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The differences between visiting assistant professors and high school teachers can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. While it typically takes 2-4 years to become a visiting assistant professor, becoming a high school teacher takes usually requires 1-2 years. Additionally, a visiting assistant professor has an average salary of $72,541, which is higher than the $52,441 average annual salary of a high school teacher.
The top three skills for a visiting assistant professor include philosophy, literature and mathematics. The most important skills for a high school teacher are classroom management, professional development, and culinary.
| Visiting Assistant Professor | High School Teacher | |
| Yearly salary | $72,541 | $52,441 |
| Hourly rate | $34.88 | $25.21 |
| Growth rate | 12% | 5% |
| Number of jobs | 27,503 | 83,554 |
| Job satisfaction | - | 4 |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 47% | Bachelor's Degree, 68% |
| Average age | 46 | 43 |
| Years of experience | 4 | 2 |
A visiting assistant professor's responsibilities revolve around performing support tasks and conducting lectures while under the supervision or directives of a more experienced professor. Typically working for a limited period, a visiting assistant professor's duties are no different from full-time workers as their responsibilities revolve around assessing student progress through activities and examinations, developing a series of lectures, and preparing coursework. They may also monitor the progress of students, all while maintaining a safe and healthy learning environment for everyone.
High school teachers play an essential role in preparing students for college or life following graduation. They typically teach students from the ninth to 12th grades. They plan and develop lessons, evaluate their students' strengths, weaknesses and abilities, and grade their exams and assignments. Other duties include working with individual students to challenge and improve their abilities, developing and implementing classroom rules, and overseeing students outside the classroom. Some of them also take on additional tasks, such as advising academic clubs or coaching sports teams.
Visiting assistant professors and high school teachers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Visiting Assistant Professor | High School Teacher | |
| Average salary | $72,541 | $52,441 |
| Salary range | Between $41,000 And $125,000 | Between $37,000 And $72,000 |
| Highest paying City | Washington, DC | New York, NY |
| Highest paying state | Oregon | New York |
| Best paying company | University of Illinois System | Boston Public Schools |
| Best paying industry | Education | Professional |
There are a few differences between a visiting assistant professor and a high school teacher in terms of educational background:
| Visiting Assistant Professor | High School Teacher | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 47% | Bachelor's Degree, 68% |
| Most common major | Mathematics | Education |
| Most common college | University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill | Harvard University |
Here are the differences between visiting assistant professors' and high school teachers' demographics:
| Visiting Assistant Professor | High School Teacher | |
| Average age | 46 | 43 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 58.2% Female, 41.8% | Male, 46.5% Female, 53.5% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 6.7% Unknown, 4.9% Hispanic or Latino, 9.6% Asian, 14.7% White, 63.8% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.3% | Black or African American, 8.1% Unknown, 4.0% Hispanic or Latino, 11.8% Asian, 3.6% White, 72.1% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.5% |
| LGBT Percentage | 16% | 12% |