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.
9 metro areas in Minnesota publish pay for this occupation with at least 100 jobs, together 33,070 jobs. The three largest employers of teaching assistants, except postsecondary are Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington (23,370 jobs), Fargo (1,650 jobs), Duluth (1,590 jobs), which hold 80.5% of those jobs. Median pay across these metros runs from $28,230 to $45,310 a year, against $40,100 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 Minnesota: the highest median pay is in the Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI area ($45,310 a year); the most jobs are in the Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI area (23,370). Statewide the median is $40,100 with 38,540 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) ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI | 23,370 | $45,310 | $33,360 | $54,580 | 1.31 | 38% | 104.8 |
| Rochester, MN | 1,460 | $41,250 | $31,520 | $46,850 | 1.30 | 37% | 90.8 |
| Duluth, MN-WI | 1,590 | $39,510 | $30,380 | $47,570 | 1.40 | 30% | 88.8 |
| Fargo, ND-MN | 1,650 | $39,270 | $28,090 | $45,750 | 1.21 | 30% | 90.9 |
| St. Cloud, MN | 1,350 | $38,730 | $31,180 | $51,260 | 1.42 | 32% | 87.6 |
| La Crosse-Onalaska, WI-MN | 850 | $38,710 | $29,060 | $44,420 | 1.10 | 32% | 91.8 |
| Mankato, MN | 570 | $37,850 | $30,180 | $47,560 | 1.11 | 34% | 91.0 |
| Grand Forks, ND-MN | 1,030 | $36,580 | $23,450 | $46,050 | 2.18 | 32% | 86.7 |
| Sioux Falls, SD-MN | 1,200 | $28,230 | $24,800 | $35,140 | 0.74 | 43% | 90.6 |
National page: Teaching assistants, except postsecondary →Cities of Minnesota
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 Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI area, with a median of $45,310 a year (BLS OEWS, May 2025; metro areas with at least 100 jobs).
In the Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI area, with 23,370 jobs.