Adjunct instructor demographics and statistics in the US
Adjunct instructor demographics research summary. Zippia estimates adjunct instructor demographics and statistics in the United States by using a database of 30 million profiles. Our adjunct instructor estimates are verified against BLS, Census, and current job openings data for accuracy. Zippia's data science team found the following key facts about adjunct instructors after extensive research and analysis:
- There are over 377,290 adjunct instructors currently employed in the United States.
- 54.8% of all adjunct instructors are women, while 45.2% are men.
- The average adjunct instructor age is 42 years old.
- The most common ethnicity of adjunct instructors is White (60.3%), followed by Hispanic or Latino (13.8%), Black or African American (11.8%) and Asian (7.5%).
- Adjunct instructors are most in-demand in Des Moines, IA.
- The education industry is the highest-paying for adjunct instructors.
- 11% of all adjunct instructors are LGBT.
On this page
Adjunct instructor demographics by:
Adjunct instructor gender statistics
54.8% of adjunct instructors are women and 45.2% of adjunct instructors are men.
- Female, 54.8%
- Male, 45.2%
Adjunct instructor gender ratio
| Gender | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Female | 54.8% |
| Male | 45.2% |
Adjunct instructor gender pay gap
Women earn 95¢ for every $1 earned by men
Male income
$53,222
Female income
$50,404
Adjunct instructor gender ratio over time
This data breaks down the percentage of men and women in adjunct instructor positions over time. Currently, 54.8% of adjunct instructors are female.
Adjunct instructor gender ratio by year
| Year | Male | Female |
|---|---|---|
| 2010 | 45.46% | 54.54% |
| 2011 | 44.92% | 55.08% |
| 2012 | 47.50% | 52.50% |
| 2013 | 46.63% | 53.37% |
| 2014 | 46.76% | 53.24% |
| 2015 | 44.51% | 55.49% |
| 2016 | 46.91% | 53.09% |
| 2017 | 47.40% | 52.60% |
| 2018 | 46.60% | 53.40% |
| 2019 | 45.04% | 54.96% |
| 2020 | 44.63% | 55.37% |
| 2021 | 45.23% | 54.77% |
Adjunct instructor related jobs gender ratio
We compared adjunct instructors with similar job titles to see how gender ratios vary. As you can see, guitar instructor and rescue instructor have the biggest gender ratio gaps.
| Job title | Male | Female |
|---|---|---|
| Early Childhood Education Instructor | 6% | 94% |
| Ballet Teacher | 7% | 93% |
| Horseback Riding Instructor | 12% | 88% |
| Adjunct Instructor | 45% | 55% |
| Guitar Teacher | 83% | 17% |
| Rescue Instructor | 85% | 15% |
| Guitar Instructor | 88% | 12% |
Male
Female
100%
75%
50%
25%
0%
0%
25%
50%
75%
100%
Adjunct instructor demographics by race
The most common ethnicity among adjunct instructors is White, which makes up 60.3% of all adjunct instructors. Comparatively, 13.8% of adjunct instructors are Hispanic or Latino and 11.8% of adjunct instructors are Black or African American.
- White, 60.3%
- Hispanic or Latino, 13.8%
- Black or African American, 11.8%
- Asian, 7.5%
- Unknown, 6.0%
- American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.6%
Adjunct instructor race
| Adjunct instructor race | Percentages |
|---|---|
| White | 60.3% |
| Hispanic or Latino | 13.8% |
| Black or African American | 11.8% |
| Asian | 7.5% |
| Unknown | 6.0% |
| American Indian and Alaska Native | 0.6% |
Adjunct instructor race and ethnicity over time
See how adjunct instructor racial and ethnic diversity trended since 2010 according to the United States Census Bureau data.
Adjunct instructor race and ethnicity by year
| Year | White | Black or African American | Asian | Hispanic or Latino |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 | 67.24% | 13.05% | 5.10% | 11.05% |
| 2011 | 66.28% | 13.19% | 5.44% | 11.61% |
| 2012 | 66.31% | 12.47% | 5.83% | 12.04% |
| 2013 | 65.65% | 12.23% | 5.74% | 12.48% |
| 2014 | 65.20% | 12.20% | 6.99% | 11.92% |
| 2015 | 66.26% | 11.65% | 6.52% | 11.73% |
| 2016 | 65.11% | 12.24% | 5.88% | 12.77% |
| 2017 | 64.67% | 11.86% | 6.64% | 12.90% |
| 2018 | 63.88% | 12.06% | 7.75% | 12.36% |
| 2019 | 65.14% | 11.23% | 7.01% | 12.91% |
| 2020 | 62.42% | 11.50% | 6.86% | 13.16% |
| 2021 | 60.34% | 11.81% | 7.49% | 13.76% |
Adjunct instructor wage gap by race
According to our data, white adjunct instructors have the highest average salary compared to other ethnicities. Black or african american adjunct instructors have the lowest average salary at $51,883.
| Ethnicity | Salary |
|---|---|
| Unknown | $52,806 |
| White | $53,921 |
| Black or African American | $51,883 |
| Asian | $53,881 |
| Hispanic or Latino | $53,650 |
Average adjunct instructor age
See how the average age of adjunct instructors varies based on ethnicity and gender.
