Work as a TA only if you have additional outside sources of income. - werkgeversreview Teaching Assistant bij UCLA

Unionized employees still lack many basic benefits, and TA salaries are not adequate to meet cost of living in Los Angeles. This is particularly true given the difficulty of transportation in Los Angles. It is virtually impossible to live in Los Angeles without a car, and the costs of owning and operating one exceed the very limited budget available via a TA salary.