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The differences between graduate teaching assistants and adjunct faculty members can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. Additionally, an adjunct faculty member has an average salary of $60,817, which is higher than the $44,994 average annual salary of a graduate teaching assistant.
The top three skills for a graduate teaching assistant include lab experiments, laboratory sections and undergraduate courses. The most important skills for an adjunct faculty member are syllabus, curriculum development, and powerpoint.
| Graduate Teaching Assistant | Adjunct Faculty Member | |
| Yearly salary | $44,994 | $60,817 |
| Hourly rate | $21.63 | $29.24 |
| Growth rate | - | 12% |
| Number of jobs | 12,598 | 28,981 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 72% | Bachelor's Degree, 49% |
| Average age | 44 | 46 |
| Years of experience | - | 4 |
A Graduate Teaching Assistant may work in Learning Facilities by teaching short courses under supervision or assist the Faculty Staff in various aspects such as research. They can also lend a hand in preparing and creating learning materials such as presentations, handouts, and other teaching-related tasks. Furthermore, among the duties of a Graduate Teaching Assistant may include handling written reports, preparing or cleaning laboratories and facilities, grading and evaluating students' papers, and preparing examinations or other quiz material.
An adjunct faculty member teaches part-time at learning institutions, usually on a contractual basis. Although their duties depend on their position or area of expertise, it usually includes preparing lessons and coursework plans, administering examinations, producing learning materials, grading tests and quizzes, and assisting students as necessary. They also organize various activities meant to enhance the students' skills and abilities. Moreover, they may participate in different committees and work together with fellow educators in maintaining an effective and safe learning environment for everyone.
Graduate teaching assistants and adjunct faculty members have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Graduate Teaching Assistant | Adjunct Faculty Member | |
| Average salary | $44,994 | $60,817 |
| Salary range | Between $27,000 And $74,000 | Between $37,000 And $99,000 |
| Highest paying City | Terre Haute, IN | Hoboken, NJ |
| Highest paying state | Pennsylvania | Ohio |
| Best paying company | California State University, Fullerton | Nebraska Methodist Health System |
| Best paying industry | Education | Start-up |
There are a few differences between a graduate teaching assistant and an adjunct faculty member in terms of educational background:
| Graduate Teaching Assistant | Adjunct Faculty Member | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 72% | Bachelor's Degree, 49% |
| Most common major | Biology | Business |
| Most common college | Massachusetts Institute of Technology | University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill |
Here are the differences between graduate teaching assistants' and adjunct faculty members' demographics:
| Graduate Teaching Assistant | Adjunct Faculty Member | |
| Average age | 44 | 46 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 50.4% Female, 49.6% | Male, 44.9% Female, 55.1% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 11.0% Unknown, 4.5% Hispanic or Latino, 17.7% Asian, 11.9% White, 53.8% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.1% | Black or African American, 7.1% Unknown, 4.9% Hispanic or Latino, 10.2% Asian, 11.3% White, 66.2% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.3% |
| LGBT Percentage | 6% | 16% |