How to hire a lecturer

How to hire a lecturer, step by step

Here's a step-by-step lecturer hiring guide:

• Step 1: Identify your hiring needs
• Step 2: Create an ideal candidate profile
• Step 3: Make a budget
• Step 4: Write a lecturer job description
• Step 5: Post your job
• Step 6: Interview candidates
• Step 7: Send a job offer and onboard your new lecturer
• Step 8: Go through the hiring process checklist

What does a lecturer do?

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1. Identify your hiring needs

   Before you post your lecturer job, you should take the time to determine what type of worker your business needs. While certain jobs definitely require a full-time employee, it's sometimes better to find a lecturer for hire on a part-time basis or as a contractor.

   Determine employee vs contractor status

   Is the person you're thinking of hiring a US citizen or green card holder?

   Yes

   No

   You should also consider the ideal background you'd like them a lecturer to have before you start to hire. For example, what industry or field would you like them to have experience in, what level of seniority or education does the job require, and how much it'll cost to hire a lecturer that fits the bill.

   The following list breaks down different types of lecturers and their corresponding salaries.

   Type of Lecturer	Description	Hourly rate
   Lecturer	A Lecturer is responsible for teaching, researching, and performing various administrative duties within a specialist subject area. They interview course applicants, prepare research, manage the research budget, and check and assess students' work.	$17-48
   Visiting Professor	Visiting professors are faculty members from an institution who must visit a host university to teach, lecture, or perform research on a topic they are knowledgeable in. These professors are required to create a positive learning environment among undergraduate students by inviting them to participate and engage in classroom activities, which can consistently enhance the learning process of their students... Show more	$26-115
   Summer School Teacher	A Summer School Teacher is a teacher who works during the summer period. They develop and implement schemes of work and lesson plans in line with curriculum objectives... Show more	$17-36

   Show more

2. Create an ideal candidate profile

   Common skills:

   • Semester
   • Philosophy
   • Syllabus
   • Course Materials
   • Literature
   • Graduate Courses
   • Undergraduate Courses
   • Curriculum Development
   • Mathematics
   • III
   • C++
   • Professional Development
   • Economics
   • Physiology

   Check all skills

   Responsibilities:

   • Create web sites and documentation, using HTML, to manage various projects.
   • Manage a database, compile, retrieve, review and analyze test scores.
   • Develop and lead ELA lessons at the 8th grade level, with an emphasis on critical reading and literary analysis.
   • Establish and maintain practical pharmacology, anatomy and physiology labs.
   • Prepare course syllabus, instructional materials and assignments, assessment materials in an online distance education format.
   • Provide the necessary background including anatomy, chemistry, physiology, genetics, development, and environmental interactions of microorganisms.

   More lecturer duties

3. Make a budget

   Including a salary range in your lecturer job description is a great way to entice the best and brightest candidates. A lecturer salary can vary based on several factors:

   • Location. For example, lecturers' average salary in wyoming is 60% less than in california.
   • Seniority. Entry-level lecturers earn 63% less than senior-level lecturers.
   • Certifications. A lecturer with a few certifications under their belt will likely demand a higher salary.
   • Company. Working for a prestigious company or an exciting start-up can make a huge difference in a lecturer's salary.

   Average lecturer salary

   $61,988yearly

   $29.80 hourly rate

   ---

   Entry-level lecturer salary

   $37,000 yearly salary

   Updated December 24, 2025

   Average lecturer salary by state

   Rank	State	Avg. salary	Hourly rate
   1	California	$90,473	$44
   2	New York	$80,685	$39
   3	Massachusetts	$75,811	$36
   4	District of Columbia	$73,010	$35
   5	Michigan	$62,768	$30
   6	Maryland	$62,207	$30
   7	Washington	$60,962	$29
   8	Pennsylvania	$56,990	$27
   9	Iowa	$56,169	$27
   10	Virginia	$55,750	$27
   11	Kansas	$54,801	$26
   12	Georgia	$51,918	$25
   13	Ohio	$51,160	$25
   14	Indiana	$49,738	$24
   15	Colorado	$48,842	$23
   16	Illinois	$48,579	$23
   17	Missouri	$47,882	$23
   18	Florida	$47,837	$23
   19	Arizona	$47,704	$23
   20	Tennessee	$46,153	$22

