Research Summary. Here are some key points about hiring adjunct professors in the United States:

  • There are currently 476,445 adjunct professors in the US, as well as 22,488 job openings.
  • Adjunct professors are in the highest demand in Phoenix, AZ, with 31 current job openings.
  • The median cost to hire an adjunct professor is $1,633.
  • It takes between 36 and 42 days to fill the average role in the US.
  • Human Resources use 15% of their expenses on recruitment on average.
  • On average, it takes around 12 weeks for a new adjunct professor to become settled and show total productivity levels at work.

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How Much Does it Cost to Hire an Adjunct Professor

Before you start to hire adjunct professors, it pays to consider both the one-off costs like recruitment, job promotion, and onboarding, as well as the ongoing costs of an employee's salary and benefits. While most companies that hire adjunct professors pay close attention to the initial cost of hiring, ongoing costs are much more significant in the long run.

You can expect to pay around $98,821 per year for an adjunct professor, as this is the median yearly salary nationally. This can vary depending on what state or city you're hiring in. If you're hiring for contract work or on a per-project basis, hourly rates for adjunct professors in the US typically range between $21 and $105 an hour.

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How to hire an Adjunct Professor, step by step

To hire an adjunct professor, you should clearly understand the skills and experience you are looking for in a candidate, and allocate a budget for the position. You will also need to post and promote the job opening to reach potential candidates. Here's a step-by-step guide on how to hire an adjunct professor:

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

1
Identify Your Needs

The first step in the adjunct professor hiring process is determining what type of worker you actually need. For example, certain roles might require a full-time employee, whereas others can be done by part-time workers or contractors.

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An adjunct professor's background is also an important factor in determining whether they'll be a good fit for the position. For example, adjunct professors from different industries or fields will have radically different experiences and will bring different viewpoints to the role. You also need to consider the candidate's previous level of experience to make sure they'll be comfortable with the job's level of seniority.

The list breaks down common adjunct professor roles and compares their salaries.

Type Of Adjunct ProfessorDescriptionHourly Rate
Adjunct ProfessorPostsecondary teachers instruct students in a wide variety of academic and career and technical subjects beyond the high school level. They also conduct research and publish scholarly papers and books.$21-105
FacultyA faculty member is a professional whose primary responsibility is to provide teaching and research to students in colleges and universities. Faculties must work with colleagues to design a curriculum to keep up with the changes in the discipline... Show More$20-73
Language TeacherLanguage teachers primarily impart knowledge on multidimensional language through classes and activities. The teachers create conditions and develop activities allowing students to practice what they learned with significance... Show More$16-35

2
Create An Ideal Candidate Profile

Ideally, you should have the perfect candidate profile in mind before you write an adjunct professor job description. This means you should have a clear idea of the skill set they need to be proficient in, what their main responsibilities will be, and what kind of background they'll have.

Here are some of the most common adjunct professor skills:

Common Skills:
  • Course Curriculum
  • Syllabus
  • Semester
  • Blackboard
  • Student Learning
  • Course Materials
  • Philosophy
  • Undergraduate Courses
  • Mathematics
  • Ethics
  • Literature
  • Professional Development
  • Course Syllabus
  • Course Objectives
Check All Skills

Here are the most common adjunct professor responsibilities:

Responsibilities:
  • Lead outreach to community and statewide stakeholders in the PPCC entrepreneurship program.
  • Develop and prepare class syllabus and teaching materials for strategic management, business and government ethics, and organizational behavior classes.
  • Provide instruction/guidance for nursing students; deliver didactic lectures on human anatomy and physiology.
  • Identify course objectives, design syllabus, develop all instructional activities and materials, including written exams.
  • Facilitate courses in communications, economics, leadership, management, corporate finances, strategic planning and organizational behavior.
  • Develop and teach course curriculum on the subject of exercise science and clinical pharmacology to athletic training students.
Check all Duties

Beyond the basics, you should also consider how well a candidate fits into your company culture. In other words, you should think about how your ideal adjunct professor will live by the company's mission statement and contribute to the team dynamic you already have in place.

Most Common States For Adjunct Professors In The US

Rank #State# Of Jobs% of PopulationAvg. Salary
1New York1,5628%$126,977
2Virginia1,01012%$82,291
3Pennsylvania8276%$95,311
4New Jersey5856%$116,137
5Colorado57510%$72,509

Professional Project Manager CV example

3
Make A Budget

Including a salary range in the job description can help attract top candidates to the position. An adjunct professor salary can be affected by several factors, such as the location of the job, the level of experience and seniority of the candidate, any certifications they may hold, and the prestige of the company they will be working for. For example, the average salary for an adjunct professor in Hawaii may be lower than in Rhode Island, and an entry-level adjunct professor may earn less than a senior-level adjunct professor. Additionally, an adjunct professor with certifications may command a higher salary, and working for a well-known company or start-up may also impact an employee's pay.

