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The differences between substitute instructors and adjunct instructors can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. Additionally, an adjunct instructor has an average salary of $52,030, which is higher than the $36,159 average annual salary of a substitute instructor.
The top three skills for a substitute instructor include kids, classroom management and mathematics. The most important skills for an adjunct instructor are student learning, syllabus, and student performance.
| Substitute Instructor | Adjunct Instructor | |
| Yearly salary | $36,159 | $52,030 |
| Hourly rate | $17.38 | $25.01 |
| Growth rate | 4% | 2% |
| Number of jobs | 67,752 | 40,633 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 59% | Bachelor's Degree, 50% |
| Average age | 42 | 42 |
| Years of experience | - | - |
A substitute instructor is in charge of managing and facilitating classroom activities while the teacher or instructor is not around. Their responsibilities typically revolve around coordinating with the teacher they're substituting for to have insights into the current progress of lessons, recording student attendance, conducting discussions and assessments, preparing different activities, and overseeing the progress of students. Furthermore, a substitute instructor must prepare reports for the teacher and implement the school policies and regulations, all to maintain a safe and healthy learning environment for students.
An adjunct instructor is a faculty member responsible for teaching an area of expertise within a specific contract period. The duties of an adjunct instructor are almost identical as a regular instructor, only that the work benefits are limited. These duties include preparing comprehensive lesson plans, monitoring the students' learning progress, and evaluating their knowledge by conducting tests and activities. An adjunct instructor must have an extensive comprehension of the learning curriculum to provide lectures accordingly.
Substitute instructors and adjunct instructors have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Substitute Instructor | Adjunct Instructor | |
| Average salary | $36,159 | $52,030 |
| Salary range | Between $28,000 And $46,000 | Between $32,000 And $83,000 |
| Highest paying City | Redwood City, CA | Bakersfield, CA |
| Highest paying state | Hawaii | California |
| Best paying company | Erie 2-Chautauqua-Cattaraugus BOCES | Kern Community College District |
| Best paying industry | Non Profits | Education |
There are a few differences between a substitute instructor and an adjunct instructor in terms of educational background:
| Substitute Instructor | Adjunct Instructor | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 59% | Bachelor's Degree, 50% |
| Most common major | Business | Business |
| Most common college | University of Pennsylvania | University of Pennsylvania |
Here are the differences between substitute instructors' and adjunct instructors' demographics:
| Substitute Instructor | Adjunct Instructor | |
| Average age | 42 | 42 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 37.7% Female, 62.3% | Male, 45.2% Female, 54.8% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 10.8% Unknown, 5.9% Hispanic or Latino, 16.9% Asian, 7.9% White, 58.0% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.5% | Black or African American, 11.8% Unknown, 6.0% Hispanic or Latino, 13.8% Asian, 7.5% White, 60.3% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.6% |
| LGBT Percentage | 11% | 11% |