Professor demographics and statistics in the US
Professor demographics research summary. Zippia estimates professor demographics and statistics in the United States by using a database of 30 million profiles. Our professor estimates are verified against BLS, Census, and current job openings data for accuracy. Zippia's data science team found the following key facts about professors after extensive research and analysis:
- There are over 208,020 professors currently employed in the United States.
- 43.3% of all professors are women, while 56.7% are men.
- The average professor age is 46 years old.
- The most common ethnicity of professors is White (64.5%), followed by Asian (12.8%), Hispanic or Latino (10.2%) and Black or African American (7.2%).
- Professors are most in-demand in Aurora, CO.
- The education industry is the highest-paying for professors.
- San Francisco, CA pays an annual average wage of $216,671, the highest in the US.
- In 2022, women professors earned 95% of what men earned.
- 16% of all professors are LGBT.
- Alabama is the best state for professors to live.
- Professors are 93% more likely to work at education companies in comparison to private companies.
On this page
Professor demographics by:
Professor gender statistics
43.3% of professors are women and 56.7% of professors are men.
- Male, 56.7%
- Female, 43.3%
Professor gender ratio
| Gender | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Male | 56.7% |
| Female | 43.3% |
Professor gender pay gap
Women earn 95¢ for every $1 earned by men
Male income
$143,082
Female income
$135,708
Professor gender ratio over time
This data breaks down the percentage of men and women in professor positions over time. Currently, 43.3% of professors are female.
Professor gender ratio by year
| Year | Male | Female |
|---|---|---|
| 2010 | 57.27% | 42.73% |
| 2011 | 57.79% | 42.21% |
| 2012 | 57.47% | 42.53% |
| 2013 | 57.04% | 42.96% |
| 2014 | 55.93% | 44.07% |
| 2015 | 56.76% | 43.24% |
| 2016 | 56.43% | 43.57% |
| 2017 | 57.01% | 42.99% |
| 2018 | 56.44% | 43.56% |
| 2019 | 56.02% | 43.98% |
| 2020 | 55.37% | 44.63% |
| 2021 | 56.66% | 43.34% |
Professor related jobs gender ratio
We compared professors with similar job titles to see how gender ratios vary. As you can see, hvac/r instructor and assistant professor of air conditioning and refrigeration have the biggest gender ratio gaps.
| Job title | Male | Female |
|---|---|---|
| Aesthetics Instructor | 8% | 92% |
| Cosmetology Instructor | 9% | 91% |
| Adjunct Nursing Faculty | 9% | 91% |
| Professor | 57% | 43% |
| Diesel Technology Instructor | 97% | 3% |
| Assistant Professor Of Air Conditioning And Refrigeration | 97% | 3% |
| Hvac/R Instructor | 97% | 3% |
Male
Female
100%
75%
50%
25%
0%
0%
25%
50%
75%
100%
Professor demographics by race
The most common ethnicity among professors is White, which makes up 64.5% of all professors. Comparatively, 12.8% of professors are Asian and 10.2% of professors are Hispanic or Latino.
- White, 64.5%
- Asian, 12.8%
- Hispanic or Latino, 10.2%
- Black or African American, 7.2%
- Unknown, 4.9%
- American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.4%
Professor race
| Professor race | Percentages |
|---|---|
| White | 64.5% |
| Asian | 12.8% |
| Hispanic or Latino | 10.2% |
| Black or African American | 7.2% |
| Unknown | 4.9% |
| American Indian and Alaska Native | 0.4% |
Professor race and ethnicity over time
See how professor racial and ethnic diversity trended since 2010 according to the United States Census Bureau data.
Professor race and ethnicity by year
| Year | White | Black or African American | Asian | Hispanic or Latino |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 | 70.97% | 7.33% | 10.72% | 8.37% |
| 2011 | 70.67% | 7.18% | 11.45% | 8.13% |
| 2012 | 70.26% | 7.47% | 11.32% | 8.37% |
| 2013 | 69.39% | 7.83% | 11.60% | 8.62% |
| 2014 | 69.48% | 7.45% | 11.27% | 9.01% |
| 2015 | 67.93% | 7.68% | 12.22% | 9.30% |
| 2016 | 68.42% | 7.61% | 11.94% | 9.19% |
| 2017 | 67.50% | 7.35% | 13.11% | 9.24% |
| 2018 | 69.29% | 7.09% | 11.43% | 9.44% |
| 2019 | 67.62% | 7.36% | 12.38% | 9.96% |
| 2020 | 65.70% | 7.07% | 12.01% | 10.12% |
| 2021 | 64.54% | 7.19% | 12.81% | 10.24% |
Professor wage gap by race
According to our data, asian professors have the highest average salary compared to other ethnicities. Black or african american professors have the lowest average salary at $140,071.
| Ethnicity | Salary |
|---|---|
| Unknown | $142,143 |
| White | $142,373 |
| Black or African American | $140,071 |
| Asian | $147,769 |
| Hispanic or Latino | $143,164 |
Average professor age
See how the average age of professors varies based on ethnicity and gender.
