How to hire an Adjunct Instructor

How to hire an adjunct instructor, step by step

Here's a step-by-step adjunct instructor hiring guide:

• Step 1: Identify your hiring needs
• Step 2: Create an ideal candidate profile
• Step 3: Make a budget
• Step 4: Write an adjunct instructor job description
• Step 5: Post your job
• Step 6: Interview candidates
• Step 7: Send a job offer and onboard your new adjunct instructor
• Step 8: Go through the hiring process checklist

What does an Adjunct Instructor do?

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1. Identify your hiring needs

   The adjunct instructor hiring process starts by determining what type of worker you actually need. Certain roles might require a full-time employee, whereas part-time workers or contractors can do others.

   Determine Employee vs Contractor Status

   Is the person you're thinking of hiring a US citizen or green card holder?

   Yes

   No

   Hiring the perfect adjunct instructor also involves considering the ideal background you'd like them to have. Depending on what industry or field they have experience in, they'll bring different skills to the job. It's also important to consider what levels of seniority and education the job requires and what kind of salary such a candidate would likely demand.

   Here's a comparison of adjunct instructor salaries for various roles:

   Type Of Adjunct Instructor	Description	Hourly Rate
   Adjunct Instructor		$15-39
   Instructor, Adjunct Faculty	An adjunct faculty member works in a state university or college. They typically work on a part-time or contractual basis... Show More	$15-38
   Adjunct Faculty	Adjunct faculty is the collective term for adjunct professors or lecturers. The adjunct faculty teaches students based on the limited-term of their contract... Show More	$21-73

   Show more

2. Create an ideal candidate profile

   Common Skills:

   • Student Learning
   • Syllabus
   • Student Performance
   • Professional Development
   • Philosophy
   • Course Curriculum
   • Instructional Materials
   • Course Content
   • Course Materials
   • Healthcare
   • Sociology
   • Learning Environment
   • Mathematics
   • Blackboard

   Check All Skills

   Responsibilities:

   • Utilize blackboard management system to encourage online discussions and manage grades.
   • Develop syllabus, PowerPoint presentations on the disease model of alcoholism, physiology and pharmacology of addictive drugs and introduction to counseling
   • Revise and update syllabus with contemporary psychology, economics, and sociology research.
   • Experience with blackboard online software, facilitate on line instruction and assessments, utilize advanced technologies for presentations.
   • Prepare and deliver brief lectures to undergraduate students on topics such as mammalian physiology, reproduction, genetics, etc.
   • Modele positive work ethics, punctuality and professionalism.

   More Adjunct Instructor duties

3. Make a budget

   Including a salary range in your adjunct instructor job description is one of the best ways to attract top talent. An adjunct instructor can vary based on:

   • Location. For example, adjunct instructors' average salary in georgia is 42% less than in california.
   • Seniority. Entry-level adjunct instructors 61% less than senior-level adjunct instructors.
   • Certifications. An adjunct instructor with certifications usually earns a higher salary.
   • Company. Working for an established firm or a new start-up company can make a big difference in an adjunct instructor's salary.

   Average adjunct instructor salary

   $52,030yearly

   $25.01 hourly rate

   ---

   Entry-level adjunct instructor salary

   $32,000 yearly salary

   Updated January 25, 2025

   Average adjunct instructor salary by state

   Rank	State	Avg. Salary	Hourly Rate
   1	California	$70,761	$34
   2	New York	$66,428	$32
   3	New Jersey	$66,222	$32
   4	Michigan	$59,483	$29
   5	Pennsylvania	$57,273	$28
   6	Wisconsin	$55,758	$27
   7	Delaware	$54,332	$26
   8	Iowa	$53,427	$26
   9	Oregon	$52,973	$25
   10	Alaska	$51,557	$25
   11	Virginia	$49,438	$24
   12	Ohio	$49,188	$24
   13	Louisiana	$48,330	$23
   14	North Carolina	$48,139	$23
   15	Arizona	$47,334	$23
   16	Wyoming	$46,271	$22
   17	Florida	$43,669	$21
   18	Kansas	$43,435	$21
   19	Texas	$42,968	$21
   20	Missouri	$42,804	$21

   Average adjunct instructor salary by company

   Company

   Rank	Company	Average Salary	Hourly Rate	Job Openings
   1	Kern Community College District	$143,119	$68.81	44
   2	Health Alliance	$138,628	$66.65	5
   3	Holy Name Medical Center	$131,076	$63.02
   4	New York University	$128,812	$61.93	142
   5	Yeshiva University	$117,806	$56.64	51
   6	Hca Hospital Services Of San Diego	$116,201	$55.87	1
   7	Massasoit Community College	$111,885	$53.79	22
   8	The Cooper Union	$108,916	$52.36
   9	University of California	$102,579	$49.32	29
   10	Oregon Health & Science University	$98,082	$47.15	105
   11	Bon Secours Community Hospital	$92,715	$44.57	17
   12	University of California-Berkeley	$91,955	$44.21
   13	Rutgers University	$90,522	$43.52	604
   14	Saint Louis University	$87,325	$41.98	34
   15	4CD Live	$85,827	$41.26	15
   16	New York Institute of Technology	$84,811	$40.77	48
   17	UC Santa Barbara	$82,468	$39.65
   18	University of Detroit Mercy	$82,406	$39.62	19
   19	University of Rochester	$81,403	$39.14	147
   20	New Jersey Institute of Technology	$80,341	$38.63	65

