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Boston Career Explorer

Educational Instruction and Library

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.

Also called: Graduate Assistant, Graduate Fellow, Graduate Research Assistant, Graduate Student, Graduate Student Instructor (GSI), Graduate Teaching Assistant (GTA)

Median pay in Greater Boston
$49,760
Jobs in Greater Boston
2,500
Massachusetts 2024–2034
+6.9%
440 openings a year
Typical U.S. entry requirement
Bachelor's degree

Greater Boston: Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH metro area, May 2025. Growth and openings: Massachusetts statewide projection.

Pay range in Greater Boston

Yearly pay in Greater Boston by percentile
10th25thMedian75th90th
$32,840$36,040$49,760$61,950$77,920

10% of workers earn less than the first figure and 10% earn more than the last.

What you’d do

  • Teach undergraduate-level courses.
  • Evaluate and grade examinations, assignments, or papers, and record grades.
  • Lead discussion sections, tutorials, or laboratory sections.
  • Develop teaching materials, such as syllabi, visual aids, answer keys, supplementary notes, or course Web sites.
  • Inform students of the procedures for completing and submitting class work, such as lab reports.
  • Return assignments to students in accordance with established deadlines.

AI and this job

AI exposure: how much of this job’s work AI tools can do or help with, based on national research. It is not a forecast of job loss.

Higher exposure75 of 100

The index averages three national research measures, each shown as a percentile of all jobs:

  • AIOE 76
  • Language-model AIOE 91
  • GPTs-are-GPTs 59

Observed AI use today: Some (Anthropic Economic Index)

This job has higher AI exposure, though observed AI use is currently at a lower level. AI tools can help with grading, making answer keys, and drafting course materials. Leading discussions, running labs, and helping students face to face rely on people.

Likely to change

  • Grading papers and exams
  • Drafting syllabi, answer keys, and notes

Still relies on people

  • Leading discussions, tutorials, and lab sections
  • Helping students with questions in person

Written with AI from the data on this page. Check with a career coach before making a decision.

Next steps from here

Related jobs that build on what you already do.

  • Career/Technical Education Teachers, Secondary School

    Leading labs and sections carries over to hands-on teaching. This job has lower AI exposure, a bachelor's degree is typical, and Boston median pay is $101,250.

    Pay difference
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  • Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education

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  • Self-Enrichment Teachers

    Teaching in groups and adapting materials carries over. It typically needs only a high school diploma and has a Boston median pay of $50,250.

    Pay difference
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Training near Boston

College and school programs in the Boston metro area that lead to this job, with 2023-24 completions (IPEDS).

No college programs near Boston map to this job. Many people enter through on-the-job training or apprenticeship.

Talk to a career coach at the Office of Workforce Development about apprenticeships and City partner programs.

Related occupations

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