Life As a Graduate Teaching Assistant
Career Description 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.
Graduate Teaching Assistant Responsibilities
- Inform students of the procedures for completing and submitting class work, such as lab reports.
- Arrange for supervisors to conduct teaching observations and provide feedback about teaching performance.
- Provide instructors with assistance in the use of audiovisual equipment.
- Demonstrate use of laboratory equipment and enforce laboratory rules.
- Complete laboratory projects prior to assigning them to students so that any needed modifications can be made.
- Prepare or proctor examinations.
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What Skills Do You Need to Work as a Graduate Teaching Assistant?
Graduate Teaching Assistants state the following job skills are important in their day-to-day work.
Reading Comprehension: Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work related documents.
Active Listening: Giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times.
Speaking: Talking to others to convey information effectively.
Instructing: Teaching others how to do something.
Learning Strategies: Selecting and using training/instructional methods and procedures appropriate for the situation when learning or teaching new things.
Writing: Communicating effectively in writing as appropriate for the needs of the audience.
Related Job Titles
- Research Assistant (RA)
- Graduate Student
- Instructor
- Exam Proctor
- Teaching Assistant (TA)
Are There Job Opportunities for Graduate Teaching Assistants?
In the United States, there were 168,300 jobs for Graduate Teaching Assistant in 2016. New jobs are being produced at a rate of 7.7% which is above the national average. The Bureau of Labor Statistics predicts 12,900 new jobs for Graduate Teaching Assistant by 2026. There will be an estimated 14,400 positions for Graduate Teaching Assistant per year.
The states with the most job growth for Graduate Teaching Assistant are Utah, Nevada, and Colorado. Watch out if you plan on working in Maine, Illinois, or North Dakota. These states have the worst job growth for this type of profession.
Graduate Teaching Assistant Average Salary
The typical yearly salary for Graduate Teaching Assistants is somewhere between $18,320 and $59,290.
Graduate Teaching Assistants who work in Massachusetts, Washington, or Minnesota, make the highest salaries.
How much do Graduate Teaching Assistants make in each U.S. state?
State | Annual Mean Salary |
---|---|
Alabama | $23,740 |
Arkansas | $20,590 |
California | $36,350 |
Colorado | $39,190 |
District of Columbia | $38,220 |
Florida | $29,110 |
Georgia | $26,460 |
Idaho | $29,730 |
Illinois | $43,670 |
Indiana | $40,140 |
Iowa | $31,370 |
Kansas | $36,390 |
Louisiana | $31,220 |
Maine | $23,970 |
Maryland | $46,840 |
Massachusetts | $55,020 |
Michigan | $36,820 |
Minnesota | $52,650 |
Mississippi | $39,390 |
Missouri | $31,170 |
Montana | $18,850 |
New Jersey | $36,390 |
New Mexico | $27,040 |
New York | $38,520 |
Ohio | $47,400 |
Oklahoma | $26,590 |
Oregon | $36,950 |
Pennsylvania | $44,960 |
South Carolina | $37,880 |
Tennessee | $23,330 |
Texas | $34,930 |
Utah | $51,750 |
Washington | $53,180 |
West Virginia | $21,670 |
Wisconsin | $36,190 |
What Tools & Technology do Graduate Teaching Assistants Use?
Below is a list of the types of tools and technologies that Graduate Teaching Assistants may use on a daily basis:
- Microsoft Excel
- Microsoft Word
- Microsoft Office
- Microsoft PowerPoint
- Microsoft Outlook
- Web browser software
- Data entry software
- Email software
- Adobe Systems Adobe Photoshop
- Structured query language SQL
- SAS
- Google Docs
- IBM SPSS Statistics
- Calendar and scheduling software
- Learning management system LMS
- Blackboard Learn
- Course management system software
- Sakai CLE
- Desire2Learn
- iParadigms Turnitin
Becoming a Graduate Teaching Assistant
Are there Graduate Teaching Assistants education requirements?
How many years of work experience do I need?
Graduate Teaching Assistants Sector
Below are examples of industries where Graduate Teaching Assistants work:
References:
More about our data sources and methodologies.
Featured Schools
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