Updated March 16, 2023

Average Adjunct Professor Salary

$98,821yearly

$47.51 hourly

Entry level Salary
$44,000 yearly

Adjunct Professor Average Salary By Location

RankStateAvg. SalaryHourly RateJob Count
1Rhode Island$143,708$69
2New York$142,544$697
3Connecticut$138,934$67
4District of Columbia$134,138$64
5New Jersey$126,059$6111

Adjunct Professor Average Salary By Company

4
Writing an Adjunct Professor Job Description

An adjunct professor 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. Below, you can find an example of an adjunct professor job description:

Example of Full Job Description

To provide ongoing curriculum development, implementation and evaluation of classroom and clinical instruction, participation in student advising, and registration. Full and active participation in the Nursing committees to assist in the continued evolution of the Nursing Program is an integral part of the position.
Responsibilities • Demonstrate the highest level of professional integrity at all times and demonstrate a commitment to professional nursing.
• Frequent and active presence on campus, be available for counseling and advising students, and participate in the activities that promote interaction between student and the academic environment.
• Meet the assigned course load and contact hours assigned by the Chairperson of the Program each semester/year. Expected to be on campus at least three full days per week.
• Attendance at faculty meetings, college and departmental functions, and informational sessions is mandatory.
• Informing their students of mid-term and end-term progress in advisement meetings.
• Course Coordinators for courses that have a clinical laboratory are responsible for the management of that course. Planning of the curriculum, development of the syllabus, distribution of the syllabus to all clinical instructors, the development of tests, scheduling of class and clinical sessions, correspondence with the clinical instructors, and correspondence with the clinical facilities in their courses.
• Participating in committees, including but not limited to, the preparation, writing, and editing of accreditation reports and self study reports to the Accrediting Bodies and the State. Qualifications • Masters degree in Nursing from an accredited institution
• Uencumbered NY State Professional RN license
• Current CPR for the Professional Rescuer or Health Provider
• Knowledge of Microsoft Office and the internet
• Self directed and organized Travel
• Employee is responsible for professional development at conferences, seminars, and meetings. (Touro does reimburse a certain amount every year for continuing education. Refer questions to the Director.)
• Occasional evenings for Information Sessions
• Occasional local travel for training sessions/meetings

5
Post A Job

There are various strategies that you can use to find the right adjunct professor for your business:

  • Consider promoting from within or recruiting from your existing workforce.
  • Ask for referrals from friends, family members, and current employees.
  • Attend job fairs at local colleges to find candidates who meet your education requirements.
  • Use social media platforms like LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter to reach potential job candidates.

Post your job online:

  • Post your adjunct professor job on Zippia to find and attract quality adjunct professor candidates.
  • Use niche websites such as k12jobspot, learn4good, serious teachers, teachingjobs.com.
  • Post a job on free websites.

6
Interview Process

During your first interview to recruit adjunct professors, engage with candidates to learn about their interest in the role and their experience in the field. During the next interview, you can go into more detail about the company, the role, and the responsibilities.

It's also a good idea to ask about candidates' special skills and talents to see if they map with your ideal candidate profile. If you think a candidate is good enough for the next step, you 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. Explore the top questions to ask adjunct professors here.

7
Send A Job Offer And Onboard Your New Adjunct Professor

Once you have selected a candidate for the position, it is time to create an offer letter. In addition to salary, the offer letter should include details about benefits and perks that are available to the employee. It is important to make sure that your offer is competitive, as qualified candidates may be considering other job opportunities. The candidate may wish to negotiate the terms of the offer, and it is important to be open to discussion and reach a mutually beneficial agreement. After the offer has been accepted, it is a good idea to formalize the agreement with a contract.

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.

Once that's done, you can draft an onboarding schedule for the new adjunct professor. Human Resources should complete Employee Action Forms and ensure that onboarding paperwork is completed, including I-9s, benefits enrollment, federal and state tax forms, etc. They should also ensure that new employee files are created for internal recordkeeping.

8
Go Through The Checklist For The Hiring Process

  • 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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Hiring Adjunct Professors FAQs

How Much Does A Good Adjunct Professor Cost?

A good adjunct professor costs $47.51 an hour in the US. However, it can vary based on factors such as the adjunct professor experience, abilities, industry, and the specific requirements of your business.

What Are The Duties Of An Adjunct Professor?

The duties of an adjunct professor are:
  • Lead outreach to community and statewide stakeholders in the PPCC entrepreneurship program.
  • Develop and prepare class syllabus and teaching materials for strategic management, business and government ethics, and organizational behavior classes.
  • Provide instruction/guidance for nursing students; deliver didactic lectures on human anatomy and physiology.

Should I Hire An Adjunct Professor With No Experience?

Yes, you should hire an adjunct professor with no experience. Hiring an entry-level adjunct professor with no experience offers versatility for your team. They may lack some qualifications, but are adaptable and have not yet formed problematic habits. However, more training may be required compared to experienced.

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