How Much Do College Professors Make?

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Introduction

Teaching college students is always seen as a respected profession. We always consider a professor to be a person who is are expert in their field. A Professor guiding their students through higher education and also conducting various important research. As a parent or student, there is one question that always comes to our mind: How Much Do College Professors Make?

The fact is that professor salaries vary greatly regarding their experience, their education level, location, subject and institution types. Generally, most professors earn a decent amount of money. There are very few professors who earn 6 figures and even cross the million-dollar range. The number of professors in this category is very rare. Also, some professors are struggling to earn a modest amount of money. Like: if they are appointed as an adjunct or part-time professor.

In this article, we will deeply discuss college professor salaries in the U.S., Covering everything from average salaries, highest paying colleges, state-specific pay, the difference between degrees, job demands and much more.

We also answer all the common questions people are on search in Google regarding this topic. At the end of this article, you will have a clear understanding of how much professors earn in the US, what influences their salary and whether becoming a professor in the US is still worth it.

The average salary of a college professor in the US According to the American Association of University Professors (AAUP), the average salary of a college professor in the U.S. in 2024-2025 is $116,976 annually. However, this number includes professors from all ranks. When you separate the ranks of professors, the pay gap becomes clearer.

Average Professor Salary by Rank

Assistant Professor $95,511 – Entry-level, tenure-track
Associate Professor $110,840 (that’s $15,329 more than Assistant) – Mid-level, often tenured
Full Professor $160,954 (that’s $65,443 more than Assistant) – Senior faculty, highest pay
Lecturer $81,175 (that’s $14,336 less than Assistant) – Non-tenure track
Instructor $71,322 (that’s $24,189 less than Assistant) – Entry-level, non-tenure
Adjunct / No Rank $76,955 (that’s $18,556 less than Assistant) – Part-time or contract faculty
U.S. Average $116,976 – Combined average of all ranks

As you can clearly see in the table, there is a huge disparity of salaries between a full professor, who is in a tenure-track position and an Instructor/Lecturer, who is non-tenure-track position. The difference is around $90,000 per year.

 

College Professor Salaries by Degree

Degree Average Salary
Master’s Degree $50,000–$80,000
PhD $95,000–$160,000+

 

How much does a professor with a PhD earn?

The education level of the professor is the most important factor in determining how much a professor can earn.
Professors who hold a PhD degree generally earn around $95,000 to $160,000, depending on their rank, experience, type of university, and location. Some Ivy League or private universities pay much more, around $200,000.

 

How much does a professor with a master’s degree earn?

Generally, a professor who has only a master’s degree works as an instructor, adjunct faculty, or lecturer. That is non-tenure-track positions. He earns around $50,000 to $80,000 per year.

 

Is a PhD financially worth it?

PhD financially worth it. After completing your PHD, if you manage to hold a tenure-track position or a full-time professorship at a good university. However, generally completing a PHD takes 6 to 8 years and does not guarantee a high-paying full-time professor position. Still, some professors work as Adjuncts with PHD they earn annually around $30,000. It shows that the PhD degree itself doesn’t guarantee high high-paying full-time professor position.

 

Average Professor Salaries by State & Rank (2024-25)

California

Assistant Prof.: $92,500 Associate Prof.: $110,300 Full Prof.: $145,200 Notes: UC & CSU top pay

New York

Assistant Prof.: $90,400 Associate Prof.: $108,900 Full Prof.: $142,000 Notes: Ivy + SUNY boost

Massachusetts

Assistant Prof.: $89,800 Associate Prof.: $106,700 Full Prof.: $139,500 Notes: Harvard, MIT, BU

Texas

Assistant Prof.: $77,600 Associate Prof.: $94,500 Full Prof.: $127,400 Notes: Large state system

Florida

Assistant Prof.: $72,800 Associate Prof.: $90,100 Full Prof.: $123,000 Notes: Lower cost of living

Illinois

Assistant Prof.: $76,200 Associate Prof.: $92,800 Full Prof.: $126,400 Notes: Chicago salaries

Pennsylvania

Assistant Prof.: $73,900 Associate Prof.: $91,300 Full Prof.: $125,000 Notes: Ivy + state mix

Ohio

Assistant Prof.: $71,400 Associate Prof.: $88,200 Full Prof.: $120,600 Notes: Public schools

