How to hire an associate professor of psychology

How to hire an associate professor of psychology, step by step

Here's a step-by-step associate professor of psychology hiring guide:

• Step 1: Identify your hiring needs
• Step 2: Create an ideal candidate profile
• Step 3: Make a budget
• Step 4: Write an associate professor of psychology job description
• Step 5: Post your job
• Step 6: Interview candidates
• Step 7: Send a job offer and onboard your new associate professor of psychology
• Step 8: Go through the hiring process checklist

What does an associate professor of psychology do?

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1. Identify your hiring needs

   The associate professor of psychology hiring process starts by determining what type of worker you actually need. Certain roles might require a full-time employee, whereas part-time workers or contractors can do others.

   Determine employee vs contractor status

   Is the person you're thinking of hiring a US citizen or green card holder?

   Yes

   No

   An associate professor of psychology's background is also an important factor in determining whether they'll be a good fit for the position. For example, associate professors of psychology from different industries or fields will have radically different experiences and will bring different viewpoints to the role. You also need to consider the candidate's previous level of experience to make sure they'll be comfortable with the job's level of seniority.

   The following list breaks down different types of associate professors of psychology and their corresponding salaries.

   Type of Associate Professor Of Psychology	Description	Hourly rate
   Associate Professor Of Psychology	Postsecondary teachers instruct students in a wide variety of academic and career and technical subjects beyond the high school level. They also conduct research and publish scholarly papers and books.	$18-81
   Psychology Instructor	Psychology Instructors will enjoy a pay rate of $14K to #130 K per year, depending on the location of the work. To qualify for this position, a bachelor's degree in education or psychology, as well as a teaching certification and learning experience in the field... Show more	$20-38
   Professor	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... Show more	$42-134

   Show more

2. Create an ideal candidate profile

   Common skills:

   • Clinical Psychology
   • Developmental Psychology
   • APA
   • Research Methods
   • Community Services
   • Organizational Psychology
   • Human Development
   • Undergraduate Psychology Courses
   • Syllabus
   • Curriculum Development
   • Sociology
   • Social Psychology
   • Course Content
   • Blackboard

   Responsibilities:

   • Used blackboard online to manage students tests, grade papers and assign materials.
   • Experiment with different surface chemistry to improve quality of yields -participate in poster session and presentation to faculty and graduate students.
   • Evaluate and grade, and record class work, assignments, attendance, and require APA research papers.

3. Make a budget

   Including a salary range in your associate professor of psychology job description helps attract top candidates to the position. An associate professor of psychology salary can be affected by several factors, such as geography, experience, seniority, certifications, and the prestige of the hiring company.

   For example, the average salary for an associate professor of psychology in Georgia may be lower than in California, and an entry-level associate professor of psychology usually earns less than a senior-level associate professor of psychology. Additionally, an associate professor of psychology with certifications may command a higher salary, and working for a well-known company or start-up may also impact an employee's pay.

   Average associate professor of psychology salary

   $82,073yearly

   $39.46 hourly rate

   ---

   Entry-level associate professor of psychology salary

   $39,000 yearly salary

   Updated January 20, 2026

   Average associate professor of psychology salary by state

   Rank	State	Avg. salary	Hourly rate
   1	California	$121,220	$58
   2	New York	$103,163	$50
   3	Indiana	$78,236	$38
   4	Washington	$76,456	$37
   5	Pennsylvania	$76,160	$37
   6	Illinois	$76,081	$37
   7	Michigan	$75,761	$36
   8	Ohio	$72,249	$35
   9	North Carolina	$71,193	$34
   10	Montana	$69,309	$33
   11	Texas	$68,520	$33
   12	Kentucky	$52,747	$25
   13	Colorado	$52,068	$25

   Average associate professor of psychology salary by company

   Company

   Rank	Company	Average salary	Hourly rate	Job openings
   1	Pace University	$121,380	$58.36	12
   2	Graduate School USA	$108,044	$51.94
   3	University of Michigan	$102,950	$49.50	26
   4	Sutter Health	$101,415	$48.76	3
   5	Southern Methodist University	$86,951	$41.80	12
   6	Houston Baptist University	$74,598	$35.86	68
   7	University of North Carolina	$70,460	$33.88	88
   8	Central State University	$70,039	$33.67	29
   9	Duquesne University	$69,668	$33.49	25
   10	Ball State University	$67,835	$32.61	25
   11	Paul Smith's College	$65,926	$31.70
   12	State University of New York College at Cortland	$65,360	$31.42	5
   13	Seattle Pacific University	$63,409	$30.49	1
   14	University of Montana	$61,490	$29.56
   15	WKYU	$61,069	$29.36	64
   16	UTRGV - The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley	$61,005	$29.33	69
   17	Waldorf University	$59,400	$28.56
   18	North Central College	$57,312	$27.55	8
   19	Southern Adventist University	$54,048	$25.98
   20	George Fox University	$46,077	$22.15	21

4. Writing an associate professor of psychology job description

   An associate professor of psychology job description should include a summary of the role, required skills, and a list of responsibilities. It's also good to include a salary range and the first name of the hiring manager. Below, you can find an example of an associate professor of psychology job description:

