Teaching Assistants, Postsecondary pay range in Columbia
New workers and the lowest-paid 10% earn about $19,220 a year or less, while the top 10% make $82,490 or more. The middle half of teaching assistants, postsecondary in Columbia earn between $28,400 and $47,720.
- $19K10th
- $28K25th
- $38KMedian
- $48K75th
- $82K90th
median average · bar = middle 50% of workers · how to read it
| Pay level | Per year | Per month | Per hour* |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average | $46,150 | $3,846 | — |
| Median | $37,710 | $3,142 | — |
| Entry level (25th percentile) | $28,400 | $2,367 | — |
| Experienced (75th percentile) | $47,720 | $3,977 | — |
*Hourly figures assume 2,080 paid hours a year (BLS publishes this job's pay as annual only). Hourly to annual salary.
Teaching Assistants, Postsecondary pay in Columbia vs. South Carolina and the U.S.
Teaching assistants, postsecondary in Columbia earn about the same as the South Carolina average ($46,240) and 3% less than the U.S. average ($47,670). At the median the gap is -12% against the U.S. median of $42,910.
| Area | Average | Median | 10th pct. | 90th pct. | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Columbia | $46,150 | $37,710 | $19,220 | $82,490 | 40 |
| South Carolina | $46,240 | $46,760 | $19,630 | $60,510 | 2,730 |
| United States | $47,670 | $42,910 | $28,600 | $76,420 | 164,090 |
State and U.S. rows: BLS statewide and national estimates, May 2025, which include rural areas.
Teaching Assistants, Postsecondary salary after taxes in Columbia
On the average salary of $46,150, a single filer in Columbia takes home about $38,518 a year, or $3,210 a month and $1,481 every two weeks. Taxes take 17% of gross pay.
Single filer, standard deduction: federal income tax (2026 brackets), Social Security, Medicare and state income tax (2026 rules).
Is Columbia a good place for teaching assistants, postsecondary? Pay vs. cost of living
Prices in the Columbia area are 6% below the U.S. average (BEA price parity 93.7), so the average $46,150 buys what about $49,273 would buy in a typical U.S. metro. This job pays 0.8 times the median wage of all jobs in Columbia ($46,430). A typical home costs $256,154, or 5.6 years of this average salary before tax.
Teaching Assistants, Postsecondary salary in other South Carolina cities
Columbia ranks 2nd of 2 South Carolina metro areas for this job; Greenville pays the most ($49,110).
- Greenville$49,110
- Columbia$46,150
All Teaching Assistants, Postsecondary salaries in South Carolina
Highest-paying cities for teaching assistants, postsecondary
Canton, OH pays this job the most of the metro areas we cover ($78,760).
- Canton, OH$78,760
- Sacramento, CA$67,480
- Lubbock, TX$62,780
- Merced, CA$62,340
- Washington, DC$61,380
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Teaching Assistants, Postsecondary salary in Columbia: questions
What is the entry-level teaching assistants, postsecondary salary in Columbia?
The lowest-paid 10% earn about $19,220 a year and the 25th percentile is $28,400, a fair guide to starting pay.
What is the teaching assistants, postsecondary take-home pay in Columbia?
About $38,518 a year ($3,210 a month) for a single filer on the average salary of $46,150.
Do teaching assistants, postsecondary earn more in Columbia than elsewhere?
The average here is 3% less than the U.S. average for this job ($47,670).
Sources and how to read this page
- Wages: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025 estimates for metropolitan areas. SOC code 25-9044; area Columbia, SC (17900). Relative standard error of the mean wage: 4.5%.
- U.S. and statewide figures: BLS OEWS national and state estimates, May 2025, every employer including rural areas.
- Cost of living: Bureau of Economic Analysis regional price parities (RPP), 2024; 100 = U.S. average.
- Home value: Zillow Home Value Index. Typical-wage figure: OEWS all occupations, same metro.
- Take-home pay: Single filer, standard deduction: federal income tax (2026 brackets), Social Security, Medicare and state income tax (2026 rules).
- Job concentration: location quotient 0.10, this job is less common than in the U.S. overall (location quotient 0.10).
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