Professor Careers Information
Professors are held in high esteem in our society. They instruct students at the highest levels of our educational system and are considered keepers of cultural knowledge. Collectively they work in all fields: humanities, social sciences, and hard sciences though each will specialize in one or few areas, such as English literature or physics.
Professor Careers & Degrees
- American Intercontinental University: Online
- Master's (M. Ed.) - Educational Assessment and Evaluation
- Master's (M.Ed.) - Adult Education and Training
- Master's (M.Ed.) - Leadership of Educational Organizations
Jones International University: Online
- MEd in Adult Education
- MEd in Education Leadership and Administration
- MEd in Education Leadership and Administration: Principal and Administrator Licensure
- MEd in Higher Education Leadership and Administration
Grand Canyon University: Online
- Ed.D. in Organizational Leadership with an Emphasis in Higher Education Leadership
- M.Ed. in Curriculum and Instruction: Reading - Elementary Education (No IR, No Cert.)
- M.Ed. in Curriculum and Instruction: Reading - Secondary Education (No IR, No Cert.)
- M.Ed. in Education Administration (With IR and Cert.)
While at some colleges professors are only asked to teach students, many universities require their professors to conduct research in addition to their teaching duties. By reading and writing academic journal articles and attending conferences, professors work with each other to further our collective knowledge.
Professors have a schedule that is different from most other occupations. Each semester or teaching period brings a new schedule with new courses and students. At larger research universities, some professors may only teach one class a semester, in some semesters none, with the expectation that they fill their free time conducting research or writing. When teaching, professors must prepare lesson plans and assignments. Depending on the discipline, they may find themselves grading tests or reading student papers. For large courses, they may present lectures; for small, lead class discussions.
Although professors may have more academic freedom than their teaching counterparts in elementary and secondary schools, they still need to be aware of different learning styles and present their material in ways that it will be most clearly understood. They are expected to stay abreast of their field, so their students always have the most up-to-date knowledge.
Professor Careers Path
Almost all professors have a Ph.D. in their field of expertise. This requires many years of study beyond a Bachelor’s degree and may include earning a Master’s degree along the way. For those who teach in the humanities,literature, foreign languages, philosophy graduate study may take 5-7 years; for those in the sciences, time may be less. At two-year schools and community colleges, a Master’s degree may be enough to teach certain basic classes.
Professor Careers: Compatible Personality Traits
Highly intelligent, excellent analytic skills, enjoys working with students, problem solver, inquisitive, excellent communication skills, patient, self-motivated, willing to work under varying schedules.
Professor Careers: Salary Expectations
The average salary for a professor is $58,830 a year, with the middle fifty percent earning between $41,600 and $83,960. For full-time faculty, the average is $79,439 a year. In private universities, the average salary for full-time faculty is $92,257 and in public schools $77,009. Salary varies greatly, however, depending on education, school, and region as well as employment title.
Below are the average salaries for professors across all fields by position:
- Instructor $45,977
- Lecturer $52,436
- Assistant Professor $63, 827
- Associate Professor $76,147
- Professor $108,749
Chaired professors often earn the most of any full-time faculty, such positions are scarce. Senior professors who wish may be able to move into deanships or other administrative positions that pay more money.
Professor Careers: Job Outlook
The job outlook for professors in the coming years is mixed. On the one hand, many of the professors who were hired in the ’60s and ’70s to teach the baby boomers will soon retire, leaving many openings. On top of this, post-secondary enrollments continue to rise.
On the other hand, many school budgets are shrinking and many are choosing to employ adjunct or temporary instructors, whom they do not have to pay as much, instead of tenure-line faculty. Those with Ph.D. degrees should have better prospects, especially those in fields with growing student demand, such as business and health care.
Slightly off the Footpath
Source: bls.gov/OCO/ocos066.htm
