
Projected Job Growth (2019-2029)
+3.4% (slower than the average)
Most Common Level of Education
Bachelor's degree
Career
Roadtrip Nation Leaders in This Career
What Teaching Assistants, Postsecondary Do
Assist faculty or other instructional staff in postsecondary institutions by performing teaching or teaching-related duties, such as teaching lower level courses, developing teaching materials, preparing and giving examinations, and grading examinations or papers. Graduate teaching assistants must be enrolled in a graduate school program. Graduate assistants who primarily perform non-teaching duties, such as research, should be reported in the occupational category related to the work performed.
Other Job Titles Teaching Assistants, Postsecondary May Have
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
How Leaders Describe a Typical Day at Work
Tasks & Responsibilities May Include
- 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.
Education
Level of Education Attained by Teaching Assistants, Postsecondary
Most common level of education among people in
this career: High school diploma or equivalent (25%)
High school diploma or equivalent
Some college, no degree
Bachelor's degree
Other*
*All other responses combined for clarity.
Educational Paths Suggested by Leaders
Suggested Path
Bachelor
B.A. Industrial and Organizational Psychology
Graduate
M.A. Religion
Certification / License
Master's of Divinity
Additional Skills & Experiences That Can Help You Excel
I've written several pieces on how education helped prepare me for working in the "real world," including the importance of Christian higher education and even studying for exams. You can take a look at some of my pieces here: szzhou4.wordpress.com/magazine-op-eds
This page includes information from theO*NET 26.1 Databaseby the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA). Used under theCC BY 4.0license. O*NET® is a trademark of USDOL/ETA.
