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The average salary for an Adjunct Business Instructor stands at $53,224 per year, equating to about $26 per hour. Salaries can vary significantly based on factors such as geographic location, years of experience, and the institution type. For example, instructors at community colleges may earn less compared to those teaching at universities or specialized institutions.
In examining salaries across the United States, states such as California, New York, and Texas often report the highest compensation levels for adjunct instructors. For instance, California leads with an average salary of over $60,000, while states like Florida and Texas offer competitive salaries around the national average.
Major metropolitan areas also contribute to salary differences. Cities like San Francisco, New York City, and Boston are known for offering higher pay rates, which can significantly impact overall earnings. Understanding these variations can help adjunct instructors make informed career decisions, align their expectations, and target opportunities that best suit their financial goals.
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The highest-paying states for adjunct business instructors are California, Maryland, and New York. The lowest average adjunct business instructor salary states are Oklahoma, Alabama, and Georgia.
| Rank | State | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Nevada | $60,964 | $29.31 |
| 2 | California | $88,649 | $42.62 |
| 3 | Ohio | $58,096 | $27.93 |
| 4 | New York | $68,503 | $32.93 |
| 5 | Maryland | $69,349 | $33.34 |
| 6 | Rhode Island | $66,131 | $31.79 |
| 7 | Oregon | $65,625 | $31.55 |
| 8 | Michigan | $55,253 | $26.56 |
| 9 | Massachusetts | $66,702 | $32.07 |
| 10 | Pennsylvania | $60,220 | $28.95 |
| 11 | New Mexico | $53,854 | $25.89 |
| 12 | New Jersey | $60,326 | $29.00 |
| 13 | Alaska | $57,069 | $27.44 |
| 14 | Louisiana | $54,488 | $26.20 |
| 15 | Indiana | $50,947 | $24.49 |
| 16 | Delaware | $59,134 | $28.43 |
| 17 | Florida | $56,581 | $27.20 |
| 18 | Missouri | $51,510 | $24.76 |
| 19 | District of Columbia | $61,917 | $29.77 |
| 20 | Iowa | $48,264 | $23.20 |
| 21 | Wisconsin | $50,647 | $24.35 |
| 22 | Minnesota | $49,079 | $23.60 |
| 23 | Vermont | $56,124 | $26.98 |
| 24 | Utah | $52,854 | $25.41 |
| 25 | New Hampshire | $53,670 | $25.80 |
| 26 | Washington | $55,730 | $26.79 |
| 27 | West Virginia | $46,853 | $22.53 |
| 28 | Virginia | $52,441 | $25.21 |
| 29 | Mississippi | $47,984 | $23.07 |
| 30 | Wyoming | $47,540 | $22.86 |
| 31 | Connecticut | $54,537 | $26.22 |
| 32 | Illinois | $51,616 | $24.82 |
| 33 | Tennessee | $43,986 | $21.15 |
| 34 | Kentucky | $41,382 | $19.90 |
| 35 | Texas | $48,828 | $23.48 |
| 36 | Nebraska | $42,276 | $20.32 |
| 37 | North Carolina | $47,457 | $22.82 |
| 38 | North Dakota | $47,686 | $22.93 |
| 39 | Montana | $39,979 | $19.22 |
| 40 | Arkansas | $43,362 | $20.85 |
| 41 | Hawaii | $54,195 | $26.06 |
| 42 | Kansas | $41,070 | $19.75 |
| 43 | Alabama | $40,567 | $19.50 |
| 44 | Oklahoma | $40,898 | $19.66 |
| 45 | Colorado | $42,062 | $20.22 |
| 46 | South Carolina | $36,136 | $17.37 |
| 47 | South Dakota | $36,521 | $17.56 |
| 48 | Maine | $43,571 | $20.95 |
| 49 | Georgia | $40,266 | $19.36 |
| 50 | Arizona | $42,161 | $20.27 |
| 51 | Idaho | $43,029 | $20.69 |
The highest-paying cities for adjunct business instructors are San Pablo, CA, New York, NY, and Newport, RI.
| Rank | City | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | San Pablo, CA | $94,137 | $45.26 |
| 2 | New York, NY | $69,045 | $33.19 |
| 3 | Newport, RI | $66,790 | $32.11 |
| 4 | Portland, OR | $64,552 | $31.03 |
| 5 | Chester, PA | $60,599 | $29.13 |
| 6 | Seattle, WA | $56,251 | $27.04 |
| 7 | Ocala, FL | $54,688 | $26.29 |
| 8 | Baton Rouge, LA | $54,365 | $26.14 |
| 9 | Manchester, NH | $53,165 | $25.56 |
| 10 | Saint Charles, MO | $52,015 | $25.01 |
| 11 | Richmond, VA | $51,583 | $24.80 |
| 12 | Madison, WI | $49,614 | $23.85 |
| 13 | Saint Paul, MN | $49,184 | $23.65 |
| 14 | Baytown, TX | $48,690 | $23.41 |
| 15 | Cheyenne, WY | $46,901 | $22.55 |
| 16 | Asheville, NC | $43,535 | $20.93 |
| 17 | Hinesville, GA | $40,657 | $19.55 |
| 18 | Florence, SC | $36,961 | $17.77 |
An adjunct business instructor's salary ranges from $25,000 a year at the 10th percentile to $109,000 at the 90th percentile.

