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.
7 metro areas in Massachusetts publish pay for this occupation with at least 100 jobs, together 45,840 jobs. The three largest employers of teaching assistants, except postsecondary are Boston-Cambridge-Newton (26,350 jobs), Providence-Warwick (8,400 jobs), Worcester (5,050 jobs), which hold 86.8% of those jobs. Median pay across these metros runs from $31,200 to $40,930 a year, against $39,380 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 Massachusetts: the highest median pay is in the Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH area ($40,930 a year); the most jobs are in the Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH area (26,350). Statewide the median is $39,380 with 39,210 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) ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH | 26,350 | $40,930 | $31,200 | $60,730 | 1.07 | 59% | 108.3 |
| Pittsfield, MA | 830 | $40,110 | $31,200 | $48,550 | 1.61 | 33% | 95.1 |
| Amherst Town-Northampton, MA | 930 | $39,630 | $31,200 | $53,930 | 1.54 | 42% | 100.2 |
| Worcester, MA | 5,050 | $39,240 | $31,200 | $57,090 | 1.58 | 44% | 102.5 |
| Providence-Warwick, RI-MA | 8,400 | $38,060 | $31,200 | $49,050 | 1.29 | 41% | 101.8 |
| Barnstable Town, MA | 1,130 | $36,710 | $31,200 | $60,020 | 1.31 | 55% | 98.4 |
| Springfield, MA | 3,150 | $31,200 | $31,200 | $50,330 | 1.71 | 44% | 96.1 |
National page: Teaching assistants, except postsecondary →Cities of Massachusetts
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 Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH area, with a median of $40,930 a year (BLS OEWS, May 2025; metro areas with at least 100 jobs).
In the Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH area, with 26,350 jobs.