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Instructor, faculty salary

Quoted expert
David McMahan Ph.D.

Average instructor, faculty salary

$57,553

$27.67 hourly rate

Entry-level instructor, faculty salary
$39,000 yearly salary
Updated December 15, 2025

Average Salary for Instructors and Faculty

The average salary for instructors and faculty members is $57,553 per year. This figure varies depending on several factors, including geographic location, years of experience, and the specific field of instruction. For instance, instructors in higher education institutions often command higher salaries than those in primary and secondary education.

Salary by State

In examining salaries by state, regions like California and New York typically feature higher compensation rates, reflecting the cost of living and demand for qualified educators. For example, instructors in California may earn upwards of $70,000 annually, while those in less populated states might find salaries closer to $50,000.

Impact of Experience

Years of experience also play a crucial role in salary determination. Entry-level positions may start around $45,000, but with additional years in the field, educators can see significant increases in their pay. Faculty members who hold advanced degrees or specialized certifications often achieve higher salary brackets.

Key Opportunities

For those pursuing a career in education, understanding these salary dynamics can aid in making informed career choices. By considering factors such as location and specialization, prospective instructors can better navigate their career paths towards lucrative opportunities.

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Where can an Instructor, Faculty earn more?

Compare salary by location
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Columbus, OH$92,992
Charleston, SC$43,155
Compare salary by company
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Carilion Clinic$106,605
State College of Florida$59,877

Average instructor, faculty salary by state

The highest-paying states for instructors, faculty are California, Massachusetts, and Hawaii. The lowest average instructor, faculty salary states are Oklahoma, Louisiana, and Kansas.

  • State view
  • County view
Average salary:

Highest paying states for instructors, faculty

RankStateAvg. salaryHourly rate
1California$93,135$44.78
2Oregon$66,998$32.21
3Alaska$66,434$31.94
4New Jersey$67,760$32.58
5Massachusetts$74,481$35.81
6North Carolina$59,074$28.40
7Iowa$59,530$28.62
8District of Columbia$66,663$32.05
9Texas$58,637$28.19
10Wisconsin$61,516$29.57
11Ohio$58,336$28.05
12New York$60,272$28.98
13Mississippi$57,845$27.81
14Hawaii$68,267$32.82
15North Dakota$61,415$29.53
16Michigan$55,909$26.88
17Virginia$57,320$27.56
18Delaware$61,172$29.41
19Washington$62,803$30.19
20Colorado$57,254$27.53
21Vermont$55,451$26.66
22Wyoming$54,860$26.38
23Minnesota$59,575$28.64
24West Virginia$53,065$25.51
25Indiana$53,772$25.85
26Rhode Island$56,185$27.01
27Kentucky$52,137$25.07
28Nebraska$55,248$26.56
29Montana$50,854$24.45
30Alabama$53,423$25.68
31New Hampshire$54,827$26.36
32Utah$53,118$25.54
33Nevada$52,548$25.26
34Tennessee$52,669$25.32
35Maryland$53,214$25.58
36Pennsylvania$50,709$24.38
37Missouri$53,585$25.76
38New Mexico$51,938$24.97
39Connecticut$54,725$26.31
40Maine$52,191$25.09
41South Dakota$49,533$23.81
42South Carolina$43,170$20.75
43Georgia$47,908$23.03
44Florida$49,793$23.94
45Arkansas$50,529$24.29
46Louisiana$47,304$22.74
47Arizona$49,271$23.69
48Oklahoma$47,762$22.96
49Kansas$46,693$22.45
50Illinois$45,627$21.94
51Idaho$46,034$22.13

Highest paying cities for instructors, faculty

The highest-paying cities for instructors, faculty are Camarillo, CA, Eugene, OR, and Greenville, NC.

