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Adjunct instructor salary
Average adjunct instructor salary
$52,030
Understanding Adjunct Instructor Salaries
In the educational landscape, the role of an adjunct instructor is vital yet often underappreciated. The average salary for an adjunct instructor in the United States stands at $52,030 per year, translating to about $25 per hour. Salary variations can occur based on factors such as geographic location, years of experience, and the specific academic institution.
For instance, adjunct instructors in states like California and New York tend to earn higher wages compared to those in smaller states. Additionally, instructors with more teaching experience may command better compensation. Institutions often offer competitive pay to attract qualified professionals, especially in high-demand fields like STEM.
As you consider opportunities in academia, it’s beneficial to research specific colleges and universities to identify the best compensation packages. Understanding the adjunct salary landscape can empower you to negotiate effectively or choose positions that offer growth potential.
Exploring Job Opportunities
Beyond salary alone, adjunct positions provide flexibility and a chance to make impactful contributions to students' educational journeys. Explore various job listings tailored to your expertise, and utilize platforms like Zippia to find the right fit for your career goals.
Let Zippia find your next adjunct instructor job
Let Zippia find your next adjunct instructor job
Where can an Adjunct Instructor earn more?
Adjunct instructor salary estimates from across the web
Average adjunct instructor salary by state
The highest-paying states for adjunct instructors are California, Washington, and New York. The lowest average adjunct instructor salary states are Illinois, South Dakota, and Tennessee.
- State view
- County view
Highest paying states for adjunct instructors
| Rank | State | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | New York | $66,246 | $31.85 |
| 2 | Vermont | $63,710 | $30.63 |
| 3 | New Jersey | $66,135 | $31.80 |
| 4 | California | $69,711 | $33.51 |
| 5 | West Virginia | $55,702 | $26.78 |
| 6 | Michigan | $59,233 | $28.48 |
| 7 | Washington | $66,832 | $32.13 |
| 8 | Pennsylvania | $56,575 | $27.20 |
| 9 | Iowa | $53,145 | $25.55 |
| 10 | Massachusetts | $58,722 | $28.23 |
| 11 | Oregon | $52,661 | $25.32 |
| 12 | Wisconsin | $55,730 | $26.79 |
| 13 | New Hampshire | $58,939 | $28.34 |
| 14 | Rhode Island | $54,365 | $26.14 |
| 15 | Alaska | $51,678 | $24.85 |
| 16 | Nevada | $52,395 | $25.19 |
| 17 | Connecticut | $58,006 | $27.89 |
| 18 | District of Columbia | $57,462 | $27.63 |
| 19 | Kentucky | $48,715 | $23.42 |
| 20 | Delaware | $54,316 | $26.11 |
| 21 | Virginia | $49,615 | $23.85 |
| 22 | Alabama | $48,523 | $23.33 |
| 23 | Louisiana | $48,191 | $23.17 |
| 24 | Ohio | $49,243 | $23.67 |
| 25 | Hawaii | $55,158 | $26.52 |
| 26 | Indiana | $47,002 | $22.60 |
| 27 | Utah | $48,653 | $23.39 |
| 28 | Montana | $49,086 | $23.60 |
| 29 | Colorado | $47,611 | $22.89 |
| 30 | North Carolina | $47,403 | $22.79 |
| 31 | Wyoming | $47,228 | $22.71 |
| 32 | Maryland | $49,456 | $23.78 |
| 33 | Minnesota | $50,971 | $24.51 |
| 34 | Mississippi | $45,266 | $21.76 |
| 35 | Idaho | $49,542 | $23.82 |
| 36 | North Dakota | $47,807 | $22.98 |
| 37 | Maine | $48,073 | $23.11 |
| 38 | Nebraska | $45,280 | $21.77 |
| 39 | Arizona | $47,163 | $22.67 |
| 40 | New Mexico | $45,691 | $21.97 |
| 41 | Texas | $42,804 | $20.58 |
| 42 | South Carolina | $41,308 | $19.86 |
| 43 | Arkansas | $45,645 | $21.94 |
| 44 | South Dakota | $41,800 | $20.10 |
| 45 | Georgia | $40,410 | $19.43 |
| 46 | Florida | $42,987 | $20.67 |
| 47 | Kansas | $43,414 | $20.87 |
| 48 | Tennessee | $41,632 | $20.02 |
| 49 | Missouri | $42,685 | $20.52 |
| 50 | Illinois | $42,057 | $20.22 |
| 51 | Oklahoma | $40,635 | $19.54 |
Highest paying cities for adjunct instructors
The highest-paying cities for adjunct instructors are Bakersfield, CA, New York, NY, and Newark, NJ.
| Rank | City | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Bakersfield, CA | $70,761 | $34.02 |
| 2 | New York, NY | $66,428 | $31.94 |
| 3 | Newark, NJ | $66,222 | $31.84 |
| 4 | Detroit, MI | $59,483 | $28.60 |
| 5 | Philadelphia, PA | $57,273 | $27.54 |
| 6 | Milwaukee, WI | $55,758 | $26.81 |
| 7 | Newark, DE | $54,332 | $26.12 |
| 8 | Cedar Rapids, IA | $53,427 | $25.69 |
| 9 | Eugene, OR | $52,973 | $25.47 |
| 10 | Anchorage, AK | $51,557 | $24.79 |
| 11 | Richmond, VA | $49,438 | $23.77 |
| 12 | Athens, OH | $49,188 | $23.65 |
| 13 | Baton Rouge, LA | $48,330 | $23.24 |
| 14 | Durham, NC | $48,139 | $23.14 |
| 15 | Glendale, AZ | $47,334 | $22.76 |
| 16 | Cheyenne, WY | $46,271 | $22.25 |
| 17 | Bradenton, FL | $43,669 | $20.99 |
| 18 | Lawrence, KS | $43,435 | $20.88 |
| 19 | Houston, TX | $42,968 | $20.66 |
| 20 | Saint Charles, MO | $42,804 | $20.58 |
Adjunct Instructors are the most in-demand in these five cities:
Adjunct instructor salary details
An adjunct instructor's salary ranges from $32,000 a year at the 10th percentile to $83,000 at the 90th percentile.
