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The differences between high school teachers and professors can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 1-2 years to become both a high school teacher and a professor. Additionally, a professor has an average salary of $157,570, which is higher than the $52,441 average annual salary of a high school teacher.
The top three skills for a high school teacher include classroom management, professional development and culinary. The most important skills for a professor are philosophy, curriculum development, and mathematics.
| High School Teacher | Professor | |
| Yearly salary | $52,441 | $157,570 |
| Hourly rate | $25.21 | $75.75 |
| Growth rate | 5% | 12% |
| Number of jobs | 83,554 | 21,861 |
| Job satisfaction | 4 | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 68% | Bachelor's Degree, 52% |
| Average age | 43 | 46 |
| Years of experience | 2 | 2 |
High school teachers play an essential role in preparing students for college or life following graduation. They typically teach students from the ninth to 12th grades. They plan and develop lessons, evaluate their students' strengths, weaknesses and abilities, and grade their exams and assignments. Other duties include working with individual students to challenge and improve their abilities, developing and implementing classroom rules, and overseeing students outside the classroom. Some of them also take on additional tasks, such as advising academic clubs or coaching sports teams.
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. They continuously conduct research and experiments so that advanced knowledge in their field is completed. They share their research and works by publishing them in books and academic journals. They also provide assistance to graduating students.
High school teachers and professors have different pay scales, as shown below.
| High School Teacher | Professor | |
| Average salary | $52,441 | $157,570 |
| Salary range | Between $37,000 And $72,000 | Between $88,000 And $280,000 |
| Highest paying City | New York, NY | San Francisco, CA |
| Highest paying state | New York | California |
| Best paying company | Boston Public Schools | Oregon Health & Science University |
| Best paying industry | Professional | Education |
There are a few differences between a high school teacher and a professor in terms of educational background:
| High School Teacher | Professor | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 68% | Bachelor's Degree, 52% |
| Most common major | Education | Business |
| Most common college | Harvard University | Northwestern University |
Here are the differences between high school teachers' and professors' demographics:
| High School Teacher | Professor | |
| Average age | 43 | 46 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 46.5% Female, 53.5% | Male, 56.7% Female, 43.3% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 8.1% Unknown, 4.0% Hispanic or Latino, 11.8% Asian, 3.6% White, 72.1% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.5% | Black or African American, 7.2% Unknown, 4.9% Hispanic or Latino, 10.2% Asian, 12.8% White, 64.5% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.3% |
| LGBT Percentage | 12% | 16% |