RankCityAvg. salaryHourly rate
1Camarillo, CA$92,992$44.71
2Eugene, OR$67,114$32.27
3Greenville, NC$61,589$29.61
4Bay Shore, NY$60,767$29.21
5Iowa City, IA$59,444$28.58
6Austin, TX$59,317$28.52
7Columbus, OH$57,760$27.77
8Harrisonburg, VA$56,292$27.06
9Detroit, MI$56,229$27.03
10Baltimore, MD$53,406$25.68
11Bowling Green, KY$51,196$24.61
12Bozeman, MT$50,521$24.29
13Bradenton, FL$50,137$24.10
14Flagstaff, AZ$48,904$23.51
15Chicago, IL$45,878$22.06
16Charleston, SC$43,155$20.75

Instructor, faculty salary details

An instructor, faculty's salary ranges from $39,000 a year at the 10th percentile to $84,000 at the 90th percentile.

Average instructor, faculty salary graph
Average instructor, faculty salary graph, trends, and summary

What is an instructor, faculty's salary?

PercentileAnnual salaryMonthly salaryHourly rate
90th Percentile$84,000$7,000$40
75th Percentile$70,000$5,833$34
Average$57,553$4,796$28
25th Percentile$46,000$3,833$22
10th Percentile$39,000$3,250$19

Highest paying instructor, faculty jobs

The highest paying types of instructors, faculty are faculty member, clinical instructor, and adjunct faculty.

Job titleAnnual salaryMonthly salaryHourly rateJob openings
Faculty Member$102,849$8,571$49.4530,325
Cosmetology Instructor$45,344$3,779$21.8024,434
Laboratory Instructor$49,931$4,161$24.0163,100
Technical Instructor$68,086$5,674$32.73103,399
Clinical Instructor$84,613$7,051$40.6887,152
Faculty$80,405$6,700$38.6621,142

How would you rate the starting salaries for instructor, facultys, as well as the prospects for salary advancement?

David McMahan Ph.D.

Charles A. Dana Professor of Religious Studies, Franklin and Marshall College

Graduates in Religious Studies don't necessarily go into careers in religion. The standard career path for those involved is going to graduate school, spending several years getting a Ph.D., and facing a tough job market. Starting salaries can vary widely depending on the college or university.

Which companies pay instructors, faculty the most?

Instructor, faculty salaries at Carilion Clinic and University of Maryland, Baltimore are the highest-paying according to our most recent salary estimates. In addition, the average instructor, faculty salary at companies like Rutgers University and Lincoln Memorial University are highly competitive.

Wage gap by gender, race and education

$54,000$53,600$53,200$52,800$52,400$52,000
MaleFemale

Instructor, faculty salary trends

The average instructor, faculty salary has risen by $7,068 over the last ten years. In 2014, the average instructor, faculty earned $50,485 annually, but today, they earn $57,553 a year. That works out to a 10% change in pay for instructors, faculty over the last decade.

Compare instructor, faculty salaries for cities or states with the national average over time.

Average instructor, faculty salary over time

Compare instructor, faculty salaries for individual cities or states with the national average.

Instructor, faculty salary by year

YearAvg. salaryHourly rate% Change
2026$57,600$27.67+1.8%
2025$56,500$27.17+2.7%
2024$55,000$26.43+2.9%
2023$53,400$25.67+1.8%
2022$52,400$25.20+2.3%

Recently added instructor, faculty salaries

CompanyJobLocationDate addedSalary
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Md AndersonInstructor, Research Faculty Appointment (RFA), Lymphoma-MyelomaHouston, TX06/20/2025$65,000
Montgomery CollegeNon-Instructional (Counseling) FacultyMaryland06/20/2025$62,319
JvslaMRI Instructor/Faculty MemberLa Cienega, NM06/20/2025$80,000
Md Anderson Cancer CenterInstructor, Research Faculty Appointment (RFA), Lymphoma-MyelomaHouston, TX06/20/2025$65,000
University of Texas M.D. AndersonInstructor, Research Faculty Appointment (RFA), Lymphoma-MyelomaHouston, TX06/19/2025$65,000
Mount Wachusett Community CollegeFaculty Nursing Instructor ADN Program (2 Positions)-Mount Wachusett Community CollegeGardner, MA06/16/2025$52,880
Cuyahoga Community College (Tri-CInstructor, Module Faculty: Module 3Cleveland, OH06/11/2025$135,655
Virginia Community College SystemEMS Instructional Faculty/Program DirectorEnon, VA05/31/2025$75,000
Montgomery CollegeNon-Instructional (Counseling) FacultyMaryland05/25/2025$62,319

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