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Graduate Teaching Assistant Vs Adjunct Instructor

The differences between graduate teaching assistants and adjunct instructors can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. Additionally, an adjunct instructor has an average salary of $52,030, 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 instructor are student learning, syllabus, and student performance.

Graduate teaching assistant vs adjunct instructor overview

Graduate Teaching AssistantAdjunct Instructor
Yearly Salary$44,994$52,030
Hourly rate$21.63$25.01
Growth Rate-2%
Number Of Jobs12,59840,633
Job Satisfaction--
Most Common DegreeBachelor's Degree, 72%Bachelor's Degree, 50%
Average Age4442
Years Of Experience--

What does a Graduate Teaching Assistant do?

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.

What does an adjunct instructor do?

An adjunct instructor is a faculty member responsible for teaching an area of expertise within a specific contract period. The duties of an adjunct instructor are almost identical as a regular instructor, only that the work benefits are limited. These duties include preparing comprehensive lesson plans, monitoring the students' learning progress, and evaluating their knowledge by conducting tests and activities. An adjunct instructor must have an extensive comprehension of the learning curriculum to provide lectures accordingly.

Graduate teaching assistant vs adjunct instructor salary

Graduate teaching assistants and adjunct instructors have different pay scales, as shown below.

Graduate Teaching AssistantAdjunct Instructor
Average Salary$44,994$52,030
Salary RangeBetween $27,000 And $74,000Between $32,000 And $83,000
Highest Paying CityTerre Haute, INBakersfield, CA
Highest Paying StatePennsylvaniaCalifornia
Best Paying CompanyCalifornia State University, FullertonKern Community College District
Best Paying IndustryEducationEducation

Differences between graduate teaching assistant and adjunct instructor education

There are a few differences between a graduate teaching assistant and an adjunct instructor in terms of educational background:

Graduate Teaching AssistantAdjunct Instructor
Most Common DegreeBachelor's Degree, 72%Bachelor's Degree, 50%
Most Common MajorBiologyBusiness
Most Common CollegeMassachusetts Institute of TechnologyUniversity of Pennsylvania

Graduate teaching assistant vs adjunct instructor demographics

Here are the differences between graduate teaching assistants' and adjunct instructors' demographics:

Graduate Teaching AssistantAdjunct Instructor
Average Age4442
Gender RatioMale, 50.4% Female, 49.6%Male, 45.2% Female, 54.8%
Race RatioBlack 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, 11.8% Unknown, 6.0% Hispanic or Latino, 13.8% Asian, 7.5% White, 60.3% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.6%
LGBT Percentage6%11%

Differences between graduate teaching assistant and adjunct instructor duties and responsibilities

Graduate Teaching Assistant Example Responsibilities.

  • Accomplish assessment of PU foam samples base on morphology by SEM and optical microscope.
  • Assist classmates with developing positive study habits and strategies for managing classroom material.
  • Tutor calculus, algebra, probability, financial mathematics and others as requested.
  • Learned advance PCR techniques and troubleshooting.
  • Analyze yield of Suzuki reaction using HPLC.
  • Develop method for analysis of steroids in herbal medicines using HPLC.
  • Show More

Adjunct Instructor Example Responsibilities.

  • Utilize blackboard management system to encourage online discussions and manage grades.
  • Develop syllabus, PowerPoint presentations on the disease model of alcoholism, physiology and pharmacology of addictive drugs and introduction to counseling
  • Revise and update syllabus with contemporary psychology, economics, and sociology research.
  • Experience with blackboard online software, facilitate on line instruction and assessments, utilize advanced technologies for presentations.
  • Prepare and deliver brief lectures to undergraduate students on topics such as mammalian physiology, reproduction, genetics, etc.
  • Modele positive work ethics, punctuality and professionalism.
  • Show More

Graduate teaching assistant vs adjunct instructor skills

Common Graduate Teaching Assistant Skills
  • Lab Experiments, 22%
  • Laboratory Sections, 8%
  • Undergraduate Courses, 8%
  • Organic Chemistry, 6%
  • Mathematics, 3%
  • Course Materials, 3%
Common Adjunct Instructor Skills
  • Student Learning, 10%
  • Syllabus, 7%
  • Student Performance, 5%
  • Professional Development, 5%
  • Philosophy, 5%
  • Course Curriculum, 4%

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