Ranked by median pay, with jobs and rent share; from BLS and Census data.
Click any dot to open that city: jobs, pay, rent, commute, county economy and climate. Dot size follows population; colours follow the state flag.
By AtiveSite · Published 07/11/2026 · Updated 08/11/2026 · Every figure is linked to its source below.
3 metro areas in Maine publish pay for this occupation with at least 100 jobs, together 5,020 jobs. The three largest employers of teaching assistants, except postsecondary are Portland-South Portland (3,170 jobs), Bangor (1,030 jobs), Lewiston-Auburn (820 jobs), which hold 100.0% of those jobs. Median pay across these metros runs from $45,120 to $48,770 a year, against $46,750 for the whole state and $36,780 for the whole country.
BLS reports a national median of $36,780 a year for teaching assistants, except postsecondary (the lowest-paid tenth earn under $27,150 and the highest-paid tenth over $50,040). Employment is projected to change by -0.3% between 2025 and 2035, with about 176,200 openings a year including replacements. The typical entry route is: Some college, no degree. Education requirements are BLS's typical ones, not legal rules; many states also license this work, so check the state board before applying.
Higher pay is not the whole story: look at the rent share column (yearly rent divided by median pay) and the price level (100 is the national average). A metro with a lower salary but cheaper housing can leave more money at the end of the month. The location quotient shows where the occupation is concentrated; employers cluster where it is above 1, which usually means more openings and more competition among employers for the same skills.
Teaching assistants, except postsecondary in Maine: the highest median pay is in the Portland-South Portland, ME area ($48,770 a year); the most jobs are in the Portland-South Portland, ME area (3,170). Statewide the median is $46,750 with 8,700 jobs. Metro areas with at least 100 jobs in this occupation are listed; click a column to sort.
| Metropolitan area ⇅ | Jobs ⇅ | Median pay ⇅ | Entry (10th pct.) ⇅ | Top (90th pct.) ⇅ | Location quotient ⇅ | Yearly rent as % of median pay ⇅ | Price level (US = 100) ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Portland-South Portland, ME | 3,170 | $48,770 | $38,490 | $60,210 | 1.20 | 37% | 101.9 |
| Lewiston-Auburn, ME | 820 | $47,120 | $37,870 | $57,180 | 1.88 | 26% | 94.7 |
| Bangor, ME | 1,030 | $45,120 | $35,600 | $49,570 | 1.56 | 28% | 96.5 |
National page: Teaching assistants, except postsecondary →Cities of Maine
Rent uses the metro median gross rent (ACS) and appears only for metros that contain a city of this guide. "n/a" means BLS suppressed the figure or we have no rent for that metro.
In the Portland-South Portland, ME area, with a median of $48,770 a year (BLS OEWS, May 2025; metro areas with at least 100 jobs).
In the Portland-South Portland, ME area, with 3,170 jobs.