What is an adjunct instructor's salary?
| Percentile | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 90th Percentile | $83,000 | $6,917 | $40 |
| 75th Percentile | $66,000 | $5,500 | $32 |
| Average | $52,030 | $4,336 | $25 |
| 25th Percentile | $40,000 | $3,333 | $19 |
| 10th Percentile | $32,000 | $2,667 | $15 |
Highest paying adjunct instructor jobs
The highest paying types of adjunct instructors are adjunct professor, adjunct faculty, and adjunct lecturer.
| Job title | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate | Job openings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Instructor, Adjunct Faculty | $52,225 | $4,352 | $25.11 | 37,739 |
| Adjunct Faculty | $83,069 | $6,922 | $39.94 | 26,791 |
| Learning Center Instructor | $33,129 | $2,761 | $15.93 | 59,893 |
| College Instructor | $50,584 | $4,215 | $24.32 | 41,053 |
| Program Instructor | $42,380 | $3,532 | $20.38 | 92,369 |
| Laboratory Instructor | $49,931 | $4,161 | $24.01 | 63,100 |
Top companies hiring adjunct instructors now:
Which companies pay adjunct instructors the most?
Adjunct instructor salaries at Kern Community College District and Health Alliance are the highest-paying according to our most recent salary estimates. In addition, the average adjunct instructor salary at companies like Holy Name Medical Center and New York University are highly competitive.
| Rank | Company | Average salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Kern Community College District | $143,119 | $68.81 |
| 2 | Health Alliance | $138,628 | $66.65 |
| 3 | Holy Name Medical Center | $131,076 | $63.02 |
| 4 | New York University | $128,812 | $61.93 |
| 5 | Yeshiva University | $117,806 | $56.64 |
| 6 | Hca Hospital Services Of San Diego | $116,201 | $55.87 |
| 7 | Massasoit Community College | $111,885 | $53.79 |
| 8 | The Cooper Union | $108,916 | $52.36 |
| 9 | University of California | $102,579 | $49.32 |
| 10 | Oregon Health & Science University | $98,082 | $47.15 |
| 11 | Bon Secours Community Hospital | $92,715 | $44.57 |
| 12 | University of California-Berkeley | $91,955 | $44.21 |
| 13 | Rutgers University | $90,522 | $43.52 |
| 14 | Saint Louis University | $87,325 | $41.98 |
| 15 | 4CD Live | $85,827 | $41.26 |
| 16 | New York Institute of Technology | $84,811 | $40.77 |
| 17 | UC Santa Barbara | $82,468 | $39.65 |
| 18 | University of Detroit Mercy | $82,406 | $39.62 |
| 19 | University of Rochester | $81,403 | $39.14 |
| 20 | New Jersey Institute of Technology | $80,341 | $38.63 |
Wage gap by gender, race and education
Adjunct instructor salary trends
The average adjunct instructor salary has risen by $5,596 over the last ten years. In 2014, the average adjunct instructor earned $46,434 annually, but today, they earn $52,030 a year. That works out to a 6% change in pay for adjunct instructors over the last decade.
Compare adjunct instructor salaries for cities or states with the national average over time.
Average adjunct instructor salary over time
Compare adjunct instructor salaries for individual cities or states with the national average.
Adjunct instructor salary by year
| Year | Avg. salary | Hourly rate | % Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $52,000 | $25.01 | +2.4% |
| 2024 | $50,800 | $24.40 | +0.3% |
| 2023 | $50,600 | $24.34 | +1.8% |
| 2022 | $49,700 | $23.90 | +1.7% |
| 2021 | $48,900 | $23.50 | +3.6% |
Recently added adjunct instructor salaries
| Company | Job | Location | Date added | Salary |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Northeast College of Health Sciences | Adjunct Instructor | Seneca Falls, NY | 06/29/2025 | $93,915 |
| Association for Institutional Research In The Upper Midwest | Agriculture Equipment Technology Adjunct Instructor | Appleton, WI | 06/29/2025 | $93,915 |
| Get It Recruit-Educational Services | Adjunct Instructor-Remote | WFH | Fremont, NH | 06/29/2025 | $41,740 |
| Get It Recruit-Educational Services | Lab Assistant Adjunct Instructor-Remote | WFH | Lafayette, LA | 06/29/2025 | $41,740 |
| Lamar Institute of Technology | Adjunct Instructor-All Departments | Beaumont, TX | 06/28/2025 | $104,350 |
| State of Virginia | Sports Management Adjunct Instructor | Tazewell, VA | 06/28/2025 | $39,340 |
| West Coast University | Adjunct Instructor I, Dental Hygiene | Anaheim, CA | 06/28/2025 | $88,259 |
| Ivy Tech Community College | Mechanical and Electrical Adjunct Instructor | Tell City, IN | 06/27/2025 | $93,915 |
| Global Medical Response | EMS Adjunct Instructor | Riverside, CA | 06/27/2025 | $62,610 |
| Global Medical Response | EMS Adjunct Instructor | Happy Valley, OR | 06/27/2025 | $62,610 |
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