| Percentile | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 90th Percentile | $109,000 | $9,083 | $52 |
| 75th Percentile | $77,000 | $6,417 | $37 |
| Average | $53,224 | $4,435 | $26 |
| 25th Percentile | $36,000 | $3,000 | $17 |
| 10th Percentile | $25,000 | $2,083 | $12 |
The highest paying types of adjunct business instructors are adjunct professor, marketing, business and marketing teacher, and assistant professor of business.
| Job title | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate | Job openings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Faculty | $80,405 | $6,700 | $38.66 | 21,142 |
| Business Management Professor | $90,167 | $7,514 | $43.35 | 121,006 |
| Instructor | $53,426 | $4,452 | $25.69 | 39,273 |
| Lead Instructor | $50,221 | $4,185 | $24.14 | 37,712 |
| Course Instructor | $49,389 | $4,116 | $23.74 | 28,255 |
| Business Instructor | $48,740 | $4,062 | $23.43 | 68,512 |
Top companies hiring adjunct business instructors now:
Adjunct business instructor salaries at Kern Community College District and 4CD Live are the highest-paying according to our most recent salary estimates. In addition, the average adjunct business instructor salary at companies like Lakeland University and LA State University Continuing are highly competitive.
| Rank | Company | Average salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Kern Community College District | $146,881 | $70.62 |
| 2 | 4CD Live | $140,918 | $67.75 |
| 3 | Lakeland University | $128,073 | $61.57 |
| 4 | LA State University Continuing | $116,335 | $55.93 |
| 5 | Worcester Polytechnic Institute | $112,722 | $54.19 |
| 6 | Salve Regina University | $106,457 | $51.18 |
| 7 | Southern New Hampshire University | $92,241 | $44.35 |
| 8 | Lee College | $86,099 | $41.39 |
| 9 | Portland State University | $84,532 | $40.64 |
| 10 | Riverland Community College | $81,257 | $39.07 |
| 11 | St. John Fisher College | $80,942 | $38.91 |
| 12 | Virginia Commonwealth University | $78,272 | $37.63 |
| 13 | Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi | $77,201 | $37.12 |
| 14 | Widener University | $70,967 | $34.12 |
| 15 | Point Loma Nazarene University | $68,288 | $32.83 |
| 16 | Bethel University | $65,758 | $31.61 |
| 17 | Messiah College | $62,769 | $30.18 |
| 18 | Viterbo University | $62,231 | $29.92 |
| 19 | SUNY Morrisville | $61,117 | $29.38 |
| 20 | Berkeley College | $60,774 | $29.22 |
The average adjunct business instructor salary has risen by $8,007 over the last ten years. In 2014, the average adjunct business instructor earned $45,217 annually, but today, they earn $53,224 a year. That works out to a 14% change in pay for adjunct business instructors over the last decade.
Compare adjunct business instructor salaries for cities or states with the national average over time.
Compare adjunct business instructor salaries for individual cities or states with the national average.
| Year | Avg. salary | Hourly rate | % Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $53,200 | $25.59 | +0.9% |
| 2024 | $52,700 | $25.35 | +3.7% |
| 2023 | $50,800 | $24.41 | +4.4% |
| 2022 | $48,600 | $23.35 | +3.5% |
| 2021 | $46,900 | $22.53 | +2.7% |
| Company | Job | Location | Date added | Salary |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Association for Institutional Research In The Upper Midwest | Adjunct Instructor-Business Technology | Appleton, WI | 06/29/2025 | $93,915 |
| Asheville-Buncombe Technical Community College Foundation, Inc. | Adjunct Instructor-Business | Asheville, NC | 06/07/2025 | $60,523 |
| Point Loma Nazarene University | Adjunct Pool)/School of Business | San Diego, CA | 06/06/2025 | $60,156 |
| Hill College | Adjunct Instructor, Accounting/Business/Marketing | Hillsboro, TX | 05/28/2025 | $81,393 |
| Onondaga Community College | Microsoft Excel Business Adjunct-Onondaga Community College | Syracuse, NY | 05/18/2025 | $71,532 |
| FVTC | Adjunct Instructor-Business Technology | Appleton, WI | 05/16/2025 | $93,915 |
| Minnesota Limited | Adjunct Business and Marketing Instructor | North Mankato, MN | 04/29/2025 | $24,800 |
| Goodwill Industries of Middle Ga | Adjunct Intro To Business Instructor | Augusta, GA | 04/20/2025 | $41,740 |
| Minnesota Limited | Adjunct Business and Marketing Instructor | North Mankato, MN | 03/28/2025 | $24,800 |
| Western Technical College | Adjunct Instructor-Business Management | La Crosse, WI | 03/08/2025 | $104,350 |
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