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The differences between academic instructors and college professors can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. While it typically takes 2-4 years to become an academic instructor, becoming a college professor takes usually requires 1-2 years. Additionally, a college professor has an average salary of $81,207, 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 a college professor are curriculum development, classes taught, and mathematics.
| Academic Instructor | College Professor | |
| Yearly salary | $48,371 | $81,207 |
| Hourly rate | $23.26 | $39.04 |
| Growth rate | -6% | 12% |
| Number of jobs | 51,190 | 27,390 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 61% | Bachelor's Degree, 46% |
| Average age | 43 | 46 |
| Years of experience | 4 | 2 |
Academic instructors and college professors have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Academic Instructor | College Professor | |
| Average salary | $48,371 | $81,207 |
| Salary range | Between $33,000 And $69,000 | Between $39,000 And $166,000 |
| Highest paying City | Foster City, CA | - |
| Highest paying state | New York | - |
| Best paying company | New Jersey Institute of Technology | - |
| Best paying industry | Education | - |
There are a few differences between an academic instructor and a college professor in terms of educational background:
| Academic Instructor | College Professor | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 61% | Bachelor's Degree, 46% |
| Most common major | Business | Business |
| Most common college | University of Pennsylvania | Northwestern University |
Here are the differences between academic instructors' and college professors' demographics:
| Academic Instructor | College Professor | |
| Average age | 43 | 46 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 46.8% Female, 53.2% | Male, 50.2% Female, 49.8% |
| 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, 7.1% Unknown, 4.9% Hispanic or Latino, 10.1% Asian, 11.3% White, 66.3% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.3% |
| LGBT Percentage | 12% | 16% |