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Adjunct instructor education requirements
Updated January 8, 2025
4 min read
There are several educational requirements to become an adjunct instructor. Adjunct instructors usually study business, english, or nursing. 50% of adjunct instructors hold a bachelor's degree, and 31% hold an master's degree. We analyzed 36,272 real adjunct instructor resumes to see exactly what adjunct instructor education sections show.
The most common colleges for adjunct instructors are the University of Phoenix and the University of Phoenix.
There are also many online adjunct instructor courses to help get the education required to be an adjunct instructor.
There are certain adjunct instructor certifications that you should consider. These adjunct instructor certifications include Basic Life Support for Healthcare and Public Safety (BLS) and Certified Professional - Human Resource (IPMA-CP).
What education do you need to become an adjunct instructor?
What degree do you need to be an adjunct instructor?
- Bachelor's, 50%
- Master's, 31%
- Associate, 11%
- Doctorate, 6%
- Other Degrees, 2%
What should I major in to become an adjunct instructor?
- Business, 15%
- English, 9%
- Nursing, 8%
- Psychology, 8%
- Other Majors, 60%
Most common colleges for adjunct instructors
| Adjunct instructor common college | Percentages |
|---|---|
| University of Phoenix | 16.51% |
| Florida State University | 5.78% |
| New York University | 5.54% |
| University of South Florida | 5.29% |
| Capella University | 5.05% |
Best majors for adjunct instructors
| Rank | Major | Percentages |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Business | 15.0% |
| 2 | English | 9.1% |
| 3 | Nursing | 8.1% |
| 4 | Psychology | 7.8% |
| 5 | Education | 6.3% |
Best colleges for adjunct instructors
The best colleges for adjunct instructors are University of Pennsylvania, University of Southern California, and New York University.
An adjunct instructor with advanced education typically earns a higher salary and has access to better jobs. That's why Zippia looked into the best colleges for adjunct instructors. We based this list on several metrics: admissions rate, retention rate, mean earnings of graduates, the ratio of working vs. non-working students ten years after admission, the average cost of attendance, and median debt for graduates who become adjunct instructors.
1. University of Pennsylvania
Philadelphia, PA • Private
In-state tuition
$55,584
Enrollment
10,764
2. University of Southern California
Los Angeles, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$56,225
Enrollment
19,548
3. University of Michigan - Ann Arbor
Ann Arbor, MI • Private
In-state tuition
$15,262
Enrollment
30,079
4. Stanford University
Stanford, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$51,354
Enrollment
7,083
5. University of Virginia
Charlottesville, VA • Private
In-state tuition
$17,653
Enrollment
16,405
6. Pennsylvania State University
University Park, PA • Private
In-state tuition
$18,454
Enrollment
40,108
7. New York University
New York, NY • Private
In-state tuition
$51,828
Enrollment
26,339
8. California Polytechnic State University-San Luis Obispo
San Luis Obispo, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$9,816
Enrollment
21,047
9. Purdue University
West Lafayette, IN • Private
In-state tuition
$9,992
Enrollment
33,495
10. University of Florida
Gainesville, FL • Private
In-state tuition
$6,381
Enrollment
34,564
20 best online courses for adjunct instructors
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Top 10 most affordable universities for adjunct instructors
The most affordable schools for adjunct instructors are University of Florida, california state university - bakersfield, and california state university - los angeles.
If the best universities for adjunct instructors are out of your price range, check out these affordable schools. After factoring in in-state tuition and fees, the average cost of attendance, admissions rate, average net price, and mean earnings after six years, we found that these are the most affordable schools for adjunct instructors.
