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Job outlook for professors in the United States
Professor job growth summary. After extensive research, interviews, and analysis, Zippia's data science team found that:
The projected professor job growth rate is 12% from 2018-2028.
About 159,400 new jobs for professors are projected over the next decade.
Professor salaries have increased 2% for professors in the last 5 years.
There are over 208,020 professors currently employed in the United States.
There are 21,861 active professor job openings in the US.
The average professor salary is $157,570.
Are professor jobs in demand?
Professor job and salary trends over time
Professor jobs over time
Professor job growth rate over time
Year  | # Of Jobs | % Of Population |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 208,020 | 0.06% |
| 2020 | 242,483 | 0.07% |
| 2019 | 247,931 | 0.07% |
| 2018 | 247,940 | 0.07% |
| 2017 | 244,446 | 0.07% |
Average professor salary over time
Professor salary by year
| Year | Avg. Salary | Hourly Rate | % Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $157,570 | $75.75 | +0.2% |
| 2024 | $157,208 | $75.58 | --0.6% |
| 2023 | $158,181 | $76.05 | +4.5% |
| 2022 | $151,330 | $72.75 | --2.5% |
| 2021 | $155,219 | $74.62 | +5.1% |
Professor jobs by state
Most common states for professors
| Rank | State | Population | # of Jobs | Employment/ 1000ppl |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | District of Columbia | 693,972 | 135 | 19% |
| 2 | Vermont | 623,657 | 82 | 13% |
| 3 | Virginia | 8,470,020 | 816 | 10% |
| 4 | Colorado | 5,607,154 | 588 | 10% |
| 5 | Oregon | 4,142,776 | 418 | 10% |
| 6 | West Virginia | 1,815,857 | 157 | 9% |
| 7 | Alaska | 739,795 | 63 | 9% |
| 8 | Montana | 1,050,493 | 86 | 8% |
| 9 | Pennsylvania | 12,805,537 | 839 | 7% |
| 10 | Nebraska | 1,920,076 | 136 | 7% |
| 11 | New Jersey | 9,005,644 | 567 | 6% |
| 12 | South Carolina | 5,024,369 | 291 | 6% |
| 13 | Kentucky | 4,454,189 | 250 | 6% |
| 14 | Iowa | 3,145,711 | 201 | 6% |
| 15 | North Carolina | 10,273,419 | 499 | 5% |
| 16 | Massachusetts | 6,859,819 | 372 | 5% |
| 17 | Minnesota | 5,576,606 | 279 | 5% |
| 18 | Alabama | 4,874,747 | 246 | 5% |
| 19 | Mississippi | 2,984,100 | 160 | 5% |
| 20 | Rhode Island | 1,059,639 | 58 | 5% |
Most common cities for professors
| Rank | City | # of Jobs | Employment/ 1000ppl | Avg. Salary |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | East Lansing | 21 | 43% | $173,787 |
| 2 | Aurora | 14 | 4% | $162,469 |
| 3 | Gainesville | 5 | 4% | $152,548 |
| 4 | Grand Rapids | 3 | 2% | $173,444 |
| 5 | Boulder | 2 | 2% | $162,118 |
| 6 | Cambridge | 2 | 2% | $185,184 |
| 7 | Washington | 6 | 1% | $189,600 |
| 8 | Fort Collins | 1 | 1% | $160,767 |
| 9 | Tuscaloosa | 1 | 1% | $181,306 |
| 10 | Baltimore | 3 | 0% | $148,219 |
| 11 | Chicago | 2 | 0% | $125,687 |
| 12 | Los Angeles | 1 | 0% | $215,032 |
Professor job outlook: Expert opinions
Our panel of professor experts
Ohio State University
The University of Tennessee - Chattanooga
Elon University
Tiffin University
Northeastern University
Christopher Newport University
Kean University
University of Oregon
University of Colorado at Colorado Springs
North Carolina State University
Lehman College of the City University of New York
The University of Texas at San Antonio
What general advice would you give to a Professor?
Rick Mulvihill M. Sc.: People skills! All positions in the Criminal Justice field work with people, usually at the worst moment in their life. Writing skills! All positions require you to document your actions. Those documents could be the basis of a Supreme Court case.
What Professor skills would you recommend for someone trying to advance their career?
