Explore jobs
Find specific jobs
Explore careers
Explore professions
Best companies
Explore companies
Visiting professor salary
Average visiting professor salary
$116,217
The average visiting professor salary is approximately $116,217 per year, with variations based on location, institution, and experience levels. For instance, visiting professors in states like California and New York tend to earn more than those in other regions. This role typically requires advanced degrees and teaching experience, making it a pivotal position in academia.
As a visiting professor, you may not only teach but also engage in research, contributing to your field of expertise. Institutions often seek visiting professors to bring fresh perspectives and specialized knowledge, which can enhance their academic programs.
Salary estimates can vary significantly depending on factors such as the institution's funding, the professor's experience, and the academic discipline. For example, visiting professors in STEM fields frequently earn higher salaries than those in the humanities. Additionally, compensation might include benefits such as health insurance and retirement plans, depending on the institution.
For those considering this career path, exploring the average visiting professor salary by state can provide clarity on potential earnings and job opportunities across the United States.
Let Zippia find your next visiting professor job
Let Zippia find your next visiting professor job
Where can a Visiting Professor earn more?
Visiting professor salary estimates from across the web
Average visiting professor salary by state
The highest-paying states for visiting professors are California, New York, and Massachusetts. The lowest average visiting professor salary states are Kansas, Colorado, and Iowa.
- State view
- County view
Highest paying states for visiting professors
| Rank | State | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | New York | $140,105 | $67.36 |
| 2 | Oregon | $131,518 | $63.23 |
| 3 | California | $150,094 | $72.16 |
| 4 | Massachusetts | $133,608 | $64.23 |
| 5 | Connecticut | $121,438 | $58.38 |
| 6 | Pennsylvania | $107,885 | $51.87 |
| 7 | Alabama | $105,587 | $50.76 |
| 8 | Alaska | $111,298 | $53.51 |
| 9 | Florida | $118,342 | $56.90 |
| 10 | Michigan | $106,564 | $51.23 |
| 11 | Texas | $102,535 | $49.30 |
| 12 | Utah | $108,507 | $52.17 |
| 13 | Idaho | $118,773 | $57.10 |
| 14 | Arizona | $118,497 | $56.97 |
| 15 | Maryland | $108,047 | $51.95 |
| 16 | District of Columbia | $104,695 | $50.33 |
| 17 | Washington | $115,518 | $55.54 |
| 18 | New Mexico | $101,963 | $49.02 |
| 19 | Indiana | $93,952 | $45.17 |
| 20 | New Jersey | $100,683 | $48.41 |
| 21 | Louisiana | $94,669 | $45.51 |
| 22 | Virginia | $95,691 | $46.01 |
| 23 | South Carolina | $94,269 | $45.32 |
| 24 | Arkansas | $100,390 | $48.26 |
| 25 | Vermont | $93,693 | $45.04 |
| 26 | Rhode Island | $97,244 | $46.75 |
| 27 | Tennessee | $96,470 | $46.38 |
| 28 | Nebraska | $93,994 | $45.19 |
| 29 | New Hampshire | $99,442 | $47.81 |
| 30 | Delaware | $101,226 | $48.67 |
| 31 | Nevada | $101,080 | $48.60 |
| 32 | North Carolina | $91,221 | $43.86 |
| 33 | Ohio | $90,010 | $43.27 |
| 34 | Kentucky | $86,317 | $41.50 |
| 35 | Illinois | $93,403 | $44.91 |
| 36 | Mississippi | $81,588 | $39.23 |
| 37 | Montana | $82,637 | $39.73 |
| 38 | Maine | $87,841 | $42.23 |
| 39 | Georgia | $87,666 | $42.15 |
| 40 | North Dakota | $88,745 | $42.67 |
| 41 | South Dakota | $77,277 | $37.15 |
| 42 | Colorado | $74,480 | $35.81 |
| 43 | Oklahoma | $87,637 | $42.13 |
| 44 | Minnesota | $84,848 | $40.79 |
| 45 | West Virginia | $66,932 | $32.18 |
| 46 | Missouri | $81,635 | $39.25 |
| 47 | Hawaii | $93,299 | $44.86 |
| 48 | Iowa | $73,627 | $35.40 |
| 49 | Wisconsin | $72,255 | $34.74 |
| 50 | Kansas | $77,034 | $37.04 |
| 51 | Wyoming | $71,225 | $34.24 |
Highest paying cities for visiting professors
The highest-paying cities for visiting professors are San Francisco, CA, New York, NY, and Boston, MA.
| Rank | City | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | San Francisco, CA | $169,828 | $81.65 |
| 2 | New York, NY | $164,519 | $79.10 |
| 3 | Boston, MA | $148,088 | $71.20 |
| 4 | Tallahassee, FL | $137,226 | $65.97 |
| 5 | New Haven, CT | $131,529 | $63.24 |
| 6 | Seattle, WA | $118,132 | $56.79 |
| 7 | Baltimore, MD | $115,678 | $55.61 |
| 8 | Bethlehem, PA | $114,377 | $54.99 |
| 9 | El Paso, TX | $112,885 | $54.27 |
| 10 | Ann Arbor, MI | $111,309 | $53.51 |
| 11 | Washington, DC | $111,207 | $53.46 |
| 12 | Salt Lake City, UT | $110,621 | $53.18 |
| 13 | Memphis, TN | $99,908 | $48.03 |
| 14 | Providence, RI | $99,345 | $47.76 |
| 15 | Baton Rouge, LA | $98,580 | $47.39 |
| 16 | Harrisonburg, VA | $98,330 | $47.27 |
| 17 | Chicago, IL | $95,919 | $46.11 |
| 18 | Lincoln, NE | $95,643 | $45.98 |
| 19 | Akron, OH | $95,453 | $45.89 |
| 20 | Bloomington, IN | $95,199 | $45.77 |
Visiting professor salary details
A visiting professor's salary ranges from $56,000 a year at the 10th percentile to $241,000 at the 90th percentile.
