How To Become A Teacher Assistant: What It Is and Career Path

Q: How long does it take to become a Teacher Assistant?

It takes 2 years of professional experience to become a teacher assistant. That is the time it takes to learn specific teacher assistant skills, but does not account for time spent in formal education. If you include the normal education requirements to complete a college degree, then it takes 5 to 7 years years to become a teacher assistant.

Q: Can I be a TA with no experience?

Yes, you can become a teaching assistant (TA) without previous experience. This is typically considered an entry-level teaching role, and depending on the organization, is most often filled by a person with little to no prior experience.

Q: Can you be a teacher's assistant without a degree?

Yes, you can be a teacher's assistant without a degree. However, this is increasingly uncommon. Most organizations require a minimum of an associate's degree for a teacher's assistant. Teaching assistants work with lead teachers in an educational setting. They help guide students during lessons and provide support to faculty and staff. Teaching assistants work in various educational settings, including early childhood education, public education, and postsecondary education.

Q: Do teachers assistants get paid?

Yes, teacher assistants get paid. The average teacher assistant earns around $28,708 a year. This amount can range, however, from $21,000 a year to $41,000 a year. Factors such as the company and location impact how much a teacher assistant can earn.

Q: What qualifications do you need to be a teaching assistant?

The qualifications you need to be a teaching assistant include a high school diploma, but an associate's degree may be required in some cases. The requirements for becoming a teacher's assistant are different from state to state. In private or charter schools, assistants may only be required to have a high school degree. However, having at least an associate's degree can improve an applicant's prospects.

Q: Why do you want to work for our school district?

"I want to work for your school district because I am committed and dedicated to bettering the education of students in this district, I want to have a positive impact on the lives of students and the community, and I enjoy working with other educational professionals" is a good answer to this interview question.

What is a teacher assistant and how to become one

Updated January 8, 2025

3 min read

Quoted Expert

Dr. Diana Jones

Teacher Assistants have a fun job. They get to help provide students direction without having of the responsibility that teachers have. This job is actually a great stepping stone for an aspiring teacher but it's also just a great position in general.

As a teacher assistant, you're a glorified tutor. You help provide direction, structure, and explanation to students who need a little more help. Since you primarily work at schools or childcare centers, you probably won't work during the summer.

Teacher assistants don't need that much formal education in order to officially start working. In fact, you only need to complete 2 years of college coursework, then you're well on your way to becoming a teacher assistant.

What general advice would you give to a Teacher Assistant?

Dr. Diana Jones

Chair, Department of Kinesiology, Anderson University

General advice: I would encourage graduates to find a mentor who can guide them in their careers, stay on top of the latest technology, not be too hard on themselves, be flexible, be team players, be present, and care about their students.

ScoreTeacher AssistantUS Average

Salary

2.1

Avg. Salary $27,103

Avg. Salary $59,228

Stability Level

4.5

Growth Rate 4%

Growth Rate 0.3%

Diversity

9.6

Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 1.30%

Asian 7.80%

Black or African American 10.23%

Hispanic or Latino 21.07%

Unknown 4.56%

White 55.05%

Gender

female 78.46%

male 21.54%

Age - 45

Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 3.00%

Asian 7.00%

Black or African American 14.00%

Hispanic or Latino 19.00%

White 57.00%

Gender

female 47.00%

male 53.00%

Age - 45

Stress Level

4.5

Stress level is manageable

7.1 - high

Complexity Level

5.4

Complexity Level is intermediate

7 - challenging

Work Life Balance

10.0

Work Life balance is excellent

6.4 - fair

Key steps to become a teacher assistant

Explore teacher assistant education requirements

Most common teacher assistant degrees

Bachelor's

49.3 %

Associate

19.5 %

High School Diploma

17.8 %

Start to develop specific teacher assistant skills

Skills	Percentages
CPR	18.48%
Child Care	14.47%
Mathematics	9.78%
Art Projects	6.51%
Instructional Materials	5.38%

Gain additional teacher assistant certifications

Teacher assistant certifications can show employers you have a baseline of knowledge expected for the position. Certifications can also make you a more competitive candidate. Even if employers don't require a specific teacher assistant certification, having one may help you stand out relative to other applicants.

The most common certifications for teacher assistants include Certified Nurse Assistant (CNA) and Medical Assistant.

More About Certifications

Research teacher assistant duties and responsibilities

Lead chemistry recitations, prepare lessons, and coordinate student problem solving sessions.
Manage student supervision in various environments including classrooms, halls, cafeterias, schoolyards, gymnasiums, and field trip locations.
Lead debates with advance students on topics including globalization, economics, and political history.
Help clients with ADL's.

Prepare your teacher assistant resume

When your background is strong enough, you can start writing your teacher assistant resume.

You can use Zippia's AI resume builder to make the resume writing process easier while also making sure that you include key information that hiring managers expect to see on a teacher assistant resume. You'll find resume tips and examples of skills, responsibilities, and summaries, all provided by Zippi, your career sidekick.

Choose From 10+ Customizable Teacher Assistant Resume templates

Build a professional Teacher Assistant resume in minutes. Browse through our resume examples to identify the best way to word your resume. Then choose from 10+ resume templates to create your Teacher Assistant resume.

Apply for teacher assistant jobs

Now it's time to start searching for a teacher assistant job. Consider the tips below for a successful job search:

Browse job boards for relevant postings
Consult your professional network
Reach out to companies you're interested in working for directly
Watch out for job scams

How do teacher assistants rate their job?

5/5

Based On 1 Ratings

5 Stars

4 Stars

3 Stars

2 Stars

1 Star

Teacher Assistant reviews

A zippia user wrote a review on Nov 2022

Pros

Seeing the kids learn, grow, over come challenges.

Cons

It can be emotionally and physically draining, especially if not appreciated.

A zippia user wrote a review on Jun 2022

Pros

Gaining the childs trust and watching them geow and learn.

Cons

That in a year the children you fall in love with move on to the next grade.

A zippia user wrote a review on Mar 2022

Cons

Administration, observations, being told what to teach and HOW to teach it, expecting us to participate in things we might not want to or have the time for, staff meetings with no substance

Pros

Kids, teaching lessons, co-teachers, hours, weekends off, salary, holidays off, summers off, paid sick and personal days

What is a teacher assistant and how to become one

What general advice would you give to a Teacher Assistant?

Teacher Assistant career paths

Key steps to become a teacher assistant

Explore teacher assistant education requirements

Most common teacher assistant degrees

Start to develop specific teacher assistant skills

Gain additional teacher assistant certifications

Research teacher assistant duties and responsibilities

Prepare your teacher assistant resume

Choose From 10+ Customizable Teacher Assistant Resume templates

Apply for teacher assistant jobs

How Did You Land Your First Teacher Assistant Job

Average teacher assistant salary

How do teacher assistants rate their job?

Teacher Assistant reviews

Teacher Assistant FAQs

How long does it take to become a Teacher Assistant?

Can I be a TA with no experience?

Can you be a teacher's assistant without a degree?

Do teachers assistants get paid?

What qualifications do you need to be a teaching assistant?

Why do you want to work for our school district?

Search for teacher assistant jobs

Teacher Assistant jobs by state