GeraJobs / US Real Pay Index / Teaching Assistants, Except Postsecondary
Best States to Be a Teaching Assistants, Except Postsecondary
After 2025 state income tax and 2024 cost of living, a teaching assistants, except postsecondary salary goes furthest in Maine — a $46,750 BLS median worth $46,581 in real terms (Gera US Real Pay Index 131.9).
Which US states are best for a teaching assistants, except postsecondary after cost of living and tax?
For a teaching assistants, except postsecondary, the Gera US Real Pay Index ranks Maine #1: a $46,750 BLS median becomes $46,581 in cost-of-living-and-tax-adjusted terms (index 131.9). Alabama ranks last ($26,042, index 73.8). Real BLS OEWS May 2025 across 51 states; re-dated annually.
Gera US Real Pay Index
Maine ranks #1 of 51 states for a teaching assistants, except postsecondary. Index 100 = the average state; 131.9 means pay goes 31.9% further after tax and cost of living.
How this is calculatedTeaching Assistants, Except Postsecondary — real pay by state (best first)
| # | State | BLS median | State tax | Cost (RPP) | Real pay | Index |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Maine | $46,750 | $1,543 | 97.0 | $46,581 | 131.9 |
| 2 | Washington | $49,120 | — | 107.0 | $45,901 | 130.0 |
| 3 | Vermont | $43,800 | $1,049 | 98.0 | $43,643 | 123.6 |
| 4 | North Dakota | $38,240 | — | 89.0 | $42,986 | 121.8 |
| 5 | California | $46,490 | $886 | 110.7 | $41,189 | 116.7 |
| 6 | District of Columbia | $46,920 | $1,715 | 109.9 | $41,132 | 116.5 |
| 7 | Minnesota | $40,100 | $1,346 | 98.6 | $39,296 | 111.3 |
| 8 | Wisconsin | $37,800 | $904 | 94.1 | $39,212 | 111.1 |
| 9 | Missouri | $36,300 | $825 | 90.8 | $39,062 | 110.6 |
| 10 | Wyoming | $36,100 | — | 92.7 | $38,947 | 110.3 |
| 11 | Ohio | $35,920 | $205 | 92.8 | $38,496 | 109.0 |
| 12 | New Mexico | $35,900 | $624 | 92.2 | $38,256 | 108.4 |
| 13 | Nebraska | $35,160 | $756 | 90.1 | $38,183 | 108.1 |
| 14 | New Hampshire | $38,440 | — | 104.2 | $36,903 | 104.5 |
| 15 | Virginia | $38,520 | $1,415 | 101.1 | $36,700 | 103.9 |
| 16 | Delaware | $37,830 | $1,423 | 99.8 | $36,477 | 103.3 |
| 17 | Alaska | $37,190 | — | 102.4 | $36,333 | 102.9 |
| 18 | Idaho | $35,560 | $905 | 95.5 | $36,290 | 102.8 |
| 19 | Connecticut | $38,110 | $790 | 103.6 | $36,020 | 102.0 |
| 20 | Oregon | $39,850 | $2,683 | 103.4 | $35,959 | 101.9 |
| 21 | Utah | $37,050 | $1,686 | 98.9 | $35,771 | 101.3 |
| 22 | Montana | $34,750 | $928 | 94.6 | $35,735 | 101.2 |
| 23 | Rhode Island | $37,220 | $796 | 102.3 | $35,612 | 100.9 |
| 24 | Massachusetts | $39,380 | $1,749 | 105.8 | $35,583 | 100.8 |
| 25 | Illinois | $36,990 | $1,690 | 100.0 | $35,315 | 100.0 |
| 26 | Arizona | $35,900 | $423 | 100.7 | $35,239 | 99.8 |
| 27 | Michigan | $35,110 | $1,246 | 96.2 | $35,196 | 99.7 |
| 28 | Indiana | $33,300 | $969 | 93.3 | $34,642 | 98.1 |
| 29 | Pennsylvania | $34,740 | $1,067 | 97.6 | $34,511 | 97.7 |
| 30 | New York | $38,240 | $1,498 | 107.9 | $34,045 | 96.4 |
| 31 | Maryland | $37,060 | $1,428 | 105.0 | $33,949 | 96.2 |
| 32 | Colorado | $35,760 | $913 | 103.1 | $33,815 | 95.8 |
| 33 | New Jersey | $37,290 | $588 | 108.8 | $33,732 | 95.5 |
| 34 | Iowa | $30,510 | $1,119 | 87.8 | $33,489 | 94.9 |
| 35 | Florida | $34,430 | — | 103.4 | $33,293 | 94.3 |
| 36 | West Virginia | $29,800 | $759 | 89.5 | $32,449 | 91.9 |
| 37 | Kentucky | $30,160 | $1,076 | 90.2 | $32,259 | 91.4 |
| 38 | Hawaii | $36,810 | $1,353 | 110.0 | $32,248 | 91.3 |
| 39 | Arkansas | $28,790 | $914 | 86.9 | $32,064 | 90.8 |
| 40 | Nevada | $31,900 | — | 100.0 | $31,907 | 90.4 |
| 41 | South Dakota | $28,220 | — | 88.6 | $31,856 | 90.2 |
| 42 | Tennessee | $29,210 | — | 91.9 | $31,795 | 90.1 |
| 43 | Kansas | $29,490 | $870 | 90.1 | $31,776 | 90.0 |
| 44 | Oklahoma | $27,920 | $789 | 87.8 | $30,886 | 87.5 |
| 45 | North Carolina | $29,790 | $724 | 94.3 | $30,814 | 87.3 |
| 46 | Texas | $29,850 | — | 97.1 | $30,755 | 87.1 |
| 47 | Louisiana | $27,400 | $447 | 88.2 | $30,557 | 86.5 |
| 48 | South Carolina | $27,860 | $279 | 93.7 | $29,420 | 83.3 |
| 49 | Mississippi | $25,840 | $332 | 87.0 | $29,336 | 83.1 |
| 50 | Georgia | $28,770 | $904 | 96.3 | $28,939 | 82.0 |
| 51 | Alabama | $24,070 | $939 | 88.8 | $26,042 | 73.8 |
"Real pay" = BLS median − 2025 state income tax, divided by the state's 2024 BEA cost of living (US = 100). Only the 51 states for which BLS publishes a median for this occupation are ranked; suppressed cells are excluded, never set to zero.
