Teaching Assistants, Postsecondary Salary in San Diego, CA
Teaching Assistants, Postsecondary in the San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA metro area earn a median $45,120 a year — 5% more than the national median. After 2026 taxes, that is $37,053 take-home, or $3,088 a month.
Take-home pay calculator
Pre-filled with the median teaching assistants, postsecondary salary in San Diego, CA. Enter your own offer to see your paycheck.
- Federal income tax$3,234
- Social Security (6.2%)$2,797
- Medicare (1.45%)$654
- California income tax$794
- CA State Disability Insurance (SDI)$587
- Take-home pay$37,053
Marginal rate: 12% federal + 4.00% state
Got an offer somewhere else? Compare it with this one after taxes and rent →
Teaching Assistants, Postsecondary pay by experience in San Diego, CA
| Percentile | Salary | Hourly | Take-home / yr | Per month |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile (entry level) | $34,320 | $16.50 | $28,948 | $2,412 |
| 25th percentile | $36,440 | $17.52 | $30,539 | $2,545 |
| Median (50th) | $45,120 | $21.69 | $37,053 | $3,088 |
| 75th percentile | $64,420 | $30.97 | $51,163 | $4,264 |
| 90th percentile (top earners) | $80,470 | $38.69 | $61,140 | $5,095 |
Wages: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025. Take-home: single filer, California resident, 2026 tax rules.
What $45,120 buys in San Diego, CA
Prices in San Diego, CA are 11.9% higher than the U.S. average (housing costs are 1.79× the national average). Adjusted for local prices, a median teaching assistants, postsecondary's $37,053 take-home pay has the buying power of $33,117 in a typical American city.
Rents: HUD Fair Market Rents, FY2026 (40th-percentile gross rent incl. utilities). Price levels: BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024.
San Diego, CA has 1.5× the national concentration of teaching assistants, postsecondary jobs — a strong local market for this occupation.
Best-paying cities for teaching assistants, postsecondary, adjusted for cost of living
San Diego, CA ranks #9 of 14 metro areas once taxes and local prices are taken into account.
| # | Metro area | Median salary | Take-home | Real value* |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | College Station, TX | $57,790 | $48,614 | $53,451 |
| 2 | Sacramento, CA | $61,780 | $49,261 | $46,181 |
| 3 | Champaign, IL | $50,110 | $40,108 | $43,264 |
| 4 | Washington, DC | $58,330 | $46,703 | $42,893 |
| 5 | Madison, WI | $47,990 | $39,409 | $40,508 |
| 6 | Phoenix, AZ | $49,810 | $41,166 | $39,845 |
| 7 | Boston, MA | $49,760 | $39,894 | $36,848 |
| 8 | Houston, TX | $38,490 | $33,107 | $33,567 |
| 9 | San Diego, CA | $45,120 | $37,053 | $33,117 |
*Take-home pay divided by the BEA price level, so every city is measured in U.S.-average dollars. See all 14 metros →
About the job: teaching assistants, postsecondary
Assist faculty or other instructional staff in postsecondary institutions by performing instructional support activities, such as developing teaching materials, leading discussion groups, preparing and giving examinations, and grading examinations or papers. Graduate students who teach one or more full courses should be classified in the 25-1000 minor group.
- Typical education
- Bachelor's degree
- Work experience
- None required
- On-the-job training
- None
- Job outlook, 2025–35
- +2.7% (about average)
Source: BLS Standard Occupational Classification and Employment Projections, 2025–35.
Teaching Assistants, Postsecondary salaries elsewhere in California
- Sacramento, CA — $61,780
- Los Angeles, CA — $39,940
Frequently asked questions
How much does a teaching assistants, postsecondary make in San Diego, CA?
The median teaching assistants, postsecondary salary in the San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA metro area is $45,120 a year, or about $21.69 an hour, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (May 2025). The middle half earn between $36,440 and $64,420.
What is a teaching assistants, postsecondary’s take-home pay in San Diego, CA?
On the median $45,120 salary, a single filer living in California takes home about $37,053 a year ($3,088 a month) after federal tax, Social Security, Medicare and $1,381 in California taxes in 2026.
Is San Diego, CA a good place to work as a teaching assistants, postsecondary?
Pay here is 5% above the national median of $42,910. Local prices are 11.9% above the U.S. average, so the take-home pay buys what $33,117 would in a typical U.S. city. San Diego, CA ranks #9 of 14 metro areas for cost-of-living-adjusted pay in this job.
Can a teaching assistants, postsecondary afford rent in San Diego, CA?
HUD’s fair market rent for a one-bedroom in San Diego, CA is $2,459 a month ($3,001 for two bedrooms) — 80% of a median teaching assistants, postsecondary’s monthly take-home pay. Financial planners usually suggest keeping rent under about 30%.
Related jobs in San Diego, CA
- Secondary School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical Education — $102,810
- Postsecondary Teachers, All Other — $101,820
- Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education — $97,000
- Teachers and Instructors, All Other — $80,460
- Educational Instruction and Library Workers, All Other — $62,230
- Substitute Teachers, Short-Term — $59,860
- Self-Enrichment Teacher — $48,640
- Tutor — $47,050
- Teaching Assistants, Except Postsecondary — $46,440
- Preschool Teachers, Except Special Education — $44,940