   Average lecturer salary by company

   Company

   Rank	Company	Average salary	Hourly rate	Job openings
   1	Johns Hopkins University	$177,953	$85.55	98
   2	University of Idaho	$149,592	$71.92	44
   3	Harvard University	$111,200	$53.46
   4	Rhode Island School of Design	$101,187	$48.65	3
   5	Georgetown University	$99,627	$47.90	1
   6	Pace University	$97,652	$46.95	7
   7	Northeastern University	$93,648	$45.02	143
   8	University of California-Berkeley	$87,616	$42.12
   9	Queen's College	$86,294	$41.49
   10	Stanford University	$83,808	$40.29	96
   11	California Polytechnic State University	$83,705	$40.24
   12	The Catholic University of America	$82,969	$39.89	4
   13	Loyola University New Orleans	$82,866	$39.84	8
   14	Binghamton University	$82,682	$39.75	30
   15	Cornell University	$81,837	$39.34	5
   16	University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign	$81,810	$39.33	54
   17	University of Maryland, Baltimore	$81,433	$39.15	160
   18	Middlebury College	$81,097	$38.99	15
   19	Flatiron School	$80,526	$38.71
   20	The City University of New York	$80,196	$38.56	171

4. Writing a lecturer job description

   A lecturer job description should include a summary of the role, required skills, and a list of responsibilities. It's also good to include a salary range and the first name of the hiring manager. To help get you started, here's an example of a lecturer job description:

   Lecturer job description example

   The Department of Economics, Marketing and Analytics at Southern Utah University seeks applicants for a full-time Lecturer of Business Analytics. This is a full-time, non-tenure-track position to start in August of 2022, or as soon as possible thereafter.
   
   Teaching duties include undergraduate and graduate courses in Data Analytics, and related courses as needed. Teaching load is generally 4-5 courses each semester, depending on the candidate's qualifications and experience. While the specific teaching assignment will be based on experience and expertise, the analytics curriculum includes courses in Data Analytics, Data Processing & Visualization, Consumer Analytics (Marketing Science), and Big Data for Business. Teaching duties may also include quantitative courses outside of the Business Analytics curriculum.
   
   The department places significant emphasis on providing an engaging learning experience for students. The individual filling this position will work with the other faculty to teach courses, develop curriculum, connect with potential employers, and build a program focused on quality placement of graduates.
   
   Minimum qualifications include an M.S. degree and significant experience in business analytics. Applicants with both teaching and professional experience are preferred. Salary and benefits are competitive and commensurate with qualifications and experience.
   
   Southern Utah University is a comprehensive, Masters S institution serving about 13,000 students. Business Analytics is housed in the School of Business, which is AACSB accredited and offers a full range of baccalaureate programs, as well as MBA, MAcc, and MSBA degrees.
   Duties and Responsibilities: As an AACSB accredited School of Business, we are looking for a qualified applicant that can meet the requirements of a Scholarly Practioner, Practicing Academic, or Instructional Practitioner. The duties of each of these positions include the following: Teach courses in Data Analytics and related topics. Provide quality instruction in the classroom with an emphasis on incorporating realistic, contemporary problems in data science and analytics. Engage with and mentor students in the exploration of career opportunities and placement within the discipline. Help develop and grow the Business Analytics program. Provide service to the institution or community. Maintain qualifications through appropriate academic and/or professional engagement activities. Other duties as assigned.
   Education and Experience Requirements: Required Qualifications: 1. Professional experience in Data Analytics. 2. Expertise in R or Python. 3. Ability to engage and mentor students in career development and job placement. 4. Willingness to adhere to university policy. 5. Master's Degree or higher. Preferred Qualifications: 1. Teaching experience, preferably at a university level 2. Expertise in other data analytics tools such as Tableau, SQL, Amazon Web Services, Google Cloud Platform, etc.
   Documents Needed to Apply: Resume/CV Cover letter Statement of teaching philosophy Unofficial transcripts Copies of student evaluations (if applicable) Contact information for 3 professional references
   Southern Utah University is committed to maintaining a community which recognizes and values the worth and dignity of every person; fosters tolerance, understanding, and mutual respect among its members; and encourages individual commitment to personal responsibilities in equal measure with personal rights. In pursuit of its goal of academic excellence, the University seeks to develop and nurture diversity. The University believes that diversity among its many members strengthens the institution, stimulates creativity, promotes the exchange of ideas, and enriches campus life. Southern Utah University does not discriminate against any member of the University community on the basis of race, religion, color, sex, age, national origin, sexual orientation, gender identity, disability status, veteran status, pregnancy, pregnancy-related condition, genetic information, or other bases protected by applicable law in employment, treatment, admission, access to educational programs and activities, or other University benefits or services.
   
