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

What is an adjunct faculty member and how to become one

Updated January 8, 2025

4 min read

Quoted expert

Rebecca Sarver

An adjunct faculty member is also known as a part-time or contingent instructor. This personnel makes up the bulk of the higher education instructors. They earn between $20,000 and $25,000 annually and are employed on a contract.

As a result, they are free to work according to their schedule. Adjunct faculty members are temporary staff who can work in multiple institutions at the same time. After a term, they can pursue new teaching positions or find another job. It is most common in the United States, but in other countries, it is called 'visiting professor' or 'lecturer.'

To become an adjunct faculty member, you'll need to earn a master's degree or a doctorate in the subject. You also need to have previous teaching experience. Practical skills, such as communication skills, public speaking skills, and technology skills would come in handy for an adjunct faculty member. Typically, people in this position work in colleges and universities.

What general advice would you give to an adjunct faculty member?

Rebecca Sarver

Lecturer in Human Services Studies, Elmira College

Listen more than you talk. There is so much to be learned from clients, seasoned human service workers, and the community that you work within. By listening and observing versus always feeling compelled to speak, you will learn job skills, people skills, and your clients' needs.

ScoreAdjunct Faculty MemberUS Average

Salary

4.8

Avg. Salary $60,817

Avg. Salary $59,228

Stability level

6.8

Growth rate 12%

Growth rate 0.3%

Diversity

5.2

Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 0.28%

Asian 11.28%

Black or African American 7.14%

Hispanic or Latino 10.17%

Unknown 4.93%

White 66.20%

Gender

female 55.06%

male 44.94%

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

6.8

Stress level is high

7.1 - high

Complexity level

6.9

Complexity level is challenging

7 - challenging

Work life balance

4.0

Work life balance is poor

6.4 - fair

Key steps to become an adjunct faculty member

Explore adjunct faculty member education requirements

Most common adjunct faculty member degrees

Bachelor's

48.9 %

Master's

33.2 %

Doctorate

9.1 %

Start to develop specific adjunct faculty member skills

Skills	Percentages
Syllabus	13.98%
Curriculum Development	9.01%
PowerPoint	7.28%
English Language	6.27%
Anatomy	4.87%

Complete relevant adjunct faculty member training and internships

Accountants spend an average of 6-12 months on post-employment, on-the-job training. New adjunct faculty members 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 member based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data and data from real adjunct faculty member resumes.

Gain additional adjunct faculty member certifications

Adjunct faculty member 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 member certification, having one may help you stand out relative to other applicants.

The most common certifications for adjunct faculty members include Certified Professional - Human Resource (IPMA-CP) and Basic Life Support for Healthcare and Public Safety (BLS).

More About Certifications

Research adjunct faculty member duties and responsibilities

Lead outreach to community and statewide stakeholders in the PPCC entrepreneurship program.
Prepare course materials such as PowerPoint presentations, assessments and homework assignments.
Perform PowerPoint guide lectures and presentation during each meeting.
Analyze writings to initiate thematic, multicultural comprehension/interpretation of literature

Prepare your adjunct faculty member resume

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

You can use Zippia's AI resume builder to make the resume writing process easier while also making sure that you include key information that hiring managers expect to see on an adjunct faculty member resume. You'll find resume tips and examples of skills, responsibilities, and summaries, all provided by Zippi, your career sidekick.

Choose from 10+ customizable adjunct faculty member resume templates

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