Anyone know salary range for teaching assistants? Update pg 2

[DisneyJen0504]

I am going to grad school for my Masters in Education and Teacher Certification. I would like to get a job in the meantime in an educational setting to gain experience. I noticed some positions in my area (central NJ) for teaching assistants for pre-K and kindergarten level but I can't find anything on salary. Anyone know?
Thanks!

 

[llij]

I don't know about your area, but here they don't pay too much. Sorry that I can't help you, but I just wanted to wish you good luck in your endeavors!! (I'm currently in grad school myself working on my M.Ed too.)

Best wishes!

 

[coliebird]

My mom is a TA in an elementary school here. She makes about $16,000./year. I don't know how much that differs in other areas, but I see you are in Jersey so it's probably close.

 

[Cindy B]

Too low.

In fact, my district in NJ couldn't even give a living wage. Yes it was over the minimum wage, but barely over. Some ladies were making $6.25/hour. After taxes, union dues, and medical taken out it was less than $4 an hour. If you had worked in the district and had seniority, the most you could ever make as an assistant was between $13-15/hour. That was the cap!

I did this for about three years and it was living hell. This is on paper an affluent district, but they treated the assistants like crap. I got spit on, yelled at, cursed at (in different languages no less), and treated like a second class citizen from the administration.

Other districts nearby pay assistants $9-12 an hour. Which obviously is better, but still isn't great.

You may be better off substituting for your local district. I was an assistant and I figured if I substitute 1.5 days per week I would make more than being an assistant for 25-30 hours per week. Lets see, 12-15 hours a week making more, of course, I'd do it. I have my first sub assignment this week.

In some districts, particulary mine, it didn't matter if you had a Bachelors or going into school for teaching.. they didn't give any differential for higher education. Subsequently, most of our assistants were elderly retired ladies, that were in the 50+ age bracket. This was a great job for them, but they didn't know how to handle students, use classroom management skills and such. These ladies had no idea how to use the computer and were treated like crap.

So basically, find another route.

 

[Cindy B]

My mom is a TA in an elementary school here. She makes about $16,000./year. I don't know how much that differs in other areas, but I see you are in Jersey so it's probably close.

16 is great! In our district, you were lucky if you made 6! I think I topped out at $5800 one year.

 

[Keggy]

Check out Salary.com. You will be able to look for salaries in your area.

Kelly

 

[golfgal]

The aides in our district make between about $9-10/hour to start and might get as high as $14/hour after many years on the job.

 

[DisneyJen0504]

Thanks everybody.
Just for more info-the openings I am looking into are at pre-schools that are privately owned or franchised and not in the school districts. Also-I am only looking to do this for the next year and a half until I am done with school. I am lucky that we can live on DH's salary alone so it would be all about the experience, not so much the salary. Also-I dont need their benefits b/c DH's are free for us through his company.
There are so many subs in my area, and no permanent sub positions that it just isnt worth it to not work day to day waiting for them to call me to sub out of 100's of available subs.
I was just curious so I know what I am getting into if I decide to apply. I like to know the range ya know? I just checked out salary.com in my area and it says the average is 20k/year.
Thanks everyone!!

 

[Cindy B]

I know some preschools around here only pay about $8-9 an hour. This is a private preschool. Some of the preschool are church based and pay about the same or even less per hour.

Thats funny about the comment of too many subs in the area. Around here, they are always looking for subs, sometimes they have too many assignments and not enough subs, so classes get cancelled for the day and such.

 

[kadaten]

You will probably make even less in preschools than you would in a school district.
I haven't taught for several years, but even when I was, fast food restaurants paid more than the assistants in the preschools. People work there because they like to work with kids, and like you, to get experience. The pay (or lack thereof) is the main reason there is such huge turn-over in the child care/preschool industry.

 

[DisneyJen0504]

hey everyone-I applied online for one of the positions and have an interview tomorrow at a pre school around the corner from my house. I will let you know what the pay ends up being tomorrow.
Thanks for the help!

 

[Cindy B]

kadaten--

I completely agree. In fact when I interviewed with the school district, the principal even said "McDonalds pays more than I do!" YIKES, I should have run then but I didn't. Why? I have no idea.

Yes, and sometimes the private preschool give out "perks" like free childcare. I worked at a preschool at a YMCA for a while back. The pay was low maybe $7 an hour. Most of the workers were single moms with small kids looking for a safe place for thier kids while gov't assistance or alimony/child support supplemented thier low wage. These were desperate women.

 

[Cindy B]

hey everyone-I applied online for one of the positions and have an interview tomorrow at a pre school around the corner from my house. I will let you know what the pay ends up being tomorrow.
Thanks for the help!

What area/county in NJ? I'm just curious what and if the wage difference between different parts of the state.

Of course, if you are looking at a high end private affluent preschool (like say a prep academy) you may be higher paid. But if its a run of the mill suburban/church run school, you are looking fairly low.

 

[golfgal]

The preschools around here pay maybe slightly better then minimum wage, around $6/hour for aides and not a lot more for teachers, maybe $8/hour.

 

[missypie]

A lady I know makes $13,000 in our district as a teacher's assistant.

 

[princess pooh]

I work as a teacher's assistant in my spare time when I'm not teaching. It's a private school and I make minimum wage. I was just thinking today that with the cost of gas, I'm probably losing money by working this job. If money isn't a concern, I think it would be a good job for you. It gives you some experience in the classroom and you can start collecting materials and lessons. One art teacher I assist just gave me 3 huge binders of lessons! There also isn't any take home work so you can really focus on school when you're not working.

 

[DisneyJen0504]

Okay everyone-I had an interview today and here is the salary info---
$10/hr
Full medical benefits (dont need cause we have dh's)
Vacation 1 week
Sick time 3 days
Personal time 3 days

I am going to take the position. I told myself any lower than $10/hr was a waste of time and since they pay teaching assts there 10, it is worth giving it a try. If I dont like it, I'll leave. The school is really nice and clean and the people there seem very friendly. It will give me some experience that I need to add to my portfolio for when I am done with my Masters and teacher certification in a year and a half.
Thanks for all the help and info guys!!

 

[llij]

Congratulations on the new job and good luck with school!

 

[DisneyJen0504]

Thank you! And good luck to you as well llij!