As of April 01, 2026, the average annual salary for Graduate Assistant in the US is $132,658, equivalent to $64 per hour, $2,551 weekly, or $11,055 monthly. These figures, sourced from Salary.com’s real-time job posting scans, highlight competitive earning potential for Graduate Assistant in cities like Santa Clara, San Jose, and Fremont.

Annually Salaries for Graduate Assistant in the US vary widely, spanning from $97,472 to $148,781. Most professionals fall between the 25th percentile ($114,240) and 75th percentile ($141,097), while top earners (90th percentile) make $148,781 per year. This $26,857 pay gap underscores opportunities for salary growth through certifications, specialized skills like Leadership or Curriculum Development, or targeting high-paying regions like District of Columbia or California.

Location and experience significantly influence earnings. For example, District of Columbia Graduate Assistant often earn 10.7% above national averages due to demand from Fortune 52 companies and industry startups. Professionals are advised to focus on high-growth sectors like Edu., Gov't. & Nonprofit to offset market challenges.

Based on HR-reported data: a national average with a geographic differential
Graduate Assistant Salaries by Percentile
Percentile Salary Location Last Updated
10th Percentile Graduate Assistant Salary $97,472 US April 01, 2026
25th Percentile Graduate Assistant Salary $114,240 US April 01, 2026
50th Percentile Graduate Assistant Salary $132,658 US April 01, 2026
75th Percentile Graduate Assistant Salary $141,097 US April 01, 2026
90th Percentile Graduate Assistant Salary $148,781 US April 01, 2026
25% $114,240 10% $97,472 90% $148,781 75% $141,097 $132,658 50%(Median) Didn’t find job title? Click
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Check out Graduate Assistant jobs in Columbus, Ohio

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What is a Graduate Assistant ?

A teaching assistant or teacher's aide (TA) or education assistant (EA) is an individual who assists a teacher with instructional responsibilities. TAs include graduate teaching assistants (GTAs), who are graduate students; undergraduate teaching assistants (UTAs), who are undergraduate students; secondary school TAs, who are either high school students or adults; and elementary school TAs, who are adults (also known as paraprofessional educators or teacher's aides). By definition, TAs assist with classes, but many graduate students serve as the sole instructor for one or more classes each sem...

Source: Wikipedia (as of 04/18/2019). Read more from Wikipedia

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Job Openings for Graduate Assistant

Career Path for this job

  1. This Job:

    Graduate Assistant


    JD, MD, PhD or Equivalent

  2. Up a level:

    Dean of Graduate Programs


    JD, MD, PhD or Equivalent

Understand the total compensation opportunity for a Graduate Assistant, base salary plus other pay elements

Average Base Salary

Core compensation

 
 
 
114240
141097
132658

Average Total Cash Compensation

Includes base and annual incentives

 
 
 
146080
190954
169286
These charts show the average base salary (core compensation), as well as the average total cash compensation for the job of Graduate Assistant in the United States. The base salary for Graduate Assistant ranges from $114,240 to $141,097 with the average base salary of $132,658. The total cash compensation, which includes base, and annual incentives, can vary anywhere from $146,080 to $190,954 with the average total cash compensation of $169,286.

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114240
141097

 

Skills associated with Graduate Assistant: Community, Focused

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