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The differences between academic instructors and adjunct instructors can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. Additionally, an adjunct instructor has an average salary of $52,030, which is higher than the $48,371 average annual salary of an academic instructor.
The top three skills for an academic instructor include mathematics, language arts and GED. The most important skills for an adjunct instructor are student learning, syllabus, and student performance.
| Academic Instructor | Adjunct Instructor | |
| Yearly salary | $48,371 | $52,030 |
| Hourly rate | $23.26 | $25.01 |
| Growth rate | -6% | 2% |
| Number of jobs | 51,190 | 40,633 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 61% | Bachelor's Degree, 50% |
| Average age | 43 | 42 |
| Years of experience | 4 | - |
An academic instructor is responsible for all aspects of instruction and the students' learning experience. You will plan, prepare, and deliver lessons to your students and teach according to a student's educational needs, achievements, and abilities. In addition, you are expected to assess, record, and report the behavior, attainment, development, and progress of students. Other duties include promoting a student's well-being and progress in a certain course, guiding and advising students on social and educational matters, and ensuring to maintain high standards of teaching practice.
An adjunct instructor is a faculty member responsible for teaching an area of expertise within a specific contract period. The duties of an adjunct instructor are almost identical as a regular instructor, only that the work benefits are limited. These duties include preparing comprehensive lesson plans, monitoring the students' learning progress, and evaluating their knowledge by conducting tests and activities. An adjunct instructor must have an extensive comprehension of the learning curriculum to provide lectures accordingly.
Academic instructors and adjunct instructors have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Academic Instructor | Adjunct Instructor | |
| Average salary | $48,371 | $52,030 |
| Salary range | Between $33,000 And $69,000 | Between $32,000 And $83,000 |
| Highest paying City | Foster City, CA | Bakersfield, CA |
| Highest paying state | New York | California |
| Best paying company | New Jersey Institute of Technology | Kern Community College District |
| Best paying industry | Education | Education |
There are a few differences between an academic instructor and an adjunct instructor in terms of educational background:
| Academic Instructor | Adjunct Instructor | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 61% | Bachelor's Degree, 50% |
| Most common major | Business | Business |
| Most common college | University of Pennsylvania | University of Pennsylvania |
Here are the differences between academic instructors' and adjunct instructors' demographics:
| Academic Instructor | Adjunct Instructor | |
| Average age | 43 | 42 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 46.8% Female, 53.2% | Male, 45.2% Female, 54.8% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 12.0% Unknown, 5.7% Hispanic or Latino, 14.8% Asian, 6.9% White, 60.1% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.5% | Black or African American, 11.8% Unknown, 6.0% Hispanic or Latino, 13.8% Asian, 7.5% White, 60.3% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.6% |
| LGBT Percentage | 12% | 11% |