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The differences between assistant professors and instructors, adjunct faculty can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 2-4 years to become both an assistant professor and an instructor, adjunct faculty. Additionally, an assistant professor has an average salary of $87,099, which is higher than the $52,225 average annual salary of an instructor, adjunct faculty.
The top three skills for an assistant professor include patients, public health and pediatrics. The most important skills for an instructor, adjunct faculty are syllabus, student learning, and course syllabus.
| Assistant Professor | Instructor, Adjunct Faculty | |
| Yearly salary | $87,099 | $52,225 |
| Hourly rate | $41.87 | $25.11 |
| Growth rate | 12% | 2% |
| Number of jobs | 30,531 | 37,739 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 44% | Bachelor's Degree, 49% |
| Average age | 46 | 46 |
| Years of experience | 4 | 4 |
An assistant professor is an entry-level position who teaches in a university, conducts research, and assists senior professors. Assistant professors supervise undergraduate and graduate students at the same time provide professors and department heads with feedback on the progress of their students. To be effective in teaching and mentoring students, assistant professors must possess strong communication skills with advanced knowledge of their field. They must also have a Ph. D degree in the relevant academic discipline as well as teaching experience in a university setting.
An adjunct faculty member works in a state university or college. They typically work on a part-time or contractual basis. Although they work in a university, they have limited responsibilities compared to those who work as a regular instructor, but they still need appropriate work etiquette and a love of teaching and working with students. Like any other instructor, they develop learning material, conduct lectures, prepare exams, and assess students' grades.
Assistant professors and instructors, adjunct faculty have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Assistant Professor | Instructor, Adjunct Faculty | |
| Average salary | $87,099 | $52,225 |
| Salary range | Between $50,000 And $151,000 | Between $33,000 And $81,000 |
| Highest paying City | Washington, DC | Albany, NY |
| Highest paying state | Hawaii | Massachusetts |
| Best paying company | UT Medical Group, Inc. | Ohlone College |
| Best paying industry | Government | Education |
There are a few differences between an assistant professor and an instructor, adjunct faculty in terms of educational background:
| Assistant Professor | Instructor, Adjunct Faculty | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 44% | Bachelor's Degree, 49% |
| Most common major | Nursing | Nursing |
| Most common college | University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill | University of Pennsylvania |
Here are the differences between assistant professors' and instructors, adjunct faculty' demographics:
| Assistant Professor | Instructor, Adjunct Faculty | |
| Average age | 46 | 46 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 55.5% Female, 44.5% | Male, 43.1% Female, 56.9% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 6.2% Unknown, 4.8% Hispanic or Latino, 8.9% Asian, 17.4% White, 62.5% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.3% | Black or African American, 7.0% Unknown, 4.9% Hispanic or Latino, 10.0% Asian, 11.3% White, 66.4% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.3% |
| LGBT Percentage | 16% | 16% |