   Job Posted by ApplicantPro

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5. Post your job

   To find the right lecturer for your business, consider trying out a few different recruiting strategies:

   • Consider internal talent. One of the most important sources of talent for any company is its existing workforce.
   • Ask for referrals. Reach out to friends, family members, and current employees and ask if they know or have worked with lecturers they would recommend.
   • Recruit at local colleges. Attend job fairs at local colleges to recruit lecturers who meet your education requirements.
   • Social media platforms. LinkedIn, Facebook and Twitter now have more than 3.5 billion users, and you can use social media to reach potential job candidates.

   Post your job online:

   • Post your lecturer job on Zippia to find and attract quality lecturer candidates.
   • Use niche websites such as k12jobspot, learn4good, serious teachers, teachingjobs.com.
   • Post a job on free websites.

6. Interview candidates

   Your first interview with lecturer candidates should focus on their interest in the role and background experience. As the hiring process goes on, you can learn more about how they'd fit into the company culture in later rounds of interviews.

   It's also good to ask about candidates' unique skills and talents to see if they match your ideal candidate profile. If you think a candidate is good enough for the next step, you can move on to the technical interview.

   The right interview questions can help you assess a candidate's hard skills, behavioral intelligence, and soft skills.

7. Send a job offer and onboard your new lecturer

   Once you have selected a candidate for the lecturer position, it is time to create an offer letter. In addition to salary, the offer letter should include details about benefits and perks that are available to the employee. Ensuring your offer is competitive is vital, as qualified candidates may be considering other job opportunities. The candidate may wish to negotiate the terms of the offer, and it is important to be open to discussion and reach a mutually beneficial agreement. After the offer has been accepted, it is a good idea to formalize the agreement with a contract.

   It's equally important to follow up with applicants who don't get the job with an email letting them know that the position has been filled.

   To prepare for the new lecturer first day, you should share an onboarding schedule with them that covers their first period on the job. You should also quickly complete any necessary paperwork, such as employee action forms and onboarding documents like I-9, benefits enrollment, and federal and state tax forms. Finally, Human Resources must ensure a new employee file is created for internal record keeping.

8. Go through the hiring process checklist

   • Determine employee type (full-time, part-time, contractor, etc.)
   • Submit a job requisition form to the HR department
   • Define job responsibilities and requirements
   • Establish budget and timeline
   • Determine hiring decision makers for the role
   • Write job description
   • Post job on job boards, company website, etc.
   • Promote the job internally
   • Process applications through applicant tracking system
   • Review resumes and cover letters
   • Shortlist candidates for screening
   • Hold phone/virtual interview screening with first round of candidates
   • Conduct in-person interviews with top candidates from first round
   • Score candidates based on weighted criteria (e.g., experience, education, background, cultural fit, skill set, etc.)
   • Conduct background checks on top candidates
   • Check references of top candidates
   • Consult with HR and hiring decision makers on job offer specifics
   • Extend offer to top candidate(s)
   • Receive formal job offer acceptance and signed employment contract
   • Inform other candidates that the position has been filled
   • Set and communicate onboarding schedule to new hire(s)
   • Complete new hire paperwork (i9, benefits enrollment, tax forms, etc.)

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