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Adjunct business instructor education requirements

Updated January 8, 2025
4 min read

There are several educational requirements to become an adjunct business instructor. Adjunct business instructors usually study business, management, or human resources management. 50% of adjunct business instructors hold a bachelor's degree, and 36% hold an master's degree. We analyzed 900 real adjunct business instructor resumes to see exactly what adjunct business instructor education sections show.

The most common colleges for adjunct business instructors are the University of Phoenix and the University of Phoenix.

There are also many online adjunct business instructor courses to help get the education required to be an adjunct business instructor.

There are certain adjunct business instructor certifications that you should consider. These adjunct business instructor certifications include Certified Management Accountant (CMA) and Master Project Manager (MPM).

What education do you need to become an adjunct business instructor?

What degree do you need to be an adjunct business instructor?

The most common degree for adjunct business instructors is bachelor's degree, with 50% of adjunct business instructors earning that degree. The second and third most common degree levels are master's degree degree at 36% and master's degree degree at 7%.
  • Bachelor's, 50%
  • Master's, 36%
  • Associate, 7%
  • Doctorate, 7%
  • Other Degrees, 0%

What should I major in to become an adjunct business instructor?

You should major in business to become an adjunct business instructor. 39% of adjunct business instructors major in business. Other common majors for an adjunct business instructor include management and human resources management.

Most common colleges for adjunct business instructors

Adjunct business instructors often get their degrees at University of Phoenix, Indiana Wesleyan University, and University of Wisconsin - Stevens Point. Here are the most common colleges for adjunct business instructors in the US based on their resumes.
Adjunct business instructor common collegePercentages
University of Phoenix27.21%
Indiana Wesleyan University6.12%
University of Wisconsin - Stevens Point5.44%
Webster University5.44%
Capella University5.44%

Best majors for adjunct business instructors

RankMajorPercentages
1Business38.7%
2Management9.2%
3Human Resources Management5.7%
4Accounting5.7%
5Finance5.4%

Best colleges for adjunct business instructors

The best colleges for adjunct business instructors are University of Pennsylvania, Northwestern University, and University of Southern California.

An adjunct business instructor with advanced education typically earns a higher salary and has access to better jobs. That's why Zippia looked into the best colleges for adjunct business instructors. We based this list on several metrics: admissions rate, retention rate, mean earnings of graduates, the ratio of working vs. non-working students ten years after admission, the average cost of attendance, and median debt for graduates who become adjunct business instructors.

1. University of Pennsylvania

Philadelphia, PA • Private

In-state tuition

$55,584

Enrollment

10,764

2. University of Southern California

Los Angeles, CA • Private

In-state tuition

$56,225

Enrollment

19,548

3. Northwestern University

Evanston, IL • Private

In-state tuition

$54,568

Enrollment

8,451

4. Ball State University

Muncie, IN • Private

In-state tuition

$9,896

Enrollment

15,529

5. New York University

New York, NY • Private

In-state tuition

$51,828

Enrollment

26,339

6. University of Minnesota - Twin Cities

Minneapolis, MN • Private

In-state tuition

$14,760

Enrollment

31,451

7. Washington University in St Louis

Saint Louis, MO • Private

In-state tuition

$53,399

Enrollment

7,356

8. Baruch College of the City University of New York

New York, NY • Private

In-state tuition

$7,262

Enrollment

14,629

9. Ohio State University

Columbus, OH • Private

In-state tuition

$10,726

Enrollment

45,769

10. Boston University

Boston, MA • Private

In-state tuition

$53,948

Enrollment

17,238

20 best online courses for adjunct business instructors

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Top 10 most affordable universities for adjunct business instructors

The most affordable schools for adjunct business instructors are Baruch College of the City University of New York, usf sarasota-manatee, and university of florida.

If the best universities for adjunct business instructors are out of your price range, check out these affordable schools. After factoring in in-state tuition and fees, the average cost of attendance, admissions rate, average net price, and mean earnings after six years, we found that these are the most affordable schools for adjunct business instructors.

