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Job outlook for adjunct professors in the United States
Adjunct professor job growth summary. After extensive research, interviews, and analysis, Zippia's data science team found that:
The projected adjunct professor job growth rate is 12% from 2018-2028.
About 159,400 new jobs for adjunct professors are projected over the next decade.
Adjunct professor salaries have increased 0% for adjunct professors in the last 5 years.
There are over 476,445 adjunct professors currently employed in the United States.
There are 22,488 active adjunct professor job openings in the US.
The average adjunct professor salary is $98,821.
Are adjunct professor jobs in demand?
Adjunct professor job and salary trends over time
Adjunct professor jobs over time
Adjunct professor job growth rate over time
| Year | # of jobs | % of population |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 476,445 | 0.14% |
| 2020 | 507,967 | 0.15% |
| 2019 | 522,807 | 0.16% |
| 2018 | 504,895 | 0.15% |
| 2017 | 507,735 | 0.15% |
Average adjunct professor salary over time
Adjunct professor salary by year
| Year | Avg. salary | Hourly rate | % Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | $98,821 | $47.51 | +1.8% |
| 2025 | $97,056 | $46.66 | --0.1% |
| 2024 | $97,105 | $46.69 | --0.5% |
| 2023 | $97,604 | $46.93 | --1.5% |
| 2022 | $99,090 | $47.64 | +9.4% |
Adjunct professor jobs by state
Most common states for adjunct professors
| Rank | State | Population | # of jobs | Employment/ 1000ppl |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | District of Columbia | 693,972 | 185 | 27% |
| 2 | Alaska | 739,795 | 135 | 18% |
| 3 | Virginia | 8,470,020 | 1,010 | 12% |
| 4 | Montana | 1,050,493 | 112 | 11% |
| 5 | Colorado | 5,607,154 | 575 | 10% |
| 6 | Oregon | 4,142,776 | 409 | 10% |
| 7 | Vermont | 623,657 | 64 | 10% |
| 8 | West Virginia | 1,815,857 | 156 | 9% |
| 9 | New York | 19,849,399 | 1,562 | 8% |
| 10 | South Carolina | 5,024,369 | 401 | 8% |
| 11 | Kentucky | 4,454,189 | 363 | 8% |
| 12 | Indiana | 6,666,818 | 460 | 7% |
| 13 | Iowa | 3,145,711 | 221 | 7% |
| 14 | South Dakota | 869,666 | 58 | 7% |
| 15 | Pennsylvania | 12,805,537 | 827 | 6% |
| 16 | New Jersey | 9,005,644 | 585 | 6% |
| 17 | Massachusetts | 6,859,819 | 391 | 6% |
| 18 | Maryland | 6,052,177 | 387 | 6% |
| 19 | Nebraska | 1,920,076 | 118 | 6% |
| 20 | Rhode Island | 1,059,639 | 65 | 6% |
Most common cities for adjunct professors
| Rank | City | # of jobs | Employment/ 1000ppl | Avg. salary |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Ocala | 3 | 5% | $65,142 |
| 2 | Bangor | 1 | 3% | $127,398 |
| 3 | Phoenix | 15 | 1% | $79,473 |
| 4 | Baltimore | 8 | 1% | $96,029 |
| 5 | Fort Myers | 1 | 1% | $69,129 |
| 6 | Los Angeles | 3 | 0% | $110,998 |
| 7 | Des Moines | 1 | 0% | $78,713 |
Adjunct Professor job outlook: Expert opinions
Our panel of adjunct professor experts
Ohio State University
The University of Tennessee - Chattanooga
Elon University
Tiffin University
Kean University
University of Oregon
North Carolina State University
Northern Michigan University
University of Maine
Ferrum College
Hope College
Skidmore College
Lehigh University
Ashford University
What general advice would you give to an Adjunct Professor?
Rick Mulvihill M. Sc.: People skills! All positions in the Criminal Justice field work with people, usually at the worst moment in their life. Writing skills! All positions require you to document your actions. Those documents could be the basis of a Supreme Court case.
What general advice would you give to an Adjunct Professor?
Alex Holte PhD: My advice for someone new to the field of academia is to learn time management skills early and learn what type of service work you find interesting and would like to contribute to. From there, learn how to say “no” to opportunities that may not align with your goals as well. I feel a lot of new professors tend to find the need to be involved in everything, which can result in burning out later in their career.
