How much do Teaching Assistants, Postsecondary make in Columbia, MO?

Percentile spread

For Teaching Assistants, Postsecondary, the published 10th percentile is $37,340 and the 90th percentile is $60,190. The difference is $22,850, which is 48.4% of the median. Ten percent of measured wages fall below the 10th percentile and ten percent fall above the 90th. How to read a percentile.

The middle half of the distribution, from the 25th percentile at $37,340 to the 75th at $60,190, covers $22,850.

The mean annual wage is $49,870, which sits above the median of $47,220. Median and mean measure different points in the same distribution.

Hourly wages are not published because BLS reports this occupation on an annual basis. Hourly and annual wages.

National and state comparison

The Columbia, MO median is 10% higher than the national median of $42,910 for Teaching Assistants, Postsecondary. In 2024 national prices the local median is $52,796, which is 23% higher than that same national median. The national figure is already in national prices because the United States parity is 100.

Price-adjusted pay

The 2024 all-items regional price parity for Columbia, MO is 89.438, with the United States at 100. The Bureau of Economic Analysis released those parities on February 19, 2026. Dividing the May 2025 median of $47,220 by that parity and multiplying by 100 puts Teaching Assistants, Postsecondary at $52,796 in national prices. The wage year and the price year are different. Compare this wage after prices.

Nearby metros

4 other metropolitan areas within 200 miles publish a annual median for Teaching Assistants, Postsecondary. Columbia, MO ranks 3rd of 5 on that median, counting itself. Distance is the great-circle mileage between Census Bureau internal points (U.S. Census Bureau, 2024 Gazetteer Files, Core Based Statistical Areas, internal points (INTPTLAT, INTPTLONG).).

• Kansas City, MO-KS is 100 miles away, with a median of $38,620 and employment of 680. That median is 18.2% lower than the median here. In 2024 national prices it is $41,732, against $52,796 here.
• Springfield, MO is 117 miles away, with a median of $50,920 and employment of 670. That median is 7.8% higher than the median here. In 2024 national prices it is $57,482, against $52,796 here.
• Springfield, IL is 165 miles away, with a median of $31,260 and employment of 100. That median is 33.8% lower than the median here. In 2024 national prices it is $33,705, against $52,796 here.

Employment share

Teaching Assistants, Postsecondary accounts for 0.50% of wage-and-salary employment in Columbia, MO (540 of 107,680). Nationally the occupation is 0.11% of employment (164,090 of 155,495,730). The local share is 4.75 times the national share. That ratio is the location quotient computed from these May 2025 employment counts. It is not copied from the location-quotient column in the BLS bulk file.