How to hire an adjunct assistant professor

How to hire an adjunct assistant professor, step by step

Here's a step-by-step adjunct assistant professor hiring guide:

• Step 1: Identify your hiring needs
• Step 2: Create an ideal candidate profile
• Step 3: Make a budget
• Step 4: Write an adjunct assistant professor job description
• Step 5: Post your job
• Step 6: Interview candidates
• Step 7: Send a job offer and onboard your new adjunct assistant professor
• Step 8: Go through the hiring process checklist

What does an adjunct assistant professor do?

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1. Identify your hiring needs

   Before you start hiring an adjunct assistant professor, identify what type of worker you actually need. Certain positions might call for a full-time employee, while others can be done by a part-time worker or contractor.

   Determine employee vs contractor status

   Is the person you're thinking of hiring a US citizen or green card holder?

   Yes

   No

   Hiring the perfect adjunct assistant professor also involves considering the ideal background you'd like them to have. Depending on what industry or field they have experience in, they'll bring different skills to the job. It's also important to consider what levels of seniority and education the job requires and what kind of salary such a candidate would likely demand.

   This list presents adjunct assistant professor salaries for various positions.

   Type of Adjunct Assistant Professor	Description	Hourly rate
   Adjunct Assistant Professor	Postsecondary teachers instruct students in a wide variety of academic and career and technical subjects beyond the high school level. They also conduct research and publish scholarly papers and books.	$25-92
   Faculty	A faculty member is a professional whose primary responsibility is to provide teaching and research to students in colleges and universities. Faculties must work with colleagues to design a curriculum to keep up with the changes in the discipline... Show more	$20-73
   Teaching Fellow	An individual who works at an institution to foster the students' academic strive is known as a teaching fellow. They are known as a self-motivated and education-based counselor... Show more	$12-35

   Show more

2. Create an ideal candidate profile

   Common skills:

   • Course Content
   • Ethics
   • Physiology
   • Philosophy
   • Freshman
   • Economics
   • Mathematics
   • Literature
   • Architecture
   • III
   • Class Discussions
   • Public Health
   • Sociology
   • Syllabus

   Check all skills

   Responsibilities:

   • Lead outreach to community and statewide stakeholders in the PPCC entrepreneurship program.
   • Work with a diverse student body in both writing instruction and literature courses.
   • Instruct students in photojournalism courses as well as ethics, reporting and editing practicum.
   • Create lectures and assignments that help students draw connections between mathematics and other sciences.
   • Collaborate with primary professor to develop class curriculum and syllabus.
   • Incorporate clinical and biomedical cases to further understanding of human physiology and understanding of anatomical concepts.

   More adjunct assistant professor duties

3. Make a budget

   Including a salary range in the adjunct assistant professor job description is a good way to get more applicants. An adjunct assistant professor salary can be affected by several factors, such as the location of the job, the level of experience, education, certifications, and the employer's prestige.

   For example, the average salary for an adjunct assistant professor in Montana may be lower than in Utah, and an entry-level engineer typically earns less than a senior-level adjunct assistant professor. Additionally, an adjunct assistant professor with lots of experience in the field may command a higher salary as a result.

   Average adjunct assistant professor salary

   $100,809yearly

   $48.47 hourly rate

   ---

   Entry-level adjunct assistant professor salary

   $52,000 yearly salary

   Updated December 22, 2025

   Average adjunct assistant professor salary by state

   Rank	State	Avg. salary	Hourly rate
   1	Utah	$160,112	$77
   2	New York	$137,946	$66
   3	Florida	$132,316	$64
   4	Oregon	$130,510	$63
   5	Missouri	$125,669	$60
   6	District of Columbia	$124,718	$60
   7	California	$115,008	$55
   8	Texas	$112,193	$54
   9	Arizona	$109,858	$53
   10	Colorado	$109,673	$53
   11	Rhode Island	$105,948	$51
   12	Louisiana	$105,277	$51
   13	Maryland	$104,969	$50
   14	North Carolina	$103,057	$50
   15	Oklahoma	$102,232	$49
   16	Ohio	$94,760	$46
   17	Iowa	$88,229	$42
   18	Michigan	$82,877	$40
   19	Pennsylvania	$82,490	$40
   20	Illinois	$80,418	$39

