Assistant professor vs professor

The differences between assistant professors and professors can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. While it typically takes 2-4 years to become an assistant professor, becoming a professor takes usually requires 1-2 years. Additionally, a professor has an average salary of $157,570, which is higher than the $87,099 average annual salary of an assistant professor.

The top three skills for an assistant professor include patients, public health and pediatrics. The most important skills for a professor are philosophy, curriculum development, and mathematics.

Assistant professor vs professor overview

	Assistant Professor	Professor
Yearly salary	$87,099	$157,570
Hourly rate	$41.87	$75.75
Growth rate	12%	12%
Number of jobs	30,531	21,861
Job satisfaction	-	-
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 44%	Bachelor's Degree, 52%
Average age	46	46
Years of experience	4	2

What does an assistant professor do?

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.

What does a professor do?

A professor is a teaching professional who provides instructions to students on various academic and vocational subjects in colleges, universities, and vocational schools. Professors design curriculums for courses and ensure that they meet college and department students. They continuously conduct research and experiments so that advanced knowledge in their field is completed. They share their research and works by publishing them in books and academic journals. They also provide assistance to graduating students.

Assistant professor vs professor salary

Assistant professors and professors have different pay scales, as shown below.

	Assistant Professor	Professor
Average salary	$87,099	$157,570
Salary range	Between $50,000 And $151,000	Between $88,000 And $280,000
Highest paying City	Washington, DC	San Francisco, CA
Highest paying state	Hawaii	California
Best paying company	UT Medical Group, Inc.	Oregon Health & Science University
Best paying industry	Government	Education

Differences between assistant professor and professor education

There are a few differences between an assistant professor and a professor in terms of educational background:

	Assistant Professor	Professor
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 44%	Bachelor's Degree, 52%
Most common major	Nursing	Business
Most common college	University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill	Northwestern University

Assistant professor vs professor demographics

Here are the differences between assistant professors' and professors' demographics:

	Assistant Professor	Professor
Average age	46	46
Gender ratio	Male, 55.5% Female, 44.5%	Male, 56.7% Female, 43.3%
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, 7.2% Unknown, 4.9% Hispanic or Latino, 10.2% Asian, 12.8% White, 64.5% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.3%
LGBT Percentage	16%	16%

Differences between assistant professor and professor duties and responsibilities

Assistant professor example responsibilities.

Lead outreach to community and statewide stakeholders in the PPCC entrepreneurship program.
Used blackboard online to manage students tests, grade papers and assign materials.
Develop courses in immunology and research ethics, and develop super laboratory courses in cellular physiology and molecular biology.
Conduct research using molecular biology, genetics, histochemistry, cell biology, biochemistry.
Chair psychology and sociology departments, teach psychology classes, revise student practicum program, establish outreach mechanisms to reach alternative students
Serve as professor for humanities and sociology.

Professor example responsibilities.

Used blackboard online to manage students tests, grade papers and assign materials.
Instruct students in anatomy, physiology, medical terminology, college mathematics, and pharmacology math and dosage calculations.
Educate adult students in medical math, anatomy & physiology, business communications ,
Teach social science subjects including sociology, psychology and human services.
Mentore newly hire philosophy teachers on school culture as well as the program s academic requirements.
Prepare and deliver material to students on topics such as ethics, logic, and contemporary religious think.

Assistant professor vs professor skills

Common assistant professor skills

Patients, 17%
Public Health, 6%
Pediatrics, 5%
Curriculum Development, 4%
Research Projects, 4%
Professional Development, 4%

Common professor skills

Philosophy, 10%
Curriculum Development, 9%
Mathematics, 6%
C++, 5%
Literature, 5%
Graduate Courses, 4%

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Assistant Professor
Assistant Professor vs Professor

Updated January 8, 2025

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