Teaching Assistants/Aides: is this associate's degree worth it?
National picture across 11 reporting college programs.
10-year estimate · Negative payoff
−$178,315 over 10 years
National scenario across reporting associate's degree programs, using median year-4 earnings, their institutions’ average net prices and a typical 2-year duration.
With these assumptions, the added earnings do not recover the cost within ten years.
Not availableModeled economic break-even
−168%Modeled 10-year ROI
$37,783Observed earnings · year 4
Not reachedMaximum annual price for positive 10-year payoff
Four useful answers about Teaching Assistants/Aides
How much do Teaching Assistants/Aides associate's degree graduates earn?
The national median is $37,783 four years after completion across reportable associate's degree programs in this federal field.
How much federal debt do graduates have?
The median reported federal debt is $9,500. The figure excludes private loans and does not describe every graduate.
Does the college matter for Teaching Assistants/Aides?
Yes. The middle half of reporting programs ranges from $34,873 to $39,992 in observed year-4 earnings.
What careers are related to Teaching Assistants/Aides?
DegreeVerdict links this field to 6 displayed occupations using the official federal CIP–SOC crosswalk. Occupational wages are career context, not graduate salary promises.
PRICE SENSITIVITY
The price can change the verdict.
Hold observed earnings constant and see how the modeled ten-year payoff changes as annual price rises.
← Negative payoff$0Positive payoff →
$0Annual price−$162,170
$8,000Current college-wide context−$178,170
$16,000Annual price−$194,170
$24,000Annual price−$210,170
$32,000Annual price−$226,170
$40,000Annual price−$242,170
Observed national outcomes
$37,783Median reported earnings · year 4
$32,812Average reported earnings · year 5
$9,500Median federal debt
16thYear-4 earnings percentile at this credential
Not availableIPEDS 2023–24 first-major awards across matched colleges
11With year-4 earnings
The award total covers 0 matched college records and is not extrapolated to colleges without a match.
The same field can produce a different equation.
Keep the federal field fixed and compare observed outcomes at every reportable credential level. These are separate graduate cohorts, not a promise that more schooling causes the difference.
Where the middle half of programs lands
Year‑4 earnings differ by college. This band shows the 25th percentile, national median and 75th percentile among reporting programs.
Median
25th percentile$34,873National median$37,78375th percentile$39,992
11 programs report year‑4 earnings.DECISION CHECK
What to compare before choosing a program
The national result is only the starting point. Price, debt and the college-level earnings spread can materially change the payoff.
PRICE × EARNINGS MAP
Where colleges sit for this exact degree
Move left for a lower annual college-wide net price and up for higher observed year-4 earnings.
$41,043Observed year-4 earnings$31,855
CUNY Medgar Evers College$5,718 price · $64,000 earningsCUNY Borough of Manhattan Community College$4,976 price · $41,043 earningsGateway Community and Technical College$5,725 price · $40,586 earningsCUNY Bronx Community College$4,462 price · $39,992 earningsCUNY Kingsborough Community College$5,606 price · $38,313 earningsCUNY Hostos Community College$5,297 price · $37,783 earningsJefferson Community and Technical College$6,376 price · $36,990 earningsNorthland Community and Technical College$13,975 price · $36,865 earningsUniversity of Phoenix-Arizona$13,520 price · $34,873 earningsTexas State Technical College$13,508 price · $32,170 earningsSt Cloud Technical and Community College$9,635 price · $31,855 earnings
$4,462Annual college-wide average net price$13,520
Put the same degree side by side.
Start with the leading reportable programs, then change the selection to match your shortlist.
Compare 3 programs →Choose colleges offering this exact degree
Narrow one field and credential by location, sector and debt, then compare two to four programs side by side.
11 matchesSelect up to four · showing 25 currently operating colleges
Open the full program search →
See the spread, not just the national number.