Where does your salary go furthest?
Enter a salary and a state. We adjust for 2025 state income tax and the 2024 BEA cost of living to show your real, purchasing-power-equivalent pay — then rank every state.
In Maine, a $46,750 salary is worth about $44,727 in cost-of-living-and-tax-adjusted terms.
State income tax $3,343 (≈ top marginal 7.15% (upper bound)) · take-home $43,407 · BEA cost of living 97.0 (US = 100).
The same salary goes furthest in South Dakota — worth $52,774, a $8,047 gain over Maine.
| # | State | Real value | Cost (RPP) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | South Dakota | $52,774 | 88.6 |
| 2 | Arkansas | $51,677 | 86.9 |
| 3 | Louisiana | $51,410 | 88.2 |
| 4 | Mississippi | $51,399 | 87.0 |
| 5 | Iowa | $51,245 | 87.8 |
| 6 | North Dakota | $51,238 | 89.0 |
| 7 | Tennessee | $50,887 | 91.9 |
| 8 | Oklahoma | $50,692 | 87.8 |
| 9 | Wyoming | $50,436 | 92.7 |
| 10 | Alabama | $50,001 | 88.8 |
| 11 | Kentucky | $49,779 | 90.2 |
| 12 | West Virginia | $49,719 | 89.5 |
Estimate only. State income tax is approximated from each state's 2025 flat rate (or top marginal rate as an upper bound for graduated states) and ignores federal tax, deductions and credits. The pre-published occupation and state pages use exact 2025 bracket math. Cost of living is the 2024 BEA Regional Price Parity (All Items).
Teaching Assistants, Except Postsecondary — real pay FAQ
- What is the best state to be a teaching assistants, except postsecondary?
- By the Gera US Real Pay Index, Maine is the best state for a teaching assistants, except postsecondary: a BLS median of $46,750 is worth $46,581 after the 2025 state income tax ($1,543) and the 2024 BEA cost-of-living adjustment (RPP 97.0), an index of 131.9 where the average state is 100.
- Does the highest-paying state also leave you best off?
- Not necessarily. Washington has the highest headline BLS median for a teaching assistants, except postsecondary at $49,120, but after state tax and cost of living it ranks #2 of 51 on real pay (index 130.0). That gap is exactly what the Gera US Real Pay Index reveals.
- Where does a teaching assistants, except postsecondary salary go least far?
- Alabama ranks last of 51 states for a teaching assistants, except postsecondary: a $24,070 BLS median is worth only $26,042 after tax and cost of living (index 73.8). Higher local prices and/or income tax less far than the national average erode the headline pay.
Compare other occupations
- Home Health and Personal Care AidesWashington
- Retail SalespersonsNorth Dakota
- Fast Food and Counter WorkersCalifornia
- General and Operations ManagersSouth Dakota
- Registered NursesCalifornia
- CashiersWashington
- Laborers and Freight, Stock, and Material Movers, HandNorth Dakota
- Stockers and Order FillersWyoming
- Customer Service RepresentativesIowa
- Office Clerks, GeneralNorth Dakota
- Waiters and WaitressesVermont
- Janitors and Cleaners, Except Maids and Housekeeping CleanersWashington
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Related on GeraJobs
- Gera US Real Pay Index — all states ranked — and how the index is calculated.
- Methodology — the exact BLS + BEA + tax computation.
- Browse US jobs with salary ranges — roles hiring now.
Sources: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics — Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) (May 2025 state estimates, US federal public domain); U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis — Regional Price Parities (All Items), by state (2024 (US = 100)); Tax Foundation — 2025 State Individual Income Tax Rates and Brackets. The Gera US Real Pay Index for a teaching assistants, except postsecondary is computed by GeraJobs from these figures; no figure is modelled or interpolated.