How much does a UCLA writing center tutor get paid? It depends on a number of factors, including where you study, whether you’re a teaching assistant, and what credentials you have.
Let’s dive into the data to learn more about the pay differences between different occupations in the writing center at UCLA.
UCLA Writing Center Tutors vs. UCLA Undergraduates
To start, we compared average pay between first-year UCLA writing center tutors and UCLA undergraduates. For this analysis, we used the 2016 LA Times Data Book, which provides a general summary of the occupations and respective annual salaries for each major. While the exact numbers for writing tutors may vary by year, this general salary trend should hold true.
As expected, the data shows that first-year writing tutors are generally paid less than underclassmen. However, depending on the department and number of years of experience, this difference can vary. For example, an English major with one year of teaching experience earns roughly the same as a first-year writing tutor, and an English major with four years of experience earns more than twice as much as the average writing tutor.
What is surprising is that the data reveals that even some graduate students find professional success in their chosen field, despite the low starting pay. For example, a PhD in English with three years of teaching experience earns more than twice the annual salary of a first-year writing tutor. This could mean that with enough planning and effort, a teaching assistant can find better-paying jobs after graduation – even if it’s not in their original field. Alternatively, it could mean that people with the right credentials can find non-teaching jobs that pay well – regardless of their major.
UCLA vs. Other Top US Universities
To compare the average pay of writing tutors at UCLA to other top US universities, we looked at the 2016 edition of the Princeton Review’s guide to university rankings, which provides data on the salaries of different occupations at a number of American universities. The rankings are based on the 2016-17 data for full-time, undergraduate students who majored in their respective fields. Data is presented in the form of a compensation ratio, which is the average amount that undergraduates in that field are paid, adjusted for tuition price and the quality and renown of the school.
What we found was that the average pay of a full-time, undergraduate writing tutor at UCLA is roughly the same as the following universities:
- UCLA
- Pomona College
- University of Southern California
- New York University
- Marquette University
- University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
- Rice University
- Virginia Tech
- University of Florida
- Boston University
- University of Chicago
Are You Repaying Your Loans?
The average student loan debt per person in the US is $37,898, which is expected to reach $52,600 by the year 2021. One of the many effects that the pandemic has had is that it has made many people re-evaluate their finances, including their student loans. A common question is whether or not to pay back these loans after graduation, and for those who can afford it, it’s an option.
The answer to this question largely depends on whether or not you’re in default with your student loan lender. According to the original lender, you are in default if you don’t make minimum payments on time or if you miss a payment entirely. However, the student loan servicing company determines whether or not you’re in default based on a number of factors, including your payment history and whether or not you’ve fulfilled the obligations of your original loan. If you’re worried about paying off your student loans, taking longer to do so could result in serious financial trouble.
Wondering If You Should Study at a University Near You?
If you’re interested in pursuing a career in teaching, you might want to consider an undergraduate program at a nearby university. There is no set rule for what constitutes a good university to study at, but the more you know about the subject matter of the courses, the better. This especially applies if the program is in your desired major and there is a high caliber of students in the program. If you are looking for a quality education, consider a university that has a good reputation.
Not all top-tier universities are created equal. Some universities are simply more prestigious than others, and although they may grant you access to some of the same courses, the quality of the education you receive may vary.
An important factor to keep in mind if you’re contemplating a university education is that even the best programs can be expensive, and it’s certainly not unusual for tuition at a prestigious university to reach six figures annually.
To learn more about the various types of loans available to students, visit the following resources: