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The differences between adjunct professors and esl instructors can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. While it typically takes 2-4 years to become an adjunct professor, becoming an esl instructor takes usually requires 4-6 years. Additionally, an adjunct professor has an average salary of $98,821, which is higher than the $53,226 average annual salary of an esl instructor.
The top three skills for an adjunct professor include course curriculum, syllabus and semester. The most important skills for an esl instructor are grammar, classroom management, and language.
| Adjunct Professor | ESL Instructor | |
| Yearly salary | $98,821 | $53,226 |
| Hourly rate | $47.51 | $25.59 |
| Growth rate | 12% | 12% |
| Number of jobs | 22,488 | 26,173 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 49% | Bachelor's Degree, 64% |
| Average age | 46 | 46 |
| Years of experience | 4 | 6 |
Adjunct professors are instructors who are employed on a contractual basis, commonly in part-time positions. They teach courses in the same manner as full-time professors do, but they are free from some of the duties of those fully employed university instructors or in tenure-track positions. They create, develop, distribute, review, and manage course syllabus materials. They teach students, evaluate their performance, and maintain records of attendance, engagement, and progress. They may also facilitate lectures, conduct seminars, and do other administrative tasks within the department. Most adjunct professors enjoy teaching as part-time because they have more flexibility in terms of schedule, can avoid the dilemma of the higher education system and it's known to be less stressful and demanding.
An ESL instructor is responsible for teaching the English language, usually to non-native speakers, discussing all the disciplines of the English language, both written and verbal, and in some cases, even its nature and history. ESL instructors create a comprehensive lesson plan for the English language learners, prepare learning materials, and conduct individual and group activities to test the learners' knowledge and progress. They also evaluate the learners' performance by identifying areas of improvement and adjust teaching strategies to address each learner's difficulties and maintain an engaging classroom environment.
Adjunct professors and esl instructors have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Adjunct Professor | ESL Instructor | |
| Average salary | $98,821 | $53,226 |
| Salary range | Between $44,000 And $219,000 | Between $36,000 And $78,000 |
| Highest paying City | Providence, RI | Mountain View, CA |
| Highest paying state | Rhode Island | California |
| Best paying company | Rhode Island School of Design | Boston Public Schools |
| Best paying industry | Education | Retail |
There are a few differences between an adjunct professor and an esl instructor in terms of educational background:
| Adjunct Professor | ESL Instructor | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 49% | Bachelor's Degree, 64% |
| Most common major | Business | English |
| Most common college | University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill | Columbia University in the City of New York |
Here are the differences between adjunct professors' and esl instructors' demographics:
| Adjunct Professor | ESL Instructor | |
| Average age | 46 | 46 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 51.5% Female, 48.5% | Male, 35.0% Female, 65.0% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 7.0% Unknown, 4.9% Hispanic or Latino, 10.1% Asian, 11.3% White, 66.4% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.3% | Black or African American, 7.3% Unknown, 5.0% Hispanic or Latino, 10.4% Asian, 11.2% White, 65.9% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.3% |
| LGBT Percentage | 16% | 16% |