How To Become An Adjunct Faculty: What It Is and Career Path

Q: Are adjunct faculty called professors?

Yes, adjunct faculty are also called professors. Otherwise known as adjunct professors, this is a part-time faculty position. However, universities have nuances in the specific terminology allocated for part-time faculty.

Q: How do I become an adjunct professor with no experience?

To become an adjunct professor with no experience, you will need to have the right educational background. Having a strong GPA and excellent teacher recommendations can improve your odds, along with any related work experience.

Q: How long does it take to become an adjunct professor?

It takes 4 to 8 years to become an adjunct professor. It depends on the type of adjunct professor position. Most schools require a graduate degree in the field you wish to teach. However, there are some cases where just having a bachelor's degree is enough.

Q: What is the difference between adjunct faculty and part-time faculty?

There is no difference between an adjunct faculty and a part-time faculty. An adjunct faculty is a part-time faculty member. An adjunct faculty teaches part-time at a university, usually no more than ten credits hours.

Q: Why are adjuncts paid so little?

Adjuncts are paid so little to help universities and colleges save money. Higher education institutions are businesses looking to lower overhead costs and generate revenue. Ultimately colleges save a lot of money by hiring several part-time adjunct instructors rather than full-time tenure-track faculty positions.

What is an adjunct faculty and how to become one

Updated January 8, 2025

4 min read

Quoted expert

Rodney Foster

The adjunct faculty is responsible for teaching graduates and undergraduate students in a specific field of expertise. You are allowed to plan, create, lecture, and provide in-class discussions and assignments. Your job allows you to plan and develop a syllabus and ensure it meets college and departmental standards. Plus, you are responsible for grading and assigning papers, exams, and quizzes.

You will give class instructions, evaluate students' performance, and also coordinate courseware and curriculum with the academic department head. However, you will need to be a people person as you need to develop and sustain relationships with students for effectiveness. You will also need to participate in faculty meetings involving departmental updates, prepare materials and supervise the distribution, and make copies of supplementary materials available for distribution in class. You may also be required to maintain a record of student progress, involvement, and attendance.

An adjunct faculty must be detail-oriented, punctual, and must be able to motivate. He/She must also be a lover of academics, possess excellent communication skills, self-discipline, and the ability to teach well. The average salary of an adjunct faculty yearly is $50,000. An adjunct faculty must have a Master's degree in a related academic field.

What general advice would you give to an adjunct faculty?

Rodney Foster

Instructor - Aviation Maintenance Technology Instructor - Airframe & Powerplant Technology, Orange Coast College

Orange Coast College (OCC) teaches Aircraft Maintenance Technology (AMT) and Avionics. Although the Government has dampened air travel by putting up restrictions to prevent a Covid-19 spread, there is still a certified mechanic/skilled labor shortage. I believe all our students will have permanent jobs within a six-month search. OCC AMT is listed as an essential workforce by the state of California and is back in classes full-time, Face-to-face labs, and online lectures. Our next semester registration maximum filled in two days and still has over 35 additional students per class on the waiting list.

ScoreAdjunct FacultyUS Average

Salary

6.5

Avg. Salary $83,069

Avg. Salary $59,228

Stability level

6.9

Growth rate 2%

Growth rate 0.3%

Diversity

5.2

Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 0.28%

Asian 11.24%

Black or African American 7.23%

Hispanic or Latino 10.30%

Unknown 4.95%

White 66.00%

Gender

female 59.09%

male 40.91%

Age - 46

Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 3.00%

Asian 7.00%

Black or African American 14.00%

Hispanic or Latino 19.00%

White 57.00%

Gender

female 47.00%

male 53.00%

Age - 46

Stress level

6.9

Stress level is high

7.1 - high

Complexity level

6.1

Complexity level is intermediate

7 - challenging

Work life balance

10.0

Work life balance is excellent

6.4 - fair

Key steps to become an adjunct faculty

Explore adjunct faculty education requirements

Most common adjunct faculty degrees

Bachelor's

48.3 %

Master's

33.4 %

Doctorate

9.3 %

Start to develop specific adjunct faculty skills

Skills	Percentages
Student Learning	10.59%
Syllabus	7.90%
Philosophy	6.50%
Professional Development	5.76%
Course Syllabus	4.65%

Complete relevant adjunct faculty training and internships

Accountants spend an average of Less than 1 month on post-employment, on-the-job training. New adjunct faculties learn the skills and techniques required for their job and employer during this time. The chart below shows how long it takes to gain competency as an adjunct faculty based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data and data from real adjunct faculty resumes.

Gain additional adjunct faculty certifications

Adjunct faculty certifications can show employers you have a baseline of knowledge expected for the position. Certifications can also make you a more competitive candidate. Even if employers don't require a specific adjunct faculty certification, having one may help you stand out relative to other applicants.

The most common certifications for adjunct faculties include Certified Professional - Human Resource (IPMA-CP) and Senior Professional in Human Resources (SPHR).

More About Certifications

Research adjunct faculty duties and responsibilities

Lead early childhood program initiatives.
Provide detail academic instruction for college students in anatomy & physiology, and medical terminology.
Prepare lectures, in-class exercises, and collect entirely new course materials to create a personalize syllabus
Inform students about course requirements, evaluation procedures, attendance and participation requirements in a course syllabus.

Prepare your adjunct faculty resume

When your background is strong enough, you can start writing your adjunct faculty resume.

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