Male
Female
Professor age by race and gender
| Race | Male age | Female age |
|---|---|---|
| Black or African American | 49 | 45 |
| Unknown | 44.5 | 44 |
| Asian | 41 | 41 |
| Hispanic or Latino | 43 | 41 |
| White | 48 | 46 |
| American Indian and Alaska Native | 54 | 48 |
Professor age breakdown
The average age of professors is 40+ years years old, representing 67% of the professor population.
Professor age breakdown
| Professor Years | Percentages |
|---|---|
| 40+ years | 67% |
| 30-40 years | 21% |
| 20-30 years | 11% |
Professor educational attainment
The most common degree for professors is bachelor's degree, with 52% of professors earning that degree. The second and third most common degree levels are master's degree degree at 25% and master's degree degree at 15%.
- Bachelor's, 52%
- Master's, 25%
- Doctorate, 15%
- Associate, 5%
- Other Degrees, 3%
Professors by degree level
| Professor degree | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Bachelor's | 52% |
| Master's | 25% |
| Doctorate | 15% |
| Associate | 5% |
| Other Degrees | 3% |
Professor jobs you might like
Professor wage gap by degree level
| Education | Salary |
|---|---|
| Master's Degree | $147,186 |
| Doctorate Degree | $189,720 |
Professor employment statistics
Most professors work for a education in the education industry.
Company size where professors work
Below, you can see the size of companies where professors work.
Professor jobs by employer size
| Company size | Percentages |
|---|---|
| < 50 employees | 3% |
| 50 - 100 employees | 10% |
| 100 - 500 employees | 16% |
| 500 - 1,000 employees | 10% |
| 1,000 - 10,000 employees | 51% |
| > 10,000 employees | 10% |
Professor jobs by company type
Employees with the professor job title have their preferences when it comes to working for a company. For instance, most professors prefer to work at education companies over private companies.
Professor jobs by sector
| Company type | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Education | 93% |
| Public | 0% |
| Private | 6% |
| Government | 1% |
Professor jobs by industry
The most common industries for professors are education, manufacturing and non profits.
Professor industry statistics
| Industry | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Education | 90% |
| Manufacturing | 2% |
| Finance | 1% |
| Government | 1% |
| Start-up | 1% |
| Non Profits | 1% |
| Health Care | 1% |
| Professional | 1% |
| Technology | 1% |
Professor turnover and employment statistics
Professor unemployment rate over time
The unemployment rate for professors between 2008 and the most recent data has varied, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
Professor unemployment rate by year
| Year | Professor unemployment rate |
|---|---|
| 2010 | 3.13% |
| 2011 | 3.11% |
| 2012 | 3.14% |
| 2013 | 3.31% |
| 2014 | 2.86% |
| 2015 | 2.61% |
| 2016 | 2.42% |
| 2017 | 2.51% |
| 2018 | 2.40% |
| 2019 | 2.23% |
| 2020 | 2.58% |
| 2021 | 2.98% |
Average professor tenure
The average professor stays at their job for 1-2 years, based on the 18,209 professors resumes in Zippia's database.
Professor tenure statistics
| Number of years | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Less than 1 year | 26% |
| 1-2 years | 25% |
| 3-4 years | 12% |
| 5-7 years | 14% |
| 8-10 years | 6% |
| 11+ years | 17% |
Professor LGBT ratio compared to similar jobs
Review the percent of professors that are members of the LGBT community. You can see how this compares to similar jobs in the chart below.
| Job title | LGBT | Job openings |
|---|---|---|
| Teaching & Research Assistant | 6.04% | 48,936 |
| Integrated Program Teacher | 9.52% | 127,379 |
| Reference Librarian | 10.75% | 1,058 |
| Special Education Instructor | 11.12% | 82,793 |
| Library Technician | 13.69% | 24,941 |
| Professor | 15.52% | - |
| Instructional Designer Internship | 16.25% | 94,366 |
Similar professor jobs LGBT demographics
| Profession | Percentages of LGBT | Job openings |
|---|---|---|
| Teaching & Research Assistant | 6.04% | 48,936 |
| Integrated Program Teacher | 9.52% | 127,379 |
| Reference Librarian | 10.75% | 1,058 |
| Special Education Instructor | 11.12% | 82,793 |
| Library Technician | 13.69% | 24,941 |
| Instructional Designer Internship | 16.25% | 94,366 |
Foreign languages spoken by professors
The most common foreign language among professors is Spanish at 52.0%. The second-most popular foreign language spoken is French at 10.7% and Portuguese is the third-most popular at 5.1%.
- Spanish, 52.0%
- French, 10.7%
- Portuguese, 5.1%
- Chinese, 5.0%
- Italian, 4.8%
- Other, 22.4%
Professor languages spoken
| Foreign language | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Spanish | 52.0% |
| French | 10.7% |
| Portuguese | 5.1% |
| Chinese | 5.0% |
| Italian | 4.8% |
| Other | 22.4% |
