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Teacher assistant salary in California

Updated November 2, 2026. Based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data. Published by Humblebee.

$46,490median pay per year in California, May 2025[1]
  1. $37,240lowest 10% earn less
  2. $39,59025th percentile
  3. $46,490median
  4. $49,55075th percentile
  5. $59,520top 10% earn more
Middle half of workers in the inner band[2]US median for this job, $36,780[3]

The median pay for teacher assistants in California was $46,490 a year in May 2025[1]. That was $9,710 higher than the US median[6].

Jobs in CA
177,140[4]
Rank by median pay
4 of 51[5]
Compared with US median
+26.4%[6]

How much do teacher assistants make in California?

Teacher assistants in California had a median wage of $46,490 a year[1]. Half of them earned more and half earned less. The average was $47,300[7]. BLS publishes only yearly wages for this job, because pay is often set by the year even when hours are fewer than a full year[8]. Across the US, the median was $36,780[3], so California was $9,710 (26.4%) higher[6]. For all jobs in the state, the median was $58,240[9]. Teacher assistants earned $11,750 less than that[10].

The lowest-paid 10% earned less than $37,240, and the highest-paid 10% earned more than $59,520[2]. About 177,140 people held these jobs in California[4].

Among metro areas in or partly in California, San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont had the highest median wage at $49,360[11]. San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara had $49,010, and Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim had $46,240[12]. Bakersfield-Delano had $38,930[12]. These figures cover wage and salary workers. They leave out the self-employed, nonproduction bonuses and the cost of benefits like health insurance[13].

California vs US pay

Pay for teacher assistants in California next to the national figures[1][3].

CAUS
Median per year$46,490[1]$36,780[3]
Lowest 10% earn less than$37,240[2]$27,150[14]
Top 10% earn more than$59,520[2]$50,040[14]
Jobs177,140[4]1,420,350[3]

Pay by metro area in California

Metro areas in California with the most jobs for teacher assistants, and the median pay in each[12].

Metro areaMedian per yearJobs
Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA[12]$46,24053,010
Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA$46,33022,500
San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA$49,36018,710
San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA$46,44013,260
Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA$45,99011,110
San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA$49,0107,240
Fresno, CA$45,3406,530
Bakersfield-Delano, CA$38,9306,040

Pay in nearby states

Median pay for teacher assistants in the states that border California, highest first[15].

StateMedian per yearJobs
Oregon[15]$39,85023,030
Arizona$35,90025,280
Nevada$31,9007,100

Median pay for teacher assistants in every state

Job outlook and training

Across the US, jobs for teacher assistants are projected to decline 0.3% from 2025 to 2035[16]. BLS does not publish this projection by state. The typical education for entry is: some college, no degree[17].

How to become one: steps, training and duties

Frequently asked questions

How much does a teacher assistant make in California?
The median was $46,490 a year in May 2025[1]. The lowest-paid 10% earned less than $37,240 and the highest-paid 10% earned more than $59,520[2].
How much does a teacher assistant make an hour in California?
BLS publishes only annual wages for this job, not hourly wages[8]. The median annual wage was $46,490[1].
Which city in California pays teacher assistants the highest?
San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont had the highest median among the 25 metro areas with a published figure, at $49,360 a year[11].
Is California a good state for teacher assistants?
California had the 4th highest median annual wage out of 50 states and DC with a published median[5]. Its median was 26.4% higher than the US median[6].
What do you need to become a teacher assistant in California?
This is a US figure, not a California one. Across the US, the typical education needed for entry is some college with no degree, with no related work experience and no typical on-the-job training[17].

Facts and sources

  1. BLS OEWS, May 2025: the median wage for Teaching Assistants, Except Postsecondary in California was $46,490 per year. Half of these workers earned more and half earned less. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  2. BLS OEWS, May 2025, annual wage percentiles for Teaching Assistants, Except Postsecondary in California: 10th percentile $37,240, 25th percentile $39,590, 75th percentile $49,550, 90th percentile $59,520. The 10th percentile means 10% of workers earned less, the 90th means 10% earned more. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  3. BLS OEWS, May 2025: the median wage for Teaching Assistants, Except Postsecondary in the US as a whole was $36,780 per year, with about 1,420,350 jobs nationwide. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  4. BLS OEWS, May 2025: about 177,140 people worked as Teaching Assistants, Except Postsecondary in California (wage and salary jobs, not counting self-employed workers). BLS OEWS, May 2025
  5. BLS OEWS, May 2025: California had the 4th highest median annual wage for Teaching Assistants, Except Postsecondary out of the 50 states and DC with a published median. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  6. CareerFacts calculation from BLS OEWS, May 2025: the median annual wage for Teaching Assistants, Except Postsecondary in California ($46,490) was $9,710 (26.4%) higher than the US median ($36,780). BLS OEWS, May 2025
  7. BLS OEWS, May 2025: the mean (average) wage for Teaching Assistants, Except Postsecondary in California was $47,300 per year. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  8. BLS publishes only annual wages for Teaching Assistants, Except Postsecondary, not hourly wages, because many work fewer than 2,080 hours a year but are paid yearly. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  9. BLS OEWS, May 2025: the median annual wage for all occupations in California was $58,240. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  10. CareerFacts calculation from BLS OEWS, May 2025: the median annual wage for Teaching Assistants, Except Postsecondary in California was $11,750 lower than the median for all occupations in the state ($58,240). BLS OEWS, May 2025
  11. BLS OEWS, May 2025: of the 25 metro areas in or partly in California with a published median for Teaching Assistants, Except Postsecondary, San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA had the highest median annual wage, $49,360. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  12. Metro areas with the most jobs in this occupation, with median annual wage, May 2025 (table on this page). BLS OEWS, May 2025
  13. BLS OEWS FAQ: OEWS covers part-time and full-time workers paid a wage or salary. It does not cover the self-employed, owners and partners in unincorporated firms, household workers or unpaid family workers. OEWS wages do not include nonproduction bonuses or employer costs of benefits such as health insurance or retirement contributions. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  14. BLS OEWS, May 2025, annual wage percentiles for Teaching Assistants, Except Postsecondary in the US: 10th percentile $27,150, 25th percentile $31,060, 75th percentile $45,360, 90th percentile $50,040. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  15. BLS OEWS, May 2025, median annual wage for Teaching Assistants, Except Postsecondary in states that border California (highest first): Oregon $39,850; Arizona $35,900; Nevada $31,900. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  16. BLS Employment Projections (US, not by state): employment of Teaching Assistants, Except Postsecondary is projected to decline 0.3% nationwide from 2025 to 2035, with about 176,200 openings a year on average. All occupations are projected to grow 3.5%. BLS Employment Projections
  17. BLS Employment Projections (US, not by state), typical path into Teaching Assistants, Except Postsecondary: education needed for entry: Some college, no degree; work experience in a related occupation: None; typical on-the-job training: None. BLS Employment Projections

State figures cover only California. Job outlook and entry requirements are national (US) figures: BLS does not publish them by state in our sources. Figures labelled “CareerFacts calculation” are simple differences between the BLS numbers shown.