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.
6 metro areas in New Jersey publish pay for this occupation with at least 100 jobs, together 163,220 jobs. The three largest employers of teaching assistants, except postsecondary are New York-Newark-Jersey City (126,920 jobs), Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington (26,990 jobs), Allentown-Bethlehem-Easton (3,860 jobs), which hold 96.7% of those jobs. Median pay across these metros runs from $35,120 to $38,890 a year, against $37,290 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 New Jersey: the highest median pay is in the New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ area ($38,890 a year); the most jobs are in the New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ area (126,920). Statewide the median is $37,290 with 55,580 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) ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ | 126,920 | $38,890 | $32,240 | $56,740 | 1.46 | 56% | 112.6 |
| Atlantic City-Hammonton, NJ | 1,890 | $37,280 | $32,220 | $47,640 | 1.23 | 44% | 98.9 |
| Trenton-Princeton, NJ | 2,570 | $36,700 | $32,220 | $52,060 | 1.17 | 53% | 103.2 |
| Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD | 26,990 | $36,080 | $26,870 | $46,470 | 1.02 | 49% | 102.6 |
| Vineland, NJ | 990 | $35,900 | $32,220 | $50,340 | 1.73 | 43% | 96.0 |
| Allentown-Bethlehem-Easton, PA-NJ | 3,860 | $35,120 | $28,160 | $47,360 | 1.12 | 47% | 100.0 |
National page: Teaching assistants, except postsecondary →Cities of New Jersey
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 New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ area, with a median of $38,890 a year (BLS OEWS, May 2025; metro areas with at least 100 jobs).
In the New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ area, with 126,920 jobs.