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The average salary for an associate professor in the United States is $103,292 annually, which equates to approximately $50 per hour. These figures reflect a range of factors, including geographic location, years of experience, and the specific academic discipline. For instance, associate professors in research-intensive institutions may earn significantly more than those in smaller colleges.
Salary varies widely across states. For example, states like California and New York typically offer higher salaries, with averages exceeding $120,000. Additionally, experience plays a crucial role; associate professors with over 10 years in academia often see salaries upwards of $120,000 as well.
Tracking salary trends over time reveals that associate professors have seen steady increases, reflecting the growing demand for higher education professionals. This upward trend signals a positive outlook for those entering or advancing in the academic field.
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The highest-paying states for associate professors are California, Oregon, and Massachusetts. The lowest average associate professor salary states are Kentucky, Wisconsin, and Illinois.
| Rank | State | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Oregon | $120,285 | $57.83 |
| 2 | New York | $114,044 | $54.83 |
| 3 | Texas | $107,865 | $51.86 |
| 4 | Louisiana | $107,100 | $51.49 |
| 5 | California | $135,590 | $65.19 |
| 6 | Alabama | $105,705 | $50.82 |
| 7 | Utah | $111,514 | $53.61 |
| 8 | Massachusetts | $114,423 | $55.01 |
| 9 | Mississippi | $98,778 | $47.49 |
| 10 | North Carolina | $102,456 | $49.26 |
| 11 | Michigan | $101,932 | $49.01 |
| 12 | Nebraska | $100,301 | $48.22 |
| 13 | Idaho | $112,289 | $53.99 |
| 14 | Florida | $104,815 | $50.39 |
| 15 | Alaska | $99,309 | $47.74 |
| 16 | Minnesota | $101,831 | $48.96 |
| 17 | Georgia | $100,391 | $48.26 |
| 18 | Connecticut | $106,189 | $51.05 |
| 19 | New Mexico | $99,102 | $47.65 |
| 20 | Arizona | $102,456 | $49.26 |
| 21 | Arkansas | $98,218 | $47.22 |
| 22 | District of Columbia | $95,061 | $45.70 |
| 23 | Colorado | $93,504 | $44.95 |
| 24 | Washington | $104,828 | $50.40 |
| 25 | Virginia | $92,404 | $44.42 |
| 26 | Pennsylvania | $90,819 | $43.66 |
| 27 | Maryland | $96,225 | $46.26 |
| 28 | New Jersey | $93,779 | $45.09 |
| 29 | Iowa | $88,438 | $42.52 |
| 30 | Indiana | $85,303 | $41.01 |
| 31 | South Carolina | $86,818 | $41.74 |
| 32 | Montana | $83,589 | $40.19 |
| 33 | Missouri | $91,550 | $44.01 |
| 34 | Ohio | $88,352 | $42.48 |
| 35 | Tennessee | $90,257 | $43.39 |
| 36 | Oklahoma | $90,960 | $43.73 |
| 37 | Rhode Island | $88,185 | $42.40 |
| 38 | South Dakota | $82,591 | $39.71 |
| 39 | Kentucky | $81,651 | $39.26 |
| 40 | Nevada | $92,806 | $44.62 |
| 41 | Vermont | $83,158 | $39.98 |
| 42 | North Dakota | $88,160 | $42.38 |
| 43 | New Hampshire | $88,696 | $42.64 |
| 44 | Delaware | $88,777 | $42.68 |
| 45 | Wisconsin | $79,686 | $38.31 |
| 46 | West Virginia | $58,384 | $28.07 |
| 47 | Hawaii | $87,013 | $41.83 |
| 48 | Kansas | $82,176 | $39.51 |
| 49 | Maine | $78,146 | $37.57 |
| 50 | Illinois | $79,332 | $38.14 |
| 51 | Wyoming | $75,665 | $36.38 |
The highest-paying cities for associate professors are Los Angeles, CA, Portland, OR, and New York, NY.
| Rank | City | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Los Angeles, CA | $139,697 | $67.16 |
| 2 | Portland, OR | $119,306 | $57.36 |
| 3 | New York, NY | $116,706 | $56.11 |
| 4 | Boston, MA | $115,904 | $55.72 |
| 5 | Lubbock, TX | $112,769 | $54.22 |
| 6 | Salt Lake City, UT | $111,599 | $53.65 |
| 7 | Gainesville, FL | $111,149 | $53.44 |
| 8 | Baton Rouge, LA | $110,498 | $53.12 |
| 9 | Birmingham, AL | $107,681 | $51.77 |
| 10 | New Haven, CT | $107,508 | $51.69 |
| 11 | Columbus, GA | $106,583 | $51.24 |
| 12 | Durham, NC | $106,362 | $51.14 |
| 13 | Seattle, WA | $105,245 | $50.60 |
| 14 | Detroit, MI | $103,346 | $49.69 |
| 15 | Little Rock, AR | $100,887 | $48.50 |
| 16 | Baltimore, MD | $97,351 | $46.80 |
| 17 | Washington, DC | $96,190 | $46.25 |
| 18 | New Brunswick, NJ | $94,310 | $45.34 |
| 19 | Aurora, CO | $93,368 | $44.89 |
| 20 | Charlottesville, VA | $92,613 | $44.53 |
Associate Professors are the most in-demand in these five cities:
An associate professor's salary ranges from $56,000 a year at the 10th percentile to $189,000 at the 90th percentile.

