Adjunct Professor Salary By State: Highest-Paid Adjunct Professors by State [2026]
Research Summary. The Zippia data science team has conducted thorough research to present the latest insights on adjunct professor salaries by state in the United States for 2026:
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Rhode Island tops the list with the highest adjunct professor salary at $129,569.
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Kentucky has the lowest average adjunct professor salary at $50,501.
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The national average salary for adjunct professors stands at $98,821.
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The national hourly wage for adjunct professors is $47.51.
For more details, you can read about our specific methodology.
Background
In 2026, salary remains a paramount consideration for job seekers, including adjunct professors. Many surveys indicate that compensation is the most critical factor for individuals considering job opportunities. Understanding adjunct professor salaries across various states provides valuable insights for career planning.
Although regional variations exist, these averages give prospective adjunct professors a reliable framework for salary expectations based on their location and experience. The state offering the highest salary for adjunct professors is still Rhode Island.
Below is a snapshot of the top ten states for adjunct professor salaries:
Now, let’s take a closer look at how these salaries compare across the states.
Highest-Paid Adjunct Professors By State
| Rank | State | Average Adjunct Professor Salary | 10th Percentile | 90th Percentile |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Rhode Island | $129,569 | $74,000 | $226,000 |
| 2 | New York | $126,977 | $71,000 | $224,000 |
| 3 | Connecticut | $125,617 | $70,000 | $222,000 |
| 4 | Maine | $120,705 | $68,000 | $213,000 |
| 5 | New Jersey | $116,137 | $63,000 | $212,000 |
| 6 | Massachusetts | $116,057 | $64,000 | $209,000 |
| 7 | Alaska | $109,986 | $67,000 | $178,000 |
| 8 | Delaware | $108,380 | $57,000 | $203,000 |
| 9 | Oregon | $107,793 | $60,000 | $191,000 |
| 10 | California | $107,618 | $57,000 | $201,000 |
| 11 | Vermont | $103,111 | $55,000 | $191,000 |
| 12 | Utah | $102,831 | $55,000 | $190,000 |
| 13 | New Hampshire | $101,154 | $54,000 | $189,000 |
| 14 | Pennsylvania | $95,311 | $49,000 | $185,000 |
| 15 | South Carolina | $92,548 | $47,000 | $181,000 |
| 16 | Maryland | $92,341 | $46,000 | $182,000 |
| 17 | Washington | $91,770 | $50,000 | $166,000 |
| 18 | Ohio | $88,563 | $45,000 | $173,000 |
| 19 | Nebraska | $88,241 | $47,000 | $165,000 |
| 20 | West Virginia | $87,897 | $44,000 | $174,000 |
| 21 | Wisconsin | $85,587 | $44,000 | $162,000 |
| 22 | Nevada | $82,683 | $41,000 | $165,000 |
| 23 | Virginia | $82,291 | $40,000 | $168,000 |
| 24 | Montana | $82,283 | $44,000 | $151,000 |
| 25 | Iowa | $79,293 | $41,000 | $150,000 |
| 26 | Arizona | $78,497 | $38,000 | $160,000 |
| 27 | New Mexico | $76,994 | $38,000 | $155,000 |
| 28 | Michigan | $73,599 | $36,000 | $148,000 |
| 29 | North Carolina | $73,549 | $35,000 | $152,000 |
| 30 | Texas | $72,837 | $35,000 | $151,000 |
| 31 | Colorado | $72,509 | $37,000 | $141,000 |
| 32 | Mississippi | $72,271 | $35,000 | $146,000 |
| 33 | Arkansas | $71,924 | $36,000 | $143,000 |
| 34 | Missouri | $70,643 | $35,000 | $139,000 |
| 35 | Alabama | $69,999 | $34,000 | $142,000 |
| 36 | North Dakota | $69,569 | $38,000 | $126,000 |
| 37 | Minnesota | $69,393 | $36,000 | $131,000 |
| 38 | Florida | $67,700 | $32,000 | $142,000 |
| 39 | Louisiana | $66,543 | $31,000 | $138,000 |
| 40 | Indiana | $64,079 | $31,000 | $130,000 |
| 41 | Illinois | $61,153 | $30,000 | $122,000 |
| 42 | Georgia | $58,985 | $27,000 | $124,000 |
| 43 | Idaho | $58,082 | $29,000 | $113,000 |
| 44 | Tennessee | $57,079 | $27,000 | $118,000 |
| 45 | Hawaii | $55,476 | $26,000 | $114,000 |
| 46 | Wyoming | $55,386 | $28,000 | $106,000 |
| 47 | Kansas | $54,916 | $27,000 | $109,000 |
| 48 | Oklahoma | $54,272 | $26,000 | $110,000 |
| 49 | South Dakota | $52,630 | $28,000 | $98,000 |
| 50 | Kentucky | $50,501 | $24,000 | $105,000 |
Methodology: Adjunct Professor Salary By State
To provide a comprehensive understanding of adjunct professor pay by state, Zippia has compiled data from various reliable sources, including the Bureau of Labor Statistics, Federal Labor Commission, and Office of Personnel Management. This data is further supplemented with actual salary listings from job postings. Our data science team calculates a weighted average of these inputs to derive the average pay for adjunct professors by state.
The average annual salary data for adjunct professors was ranked across states, identifying the state with the highest average salary as Rhode Island.
Adjunct Professor Salary By State FAQs
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What is the highest-paid state for adjunct professors?
The highest-paid state for adjunct professors is Rhode Island, with an average salary of $129,569 per year.
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What city pays adjunct professors the most?
Providence, RI offers the highest compensation for adjunct professors, with an average salary of $143,708 per year.
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What is the worst state for adjunct professors?
The state with the lowest average salary for adjunct professors is Kentucky, averaging $50,501 per year.
Author
Chris Kolmar is a co-founder of Zippia and the editor-in-chief of the Zippia career advice blog. He has hired over 50 people in his career, been hired five times, and wants to help you land your next job. His research has been featured on the New York Times, Thrillist, VOX, The Atlantic, and a host of local news. More recently, he's been quoted on USA Today, BusinessInsider, and CNBC.