1. University of Florida
Gainesville, FL • Private
In-state tuition
$6,381
Cost of attendance
21,034
2. California State University - Bakersfield
Bakersfield, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$7,309
Cost of attendance
16,714
3. California State University - Los Angeles
Los Angeles, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$6,749
Cost of attendance
14,823
4. SUNY Farmingdale
Farmingdale, NY • Private
In-state tuition
$8,306
Cost of attendance
16,091
5. Brigham Young University
Provo, UT • Private
In-state tuition
$5,620
Cost of attendance
18,136
6. University of Puerto Rico - Mayaguez
Mayaguez, PR • Private
In-state tuition
$4,094
Cost of attendance
14,302
7. Minot State University
Minot, ND • Private
In-state tuition
$7,064
Cost of attendance
15,576
8. Brooklyn College of the City University of New York
Brooklyn, NY • Private
In-state tuition
$7,240
Cost of attendance
13,991
9. Baruch College of the City University of New York
New York, NY • Private
In-state tuition
$7,262
Cost of attendance
14,046
10. California State University - Dominguez Hills
Carson, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$6,942
Cost of attendance
14,469
Top 10 hardest universities to get into for adjunct instructors
The hardest universities for adjunct instructors to get into are University of Pennsylvania, University of Southern California, and New York University.
Some great schools for adjunct instructors are hard to get into, but they also set your career up for greater success. The list below shows the most challenging universities to get into for adjunct instructors based on an institution's admissions rates, average SAT scores accepted, median ACT scores accepted, and mean earnings of students six years after admission.
1. University of Pennsylvania
Philadelphia, PA • Private
Admissions rate
8%
SAT average
1,492
2. University of Southern California
Los Angeles, CA • Private
Admissions rate
13%
SAT average
1,445
3. New York University
New York, NY • Private
Admissions rate
20%
SAT average
1,419
4. Boston University
Boston, MA • Private
Admissions rate
22%
SAT average
1,420
5. Stanford University
Stanford, CA • Private
Admissions rate
4%
SAT average
1,497
6. George Washington University, The
Washington, DC • Private
Admissions rate
42%
SAT average
1,380
7. University of Virginia
Charlottesville, VA • Private
Admissions rate
26%
SAT average
1,427
8. Northwestern University
Evanston, IL • Private
Admissions rate
8%
SAT average
1,508
9. University of Michigan - Ann Arbor
Ann Arbor, MI • Private
Admissions rate
23%
SAT average
1,434
10. Vanderbilt University
Nashville, TN • Private
Admissions rate
10%
SAT average
1,514
Top 10 easy-to-apply-to universities for adjunct instructors
The easiest schools for adjunct instructors to get into are Gwynedd Mercy University, holy names university, and oklahoma wesleyan university.
Some schools are much easier to get into. If you want to start your career as an adjunct instructor without much hassle, check out the list of schools where you will be accepted in no time. We compiled admissions rates, average SAT scores, average ACT scores, and average salary of students six years after graduation to uncover which were the easiest schools to get into for adjunct instructors.
1. Gwynedd Mercy University
Gwynedd Valley, PA • Private
Admissions rate
92%
SAT average
1,031
2. Holy Names University
Oakland, CA • Private
Admissions rate
70%
SAT average
849
3. Oklahoma Wesleyan University
Bartlesville, OK • Private
Admissions rate
68%
SAT average
964
4. Wayland Baptist University
Plainview, TX • Private
Admissions rate
98%
SAT average
1,003
5. Notre Dame College
Cleveland, OH • Private
Admissions rate
90%
SAT average
994
6. Barry University
Miami, FL • Private
Admissions rate
91%
SAT average
1,006
7. Felician University
Lodi, NJ • Private
Admissions rate
81%
SAT average
999
8. Thomas More University
Crestview Hills, KY • Private
Admissions rate
90%
SAT average
1,099
9. Nyack College
New York, NY • Private
Admissions rate
98%
SAT average
999
10. Holy Family University
Philadelphia, PA • Private
Admissions rate
72%
SAT average
1,017
Average adjunct instructor salary by education level
| Adjunct instructor education level | Adjunct instructor 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 education FAQs
Have more questions? See all answers to common education, training, and library questions.
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Updated January 8, 2025
Updated January 8, 2025