1. Baruch College of the City University of New York

New York, NY • Private

In-state tuition

$7,262

Cost of attendance

14,046

2. USF Sarasota-Manatee

Sarasota, FL • Private

In-state tuition

$5,587

Cost of attendance

13,043

3. University of Florida

Gainesville, FL • Private

In-state tuition

$6,381

Cost of attendance

21,034

4. Brigham Young University

Provo, UT • Private

In-state tuition

$5,620

Cost of attendance

18,136

5. California State University - Long Beach

Long Beach, CA • Private

In-state tuition

$6,798

Cost of attendance

18,306

6. University of South Florida

Tampa, FL • Private

In-state tuition

$6,410

Cost of attendance

20,456

7. Florida International University

Miami, FL • Private

In-state tuition

$6,556

Cost of attendance

19,434

8. Florida State University

Tallahassee, FL • Private

In-state tuition

$5,656

Cost of attendance

21,623

9. USF St. Petersburg

St. Petersburg, FL • Private

In-state tuition

$5,821

Cost of attendance

19,849

10. California State University - San Bernardino

San Bernardino, CA • Private

In-state tuition

$6,922

Cost of attendance

18,522

Top 10 hardest universities to get into for adjunct business instructors

The hardest universities for adjunct business instructors to get into are University of Pennsylvania, Northwestern University, and University of Southern California.

Some great schools for adjunct business instructors are hard to get into, but they also set your career up for greater success. The list below shows the most challenging universities to get into for adjunct business instructors based on an institution's admissions rates, average SAT scores accepted, median ACT scores accepted, and mean earnings of students six years after admission.

1. University of Pennsylvania

Philadelphia, PA • Private

Admissions rate

8%

SAT average

1,492

2. Northwestern University

Evanston, IL • Private

Admissions rate

8%

SAT average

1,508

3. University of Southern California

Los Angeles, CA • Private

Admissions rate

13%

SAT average

1,445

4. Washington University in St Louis

Saint Louis, MO • Private

Admissions rate

15%

SAT average

1,506

5. Carnegie Mellon University

Pittsburgh, PA • Private

Admissions rate

17%

SAT average

1,507

6. New York University

New York, NY • Private

Admissions rate

20%

SAT average

1,419

7. Boston University

Boston, MA • Private

Admissions rate

22%

SAT average

1,420

8. Northeastern University

Boston, MA • Private

Admissions rate

19%

SAT average

1,466

9. George Washington University, The

Washington, DC • Private

Admissions rate

42%

SAT average

1,380

10. University of Miami

Coral Gables, FL • Private

Admissions rate

32%

SAT average

1,365

Top 10 easy-to-apply-to universities for adjunct business instructors

The easiest schools for adjunct business instructors to get into are Barry University, holy names university, and oklahoma wesleyan university.

Some schools are much easier to get into. If you want to start your career as an adjunct business instructor without much hassle, check out the list of schools where you will be accepted in no time. We compiled admissions rates, average SAT scores, average ACT scores, and average salary of students six years after graduation to uncover which were the easiest schools to get into for adjunct business instructors.

1. Barry University

Miami, FL • Private

Admissions rate

91%

SAT average

1,006

2. Holy Names University

Oakland, CA • Private

Admissions rate

70%

SAT average

849

3. Oklahoma Wesleyan University

Bartlesville, OK • Private

Admissions rate

68%

SAT average

964

4. University of the Incarnate Word

San Antonio, TX • Private

Admissions rate

88%

SAT average

1,044

5. Mount Saint Mary's University

Los Angeles, CA • Private

Admissions rate

84%

SAT average

1,031

6. Gwynedd Mercy University

Gwynedd Valley, PA • Private

Admissions rate

92%

SAT average

1,031

7. Felician University

Lodi, NJ • Private

Admissions rate

81%

SAT average

999

8. University of Houston - Downtown

Houston, TX • Private

Admissions rate

83%

SAT average

1,012

9. Grand View University

Des Moines, IA • Private

Admissions rate

92%

SAT average

1,060

10. Saint Joseph's College of Maine

Standish, ME • Private

Admissions rate

84%

SAT average

1,069

Average adjunct business instructor salary by education level

According to our data, adjunct business instructors with a Doctorate degree earn the highest average salary, at $67,000 annually. Adjunct business instructors with a Master's degree earn an average annual salary of $48,911.
Adjunct business instructor education levelAdjunct business instructor salary
Master's Degree$48,911
Doctorate Degree$67,000

Adjunct business instructor education FAQs

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Updated January 8, 2025

Zippia Research Team
Zippia Team

Editorial Staff

The Zippia Research Team has spent countless hours reviewing resumes, job postings, and government data to determine what goes into getting a job in each phase of life. Professional writers and data scientists comprise the Zippia Research Team.

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