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.
13 metro areas in Washington publish pay for this occupation with at least 100 jobs, together 48,610 jobs. The three largest employers of teaching assistants, except postsecondary are Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue (21,040 jobs), Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro (12,500 jobs), Spokane-Spokane Valley (3,090 jobs), which hold 75.4% of those jobs. Median pay across these metros runs from $38,230 to $57,950 a year, against $49,120 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 Washington: the highest median pay is in the Mount Vernon-Anacortes, WA area ($57,950 a year); the most jobs are in the Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA area (21,040). Statewide the median is $49,120 with 43,420 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) ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mount Vernon-Anacortes, WA | 870 | $57,950 | $39,470 | $62,920 | 1.82 | 32% | 102.4 |
| Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA | 21,040 | $53,950 | $39,450 | $64,450 | 1.10 | 44% | 111.1 |
| Bellingham, WA | 1,200 | $51,670 | $38,510 | $57,400 | 1.44 | 36% | 103.3 |
| Olympia-Lacey-Tumwater, WA | 1,700 | $51,350 | $36,440 | $57,810 | 1.43 | 41% | 103.7 |
| Bremerton-Silverdale-Port Orchard, WA | 1,370 | $50,530 | $38,360 | $61,270 | 1.60 | 43% | 105.6 |
| Yakima, WA | 2,150 | $47,380 | $36,420 | $60,840 | 2.42 | 28% | 95.5 |
| Kennewick-Richland, WA | 2,450 | $45,510 | $37,440 | $50,950 | 2.07 | 34% | 100.1 |
| Longview-Kelso, WA | 710 | $45,400 | $39,880 | $49,390 | 1.90 | 32% | 97.5 |
| Wenatchee-East Wenatchee, WA | 830 | $45,370 | $37,210 | $56,020 | 1.77 | 33% | 103.9 |
| Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA | 12,500 | $45,280 | $31,360 | $57,180 | 1.13 | 46% | 105.4 |
| Walla Walla, WA | 330 | $45,140 | $38,800 | $47,600 | 1.40 | 32% | 98.5 |
| Spokane-Spokane Valley, WA | 3,090 | $40,160 | $35,290 | $49,690 | 1.32 | 38% | 100.3 |
| Lewiston, ID-WA | 370 | $38,230 | $29,660 | $52,580 | 1.39 | 32% | 91.2 |
National page: Teaching assistants, except postsecondary →Cities of Washington
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 Mount Vernon-Anacortes, WA area, with a median of $57,950 a year (BLS OEWS, May 2025; metro areas with at least 100 jobs).
In the Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA area, with 21,040 jobs.