Salary comparison
Teaching Assistants, Except Postsecondary: Modesto vs Portland
Portland, ME pays about 1.6% more for teaching assistants, except postsecondary on paper — $48,770 vs $47,990. But once you factor in what it costs to live there, Portland comes out ahead by $780 a year in real buying power.
Modesto, CA
$47,990
$43,930
$49,550
$23.07
100
$47,990/yr
Median adjusted for local cost of living.
Portland, ME
$48,770
$46,450
$52,130
$23.45
100
$48,770/yr
Median adjusted for local cost of living.
What the numbers mean in practice
The headline gap is $780 a year (1.6%) in favor of Portland. That is the raw salary difference before any living costs.
Modesto runs a cost index of 100 against the national baseline of 100; Portland sits at 100. After adjusting the median for those costs, Portland is the better deal by $780 a year — that is what each paycheck actually buys locally.
If you are weighing a move from Modesto to Portland for this role, the raise needs to beat 1.6% to come out ahead after living costs. Anything below that and you are earning more on paper but keeping less.
Common questions
Where do teaching assistants, except postsecondary earn more, Modesto or Portland?
Portland pays $48,770 on median — about 1.6% more than Modesto ($47,990). Based on BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics.
Which city is the better deal after living costs?
Portland. Once you divide each median by the local cost index, Portland gives you roughly$48,770 of real buying power versus $47,990 in the other city.