What Adjunct Professor skills would you recommend for someone trying to advance their career?
Alex Holte PhD: I would say being able to work with AI may be something that is more important in the next 3-5 years. Right now it’s a new technology and people are just now learning how to integrate it in the workplace, but I feel it is possible the future workforce of tomorrow will necessitate some form of being able to use AI technology.
What will help Adjunct Professors increase their earning potential?
Alex Holte PhD: When you are starting out at any career, it is important to negotiate your salary. Many candidates feel that they have to accept their first offer, but in reality, at many jobs, there is some room for negotiation. Be mindful however, to not request a salary that is much higher than what is being offered as they may feel like a compromise would not be possible and move on to the next candidate.
Professor Isaac Weiner
DirectorOhio State University
Religion/Religious Studies
What general advice would you give to an Adjunct Professor?
Professor Isaac Weiner: I have two weeks before the article is due :)
What general advice would you give to an Adjunct Professor?
Rev. Tamara Lewis PhD: The best advice I would have for recent graduates is to be optimistic about job opportunities. By having an open- minded outlook, there are numerous careers that are well- suited for the knowledge and training they bring. Graduates should be confident about their exposure to contemporary global settings. Their educational background makes them particularly attractive to employers for positions in the government sector at local, state, federal, and international levels. Any job in which people of diverse racial, ethnic, sociocultural, religious, and political backgrounds come together benefit from religious majors in positions of leadership. This is due to the political and economic disputes among nations today that are often deeply affected by underlying religious conflict. Religious majors have been trained to deal specifically with these kinds of challenges. Through studies in comparative religion, they understand significant differences among major world religions, like Christianity and Islam, as well as smaller religious groups like Jainists or Daoists. They also have understanding regarding sects and cults, some of which may be militant or incendiary in certain settings. Therefore, the special skills that these individuals bring should make them confident and motivated when seeking and entering new employment. What they have to offer is extremely important.
What Adjunct Professor skills would you recommend for someone trying to advance their career?
Rev. Tamara Lewis PhD: In the next five- ten years, Islam will continue to grow numerically and in the next twenty years, the number of Muslims will almost equal the number of Christians globally. This is just an indication of the need for leaders to have greater abilities to communicate in a religiously pluralistic world. Religious studies majors develop critical thinking skills during their education. These skills allow them to be efficient in problem solving, crisis resolution, and conflict mediation. This makes them highly sought after leaders in an increasingly diverse and pluralistic global context in which various religious systems and faith practices intersect with political, economic, and cultural structures. Religious studies graduates are today entering careers like teaching, government diplomacy, political action committee fundraising and lobbying, media consultation, grass- roots organizing, social work, not- for profit centers, counseling, ministry, and law- enforcement because of these complex skills and training that make them indispensable in positions that require emotional intelligence, negotiation skills, and analytical abilities.
What will help Adjunct Professors increase their earning potential?
Rev. Tamara Lewis PhD: Religious studies majors often complement their training with other study fields. Many join their religious education to studies in fields like medicine, law, business, nursing, and teaching. Thus they maximize their salary potential by increasing their education, skills, and training in interlocking areas that allow them to develop highly specialized training and education, making them attractive to employers. Also, these individuals make the best of their unique skills by forming their own businesses, firms, and networks in which they offer their services to the public or special clientele. The goal is to develop multiple sources of income through utilizing what they have to offer, which satisfies needs in the market.
Sherah Basham Ph.D.
Assistant Professor and Criminal Justice Online CoordinatorThe University of Tennessee - Chattanooga
Criminal Justice And Corrections
What Adjunct Professor skills would you recommend for someone trying to advance their career?
Sherah Basham Ph.D.: 1. Specialized career paths - Criminal justice salaries will vary significantly by level (federal vs local), location, and specialty. Developing specific skills such as cybercrime investigations, forensic or crime scene investigations, data analysis, or speaking a foreign language can leverage higher salaries for specialized positions. 2. Education - Master's degrees, specialized certificates, and professional training can increase earning potential. Education can assist with increasing base salaries or bonuses. It can also help with the placement and selection of specific roles. 3. Explore non-traditional roles - Consider career opportunities outside of traditional law enforcement or corrections agencies. Private security firms, corporations, research institutions, and consulting firms can offer competitive salaries in criminal justice.