Male
Female
Adjunct instructor age by race and gender
| Race | Male age | Female age |
|---|---|---|
| Black or African American | 43 | 43 |
| Unknown | 39.5 | 41 |
| Asian | 35 | 45 |
| Hispanic or Latino | 37 | 35 |
| White | 43 | 43 |
| American Indian and Alaska Native | 40 | 43 |
Adjunct instructor age breakdown
The average age of adjunct instructors is 40+ years years old, representing 55% of the adjunct instructor population.
Adjunct instructor age breakdown
| Adjunct Instructor Years | Percentages |
|---|---|
| 40+ years | 55% |
| 30-40 years | 24% |
| 20-30 years | 19% |
Adjunct instructor educational attainment
The most common degree for adjunct instructors is bachelor's degree, with 50% of adjunct instructors earning that degree. The second and third most common degree levels are master's degree degree at 31% and master's degree degree at 11%.
- Bachelor's, 50%
- Master's, 31%
- Associate, 11%
- Doctorate, 6%
- Other Degrees, 2%
Adjunct instructors by degree level
| Adjunct instructor degree | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Bachelor's | 50% |
| Master's | 31% |
| Associate | 11% |
| Doctorate | 6% |
| Other Degrees | 2% |
Adjunct instructor jobs you might like
Adjunct instructor wage gap by degree level
According to the data, adjunct instructors with a Doctorate degree earn more than those without, at $64,141 annually. With a Master's degree, adjunct instructors earn a median annual income of $59,440 compared to $54,073 for adjunct instructors with an Bachelor's degree.
| Education | Salary |
|---|---|
| Master's Degree | $59,440 |
| High School Diploma or Less | $47,526 |
| Bachelor's Degree | $54,073 |
| Doctorate Degree | $64,141 |
| Some College/ Associate Degree | $51,688 |
Adjunct instructor employment statistics
Most adjunct instructors work for a education in the education industry.
Company size where adjunct instructors work
Below, you can see the size of companies where adjunct instructors work.
Adjunct instructor jobs by employer size
| Company size | Percentages |
|---|---|
| < 50 employees | 4% |
| 50 - 100 employees | 11% |
| 100 - 500 employees | 20% |
| 500 - 1,000 employees | 20% |
| 1,000 - 10,000 employees | 42% |
| > 10,000 employees | 3% |
Adjunct instructor jobs by company type
Employees with the adjunct instructor job title have their preferences when it comes to working for a company. For instance, most adjunct instructors prefer to work at education companies over private companies.
Adjunct instructor jobs by sector
| Company type | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Education | 98% |
| Public | 0% |
| Private | 2% |
| Government | 0% |
Adjunct instructor jobs by industry
The most common industries for adjunct instructors are education, manufacturing and government.
Adjunct instructor industry statistics
| Industry | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Education | 96% |
| Manufacturing | 1% |
Adjunct instructor turnover and employment statistics
Adjunct instructor unemployment rate over time
The unemployment rate for adjunct instructors between 2008 and the most recent data has varied, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
Adjunct instructor unemployment rate by year
| Year | Adjunct instructor unemployment rate |
|---|---|
| 2010 | 6.57% |
| 2011 | 7.82% |
| 2012 | 7.21% |
| 2013 | 6.49% |
| 2014 | 6.03% |
| 2015 | 4.80% |
| 2016 | 4.35% |
| 2017 | 3.81% |
| 2018 | 3.89% |
| 2019 | 3.91% |
| 2020 | 6.57% |
| 2021 | 6.61% |
Average adjunct instructor tenure
The average adjunct instructor stays at their job for 1-2 years, based on the 36,272 adjunct instructors resumes in Zippia's database.
Adjunct instructor tenure statistics
| Number of years | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Less than 1 year | 20% |
| 1-2 years | 27% |
| 3-4 years | 13% |
| 5-7 years | 16% |
| 8-10 years | 8% |
| 11+ years | 16% |
Adjunct instructor LGBT ratio compared to similar jobs
Review the percent of adjunct instructors that are members of the LGBT community. You can see how this compares to similar jobs in the chart below.
| Job title | LGBT | Job openings |
|---|---|---|
| Classroom Volunteer | 6.04% | 4,378 |
| Adult School Teacher | 9.70% | 68,434 |
| Adjunct Instructor | 10.63% | - |
| Reference Librarian | 10.75% | 1,058 |
| Art Assistant | 12.94% | 2,873 |
| Library Technician | 13.69% | 24,941 |
| Curriculum Developer | 16.25% | 73,274 |
Similar adjunct instructor jobs LGBT demographics
| Profession | Percentages of LGBT | Job openings |
|---|---|---|
| Classroom Volunteer | 6.04% | 4,378 |
| Adult School Teacher | 9.70% | 68,434 |
| Reference Librarian | 10.75% | 1,058 |
| Art Assistant | 12.94% | 2,873 |
| Library Technician | 13.69% | 24,941 |
| Curriculum Developer | 16.25% | 73,274 |
Foreign languages spoken by adjunct instructors
The most common foreign language among adjunct instructors is Spanish at 45.1%. The second-most popular foreign language spoken is French at 14.5% and German is the third-most popular at 7.6%.
- Spanish, 45.1%
- French, 14.5%
- German, 7.6%
- Italian, 6.0%
- Russian, 4.3%
- Other, 22.5%
Adjunct instructor languages spoken
| Foreign language | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Spanish | 45.1% |
| French | 14.5% |
| German | 7.6% |
| Italian | 6.0% |
| Russian | 4.3% |
| Other | 22.5% |
