Research Summary. Using a database of 30 million profiles, Zippia estimates demographics and statistics for college professors in the United States. Our estimates are verified against BLS, Census, and current job openings data for accuracy. After extensive research and analysis, Zippia's data science team found that:
- There are over 135,097 college professors currently employed in the United States.
- 49.8% of all college professors are women, while 50.2% are men.
- The average age of an employed college professor is 45 years old.
- The most common ethnicity of college professors is White (69.4%), followed by Asian (10.9%), Hispanic or Latino (9.8%) and Black or African American (7.2%).
- In 2021, women earned 96% of what men earned.
- 13% of all college professors are LGBT.
- College professors are 65% more likely to work at education companies in comparison to private companies.
College Professor Statistics By Gender
49.8% of college professors are women and 50.2% of college professors are men.
- Male, 50.2%
- Female, 49.8%
College Professors By Gender
| Gender | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Male | 50.2% |
| Female | 49.8% |
Gender Pay Gap For College Professor
Women Earn 96ยข For Every $1 Earned By Men
College Professor Gender Over Time
This data shows how men and women predominate in the college professor position over time.
College Professor Gender By Year
| Year | Male | Female |
|---|---|---|
| 2010 | 52.45% | 47.55% |
| 2011 | 52.98% | 47.02% |
| 2012 | 52.66% | 47.34% |
| 2013 | 52.22% | 47.78% |
| 2014 | 51.09% | 48.91% |
| 2015 | 51.93% | 48.07% |
| 2016 | 51.59% | 48.41% |
| 2017 | 52.19% | 47.81% |
| 2018 | 51.61% | 48.39% |
| 2019 | 51.18% | 48.82% |
College Professor Male to Female Ratio
We compared this job title with other job titles to see how gender percentages varied. As you can see, hvac/r instructor and assistant professor of air conditioning and refrigeration have the biggest difference in gender.
| Job Title | Male | Female |
|---|---|---|
| Aesthetics Instructor | 8% | 92% |
| Cosmetology Instructor | 9% | 91% |
| Adjunct Nursing Faculty | 9% | 91% |
| College Professor | 50% | 50% |
| Diesel Technology Instructor | 97% | 3% |
| Assistant Professor Of Air Conditioning And Refrigeration | 97% | 3% |
| Hvac/R Instructor | 97% | 3% |
College Professor Statistics By Race
The most common ethnicity among college professors is White, which makes up 69.4% of all college professors. Comparatively, there are 10.9% of the Asian ethnicity and 9.8% of the Hispanic or Latino ethnicity.
- White, 69.4%
- Asian, 10.9%
- Hispanic or Latino, 9.8%
- Black or African American, 7.2%
- Unknown, 2.5%
- American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.2%
College Professor Race
| College Professor Race | Percentages |
|---|---|
| White | 69.4% |
| Asian | 10.9% |
| Hispanic or Latino | 9.8% |
| Black or African American | 7.2% |
| Unknown | 2.5% |
| American Indian and Alaska Native | 0.2% |
College Professor Race And Ethnicity Over Time
Using the Census Bureau data, we found out how the percentage of each ethnic category trended between 2010-2019 among college professors.
- White
- Asian
- Hispanic or Latino
- Black or African American
College Professor Race By Year
| Year | White | Black or African American | Asian | Hispanic or Latino |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 | 72.76% | 7.22% | 9.22% | 8.22% |
| 2011 | 72.46% | 7.06% | 9.94% | 7.97% |
| 2012 | 72.05% | 7.36% | 9.81% | 8.22% |
| 2013 | 71.18% | 7.72% | 10.10% | 8.47% |
| 2014 | 71.27% | 7.34% | 9.77% | 8.85% |
| 2015 | 69.72% | 7.57% | 10.72% | 9.14% |
| 2016 | 70.22% | 7.49% | 10.44% | 9.04% |
| 2017 | 69.29% | 7.24% | 11.61% | 9.09% |
| 2018 | 71.08% | 6.98% | 9.93% | 9.28% |
| 2019 | 69.41% | 7.25% | 10.87% | 9.81% |
College Professor Wage Gap By Race
| Ethnicity | Salary |
|---|---|
| Unknown | $64,389 |
| White | $64,108 |
| Black or African American | $63,240 |
| Asian | $65,970 |
| Hispanic or Latino | $63,495 |
College Professor JOBS
Average Age of a College Professor
We determined the average age of college professors based on ethnicity and gender.
College Professor Age By Race
| Race | Male Age | Female Age |
|---|---|---|
| Black or African American | 47 | 46 |
| Unknown | 40 | 37 |
| Asian | 39 | 38 |
| Hispanic or Latino | 43 | 41 |
| White | 48 | 47 |
| American Indian and Alaska Native | 48 |
College Professor Age Breakdown
This chart breaks down the ages of college professor employees. Interestingly enough, the average age of college professors is 40+ years old, which represents 65% of the population.
