All careers › Teaching Assistants, Except Postsecondary › North Carolina
Teacher assistant salary in North Carolina
- $25,110lowest 10% earn less
- $28,11025th percentile
- $29,790median
- $35,60075th percentile
- $38,050top 10% earn more
The median pay for teacher assistants in North Carolina was $29,790 a year in May 2025[1]. That was $6,990 lower than the US median[6].
How much do teacher assistants make in North Carolina?
The median means half of teacher assistants in North Carolina earned more than $29,790 a year and half earned less[1]. Across the US the median was $36,780[3], so North Carolina sat $6,990, or 19.0%, below it[6]. North Carolina had the 41st highest median among the 50 states and DC with a published figure[5]. For all jobs in the state the median was $47,970[7], and teacher assistants earned $18,180 less than that[8].
At the low end, the lowest-paid 10% earned less than $25,110 a year[2]. The top 10% earned more than $38,050[2]. The middle half of the pay range ran from $28,110 to $35,600[2]. BLS publishes only yearly pay for this job, not hourly pay[9].
Among metro areas, Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk, VA-NC had the highest median at $38,050[10]. Among the metros with the largest job counts, Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia had a median of $29,730[11] and Raleigh-Cary had $35,300[11]. OEWS counts wage and salary workers only. It leaves out the self-employed and owners of unincorporated firms, and it does not include bonuses or the cost of benefits[12].
North Carolina vs US pay
Pay for teacher assistants in North Carolina next to the national figures[1][3].
Pay by metro area in North Carolina
Metro areas in North Carolina with the most jobs for teacher assistants, and the median pay in each[11]. A metro area that crosses state lines is counted as a whole.
| Metro area | Median per year | Jobs |
|---|---|---|
| Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC[11] | $29,730 | 7,850 |
| Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk, VA-NC | $38,050 | 6,030 |
| Raleigh-Cary, NC | $35,300 | 4,960 |
| Greensboro-High Point, NC | $29,050 | 1,970 |
| Durham-Chapel Hill, NC | $29,090 | 1,910 |
| Winston-Salem, NC | $30,100 | 1,780 |
| Asheville, NC | $29,600 | 1,270 |
| Wilmington, NC | $33,030 | 1,240 |
Pay in nearby states
Median pay for teacher assistants in the states that border North Carolina, highest first[14].
| State | Median per year | Jobs |
|---|---|---|
| Virginia[14] | $38,520 | 31,370 |
| Tennessee | $29,210 | 23,280 |
| Georgia | $28,770 | 33,410 |
| South Carolina | $27,860 | 14,410 |
Job outlook and training
Across the US, jobs for teacher assistants are projected to decline 0.3% from 2025 to 2035[15]. BLS does not publish this projection by state. The typical education for entry is: some college, no degree[16].
Frequently asked questions
- How much does a teacher assistant make in North Carolina?
- The median pay was $29,790 a year in May 2025[1]. The average was $31,890[17].
- How much does a teacher assistant make an hour in North Carolina?
- The yearly median was $29,790[1]. BLS does not publish hourly pay for this job[9].
- Which city in North Carolina pays teacher assistants the most?
- Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk, VA-NC had the highest median among metro areas with a published figure, at $38,050 a year[10]. This metro area crosses the state line and is counted as a whole[11].
- Is North Carolina a good state for teacher assistants?
- North Carolina had the 41st highest median for this job among the 50 states and DC with a published figure[5]. Its median was $6,990 lower than the US median[6].
- What do you need to become a teacher assistant in North Carolina?
- These are US figures, not North Carolina ones. BLS lists some college with no degree for entry, no related work experience, and no typical on-the-job training[16].
Facts and sources
- BLS OEWS, May 2025: the median wage for Teaching Assistants, Except Postsecondary in North Carolina was $29,790 per year. Half of these workers earned more and half earned less. BLS OEWS, May 2025
- BLS OEWS, May 2025, annual wage percentiles for Teaching Assistants, Except Postsecondary in North Carolina: 10th percentile $25,110, 25th percentile $28,110, 75th percentile $35,600, 90th percentile $38,050. The 10th percentile means 10% of workers earned less, the 90th means 10% earned more. BLS OEWS, May 2025
- 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
- BLS OEWS, May 2025: about 32,150 people worked as Teaching Assistants, Except Postsecondary in North Carolina (wage and salary jobs, not counting self-employed workers). BLS OEWS, May 2025
- BLS OEWS, May 2025: North Carolina had the 41st highest median annual wage for Teaching Assistants, Except Postsecondary out of the 50 states and DC with a published median. BLS OEWS, May 2025
- CareerFacts calculation from BLS OEWS, May 2025: the median annual wage for Teaching Assistants, Except Postsecondary in North Carolina ($29,790) was $6,990 (19.0%) lower than the US median ($36,780). BLS OEWS, May 2025
- BLS OEWS, May 2025: the median annual wage for all occupations in North Carolina was $47,970. BLS OEWS, May 2025
- CareerFacts calculation from BLS OEWS, May 2025: the median annual wage for Teaching Assistants, Except Postsecondary in North Carolina was $18,180 lower than the median for all occupations in the state ($47,970). BLS OEWS, May 2025
- 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
- BLS OEWS, May 2025: of the 16 metro areas in or partly in North Carolina with a published median for Teaching Assistants, Except Postsecondary, Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk, VA-NC had the highest median annual wage, $38,050. BLS OEWS, May 2025
- Metro areas with the most jobs in this occupation, with median annual wage, May 2025 (table on this page). BLS OEWS, May 2025
- 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
- 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
- BLS OEWS, May 2025, median annual wage for Teaching Assistants, Except Postsecondary in states that border North Carolina (highest first): Virginia $38,520; Tennessee $29,210; Georgia $28,770; South Carolina $27,860. BLS OEWS, May 2025
- 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
- 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
- BLS OEWS, May 2025: the mean (average) wage for Teaching Assistants, Except Postsecondary in North Carolina was $31,890 per year. BLS OEWS, May 2025