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 07/11/2026 · Every figure is linked to its source below.
8 metro areas in Oregon publish pay for this occupation with at least 100 jobs, together 21,990 jobs. The three largest employers of teaching assistants, except postsecondary are Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro (12,500 jobs), Salem (3,050 jobs), Eugene-Springfield (2,270 jobs), which hold 81.0% of those jobs. Median pay across these metros runs from $37,930 to $45,280 a year, against $39,850 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 Oregon: the highest median pay is in the Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA area ($45,280 a year); the most jobs are in the Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA area (12,500). Statewide the median is $39,850 with 23,030 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-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA | 12,500 | $45,280 | $31,360 | $57,180 | 1.13 | 46% | 105.4 |
| Bend, OR | 1,170 | $43,550 | $30,460 | $55,040 | 1.19 | 47% | 103.6 |
| Eugene-Springfield, OR | 2,270 | $40,180 | $31,710 | $47,940 | 1.57 | 40% | 101.6 |
| Salem, OR | 3,050 | $38,950 | $31,760 | $50,590 | 1.77 | 43% | 103.6 |
| Medford, OR | 1,190 | $38,750 | $29,580 | $47,940 | 1.47 | 42% | 101.4 |
| Corvallis, OR | 450 | $38,470 | $29,380 | $53,030 | 1.27 | 44% | 104.0 |
| Grants Pass, OR | 560 | $38,140 | $31,240 | $48,220 | 2.01 | 38% | 97.8 |
| Albany, OR | 800 | $37,930 | $30,360 | $46,910 | 1.86 | 42% | 102.1 |
National page: Teaching assistants, except postsecondary →Cities of Oregon
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-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA area, with a median of $45,280 a year (BLS OEWS, May 2025; metro areas with at least 100 jobs).
In the Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA area, with 12,500 jobs.