What will help Adjunct Professors increase their earning potential?
Sherah Basham Ph.D.: 1. Communication Skills - regardless of the type of criminal justice job, all will require the ability to communicate effectively. Written communication is important in writing reports, case management, and correspondence. The key is learning to be clear, concise, and accurate. Verbal communication is crucial in daily interactions with the public, colleagues, and supervisors. In many positions, one may encounter a variety of people daily - talking to victims, assisting those in need, testifying in court, or sharing information with public leaders. Quality communication is related to Cultural Competency, or the ability to interact and understand people with diverse backgrounds. The ability to communicate and build trust with others regardless of their position or experiences is essential. 2. Critical Thinking - Criminal justice issues are complex; therefore, analyzing situations, ascertaining facts, identifying key details, and developing effective solutions is vital. 3. Technology and Data Literacy - Technology is rapidly evolving. Therefore, familiarity with tools, emerging resources, and tools will be beneficial. Along those lines, the ability to collect, analyze, and interpret data from various sources will be crucial for all types of criminal justice work: investigations, crime prevention, report development, and resource allocation.
What will help Adjunct Professors increase their earning potential?
Dr. Rebecca Peters Ph.D.: It is important to highlight the skills and experience you have and to have some knowledge of comparable starting salaries in comparable positions. If your knowledge and/or skills are higher than others in comparable positions, you should negotiate for a higher starting salary.
Dr. Stephanie Opfer
Associate Professor of English, Assistant Dean of the School of Creative and Media ArtsTiffin University
Visual And Performing Arts
What general advice would you give to an Adjunct Professor?
Dr. Stephanie Opfer: Because of the state of higher education in our country today, teaching in higher education can be a difficult field to break into. However, most colleges and universities still hire adjunct instructors (part-time instructors). Students shouldn't be afraid to teach as an adjunct for a while to get some experience and decide if teaching is for them.
What Adjunct Professor skills would you recommend for someone trying to advance their career?
Dr. Stephanie Opfer: Flexibility and adaptability will be the biggest skills instructors will need. The state of higher education is changing, and the 'ivory tower' is going away. Colleges and universities are starting to focus more on career-oriented programs, which include practical and application skill sets. In order to stay relevant, the focus of humanities classes like art and film should be on teaching students analysis, synthesis, and other critical-thinking skills. The content becomes less important and becomes only the vehicle for teaching these skills.
What will help Adjunct Professors increase their earning potential?
Dr. Stephanie Opfer: Unfortunately, teaching as an adjunct does not pay well. Students should keep their full-time jobs and teach part-time until they find a full-time job at a college or university. That part-time teaching provides them valuable experience and connections that make them more competitive candidates for full-time positions because they'd also be competing with candidates who have PhDs. So adjunct work is more of a long-term investment rather than an immediate return. Also, even full-time teaching jobs don't pay particularly well, so they'll really need to love teaching if they want to do it full-time. If they don't like teaching as an adjunct, they won't like doing it full-time.
What general advice would you give to an Adjunct Professor?
Mia Fiore Ph.D.: First, I would tell all students that it is VERY different from teaching k-12. Unlike K-12, you are not placed in a school with a teaching job upon graduation; teaching in higher education is one of the most competitive fields, period. The next difference is that you are expected to be an expert/ master of your field. If you're also willing to accept that you will likely have to work as an adjunct professor (for low pay) first, then go for it! Teaching in higher education is the most rewarding job, especially for people who love learning.
What Adjunct Professor skills would you recommend for someone trying to advance their career?
Mia Fiore Ph.D.: Awareness and familiarity with technology has become more important, and it will continue to be more important in the next 3-5 years. With everything from peer-reviewed journals available online, to AI, technology is an important part of higher education.
What will help Adjunct Professors increase their earning potential?
Mia Fiore Ph.D.: Maximize your salary potential by teaching at a state school- if you do you can join the PSLF program and after ten years, your student loans will be forgiven.
Mary Wood
Professor of EnglishUniversity of Oregon
English Language And Literature
What general advice would you give to an Adjunct Professor?
