The Average Salary of an Adjunct Professor at a Community College

Adjunct community college professors are part-time faculty members who usually teach on a per-course basis. While adjunct professors usually must have a minimum of a master's degree to enter the field, the pay can be extremely low. If you are looking for a job to pay the bills, an adjunct professorship at a community college may not be the career for you.

Numbers

According to Jamie Horwitz, a spokesman for the American Federation of Teachers (AFT), more than 40 percent of the one million faculty members at community colleges are adjunct, or part-time, faculty.

Per Course Basis

Community colleges pay their adjunct professors on a per course or per credit basis. For example, you could be paid $2,000 for a four-credit course, or you could be paid $500 per credit, per course. You usually get the same salary whether you work in the classroom or whether you teach a course online.

Average Salary

The average salary per class for a community college adjunct professor ranges from about $2,000 to $3,000 per four-credit class. Pay varies wildly according to location; suburban community colleges are likely to offer less than urban campuses. According to Simply Hired, the average adjunct professor earns about $49,000 per year. That figure is likely to be lower for community colleges, which tend to pay much less than four-year or private universities.

Other Factors

Although the pay for an adjunct professor is very low, it can be the first rung on the teaching ladder. Teaching a few classes for adjunct pay can boost your resume and give you experience in the classroom. This can be invaluable when it comes to interviewing for a full-time position, especially if you have had a successful adjunct teaching experience at the same school where you are applying for a full-time job.

References

• Chemical and Engineering News: The Plight of Part-Time Faculty
• The Washington Post: Professor of DespEration
• Simply Hired: Adjunct Professor Salaries