Explore jobs
Find specific jobs
Explore careers
Explore professions
Best companies
Explore companies
The differences between adjunct instructors and lead instructors can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. Additionally, an adjunct instructor has an average salary of $52,030, which is higher than the $50,221 average annual salary of a lead instructor.
The top three skills for an adjunct instructor include student learning, syllabus and student performance. The most important skills for a lead instructor are classroom management, curriculum development, and professional development.
| Adjunct Instructor | Lead Instructor | |
| Yearly salary | $52,030 | $50,221 |
| Hourly rate | $25.01 | $24.14 |
| Growth rate | 2% | 12% |
| Number of jobs | 40,633 | 37,712 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 50% | Bachelor's Degree, 62% |
| Average age | 42 | 42 |
| Years of experience | - | - |
An adjunct instructor is a faculty member responsible for teaching an area of expertise within a specific contract period. The duties of an adjunct instructor are almost identical as a regular instructor, only that the work benefits are limited. These duties include preparing comprehensive lesson plans, monitoring the students' learning progress, and evaluating their knowledge by conducting tests and activities. An adjunct instructor must have an extensive comprehension of the learning curriculum to provide lectures accordingly.
A lead instructor's responsibilities vary depending on the line of work or industry. Most of the time, a lead instructor must devise plans and strategies on educating students or trainees on a particular subject. Aside from providing various learning materials, one must also conduct different assessment activities ranging from oral, written, or practical tests and grade them accordingly. Furthermore, it is essential to maintain a healthy and safe environment for students, prioritizing everyone's interpersonal and academic progress throughout the school year or course.
Adjunct instructors and lead instructors have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Adjunct Instructor | Lead Instructor | |
| Average salary | $52,030 | $50,221 |
| Salary range | Between $32,000 And $83,000 | Between $32,000 And $78,000 |
| Highest paying City | Bakersfield, CA | Central Islip, NY |
| Highest paying state | California | New Jersey |
| Best paying company | Kern Community College District | Kern Community College District |
| Best paying industry | Education | Government |
There are a few differences between an adjunct instructor and a lead instructor in terms of educational background:
| Adjunct Instructor | Lead Instructor | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 50% | Bachelor's Degree, 62% |
| Most common major | Business | Business |
| Most common college | University of Pennsylvania | Harvard University |
Here are the differences between adjunct instructors' and lead instructors' demographics:
| Adjunct Instructor | Lead Instructor | |
| Average age | 42 | 42 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 45.2% Female, 54.8% | Male, 54.1% Female, 45.9% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 11.8% Unknown, 6.0% Hispanic or Latino, 13.8% Asian, 7.5% White, 60.3% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.6% | Black or African American, 11.4% Unknown, 5.9% Hispanic or Latino, 15.9% Asian, 8.5% White, 57.9% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.5% |
| LGBT Percentage | 11% | 11% |