Mary Wood: It depends on what level the teacher is at (college level or K-12 and if K-12 do you mean elementary, middle, or high school), whether they're in public or private education, etc. Those who wish to become K-12 English teachers would take some literature classes in our department but would do most of their teacher training in the School of Education.
What general advice would you give to an Adjunct Professor?
Dr. Melissa Conroy: Jobs are few for people with Ph. D.'s in religious studies. Those who do have jobs often teach large sections of introductory courses.
What will help Adjunct Professors increase their earning potential?
Dr. Melissa Conroy: A religious studies teacher prepares lectures and research on current issues in world religions.
What general advice would you give to an Adjunct Professor?
Justin Whitehill Ph.D.: Perseverance pays off. Its worth it to pursue the career you want and not settle and be unhappy.
What Adjunct Professor skills would you recommend for someone trying to advance their career?
Justin Whitehill Ph.D.: In the area of genetics and genomics, the identification of areas of the genome that can be CRISPR’d and used to add an immediate benefit is going to be very important as every cropping system races to make genome editing a reality. AI will likely play a huge role in predicting genes/regions of the genome that will provide the biggest benefits.
What will help Adjunct Professors increase their earning potential?
Justin Whitehill Ph.D.: I wouldn’t know, I’m a professor.
What Adjunct Professor skills would you recommend for someone trying to advance their career?
Juan de la Puente Herrero: - I hate to even bring up the term, but you need to find a way to make yourself stand out among the masses who rely on A.I. to do their work. Re-learn how to string your words and ideas in a way that makes sense to you and your readers and that sounds natural. This could apply to cover letters and essays, but also simple emails, translations and in-class activities. Sadly, one of my main concerns in the workplace these days is the constant presence of artificial intelligence in everything we do. I can't predict the future, but I can definitely say that there is currently a race between professors, students and ChatGPT to see who can outsmart each other, and everyone is giving it their all. It sounds ironic, but the only way to stand out is to rely on the quality of your own work, have trustful sources, and good research skills.
What Adjunct Professor skills would you recommend for someone trying to advance their career?
Joshua Adams Ph.D., CFE: Keep in mind that salary is usually commensurate with your experience. That being said, do not expect to be wealthy in your first years in your career. You can maximize your salary potential when starting your career in your field by not being afraid to seek overtime opportunities and by having advanced training and/or education. Most local, city, and state municipalities are on fixed budgets, and most public service career opportunities at this level are very transparent of a salary range when they post job announcements. Typically, as you advance in rank, you advance into subsequent brackets of pay ranges. Some organizations provide extra incentives for bachelor’s-level or higher education, but some do not. This leaves the preferred option of maximizing salary, which is working overtime or working a part-time position somewhere else using your same skills (moonlighting) if your agency allows outside employment.
Jane Kuandre
Associate ProfessorWhat general advice would you give to an Adjunct Professor?
Jane Kuandre: My advice for someone looking to pursue a career in academia would be to focus on building a strong publication record, developing a network of collaborators, and continuously seeking opportunities for professional development.
What Adjunct Professor skills would you recommend for someone trying to advance their career?
Jane Kuandre: Some essential skills for success in academia include critical thinking, effective communication, time management, and the ability to work both independently and collaboratively.
What will help Adjunct Professors increase their earning potential?
Jane Kuandre: Networking is crucial for career advancement in academia as it allows individuals to establish collaborations, gain access to resources, and stay updated on the latest research trends.
Dr. Elizabeth Neiman
Director of Women's, Gender, and Sexuality Studies ProgramUniversity of Maine
Ethnic, Cultural Minority, Gender, And Group Studies
What general advice would you give to an Adjunct Professor?
Dr. Elizabeth Neiman: Students interested in enhancing their program of study with a WGS minor just 3 additional courses to take in WGS so as to complete a minor. Nursing students who have taken advantage of this opportunity report to me that they are excited about the perspectives that WGS studies provides them and that they feel more prepared than ever to begin a career in Nursing.
What Adjunct Professor skills would you recommend for someone trying to advance their career?
Dr. Elizabeth Neiman: I can reflect better on how I'd guide students to think about the work they do at UMaine in Women's Gender and Sexuality Studies so as to prepare for potential careers.
What will help Adjunct Professors increase their earning potential?