1CUNY Medgar Evers College$64,0002CUNY Borough of Manhattan Community College$41,0433Gateway Community and Technical College$40,5864CUNY Bronx Community College$39,9925CUNY Kingsborough Community College$38,3136CUNY Hostos Community College$37,7837Jefferson Community and Technical College$36,9908Northland Community and Technical College$36,8659University of Phoenix-Arizona$34,87310Texas State Technical College$32,170Observed year-4 earnings · top displayed records are not a universal ranking
Related occupations, wages and demand
Official CIP–SOC links show where this field can lead. They do not imply that every graduate enters the same occupation.
Pay and projected demand
Related careers do not share one outlook
Bubble size = annual openings2025–35 national projection
Higher median wage ↑
-16%Projected employment growth →12%
Occupation wages describe workers in these jobs, not graduates of this degree. BLS projections are national estimates and do not guarantee hiring.
Teaching Assistants, All OtherUnreported U.S. jobs · SOC 25-9049Teaching Assistants, Preschool, Elementary, Middle, and Secondary School, Except Special EducationUnreported U.S. jobs · SOC 25-9042Teaching Assistants, Special EducationUnreported U.S. jobs · SOC 25-9043Adult Basic Education, Adult Secondary Education, and English as a Second Language Instructors$61,540 median wage37,310 U.S. jobs · SOC 25-3011-13.9% projected employment, 2025–35 · 3.8k annual openingsTypical entry education: Bachelor's degree$41,810–$98,030 10th–90th percentileEducational Instruction and Library Workers, All Other$50,890 median wage118,590 U.S. jobs · SOC 25-9099+1.8% projected employment, 2025–35 · 12.7k annual openingsTypical entry education: Bachelor's degree$25,180–$98,740 10th–90th percentileTeaching Assistants, Postsecondary$42,910 median wage164,090 U.S. jobs · SOC 25-9044+2.7% projected employment, 2025–35 · 25.7k annual openingsTypical entry education: Bachelor's degree$28,600–$76,420 10th–90th percentile
BLS May 2025 wages and 2025–35 employment projections. Career context is separate from graduate outcomes.
Where this degree has enough data to compare
State pages are published only when at least five operating colleges report year-4 earnings for this exact field and credential.
Same degree, different outcomes
Compare reported outcomes using the same federal field and credential. ROI uses each institution’s average net price as a scenario, not an individual aid offer.
| # | College | Location | Earnings, year 4 | Federal debt | 10-year ROI | Verdict |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | CUNY Medgar Evers CollegeAssociate's Degree | Brooklyn, NY | $64,000 | Not available | +87% | Positive payoff |
| 2 | CUNY Borough of Manhattan Community CollegeAssociate's Degree | New York, NY | $41,043 | $9,500 | -140% | Negative payoff |
| 3 | Gateway Community and Technical CollegeAssociate's Degree | Florence, KY | $40,586 | $12,656 | -144% | Negative payoff |
| 4 | CUNY Bronx Community CollegeAssociate's Degree | Bronx, NY | $39,992 | Not available | -151% | Negative payoff |
| 5 | CUNY Kingsborough Community CollegeAssociate's Degree | Brooklyn, NY | $38,313 | $8,380 | -166% | Negative payoff |
| 6 | CUNY Hostos Community CollegeAssociate's Degree | Bronx, NY | $37,783 | $5,500 | -172% | Negative payoff |
| 7 | Jefferson Community and Technical CollegeAssociate's Degree | Louisville, KY | $36,990 | $10,000 | -178% | Negative payoff |
| 8 | Northland Community and Technical CollegeAssociate's Degree | Thief River Falls, MN | $36,865 | Not available | -169% | Negative payoff |
| 9 | University of Phoenix-ArizonaAssociate's Degree | Phoenix, AZ | $34,873 | $28,206 | -187% | Negative payoff |
| 10 | Texas State Technical CollegeAssociate's Degree | Waco, TX | $32,170 | $9,216 | -210% | Negative payoff |
| 11 | St Cloud Technical and Community CollegeAssociate's Degree | Saint Cloud, MN | $31,855 | Not available | -220% | Negative payoff |
This page keeps the field and credential level fixed. Federal categories can still combine multiple catalog programs or concentrations. Automated ROI is limited to associate and bachelor’s degrees because institution-wide annual net price is not a reliable proxy for short certificate prices. ROI is an illustrative scenario, not a federal determination.