   Average adjunct assistant professor salary by company

   Company

   Rank	Company	Average salary	Hourly rate	Job openings
   1	UMiami Health System	$228,148	$109.69	319
   2	Oregon Health & Science University	$222,784	$107.11	80
   3	Rosalind Franklin University of Medicine and Science	$203,207	$97.70	15
   4	QUEENSBOROUGH CO THE	$184,841	$88.87
   5	University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences	$171,274	$82.34	4
   6	Emory University	$169,998	$81.73	101
   7	Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center	$159,404	$76.64	46
   8	New York University	$146,577	$70.47	33
   9	Saint Louis University	$146,538	$70.45	12
   10	UT Health San Antonio	$139,702	$67.16
   11	The University of Chicago	$130,289	$62.64	35
   12	Johns Hopkins University	$129,823	$62.41	103
   13	Marquette University	$126,557	$60.84	2
   14	Tulane University	$126,135	$60.64	189
   15	University of Oklahoma	$125,677	$60.42	20
   16	Queen's College	$124,694	$59.95
   17	St Benedicts College	$123,997	$59.61
   18	University of Iowa Center for Advancement	$122,876	$59.08
   19	University of California	$122,709	$58.99	11
   20	University of Florida	$121,752	$58.53	208

4. Writing an adjunct assistant professor job description

   An adjunct assistant professor job description should include a summary of the role, required skills, and a list of responsibilities. It's also good to include a salary range and the first name of the hiring manager. To help get you started, here's an example of an adjunct assistant professor job description:

   Adjunct assistant professor job description example

   Reporting directly to the Program Dean, Assistant Professor, Nursing (FNP/APRN) - Online supports the University in fulfillment of its mission, purpose and goals. Provides program-specific expertise and is actively engaged in relevant department initiatives. Supports University, Online, and/or departmental goals in order to assure compliance with programmatic accreditation and/or licensure, internal consistency, and graduate outcomes that meet student learning, workplace and placement expectations. Provides professional leadership and support, and serves as an educator, role model, mentor and facilitator. Creates an educational environment which fosters innovation, responsiveness, and accountability. Focuses extensively on facilitating online student learning associated with prescribed course and program learning outcomes. Actively and substantively participates in assessment of student learning activities to maximize the potential for students to learn what is necessary to meet prescribed outcomes. Vigorously upholds a culture of academic integrity.
   EDUCATION:
   
   * Masters, required. Doctorate preferred. Doctoral degree (PhD, DNP, EdD) and MSN, from regionally accredited institutions
   * Should provide a documented background in educational methodology consistent with teaching assignments including but not limited to education theory and practice, or current concepts relative to specific subjects he or she will be teaching, or current clinical practice experience, or distance education techniques and delivery.
   
   LICENSES/CERTIFICATIONS:
   
   * Must meet and maintain the qualifications and standards set forth by any accreditation body that West Coast University is accredited by or in process of obtaining accreditation from, for area of expertise and expectations of faculty member as set forth in regulatory documents.
   * Family Nurse Practitioner Board Certified required, FNP with AGACNP, PMHNP, WHNP, PNP, or AGPCNP is preferred.
   * CA, AZ, CO, ID, NV, NJ, VA, and HI APRN & RN licensure required.
   * Current certification in basic life support procedures including healthcare provide CPR with an Automated External Defibrillator.
   
