The average salary of college professors varies significantly in different states, majors, institutions, etc. However, only some of the college professors are satisfied with their pay.
Still, the average salary of a college professor is pretty decent. According to Salary.com, college professors make an average of $168,870, while Glassdoor claims that college professors have an average pay range of $57K to $102K.
Let’s explore further details about how much college professors make on average according to their major, job title, institution type, university, state, and more in this article.
Average College Professor Salary
- College professors make an average of $168,870 in the United States as of April 2024.
- In the academic year 2022-23, college professors made an average of $108,043.
- Professors made an average of $103,190 in public institutes, $132,225 in private institutes, and $97,397 in religiously affiliated institutes in the academic year 2022-23.
- Law professors are the highest-paid college professors, with an average salary of $186,468 as of April 2024.
- College professors are paid the highest in California at $184,725 as of 2024.
How Much Do College Professors Make On Average?
According to Salary.com, the average salary of a college professor in the United States is $168,870 as of April 2024. The majority of college professors receive an average salary in the range of $80,314 to $257,426.
Meanwhile, according to Zippia, the average annual salary of a college professor in the United States is $157,570 as of 2024. Additionally, the average salary range for college professors in the United States is typically between $88,000 and $280,000, depending on their experience level, expertise, and other factors.
On the other hand, the American Association of University Professors stated that the average salary of professors in the academic year 2022- 23 was $108,043.
Source: Salary.com, Zippia, American Association of University Professors.
How Much Do College Professors Make Per Hour?
The college professors earn an average of $75.75 per hour as of 2024.
However, this number may vary according to the state, level of education, expertise, experience, and more.
Source: Zippia
Professors’ Salary By Major
According to Salary.com, the average salary of an English professor in the United States is $100,664 as of April 2024, while their hourly rate is $48.40.
At the same time, the average salary of a Dentistry professor is $146,282, while a law professor makes $186,468 annually.
The average salary earned by college professors varies greatly based on the subjects and the major they teach.
The following table displays the average salary of the college professors teaching different majors.
| Major | Average Salary of Professor | Hourly Rate |
|---|---|---|
| English | $100,664 | $48.40 |
| History | $108,974 | $52.39 |
| Law | $186,468 | $89.65 |
| Mathematics | $111,492 | $53.60 |
| Architecture | $121,889 | $58.60 |
| Chemistry | $112,687 | $54.18 |
| Communication | $105,306 | $50.63 |
| Dentistry | $146,282 | $70.33 |
| Drama | $100,985 | $48.55 |
| Economics | $129,241 | $62.14 |
Source: Salary.com
College Professor Average Salary By Job Title
The college professors with years of experience made $149,629 in the academic year 2022-23. Meanwhile, the Associate Professors received a salary of $101,941, and Assistant Professors received an average salary of $88,597.
The following table displays the average salary of college professors recorded in 2022-23 according to their Job titles.
| Job Title | Average Salary Of Professors |
|---|---|
| Professor | $149,629 |
| Associate Professor | $101,941 |
| Assistant Professor | $88,597 |
| Instructor | $66,343 |
| Lecturer | $72,995 |
| No Rank | $68,990 |
According to another study published by NCES, Assistant Professors earned an average salary of $77,842 in private institutions in the academic year 2020-21. At the same time, Assistant professors made $77,954 in Public institutions.
Comparatively, the Associate professors earned $92,606 in a private institute and $89,212 in a public institute.
Further, the professors with good experience earned $141,017 on average in private institutions and $121,057 in public institutes in the academic year 2020-21.
Sources: American Association of University Professors, NCES, Online University.
College Professors’ Salary By Institution Type
According to the American Association of University Professors, Professors earn an average salary of $103,190 in public institutions in the academic year 2022-2023.
Further, the professors made $132,225 in private or independent institutions and $97,397 in religiously affiliated institutions in the same year.
On the other hand, associate Professors made $101,941 on average in the Academic year 2022-23.
The following table provides further details about the average professor salary by institution type recorded for the academic year 2022-2023.
| Professor Job Title | Public Institution | Private Or Independent Institute | Religiously Affiliated Institute |
|---|---|---|---|
| Professor | $140,426 | $188,375 | $131,600 |
| Associate Professor | $100,126 | $115,557 | $93,337 |
| Assistant Professor | $87,287 | $100,610 | $79,388 |
| Instructor | $62,538 | $76,925 | $69,735 |
| Lecturer | $68,781 | $90,251 | $63,913 |
| No Rank | $68,480 | $72,438 | $68,742 |
| Average | $103,190 | $132,225 | $97,397 |
Source: American Association of University Professors.