College Professor Age
| College Professor Years | Percentages |
|---|---|
| 40+ years | 65% |
| 30-40 years | 22% |
| 20-30 years | 13% |
Types of College Professor Degree Levels
The most common degree for college professors is bachelor's degree 46% of college professors earn that degree. A close second is master's degree with 33% and rounding it off is doctoral degree with 10%.
- Bachelors, 46%
- Masters, 33%
- Doctorate, 10%
- Associate, 8%
- Other Degrees, 3%
College Professors By Education
| College Professor Degree | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Bachelors | 46% |
| Masters | 33% |
| Doctorate | 10% |
| Associate | 8% |
| Other Degrees | 3% |
College Professor Jobs You Might Like
College Professor Wage Gap By Education
| Education | Salary |
|---|---|
| Master's Degree | $62,948 |
| Doctorate Degree | $80,739 |
College Professor Employment Statistics
This section highlights information about where college professors work. We found most college professors work for a education company. In addition, the industry that employs the most college professors is the hospitality industry.
Company Size
We created this chart to show you the average size of companies that typically hire college professors.
College Professor Jobs By Employer Size
| Company Size | Percentages |
|---|---|
| < 50 employees | 4% |
| 50 - 100 employees | 5% |
| 100 - 500 employees | 23% |
| 500 - 1,000 employees | 18% |
| 1,000 - 10,000 employees | 41% |
| > 10,000 employees | 10% |
The Types Of Companies College Professor Work In
Employees with the college professor job title have their preferences when it comes to working for a company. For instance, most college professors prefer to work at education companies over private companies.
College Professor Jobs By Sector
| Company Type | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Education | 65% |
| Public | 10% |
| Private | 17% |
| Government | 8% |
Top Industries Hiring College Professors
Just based on the number of employees within each industry, we were able to determine the most common industries that employ college professors. Those industries include hospitality, education and professional.
College Professor Industry Statistics
| Industry | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Education | 71% |
| Government | 6% |
| Professional | 5% |
| Health Care | 3% |
| Fortune 500 | 2% |
| Retail | 2% |
| Manufacturing | 2% |
| Technology | 2% |
| Finance | 1% |
| Automotive | 1% |
| Energy | 1% |
| Non Profits | 1% |
| Construction | 1% |
| Insurance | 1% |
| Telecommunication | 1% |
College Professor Turnover And Employment Statistics
College Professor Unemployment Rate Over Time
The Bureau of Labor Statistics came in clutch when it came down to figuring out how the unemployment rate has changed over time. Between 2008 and 2018, this is how the number of college professors changed.
- Unemployment rate
College Professor Unemployment Rate By Year
| Year | College Professor Unemployment Rate |
|---|---|
| 2010 | 3.13% |
| 2011 | 3.11% |
| 2012 | 3.14% |
| 2013 | 3.31% |
| 2014 | 2.86% |
| 2015 | 2.61% |
| 2016 | 2.42% |
| 2017 | 2.51% |
| 2018 | 2.40% |
| 2019 | 2.23% |
The Average Number of Years That College Professor Stay in a Job
By looking over 1,026 college professors resumes, we figured out that the average college professor enjoys staying at their job for 1-2 years for a percentage of 26%.
College Professor Tenure
| Number or Years | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Less than 1 year | 14% |
| 1-2 years | 26% |
| 3-4 years | 14% |
| 5-7 years | 16% |
| 8-10 years | 8% |
| 11+ years | 22% |
Comparing The LGBT Ratio of College Professors with Other Job Titles
After finding the gender ratio, we wondered if the percentages of LGBT persons were different as well. Using the data below, you can see how other job titles compare to college professors.
| Job Title | LGBT | Job Openings |
|---|---|---|
| Graduate Student Assistant | 6.04% | 20,764 |
| Music Teacher | 9.52% | 54,429 |
| Reference Librarian | 10.75% | 1,058 |
| Special Education Teacher | 11.12% | 67,699 |
| College Professor | 12.94% | |
| Library Technician | 13.69% | 24,941 |
| Curriculum Coordinator | 16.25% | 9,654 |
College Professor LGBT Demographics
| Profession | Percentages of LGBT | Job Openings |
|---|---|---|
| Graduate Student Assistant | 6.04% | 20,764 |
| Music Teacher | 9.52% | 54,429 |
| Reference Librarian | 10.75% | 1,058 |
| Special Education Teacher | 11.12% | 67,699 |
| Library Technician | 13.69% | 24,941 |
| Curriculum Coordinator | 16.25% | 9,654 |
Foreign Languages Spoken By College Professors
The most common foreign language among college professors is Spanish at 50.0%. The second-most popular foreign language spoken is French at 11.0% and German is the third-most popular at 7.3%.
- Spanish, 50.0%
- French, 11.0%
- German, 7.3%
- Italian, 6.1%
- Portuguese, 3.7%
- Other, 21.9%
College Professor Languages Spoken
| Foreign Language | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Spanish | 50.0% |
| French | 11.0% |
| German | 7.3% |
| Italian | 6.1% |
| Portuguese | 3.7% |
| Other | 21.9% |