| Percentile | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 90th Percentile | $189,000 | $15,750 | $91 |
| 75th Percentile | $142,000 | $11,833 | $68 |
| Average | $103,292 | $8,608 | $50 |
| 25th Percentile | $75,000 | $6,250 | $36 |
| 10th Percentile | $56,000 | $4,667 | $27 |
The highest paying types of associate professors are professor, visiting professor, and faculty member.
| Job title | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate | Job openings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Faculty | $80,405 | $6,700 | $38.66 | 21,142 |
| Instructor, Adjunct Faculty | $52,225 | $4,352 | $25.11 | 37,739 |
| Language Teacher | $51,413 | $4,284 | $24.72 | 74,479 |
| Adjunct Faculty | $83,069 | $6,922 | $39.94 | 26,791 |
| Faculty Member | $102,849 | $8,571 | $49.45 | 30,325 |
| French Teacher | $49,442 | $4,120 | $23.77 | 54,716 |
How would you rate the starting salaries for associate professors, as well as the prospects for salary advancement?
David McMahan Ph.D.
Charles A. Dana Professor of Religious Studies, Franklin and Marshall College
Top companies hiring associate professors now:
Associate professor salaries at Baylor College of Medicine and Montefiore Mount Vernon Hospital are the highest-paying according to our most recent salary estimates. In addition, the average associate professor salary at companies like UTHealth and IU Health Inc are highly competitive.
| Rank | Company | Average salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Baylor College of Medicine | $243,466 | $117.05 |
| 2 | Montefiore Mount Vernon Hospital | $237,463 | $114.16 |
| 3 | UTHealth | $226,749 | $109.01 |
| 4 | IU Health Inc | $224,399 | $107.88 |
| 5 | SUNY Downstate Health Sciences University | $222,645 | $107.04 |
| 6 | Albany Medical Center | $221,728 | $106.60 |
| 7 | Central Vermont Medical Center | $220,549 | $106.03 |
| 8 | Oregon Health & Science University | $215,004 | $103.37 |
| 9 | Medical College of Wisconsin | $213,482 | $102.64 |
| 10 | Ohio State University Medical Center | $208,891 | $100.43 |
| 11 | Palmer College of Chiropractic | $207,726 | $99.87 |
| 12 | University of Massachusetts Medical School | $207,233 | $99.63 |
| 13 | University of Mississippi Medical Center | $205,338 | $98.72 |
| 14 | Thomas Jefferson University | $205,111 | $98.61 |
| 15 | UMiami Health System | $204,477 | $98.31 |
| 16 | National Louis University | $197,574 | $94.99 |
| 17 | Rosalind Franklin University of Medicine and Science | $196,483 | $94.46 |
| 18 | Santa Monica College | $195,862 | $94.16 |
| 19 | Northwell Health | $195,581 | $94.03 |
| 20 | SIU Medicine | $195,018 | $93.76 |
The average associate professor salary has risen by $10,909 over the last ten years. In 2014, the average associate professor earned $92,383 annually, but today, they earn $103,292 a year. That works out to a 2% change in pay for associate professors over the last decade.
Compare associate professor salaries for cities or states with the national average over time.
Compare associate professor salaries for individual cities or states with the national average.
| Year | Avg. salary | Hourly rate | % Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $103,000 | $49.66 | +0.2% |
| 2024 | $103,000 | $49.55 | -0.6% |
| 2023 | $104,000 | $49.85 | +4.3% |
| 2022 | $99,200 | $47.69 | -2.6% |
| 2021 | $102,000 | $48.92 | +4.8% |
| Company | Job | Location | Date added | Salary |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| New York Institute of Technology | Assistant/Associate Professor | Old Westbury, NY | 06/29/2025 | $20,000 |
| Hofstra University | Assistant/Associate Professor of Multi-Camera Studio and Field Television Production | Hempstead, NY | 06/28/2025 | $95,000 |
| Stony Brook University | Psychiatrist, Clinical Assistant/Associate Professor, Psychiatry, Emergency Department/Cpep | Fine, NY | 06/27/2025 | $308,000 |
| Montclair Dance Company | Associate or Full Professor, Harm Reduction | Montclair, NJ | 06/27/2025 | $81,475 |
| Seton Hall University | Associate Professor & Associate Dean of Academics | Newark, NJ | 06/26/2025 | $110,400 |
| New York University | Associate or Full Professor, Business of Healthcare (Tenured) | Fine, NY | 06/25/2025 | $250,000 |
| Florida Atlantic University | Director of The DNP Program and Associate/Professor-Practice Teaching Track | Boca Raton, FL | 06/24/2025 | $120,000 |
| University of Minnesota | Assistant/Associate/Full Professor-Adult Congenital Heart Disease | Minneapolis, MN | 06/24/2025 | $55,000 |
| Northeastern University | Assistant/Associate/Full Professor of Supply Chain & Information Technology | Boston, MA | 06/17/2025 | $181,000 |
| University of Texas M.D. Anderson | Associate Professor, Clinical Faculty Appointment (CFA), Pediatrics | Houston, TX | 06/15/2025 | $262,965 |
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