   KNOWLEDGE/EXPERIENCE:
   
   * 2 years of APRN experience, required
   * Working with online learning management systems to further engage the student learning process is highly desirable; required for Family Nurse Practitioner Program.
   * Two years related experience and/or training (online teaching experience is a plus).
   * Experience with Canvas Learning Management System is preferred.
   * Exceptional computer skills using Microsoft Office applications, Zoom, and other meeting technology.
   * Ability to work effectively in a remote environment with minimal supervision.
   * Knowledge of state, federal and local laws/regulations relating to programs, governmental compliance and other regulatory standards set by accreditation bodies such as WASC, CCNE, Board of Registered Nursing (California BRN, Texas BON, Florida BON).

   Copy this example

   

5. Post your job

   To find adjunct assistant professors for your business, try out a few different recruiting strategies:

   • Consider internal talent. One of the most important talent pools for any company is its current employees.
   • Ask for referrals. Reach out to friends, family members, and your current work to ask if they know any adjunct assistant professors they would recommend.
   • Recruit at local colleges. Attend job fairs at local colleges to recruit entry-level adjunct assistant professors with the right educational background.
   • Social media platforms. LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter have more than 3.5 billion users, and they're a great place for company branding and reaching potential job candidates.

   To find adjunct assistant professor candidates, you can consider the following options:

   • Post your job opening on Zippia or other job search websites.
   • Use niche websites that focus on engineering and technology jobs, such as k12jobspot, learn4good, serious teachers, teachingjobs.com.
   • Post your job on free job posting websites.

6. Interview candidates

   To successfully recruit adjunct assistant professors, your first interview needs to engage with candidates to learn about their interest in the role and experience in the field. You can go into more detail about the company, the role, and the responsibilities during follow-up interviews.

   You should also ask about candidates' unique skills and talents to see if they match the ideal candidate profile you developed earlier. Candidates good enough for the next step can complete the technical interview.

   The right interview questions can help you assess a candidate's hard skills, behavioral intelligence, and soft skills.

7. Send a job offer and onboard your new adjunct assistant professor

   Once you have selected a candidate for the adjunct assistant professor position, it is time to create an offer letter. In addition to salary, the offer letter should include details about benefits and perks that are available to the employee. Ensuring your offer is competitive is vital, as qualified candidates may be considering other job opportunities. The candidate may wish to negotiate the terms of the offer, and it is important to be open to discussion and reach a mutually beneficial agreement. After the offer has been accepted, it is a good idea to formalize the agreement with a contract.

   It's also good etiquette to follow up with applicants who don't get the job by sending them an email letting them know that the position has been filled.

   After that, you can create an onboarding schedule for a new adjunct assistant professor. Human Resources and the hiring manager should complete Employee Action Forms. Human Resources should also ensure that onboarding paperwork is completed, including I-9s, benefits enrollment, federal and state tax forms, etc., and that new employee files are created.

8. Go through the hiring process checklist

   • Determine employee type (full-time, part-time, contractor, etc.)
   • Submit a job requisition form to the HR department
   • Define job responsibilities and requirements
   • Establish budget and timeline
   • Determine hiring decision makers for the role
   • Write job description
   • Post job on job boards, company website, etc.
   • Promote the job internally
   • Process applications through applicant tracking system
   • Review resumes and cover letters
   • Shortlist candidates for screening
   • Hold phone/virtual interview screening with first round of candidates
   • Conduct in-person interviews with top candidates from first round
   • Score candidates based on weighted criteria (e.g., experience, education, background, cultural fit, skill set, etc.)
   • Conduct background checks on top candidates
   • Check references of top candidates
   • Consult with HR and hiring decision makers on job offer specifics
   • Extend offer to top candidate(s)
   • Receive formal job offer acceptance and signed employment contract
   • Inform other candidates that the position has been filled
   • Set and communicate onboarding schedule to new hire(s)
   • Complete new hire paperwork (i9, benefits enrollment, tax forms, etc.)

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How much does it cost to hire an adjunct assistant professor?