Georgia

Assistant Prof.: $70,800 Associate Prof.: $87,500 Full Prof.: $118,900 Notes: UGA system

North Carolina

Assistant Prof.: $69,500 Associate Prof.: $86,200 Full Prof.: $117,000 Notes: UNC system

U.S. Average

Assistant Prof.: $78,000 Associate Prof.: $95,200 Full Prof.: $116,976  Notes: All ranks average
 
This table shows the average professor salaries in the U.S. by state and ranks for 2024-25.
 On average, Assistant professors earn in the U.S. $78,000 per year.
Also, Associate professors earn in the U.S. on average $95,200 per year.
Full professors earn in the U.S. on average $116,976 annually.
 Most highest-paying salary states are California, New York, and Massachusetts. Because most of the top universities are situated there. On the other hand low low-paying salary states are Florida, Georgia, and North Carolina.
 

Highest-Paid Professors and Universities

 
Generally, most professors in the U.S. make less than $200,000. But there are some rare cases where higher professors can earn over $1 million annually. These cases involved professors who also hold a ministerial role at the university or are involved with a research project or work in medicine or law.
 
Cornell University has some professors who even earn more than $3 million annually. 
 
At Harvard, professors in the business school have earned more than $2 million annually. 
 
At the University of Southern California (USC), some specific professors and more than $1 million annually.
 
Top universities in the U.S. with the highest professor pay annually are:
1) Ivy League schools, 
2) Private research universities, and 
3) Top public institutions like UCLA and UC Berkeley.
 
 

Professors vs Teachers: Who Earns More?

Salary Comparison

Occupation Average Salary
School Teacher (K–12) $45,000–$65,000
College Professor $70,000–$160,000+

Usually, professors earn more than teachers. But also professor work longer hours in the institution, and they also face more competition and challenges in their field.


Workload and Benefits of Professors

How many hours do professors work?
Usually, professors take classes for 12 to 15 hours per week. But they also spent the time conducting research, preparing lectures and joining meetings. Generally professor works 40-60 hours per week.


Do professors get a pension?


Yes, professors who work at a public university receive a pension under the state retirement system.
On the other hand, private universities generally offer their professor 401(k) or other retirement plans.

At what age do professors retire?

Most professors in the U.S. generally retire at the age of 65–70 years old.

Is being a professor stressful?

Yes. Because professors need to publish research. They also need to take classes also need to secure funding for researHow Much Do Professors REALLY Make?ch.
If the professor is appointed as an adjunct, he can face job insecurity. Generally
Tenured professors enjoy job stability.

Career Path: How to Become a Professor

 

How Much Do Professors REALLY Make?
How Much Do College Professors Make?

 

What degree do you need to be a professor?

At a minimum, you need a master’s degree to teach or become a lecturer at a community college in the U.S.
In the US university generally for tenure-track position you required PhD degree.

Can I be a professor without a master’s?
It’s extremely rare. Most of the universities require a minimum master’s degree. But there are very few people who have been appointed as professors without a master’s degree because they have excellent achievements or experiences in their field.

How long does it take to become a professor?


Generally, it takes 10 to 15 years to become a professor if we count it from undergraduate study.
Because it takes:
1) 4 years to complete undergraduate study.
2) A master’s requires 2 years to complete.
3) A PhD degree and post-doctoral or assistant professor work require 6 to 7 years.


In-Demand Professors and Subjects

Not all professors have demand in the job market in the U.S.
Right now, some selected fields paying more than usual also have better job opportunities as a professor.
They are:
1) STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Math
2) Business and Finance
3) Computer Science & IT
4) Healthcare/Nursing
5) Law and Medical fields

The subjects I mentioned above they paying much more and also giving job security compared to Humanities or arts subjects.

Conclusion

So, how much do college professors make in the U.S.?
The answer depends on so many factors. Like: the level of education, location, types of university and experience.
Generally, in the U.S., professors earn on average $116,976 annually. Full professors or tenured professors usually earn in the U.S. $160,000 per year.
However, not every professor can earn this amount of money. Professors who are not tenured or work as Adjunct or part-time lecturers earn less than $30,000. This shows that huge salary disparity between professor ranks and positions.

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