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Laboratory instructor vs adjunct faculty

The differences between laboratory instructors and adjunct faculties can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 2-4 years to become both a laboratory instructor and an adjunct faculty. Additionally, an adjunct faculty has an average salary of $83,069, which is higher than the $49,931 average annual salary of a laboratory instructor.

The top three skills for a laboratory instructor include lab procedures, molecular biology and patient care. The most important skills for an adjunct faculty are student learning, syllabus, and philosophy.

Laboratory instructor vs adjunct faculty overview

Laboratory InstructorAdjunct Faculty
Yearly salary$49,931$83,069
Hourly rate$24.01$39.94
Growth rate2%2%
Number of jobs63,10026,791
Job satisfaction--
Most common degreeBachelor's Degree, 66%Bachelor's Degree, 48%
Average age4646
Years of experience44

What does a laboratory instructor do?

A Laboratory Instructor works closely with students and faculty in laboratories. They set up and prepare the laboratory for experiments, and organize and maintain equipment and supplies. They also teach students how to properly use laboratory equipment, tools, and machines. Laboratory Instructors are responsible for maintaining the routine preventative maintenance of all laboratory equipment. Other duties include reinforcing laboratory housekeeping and safety protocol, coordinating with other engineering departments, and receiving, installing, and maintaining laboratory supplies and equipment.

What does an adjunct faculty do?

Adjunct faculty is the collective term for adjunct professors or lecturers. The adjunct faculty teaches students based on the limited-term of their contract. Oftentimes, they teach preparatory or introductory courses by semester arrangement for the entire academic year. Most of them are employed in higher education. Unlike regular professors, adjunct faculty do not have benefits and are not required to be present in meetings. They can work as either a contract professor or a part-time professor.

Laboratory instructor vs adjunct faculty salary

Laboratory instructors and adjunct faculties have different pay scales, as shown below.

Laboratory InstructorAdjunct Faculty
Average salary$49,931$83,069
Salary rangeBetween $31,000 And $78,000Between $45,000 And $152,000
Highest paying CitySpringfield, MASan Francisco, CA
Highest paying stateMassachusettsCalifornia
Best paying companyHutchinson Community CollegeHca Hospital Services Of San Diego
Best paying industryEducationGovernment

Differences between laboratory instructor and adjunct faculty education

There are a few differences between a laboratory instructor and an adjunct faculty in terms of educational background:

Laboratory InstructorAdjunct Faculty
Most common degreeBachelor's Degree, 66%Bachelor's Degree, 48%
Most common majorBiologyNursing
Most common collegeUniversity of PennsylvaniaUniversity of Pennsylvania

Laboratory instructor vs adjunct faculty demographics

Here are the differences between laboratory instructors' and adjunct faculties' demographics:

Laboratory InstructorAdjunct Faculty
Average age4646
Gender ratioMale, 51.3% Female, 48.7%Male, 40.9% Female, 59.1%
Race ratioBlack or African American, 6.9% Unknown, 4.9% Hispanic or Latino, 9.8% Asian, 15.2% White, 63.0% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.3%Black or African American, 7.2% Unknown, 4.9% Hispanic or Latino, 10.3% Asian, 11.2% White, 66.0% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.3%
LGBT Percentage16%16%

Differences between laboratory instructor and adjunct faculty duties and responsibilities

Laboratory instructor example responsibilities.

  • Assist classmates with developing positive study habits and strategies for managing classroom material.
  • Lecture on physiology via computer simulations which include group student discussion.
  • Prepare physiology equipment and dissection demonstration cats for other teaching assistants to follow.
  • Upgrade PowerPoint presentations with audio/visual animations and computer graphics, which appeal to the students thus increasing their attentiveness.
  • Demonstrate unit components utilizing hands-on instruction and PowerPoint presentations; describe experimentation process, and guide students through executing experiments.
  • Identify appropriate techniques for teaching and responding to literature, and ways to effectively use literacy to positively impact diversity education.
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Adjunct faculty example responsibilities.

  • Lead early childhood program initiatives.
  • Provide detail academic instruction for college students in anatomy & physiology, and medical terminology.
  • Prepare lectures, in-class exercises, and collect entirely new course materials to create a personalize syllabus
  • Inform students about course requirements, evaluation procedures, attendance and participation requirements in a course syllabus.
  • Facilitate teaching of online humanities course examining relationship between philosophy and ethics including issues relating to morality.
  • Provide instruction in accounting, economics, federal taxation, management, personnel and small business management.
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Laboratory instructor vs adjunct faculty skills

Common laboratory instructor skills
  • Lab Procedures, 26%
  • Molecular Biology, 8%
  • Patient Care, 7%
  • Anatomy, 5%
  • Student Performance, 5%
  • Organic Chemistry, 5%
Common adjunct faculty skills
  • Student Learning, 11%
  • Syllabus, 8%
  • Philosophy, 7%
  • Professional Development, 6%
  • Course Syllabus, 5%
  • Course Content, 5%

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