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Teaching Assistants, Postsecondary
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.
Other titles employers use
Graduate Assistant · Graduate Fellow · Graduate Research Assistant · Graduate Student · Graduate Student Instructor (GSI) · Graduate Teaching Assistant (GTA) · Research Assistant (RA) · Teaching Assistant (TA)
Inside the work
What you would actually do.
6 responsibilities that define the role, before job titles and workplaces change the details.
- 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.
Who it suits
Would this work hold your attention?
This career often appeals to people drawn to helping, organizing and analytical work.
- Organizing
- Creating order, checking details, and keeping work accurate
- Analytical
- Investigating questions, testing ideas, and solving problems
Skills and strengths
What you would get good at.
Compare the skills the work relies on, the subjects behind it, and the abilities that make it easier to learn.
Core skills
- Reading Comprehension
- Active Listening
- Speaking
- Instructing
- Learning Strategies
- Writing
Subjects to know
- English Language
- Education and Training
- Computers and Electronics
- Mathematics
Useful strengths
- Oral Comprehension
- Oral Expression
- Written Comprehension
- Written Expression
- Speech Clarity
Working day
Picture yourself doing it.
These measures show how much of the day involves people, movement, conversation, and hands-on work.
| Measure | Out of 5 | What that means here |
|---|---|---|
| Close to other people | 3.5 | Shared rooms, but not shoulder to shoulder |
| On your feet | 2.9 | Mostly seated |
| Talking face to face | 4.6 | Continuous — the job is conversations |
| Working with your hands | 2.2 | Little of the day |
Preparation
How people prepare for this work.
Employers usually ask for a bachelor's degree. Other routes may also lead into the field.
- A four-year degree 57%
- A master's degree 37%
- A doctorate or professional degree 4%
- A certificate or some college 2%
Tools of the work
Technology you may use.
- Word processing software
- Analytical or scientific software
- Electronic mail software
- Graphics or photo imaging software
- Spreadsheet software
- Office suite software
- Presentation software
- Data base user interface and query software
Opportunity near you
See where this work is growing.
Choose a state to compare the size of the field, annual openings, and expected hiring change.
- People doing this work
- 30,200
- Job openings each year
- 3,600
- Expected hiring change, 2022–2032
- 7.9%
Compare every available state
| State | People doing it | Job openings each year | Expected change |
|---|---|---|---|
| California | 30,200 | 3,600 | 7.9% |
| New York | 20,080 | 360 | 21.5% |
| Illinois | 13,420 | 1,570 | 2.1% |
| Texas | 13,150 | 1,570 | 9.4% |
| Maryland | 7,460 | 910 | 14.2% |
| Missouri | 5,630 | 670 | 4.6% |
| Florida | 4,660 | 560 | 11.8% |
| Connecticut | 4,480 | 540 | 9.8% |
| Wisconsin | 4,140 | 490 | 8.4% |
| Arizona | 3,740 | 440 | 6.9% |
| Ohio | 3,530 | 410 | 2.0% |
| Virginia | 2,660 | 310 | 3.5% |
| Utah | 2,650 | 330 | 25.6% |
| Arkansas | 2,590 | 300 | 1.2% |
| Indiana | 2,490 | 300 | 6.0% |
| Washington | 2,180 | 300 | 16.6% |
| New Jersey | 2,090 | 250 | 9.4% |
| North Carolina | 1,960 | 240 | 11.4% |
| Puerto Rico | 1,800 | 220 | 13.2% |
| Georgia | 1,670 | 200 | 7.7% |
| Massachusetts | 1,540 | 190 | 13.2% |
| Oklahoma | 1,480 | 170 | 1.4% |
| Nevada | 1,300 | 160 | 9.2% |
| Kentucky | 1,260 | 150 | 5.0% |
| Colorado | 1,060 | 130 | 19.1% |
| South Carolina | 900 | 110 | 12.5% |
| Louisiana | 880 | 100 | 7.3% |
| South Dakota | 850 | 100 | 6.3% |
| Maine | 770 | 90 | — |
| Idaho | 730 | 90 | 12.3% |
| Montana | 690 | 80 | 7.8% |
| Kansas | 540 | 60 | 5.9% |
| North Dakota | 510 | 60 | −1.9% |
| Oregon | 480 | 60 | 6.7% |
| Iowa | 470 | 60 | 9.3% |
| Delaware | 360 | 40 | 12.5% |
| New Mexico | 360 | 40 | 9.1% |
| Nebraska | 220 | 30 | — |
| Alaska | 150 | 20 | 15.4% |
| New Hampshire | 140 | 20 | 7.7% |
Career to college
Build a path toward this work.
Start with a related major, then compare colleges where students complete that field.