As of May 01, 2026, the average annual salary for Graduate Assistant in the US is $132,680, equivalent to $64 per hour, $2,552 weekly, or $11,057 monthly. These figures, sourced from Salary.com’s real-time job posting scans, highlight competitive earning potential for Graduate Assistant in cities like San Jose, Santa Clara, and San Francisco.

Annually Salaries for Graduate Assistant in the US vary widely, spanning from $97,468 to $148,450. Most professionals fall between the 25th percentile ($114,249) and 75th percentile ($140,935), while top earners (90th percentile) make $148,450 per year. This $26,686 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 $97,468 US May 01, 2026
25th Percentile Graduate Assistant Salary $114,249 US May 01, 2026
50th Percentile Graduate Assistant Salary $132,680 US May 01, 2026
75th Percentile Graduate Assistant Salary $140,935 US May 01, 2026
90th Percentile Graduate Assistant Salary $148,450 US May 01, 2026
25% $114,249 10% $97,468 90% $148,450 75% $140,935 $132,680 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

See user submitted job responsibilities for Graduate Assistant.

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

 
 
 
114249
140935
132680

Average Total Cash Compensation

Includes base and annual incentives

 
 
 
146406
191379
169664
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 $114,249 to $140,935 with the average base salary of $132,680. The total cash compensation, which includes base, and annual incentives, can vary anywhere from $146,406 to $191,379 with the average total cash compensation of $169,664.

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114249
140935

 

Skills associated with Graduate Assistant: Community, Focused

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