What is a visiting professor's salary?
| Percentile | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 90th Percentile | $241,000 | $20,083 | $116 |
| 75th Percentile | $170,000 | $14,167 | $82 |
| Average | $116,217 | $9,685 | $56 |
| 25th Percentile | $79,000 | $6,583 | $38 |
| 10th Percentile | $56,000 | $4,667 | $27 |
Highest paying visiting professor jobs
The highest paying types of visiting professors are professor, associate professor, and adjunct professor.
| Job title | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate | Job openings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Faculty | $80,405 | $6,700 | $38.66 | 21,142 |
| Summer School Teacher | $52,828 | $4,402 | $25.40 | 86,467 |
| Adjunct Faculty | $83,069 | $6,922 | $39.94 | 26,791 |
| French Teacher | $49,442 | $4,120 | $23.77 | 54,716 |
| High School Teacher | $52,441 | $4,370 | $25.21 | 83,554 |
| Language Teacher | $51,413 | $4,284 | $24.72 | 74,479 |
How would you rate the starting salaries for visiting 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 visiting professors now:
Which companies pay visiting professors the most?
Visiting professor salaries at UMiami Health System and UTHealth are the highest-paying according to our most recent salary estimates. In addition, the average visiting professor salary at companies like Nationwide Children's Hospital and Meta are highly competitive.
| Rank | Company | Average salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | UMiami Health System | $227,077 | $109.17 |
| 2 | UTHealth | $223,467 | $107.44 |
| 3 | Nationwide Children's Hospital | $216,221 | $103.95 |
| 4 | Meta | $201,527 | $96.89 |
| 5 | Duke University Health System | $197,872 | $95.13 |
| 6 | Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center | $192,044 | $92.33 |
| 7 | Univ. Of Texas Cancer Ctr. | $181,974 | $87.49 |
| 8 | Pace University | $178,087 | $85.62 |
| 9 | The Cooper Union | $171,962 | $82.67 |
| 10 | Johns Hopkins University | $171,562 | $82.48 |
| 11 | Colorado Mesa University | $171,402 | $82.40 |
| 12 | Harvard University | $168,504 | $81.01 |
| 13 | IUPUI | $167,241 | $80.40 |
| 14 | Massachusetts Institute of Technology | $165,267 | $79.46 |
| 15 | Emory University | $163,887 | $78.79 |
| 16 | State University of New York College at Cortland | $162,873 | $78.30 |
| 17 | WASHINGTON UNIVERSITY OF VIRGINIA | $159,170 | $76.52 |
| 18 | John Carroll University | $158,424 | $76.17 |
| 19 | New York University | $155,378 | $74.70 |
| 20 | Saint Louis University | $154,225 | $74.15 |
Wage gap by gender, race and education
Visiting professor salary trends
The average visiting professor salary has risen by $12,274 over the last ten years. In 2014, the average visiting professor earned $103,943 annually, but today, they earn $116,217 a year. That works out to a 2% change in pay for visiting professors over the last decade.
Compare visiting professor salaries for cities or states with the national average over time.
Average visiting professor salary over time
Compare visiting professor salaries for individual cities or states with the national average.
Visiting professor salary by year
| Year | Avg. salary | Hourly rate | % Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $116,000 | $55.87 | +0.2% |
| 2024 | $116,000 | $55.75 | -0.6% |
| 2023 | $117,000 | $56.09 | +4.3% |
| 2022 | $112,000 | $53.66 | -2.6% |
| 2021 | $114,000 | $55.04 | +4.8% |
Recently added visiting professor salaries
| Company | Job | Location | Date added | Salary |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Devry University | Marketing Visiting Professor for | Arlington, VA | 06/27/2025 | $78,263 |
| Devry University | Visiting Professor for Ethics at Chicago Campus | Chicago, IL | 06/27/2025 | $78,263 |
| Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts | Visiting Professor of Multimedia Journalism-Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts | North Adams, MA | 06/26/2025 | $60,000 |
| Devry University | Visiting Professor of Math | Los Angeles, CA | 06/25/2025 | $78,263 |
| Adtalem Global Education Inc. | Adult Health Visiting Professor | New Orleans, LA | 06/24/2025 | $58,436 |
| Adtalem Global Education Inc. | Maternal Child Visiting Professor | Atlanta, GA | 06/21/2025 | $58,436 |
| Adtalem Global Education Inc. | Fundamentals Visiting Professor | Sacramento, CA | 06/20/2025 | $135,655 |
| Adtalem Global Education Inc. | Anatomy & Philosophy Visiting Professor | Jacksonville, FL | 06/18/2025 | $58,436 |
| Vermont Law School | Visiting Professor of Law, Online Hybrid J.D. (Ohjd) | South Royalton, VT | 06/18/2025 | $90,000 |
| Staff Openings | Visiting Professor of Law, Online Hybrid J.D. (Ohjd) | South Royalton, VT | 06/18/2025 | $90,000 |
Visiting professor salary FAQs
Search for visiting professor jobs