How To Become An Assistant Professor Of English: What It Is and Career Path

What is an assistant professor of english and how to become one

Updated January 8, 2025

4 min read

Quoted expert

Rebecca Sarver

If you want to pursue a career in the academic field and have an exceptional grip on the English language, then perhaps this is the position you should start with. As an assistant professor of English, your primary purpose will be to assist the professor of English at the organization, be it a university or a college. Some of the duties and responsibilities that you will be performing in this capacity include assisting with various English departmental duties and providing academic support to professors and other staff. In addition, you will also recruit, train, and mentor new teacher's assistants. You will also represent the university at conferences, answering questions in class, and writing proposals to secure funding.

Essential skills required to successfully complete these tasks are excellent communication, analytical, observational, problem solving, and interpersonal skills. To qualify for this position, most employers require a Ph.D. in the English language field. Some employers may be satisfied with a master's degree as well. Prior teaching experience in a university setting is preferable. The average hourly pay for this position is $30.07, which amounts to $62,539 annually. The career is projected to grow in the near future and create new opportunities across the United States.

What general advice would you give to an assistant professor of english?

Rebecca Sarver

Lecturer in Human Services Studies, Elmira College

Listen more than you talk. There is so much to be learned from clients, seasoned human service workers, and the community that you work within. By listening and observing versus always feeling compelled to speak, you will learn job skills, people skills, and your clients' needs.

ScoreAssistant Professor Of EnglishUS Average

Salary

4.5

Avg. Salary $57,540

Avg. Salary $59,228

Stability level

4.9

Growth rate 12%

Growth rate 0.3%

Diversity

5.2

Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 0.28%

Asian 12.50%

Black or African American 7.21%

Hispanic or Latino 10.26%

Unknown 4.94%

White 64.81%

Gender

female 57.65%

male 42.35%

Age - 46

Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 3.00%

Asian 7.00%

Black or African American 14.00%

Hispanic or Latino 19.00%

White 57.00%

Gender

female 47.00%

male 53.00%

Age - 46

Stress level

4.9

Stress level is manageable

7.1 - high

Complexity level

7.6

Complexity level is challenging

7 - challenging

Work life balance

6.3

Work life balance is fair

6.4 - fair

Key steps to become an assistant professor of english

Explore assistant professor of english education requirements

Most common assistant professor of english degrees

Bachelor's

54.3 %

Master's

28.7 %

Doctorate

14.0 %

Start to develop specific assistant professor of english skills

Skills	Percentages
Fiction	9.63%
Professional Development	8.39%
Curriculum Development	7.93%
Poetry	7.38%
Film Studies	6.98%

Research assistant professor of english duties and responsibilities

Develop lesson plans, teach mechanics and creativity in writing, teach reading, math and manage resource room as needed.
Prepare and deliver lectures to undergraduate students on topics such as poetry, novels, drama, and composition.
Create and teach innovative syllabus.
Create the revenue-generating ESL program by developing courses and hiring faculty.

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Apply for assistant professor of english jobs

Now it's time to start searching for an assistant professor of english job. Consider the tips below for a successful job search:

Browse job boards for relevant postings
Consult your professional network
Reach out to companies you're interested in working for directly
Watch out for job scams

Average assistant professor of english salary

The average assistant professor of english salary in the United States is $57,540 per year or $28 per hour. Assistant professor of english salaries range between $36,000 and $91,000 per year.

Average assistant professor of english salary

$57,540 Yearly

$27.66 hourly

How do assistant professors of english rate their job?

-/5

5 stars

4 stars

3 stars

2 stars

1 star

Assistant professor of english reviews

A zippia user wrote a review on Jan 2023

Cons

The low pay which is often offered

What is an assistant professor of english and how to become one

What general advice would you give to an assistant professor of english?

Assistant professor of english career paths

Key steps to become an assistant professor of english

Explore assistant professor of english education requirements

Most common assistant professor of english degrees

Start to develop specific assistant professor of english skills

Research assistant professor of english duties and responsibilities

Prepare your assistant professor of english resume

Choose from 10+ customizable assistant professor of english resume templates

Apply for assistant professor of english jobs

How did you land your first assistant professor of english job

Average assistant professor of english salary

How do assistant professors of english rate their job?

Assistant professor of english reviews