Dr. Elizabeth Neiman: Rather than answer your questions, I'll give you some background information: Since becoming Director of the Women's, Gender and Sexuality Studies program at UMaine in fall 2022, I have been doing a great deal of outreach to faculty in other departments across the university.
Carl Franklin JD, PhD
Chair, School of Business and TechnologyFerrum College
Criminal Justice And Corrections
What Adjunct Professor skills would you recommend for someone trying to advance their career?
Carl Franklin JD, PhD: Be flexible and look for the best opportunity. It is rare that our careers take the precise path we envision early on. Most will tell you that their careers ended in a very different place. Those who are happiest, though, will have seized upon the best opportunities and adapted to the work available. Do this and you improve your chances of having a long and prosperous career.
Aurelie Matheron
Assistant Professor of FrenchSkidmore College
Romance Languages, Literatures, And Linguistics
What general advice would you give to an Adjunct Professor?
Aurelie Matheron: Present yourself as a professional in your cover letter and interviews. The people who interview you will look at you as a future colleague and not a student. Use the past “I” to show what the future “I” will do. Meaning: in your interviews, say “I have developed X courses/projects and I have acquired X skills useful for a collaborative project at your institution. For instance, one project I will develop is XYZ.” You show your experience/expertise and how you will be using your skills. Don’t dwell too much on the “past I” and, I’d say, don’t use the past “we” => “at my former institution, we would do X or Z.” => this shows that you still view yourself as part of that community and don’t project yourself at your new institution. Once you have the job: observe the dynamics of your new work place. Meet with colleagues who also recently got a job at your institution. They will help you navigate the first year.
What Adjunct Professor skills would you recommend for someone trying to advance their career?
Aurelie Matheron: Leadership: you will be in positions of leading a program/department. Learn from current chairs by observing their own skills during meetings and moments of decision. Collaboration: develop interpersonal and interprofessional relationships that will allow you to build collaborative projects (interdepartmental courses, for instance).
What will help Adjunct Professors increase their earning potential?
Aurelie Matheron: Do some research online about how much someone earns at your stage of the career. If there is a significant gap, point out (diplomatically) that, because of your extensive experience in XYZ, you would like to get a X% increase in your salary. Be reasonable: if you want a 3% increase, ask for 5% (not 10% or more). Justify your negotiation: why should they pay me more? What experience can I show them to justify my request? If you have a higher offer from another place, you can say that “I have received another generous offer and would like to know about the possibility for matching that offer.” Salary is not the only thing you can negotiate: office space, computer/laptop, sabbaticals, course release, etc. Again, be reasonable: if you think you are entitled to XYZ requests, you also have to show why.
Dr. Floyd Beachum
Bennett Professor of Urban School LeadershipLehigh University
Educational Administration And Supervision
What will help Adjunct Professors increase their earning potential?
Dr. Floyd Beachum: In the next three years, professors of educational leadership should look to develop skills in the
areas of technology, problem-solving, and diversity awareness. Technology, including the
proliferation of artificial intelligence (AI) will surely transform the overall career landscape. In
educational leadership, faculty members should develop skillsets that will enhance their
understanding so that the technology can better support their teaching and research
endeavors. The skill of problem-solving is universal. For educational leadership professors, this
skill will better align them with the real-world issues that their students face. Being a better
problem-solver will also help build credibility with their students as well as practicing
administrators who sometimes call on professors for advice or consul. Diversity-awareness is an
important skill because the demographic landscape in the United States will become more
diverse. It is counter-productive to try and ignore, downplay, or refute this fact. School leaders
who recognize and prepare themselves to deal with diverse communities will be much better
off than those who choose not to engage.
Fabio Lanza
ProfessorAshford University
History
What general advice would you give to an Adjunct Professor?
Fabio Lanza: I tell them not to expect that they can achieve the same, old-style academic career (like mine, for example). A tenure-track job in a research university to be clear. Those jobs exist but they are becoming rarer and rarer. I also tell them that if they forecast incurring in serious (or even non-serious) debt in order to get a PhD, they should not do it. They should not pursue that path at all. In the program, they should take all the chances they have to learn new skills, including skills that don't seem directly related to an academic career.
What will help Adjunct Professors increase their earning potential?
Fabio Lanza: Difficult to say, given how quickly things change. Digital humanities was and still is fashionable and important. Public history (museum, exhibitions, outreach). And teaching.