4. Writing an Adjunct Instructor Job Description

   An adjunct instructor job description should include a summary of the role, required skills, and a list of responsibilities. It's also good to include a salary range and the first name of the hiring manager. To help get you started, here's an example of an adjunct instructor job description:

   Adjunct Instructor job description example

   Lecturers in Mental Health Counseling for Spring 2023
   
   The Department of Psychology at Suffolk University has openings for part-time lecturers to teach the following courses within the Masters in Mental Health Counseling Program during our Spring 2023 semester: one section of COUNS 714 Psychology Career Development (TH 5:00 - 7:30 PM, 1/17/23 - 5/9/23); one section of COUNS 732 Psychological Disorders of Children and Adolescence (W 5:00 - 7:30 PM, 1/17/23 - 5/9/23); and one section of COUNS 733 Counseling Diverse Populations (T 7:40 - 10:10 pm, 1/17/23 - 5/9/23).
   
   T here may also be opportunities to teach courses within the undergraduate Psychology program as well.
   
   Minimum qualifications include an earned Doctoral degree in Psychology or a related field. (for the graduate offering). College teaching experience is preferred.
   
   Application should be made through the Suffolk HR website, with a complete submission including the following components: resume, cover letter, the names and contact information of three references, and recent teaching evaluations. Review of applications will begin immediately.
   
   Suffolk University does not discriminate against any person on the basis of race, color, national origin, ancestry, religious creed, sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, marital status, disability, age, genetic information, or status as a veteran in admission to, access to, treatment in, or employment in its programs, activities, or employment.
   
   Suffolk University does not discriminate against any person on the basis of race, color, national origin, ancestry, religious creed, sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, marital status, disability, age, genetic information, or status as a veteran in admission to, access to, treatment in, or employment in its programs, activities, or employment. Suffolk University is an affirmative action, equal opportunity employer. The University is dedicated to the goal of building a diverse and inclusive faculty and staff that reflect the broad range of human experience who contribute to the robust exchange of ideas on campus, and who are committed to teaching and working in a diverse environment. We strongly encourage applications from groups historically marginalized or underrepresented because of race/color, gender, religious creed, disability, national origin, veteran status or LGBTQ status. Suffolk University is especially interested in candidates who, through their training, service and experience, will contribute to the diversity and excellence of the University community.

   Copy This Example

   

5. Post your job

   To find adjunct instructors for your business, try out a few different recruiting strategies:

   • Consider internal talent. One of the most important talent pools for any company is its current employees.
   • Ask for referrals. Reach out to friends, family members, and your current work to ask if they know any adjunct instructors they would recommend.
   • Recruit at local colleges. Attend job fairs at local colleges to recruit entry-level adjunct instructors with the right educational background.
   • Social media platforms. LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter have more than 3.5 billion users, and they're a great place for company branding and reaching potential job candidates.

   Post your job online:

   • Post your adjunct instructor job on Zippia to find and recruit adjunct instructor candidates who meet your exact specifications.
   • Use field-specific websites.
   • Post a job on free websites.

6. Interview candidates

   Recruiting adjunct instructors requires you to bring your A-game to the interview process. The first interview should introduce the company and the role to the candidate as much as they present their background experience and reasons for applying for the job. During later interviews, you can go into more detail about the technical details of the job and ask behavioral questions to gauge how they'd fit into your current company culture.

   Remember to include a few questions that allow candidates to expand on their strengths in their own words. Asking about their unique skills might reveal things you'd miss otherwise. At this point, good candidates can move on to the technical interview.

   The right interview questions can help you assess a candidate's hard skills, behavioral intelligence, and soft skills.

7. Send a job offer and onboard your new adjunct instructor

   Once you've found the adjunct instructor candidate you'd like to hire, it's time to write an offer letter. This should include an explicit job offer that includes the salary and the details of any other perks. Qualified candidates might be looking at multiple positions, so your offer must be competitive if you like the candidate. Also, be prepared for a negotiation stage, as candidates may way want to tweak the details of your initial offer. Once you've settled on these details, you can draft a contract to formalize your agreement.

   It's equally important to follow up with applicants who don't get the job with an email letting them know that the position has been filled.

   To prepare for the new employee's start date, you can create an onboarding schedule and complete any necessary paperwork, such as employee action forms and onboarding documents like I-9 forms, benefits enrollment, and federal and state tax forms. Human Resources should also ensure that a new employee file is created.

8. Go through the hiring process checklist

   • Determine employee type (full-time, part-time, contractor, etc.)
   • Submit a job requisition form to the HR department
   • Define job responsibilities and requirements
   • Establish budget and timeline
   • Determine hiring decision makers for the role
   • Write job description
   • Post job on job boards, company website, etc.
   • Promote the job internally
   • Process applications through applicant tracking system
   • Review resumes and cover letters
   • Shortlist candidates for screening
   • Hold phone/virtual interview screening with first round of candidates
   • Conduct in-person interviews with top candidates from first round
   • Score candidates based on weighted criteria (e.g., experience, education, background, cultural fit, skill set, etc.)
   • Conduct background checks on top candidates
   • Check references of top candidates
   • Consult with HR and hiring decision makers on job offer specifics
   • Extend offer to top candidate(s)
   • Receive formal job offer acceptance and signed employment contract
   • Inform other candidates that the position has been filled
   • Set and communicate onboarding schedule to new hire(s)
   • Complete new hire paperwork (i9, benefits enrollment, tax forms, etc.)

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