Career comparison
English Professor vs. Graduate Teaching Assistant
Side-by-side pay, training, growth and day-to-day duties to help you choose between two related careers.
English professors earn more at the median ($78,760 vs. $42,910), while graduate teaching assistants usually get to work faster (Start during graduate school of training). English professors teach college students to read closely and write well. Graduate teaching assistants teach college sections and labs while earning a graduate degree.
Pay data: BLS OEWS, May 2025 · Outlook: BLS 2025–35 · Checked October 15, 2026
| English Professor | Graduate Teaching Assistant | |
|---|---|---|
| Median pay | $78,760 | $42,910 |
| Pay range (10th–90th) | $48,270 – $137,250 | $28,600 – $76,420 |
| Job growth, 2025–35 | 0.0% (little or no change) | +2.7% (about as fast as average) |
| Openings per year | 4,500 | 25,700 |
| Typical entry education | Doctoral or professional degree | Bachelor's degree |
| Training time | 6–8 years after a bachelor’s | Start during graduate school |
| Key credential | Ph.D. in English | TA training |
| Work setting | Faculty work in classrooms, offices and libraries.. | TAs work in classrooms, labs and offices on campus.. |
What each job does
English Professor
- Teach composition and literature
- Give feedback on student writing
- Research and publish
- Mentor students
- Advise literary magazines
Graduate Teaching Assistant
- Lead discussion sections
- Run labs
- Grade assignments
- Hold office hours
- Help faculty with courses
How they’re similar
Both careers involve working independently, working with people, and helping others. Both are part of the education & childcare field, so many skills transfer between them.
Which should you choose?
Choose english professor if…
- I love books
- I love writing
- I give careful feedback
Choose graduate teaching assistant if…
- I’m going to graduate school
- I like explaining my field
- I can balance many tasks
Still torn? Take the English Professor fit quiz and the Graduate Teaching Assistant fit quiz, or the full Career Match Quiz.
Quick comparisons
Which pays more, english professor or graduate teaching assistant?
English Professors earn more at the median: $78,760 versus $42,910 for graduate teaching assistants, based on BLS May 2025 data.
Which takes less time to train for?
Graduate Teaching Assistants typically train faster (Start during graduate school) than english professors (6–8 years after a bachelor’s).
Which career has better job growth?
BLS projects graduate teaching assistants to grow +2.7% from 2025–35, compared with 0.0% for english professors.