   Associate professor of psychology job description example

   Midland University is seeking an exceptional faculty member with expertise in social science research methodology for a full-time psychology position beginning August 2023.
   Duties include:
   
   * Teaching interdisciplinary courses in Social Science Statistics and Research Methods
   * Teaching additional upper-level psychology courses based on candidate's expertise and need (e., Tests & Measurement, Cognition, Physiological Psychology, Advanced Experimental Psychology)
   * Measuring and analyzing program outcomes for continuous improvement
   * Engaging students with innovative teaching practices
   * Partnering across the university on student recruiting, retention, and graduation
   
   The ideal candidate will possess the following:
   
   * PhD in Psychology or a related discipline
   * Experience with and an understanding of quantitative methodology and data
   * An understanding of qualitative methodology and data
   * Commitment to fostering a culturally diverse atmosphere for faculty, staff, and students
   * The ability to create dynamic and relevant learning opportunities both in and out of the classroom
   * A genuine interest in student development, particularly as it relates to social science research
   * Excellent interpersonal skills, including the ability to foster a collegial work environment that encourages change and innovation; and an ability to interact effectively and work productively, cooperatively, and collaboratively with a variety of individuals and groups
   
   True to its roots, Midland believes in the power of the liberal arts as a way for students to discover how their individual gifts, abilities, and passions prepare them for a life of meaning and value, no matter what career path they pursue. If you meet the qualifications and want to be part of a growth-oriented, innovative, and student-centered university in the Omaha, NE metro area, complete the online application in its entirety and upload both a resume and cover letter. For full consideration, applicants must include a cover letter in which they address why they are a good fit for the job and university. Preference given to candidates who apply by the end of October.
   
   Compensation:
   
   Wages are commensurate with education, experience and individual strengths. Midland University offers participation in a fully-insured medical/prescription plan with a Health Savings Account, life and long-term disability insurance, 403b retirement option and educational benefits for both the employee and his/her dependents. In addition, employees have the option of participating in dental, vision, voluntary life and supplemental insurance plans.

   Copy this example

   

5. Post your job

   To find associate professors of psychology for your business, try out a few different recruiting strategies:

   • Consider internal talent. One of the most important talent pools for any company is its current employees.
   • Ask for referrals. Reach out to friends, family members, and your current work to ask if they know any associate professors of psychology they would recommend.
   • Recruit at local colleges. Attend job fairs at local colleges to recruit entry-level associate professors of psychology with the right educational background.
   • Social media platforms. LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter have more than 3.5 billion users, and they're a great place for company branding and reaching potential job candidates.

   Post your job online:

   • Post your associate professor of psychology job on Zippia to find and recruit associate professor of psychology candidates who meet your exact specifications.
   • Use field-specific websites.
   • Post a job on free websites.

6. Interview candidates

   Your first interview with associate professor of psychology candidates should focus on their interest in the role and background experience. As the hiring process goes on, you can learn more about how they'd fit into the company culture in later rounds of interviews.

   Remember to include a few questions that allow candidates to expand on their strengths in their own words. Asking about their unique skills might reveal things you'd miss otherwise. At this point, good candidates can move on to the technical interview.

   The right interview questions can help you assess a candidate's hard skills, behavioral intelligence, and soft skills.

7. Send a job offer and onboard your new associate professor of psychology

   Once you've found the associate professor of psychology candidate you'd like to hire, it's time to write an offer letter. This should include an explicit job offer that includes the salary and the details of any other perks. Qualified candidates might be looking at multiple positions, so your offer must be competitive if you like the candidate. Also, be prepared for a negotiation stage, as candidates may way want to tweak the details of your initial offer. Once you've settled on these details, you can draft a contract to formalize your agreement.

   You should also follow up with applicants who don't get the job with an email letting them know that you've filled the position.

   To prepare for the new associate professor of psychology first day, you should share an onboarding schedule with them that covers their first period on the job. You should also quickly complete any necessary paperwork, such as employee action forms and onboarding documents like I-9, benefits enrollment, and federal and state tax forms. Finally, Human Resources must ensure a new employee file is created for internal record keeping.

8. Go through the hiring process checklist

   • Determine employee type (full-time, part-time, contractor, etc.)
   • Submit a job requisition form to the HR department
   • Define job responsibilities and requirements
   • Establish budget and timeline
   • Determine hiring decision makers for the role
   • Write job description
   • Post job on job boards, company website, etc.
   • Promote the job internally
   • Process applications through applicant tracking system
   • Review resumes and cover letters
   • Shortlist candidates for screening
   • Hold phone/virtual interview screening with first round of candidates
   • Conduct in-person interviews with top candidates from first round
   • Score candidates based on weighted criteria (e.g., experience, education, background, cultural fit, skill set, etc.)
   • Conduct background checks on top candidates
   • Check references of top candidates
   • Consult with HR and hiring decision makers on job offer specifics
   • Extend offer to top candidate(s)
   • Receive formal job offer acceptance and signed employment contract
   • Inform other candidates that the position has been filled
   • Set and communicate onboarding schedule to new hire(s)
   • Complete new hire paperwork (i9, benefits enrollment, tax forms, etc.)

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How much does it cost to hire an associate professor of psychology?