Psychology instructor vs assistant professor of psychology

The differences between psychology instructors and assistant professors of psychology can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 1-2 years to become both a psychology instructor and an assistant professor of psychology. Additionally, an assistant professor of psychology has an average salary of $63,645, which is higher than the $58,760 average annual salary of a psychology instructor.

The top three skills for a psychology instructor include semester, student learning and research methods. The most important skills for an assistant professor of psychology are clinical psychology, research methods, and APA.

Psychology instructor vs assistant professor of psychology overview

	Psychology Instructor	Assistant Professor Of Psychology
Yearly salary	$58,760	$63,645
Hourly rate	$28.25	$30.60
Growth rate	12%	12%
Number of jobs	36,350	34,702
Job satisfaction	-	-
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 49%	Bachelor's Degree, 52%
Average age	46	46
Years of experience	2	2

What does a psychology instructor do?

Psychology Instructors will enjoy a pay rate of $14K to #130 K per year, depending on the location of the work. To qualify for this position, a bachelor's degree in education or psychology, as well as a teaching certification and learning experience in the field. This career calls on those with good skills in reading comprehension, instructing, speaking, critical thinking, active listening and learning, writing, and social perspectives in order to deliver student-based lessons about human behavior and the functions of the human mind for both high school and college level.

What does an assistant professor of psychology do?

The job of an assistant professor of psychology is associated with the teaching of psychological studies. As an assistant psychology professor, you will be involved in various functions, including teaching, psychological research projects, and curriculum development. Other duties include instructing students on how to use the different research methods in psychological studies, deriving new methods of psychological research and how it can be applied in psychology, and assisting in assessing student performance. An assistant psychology professor is also responsible for facilitating discussions and lectures in psychology classes.

Psychology instructor vs assistant professor of psychology salary

Psychology instructors and assistant professors of psychology have different pay scales, as shown below.

	Psychology Instructor	Assistant Professor Of Psychology
Average salary	$58,760	$63,645
Salary range	Between $42,000 And $81,000	Between $44,000 And $91,000
Highest paying City	Santa Rosa, CA	Fresno, CA
Highest paying state	California	California
Best paying company	Kern Community College District	Columbia University in the City of New York
Best paying industry	Professional	Education

Differences between psychology instructor and assistant professor of psychology education

There are a few differences between a psychology instructor and an assistant professor of psychology in terms of educational background:

	Psychology Instructor	Assistant Professor Of Psychology
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 49%	Bachelor's Degree, 52%
Most common major	Psychology	Psychology
Most common college	Johns Hopkins University	Johns Hopkins University

Psychology instructor vs assistant professor of psychology demographics

Here are the differences between psychology instructors' and assistant professors of psychology' demographics:

	Psychology Instructor	Assistant Professor Of Psychology
Average age	46	46
Gender ratio	Male, 34.8% Female, 65.2%	Male, 47.8% Female, 52.2%
Race ratio	Black or African American, 7.2% Unknown, 4.9% Hispanic or Latino, 10.2% Asian, 11.3% White, 66.1% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.3%	Black or African American, 7.3% Unknown, 5.0% Hispanic or Latino, 10.4% Asian, 11.2% White, 65.8% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.3%
LGBT Percentage	16%	16%

Differences between psychology instructor and assistant professor of psychology duties and responsibilities

Psychology instructor example responsibilities.

Lead creative writing workshops where students are introduced to the craft of creative writing through short stories and poetry.
Develop curriculum, teach one course weekly during fall/winter semester and conduct class discussions, quizzes and exams on material present.
Conduct college-level courses in the fields of sociology and psychology including culture, social systems, and social changes.
Used structured syllabus with visuals, organize notes, and provide learning lessons for students with interactive tasks to apply learning.
Present lectures to several hundr undergraduate students each semester.
Present dynamic informative lectures on human anatomy and physiology.

Assistant professor of psychology example responsibilities.

Used blackboard online to manage students tests, grade papers and assign materials.
Create companion website for classes with PowerPoint presentations, online assignments, and lecture notes.
Prepare the course outlines and syllabus for the courses updating information, adjusting requirements and changing course materials as needed.
Maintain student progress throughout semester.
Organize and coordinate seminar production and content.
Facilitate lectures and discussions in various psychology and sociology classes.

Psychology instructor vs assistant professor of psychology skills

Common psychology instructor skills

Semester, 12%
Student Learning, 6%
Research Methods, 6%
Syllabus, 5%
Social Work, 5%
Sociology, 5%

Common assistant professor of psychology skills

Clinical Psychology, 17%
Research Methods, 14%
APA, 9%
Social Psychology, 7%
Developmental Psychology, 6%
Professional Development, 5%

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Psychology Instructor vs Assistant Professor Of Psychology

Updated January 8, 2025

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