How to hire teaching assistants, postsecondary
A job description you can copy, interview questions tied to the real work, and what to pay. Free.
Job description template
Copy it, fill in the brackets, and remove anything that does not fit your job. Keep only must-haves you would really turn someone away for.
[Job title] at [Company name] [City, State] · [Full-time / Part-time] · [Pay range] About the role [Two or three sentences about your team, the work and why it matters.] What you will do • Develop teaching materials, such as syllabi, visual aids, answer keys, supplementary notes, or course Web sites. • Evaluate and grade examinations, assignments, or papers, and record grades. • Inform students of the procedures for completing and submitting class work, such as lab reports. • Lead discussion sections, tutorials, or laboratory sections. • Prepare or proctor examinations. • Return assignments to students in accordance with established deadlines. • Teach undergraduate-level courses. • Tutor or mentor students who need additional instruction. What you bring • [Required license, certification or years of experience, if any] • [Education, only if you truly need it. Typical to start in this job: Bachelor's degree] • Strong reading comprehension, active listening, speaking, learning strategies, writing and critical thinking skills • Working knowledge of English Language, education and training and computers and electronics • [Anything else you would really turn someone away for] Pay and benefits [Pay range]. For reference, the U.S. median for this job is $42,910 a year. [Benefits, schedule and anything else candidates should know.] How to apply [Apply on JAI Bot. Every applicant hears back.]
Interview questions for teaching assistants, postsecondary
Ask every candidate the same questions, in the same order, and write down what they say. Questions about past work show what someone has actually done.
- Tell me about a time you had to develop teaching materials, such as syllabi, visual aids, answer keys, supplementary notes, or course Web sites. What did you do, and how did it turn out?
- Tell me about a time you had to evaluate and grade examinations, assignments, or papers, and record grades. What did you do, and how did it turn out?
- Tell me about a time you had to inform students of the procedures for completing and submitting class work, such as lab reports. What did you do, and how did it turn out?
- Tell me about a time you had to lead discussion sections, tutorials, or laboratory sections. What did you do, and how did it turn out?
- Tell me about written instructions, a policy or a manual you had to follow closely. How did you make sure you followed it correctly?
- Tell me about a time you had to understand a request or problem that was explained poorly. How did you make sure you got it right?
- Explain something technical from your last job as you would to a new coworker.
- Why this job, and why now? What would make you stay here for the long term?
Good answers name a real situation, what the person did themselves and what happened. Avoid questions about age, family plans, religion, health, national origin or anything else unrelated to the job.
What teaching assistants, postsecondary do
- Develop teaching materials, such as syllabi, visual aids, answer keys, supplementary notes, or course Web sites.
- Evaluate and grade examinations, assignments, or papers, and record grades.
- Inform students of the procedures for completing and submitting class work, such as lab reports.
- Lead discussion sections, tutorials, or laboratory sections.
- Prepare or proctor examinations.
- Return assignments to students in accordance with established deadlines.
- Teach undergraduate-level courses.
- Tutor or mentor students who need additional instruction.
Skills that matter most
Education, experience and outlook for teaching assistants, postsecondary
- Typical education to start: Bachelor's degree (BLS)
- Related work experience most have: 1 to 3 months (O*NET)
- Job outlook: +2.7% over ten years, about as fast as average · about 25,700 openings a year (BLS)
What to pay teaching assistants, postsecondary
Pay depends a lot on where the job is. Highest and lowest median yearly pay by state:
| State | Median yearly pay |
|---|---|
| Maryland | $58,330 |
| Massachusetts | $56,370 |
| Texas | $55,670 |
| New Jersey | $54,260 |
| Minnesota | $53,380 |
| Indiana | $34,910 |
| Nevada | $24,960 |
| Arkansas | $23,140 |
See teaching assistants, postsecondary pay in every state
Related hiring guides
- Tutors
- Secondary School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical Education
- Education Teachers, Postsecondary
- Career/Technical Education Teachers, Middle School
- Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education
- Middle School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical Education
- Adult Basic Education, Adult Secondary Education, and English as a Second Language Instructors
- Instructional Coordinators
- Farm and Home Management Educators
- Teaching Assistants, Except Postsecondary
Post this job on JAI Bot. Free to start: JAI Bot reads every applicant against your must-haves, shows the resume evidence behind each one, and helps you reply to everyone. People make every decision.
Post a job freePay by areaJob duties and skills: O*NET 31.0 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA), used under the CC BY 4.0 license; O*NET® is a trademark of USDOL/ETA. JAI Bot has modified this information; USDOL/ETA has not approved, endorsed, or tested these modifications. Pay: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS, May 2025. Interview questions and the job description template: JAI Bot, based on the duties and skills above.