College Professor Salary By University
College professors who teach students enrolled in doctoral degrees made an average of $120,246 in the academic year 2022-23.
The highest salary received by college professors teaching doctorate students was $169,821.
In the same academic year, a professor teaching a master’s degree received an average salary of $87,479.
Here are further details about the average salary of the college professors teaching different degrees.
| Degree/ University | Salary of College Professor |
|---|---|
| Doctoral | $120,246 |
| Master’s | $87,479 |
| Baccalaureate | $87,612 |
| Associate’s with ranks | $77,103 |
| Associate’s without ranks | $79,858 |
Source: American Association of University Professors.
Salary Of Adjunct Professors
Adjunct Faculty make an average of $83,069 in the United States in 2024. Adjunct professors are also known as visiting professors.
At the same time, Adjunct Faculty members make an average of $60,817 and have an hourly rate of $29.24.
Besides, the Faculty members earn an average of $102,849 per year.
The following table displays the highest-paying professor jobs in the United States.
| Job Title | Annual Salary | Hourly Rate |
|---|---|---|
| Adjunct Faculty | $83,069 | $39.94 |
| Faculty | $80,405 | $38.66 |
| Adjunct Faculty Member | $60,817 | $29.24 |
| Faculty member | $102,849 | $49.45 |
Source: Zippia.
Professors Salary By State
Professors receive the highest average salary in California of $184,725. The professors in the state earn an average of $88.81 per hour.
Meanwhile, the professors in Utah earn the second-highest average salary of $179,789. New York comes in third place with an hourly salary of $86.18 and an average salary of $179,258.
The following table displays the states with the highest average salary for College Professors.
| State | Average Salary of Professor | Average Hourly Rate |
|---|---|---|
| California | $184,725 | $88.81 |
| Utah | $179,789 | $86.44 |
| New York | $179,258 | $86.18 |
| Connecticut | $175,104 | $84.18 |
| District of Columbia | $170,189 | $81.82 |
| Massachusetts | $169,102 | $81.30 |
| North Dakota | $166,261 | $79.93 |
| Alabama | $162,175 | $77.97 |
| Michigan | $161,286 | $77.54 |
| Oklahoma | $160,897 | $77.35 |
Source: Zippia.
Hawaii has the lowest average professor salary in the United States at $106,075.
Wisconsin has the second-lowest average professor salary of $115,257 and an hourly rate of $55.41.
The following table displays further details about the states that provide the lowest average salary to the professors.
| State | Average Professor Salary | Hourly Rate |
|---|---|---|
| Hawaii | $106,075 | $51.00 |
| Wisconsin | $115,257 | $55.41 |
| Vermont | $121,660 | $58.49 |
| Illinois | $123,891 | $59.56 |
| Florida | $125,167 | $60.18 |
| Tennessee | $127,349 | $61.23 |
| New Hampshire | $130,081 | $62.54 |
| Delaware | $131,133 | $63.04 |
| Idaho | $132,414 | $63.66 |
| South Carolina | $132,732 | $63.81 |
Source: Zippia.
More Statistics Read On College:
Conclusion: On Average, College Professors Make $168,870/year in 2024
College professors make an average of $168,870 as of April 2024.
Comparatively, the college professors made an average of $108,043 in the academic year 2022-23. These are just the average values, and the salaries of college professors may vary according to factors like position, education, state, city, years of experience, and more.
FAQs
A college professor with a Ph.D. degree made $103,803 annually in 2023. However, the average salary for a full-time professor at a doctoral university was $120,246 in the academic year 2022-23.
College professors can make good money. On average, college professors make $168,870 as of April 2024. However, your salary after becoming a professor may vary according to your degree, education level, and years of experience.
Law professors are the highest-paid college professors in 2024. According to the latest data, law professors earn an average of $186,468 as of April 2024
The majority of the 4-year colleges accept professors with doctorate degrees. However, you can become a professor with a master’s degree for some two-year courses or a part-time instructor.
According to Glassdoor, the average salary of a professor at Harvard University is $169K per year. This salary includes the base pay and the additional pay. Further, the estimated pay range of the professors at Harvard University is between $127 to $231 per year.