Rick Mulvihill M. Sc.: Start early! Unlike many professions, most positions in the Criminal Justice field are with government agencies and the hiring process can take months and even years.
What will help Professors increase their earning potential?
Dr. Deanne Stephens Ph.D.: In beginning a career in the history field of teaching, salary is always a point of concern, as universities, colleges, and community colleges have various starting points. To maximize a salary if a person is interested in becoming a professor or instructor of history, some advantages can help the negotiation process. First, a publication or contract in hand is a plus in seeking a better salary at a university or college. Also, any teaching record is advantageous at all levels of teaching. These classes should include experiences outside of Graduate Assistantships if possible. A candidate should also engage in professional organizations and conferences to list on a Curriculum Vitae. The acceptance of a proposal to a professional conference equates to the ability to research, analyze, and compose information about a specific topic. These are skills that schools desire because it normally means success in a history career.
What general advice would you give to a Professor?
Alex Holte PhD: My advice for someone new to the field of academia is to learn time management skills early and learn what type of service work you find interesting and would like to contribute to. From there, learn how to say “no” to opportunities that may not align with your goals as well. I feel a lot of new professors tend to find the need to be involved in everything, which can result in burning out later in their career.
What Professor skills would you recommend for someone trying to advance their career?
Alex Holte PhD: I would say being able to work with AI may be something that is more important in the next 3-5 years. Right now it’s a new technology and people are just now learning how to integrate it in the workplace, but I feel it is possible the future workforce of tomorrow will necessitate some form of being able to use AI technology.
What will help Professors increase their earning potential?
Alex Holte PhD: When you are starting out at any career, it is important to negotiate your salary. Many candidates feel that they have to accept their first offer, but in reality, at many jobs, there is some room for negotiation. Be mindful however, to not request a salary that is much higher than what is being offered as they may feel like a compromise would not be possible and move on to the next candidate.
What general advice would you give to a Professor?
Adam Butz Ph.D.: Thanks! We've found we get better responses over email than the phone because it gives you some time to think about it. We were hoping you could answer the following questions:
What Professor skills would you recommend for someone trying to advance their career?
Adam Butz Ph.D.: Hi Alex, Your Zippia inquiry was directed to me by a colleague Dr. David Powell. I've recently taken over as Chair of the Public Policy & Administration Department. I could potentially provide you with necessary quotes/information about public administration careers. Please let me know exactly what you are looking for and the format for submission, etc.
What will help Professors increase their earning potential?
Adam Butz Ph.D.: Thanks! We will be sure to feature your response in the article and send a draft over for your review before we promote it.
Professor Isaac Weiner
DirectorOhio State University
Religion/Religious Studies
What general advice would you give to a Professor?
Professor Isaac Weiner: I have two weeks before the article is due :)
What Professor skills would you recommend for someone trying to advance their career?
Professor Isaac Weiner: Thanks for your inquiry. I actually don't have much information about job opportunities or workplace status for religion grads.
What will help Professors increase their earning potential?
Professor Isaac Weiner: Let me point you to Professor Isaac Weiner, who is the director of the Center for the Study of Religion at Ohio State. You can contact Professor Weiner at weiner.141@osu.edu.
What general advice would you give to a Professor?
Rev. Tamara Lewis PhD: The best advice I would have for recent graduates is to be optimistic about job opportunities. By having an open- minded outlook, there are numerous careers that are well- suited for the knowledge and training they bring. Graduates should be confident about their exposure to contemporary global settings. Their educational background makes them particularly attractive to employers for positions in the government sector at local, state, federal, and international levels. Any job in which people of diverse racial, ethnic, sociocultural, religious, and political backgrounds come together benefit from religious majors in positions of leadership. This is due to the political and economic disputes among nations today that are often deeply affected by underlying religious conflict. Religious majors have been trained to deal specifically with these kinds of challenges. Through studies in comparative religion, they understand significant differences among major world religions, like Christianity and Islam, as well as smaller religious groups like Jainists or Daoists. They also have understanding regarding sects and cults, some of which may be militant or incendiary in certain settings. Therefore, the special skills that these individuals bring should make them confident and motivated when seeking and entering new employment. What they have to offer is extremely important.
What Professor skills would you recommend for someone trying to advance their career?
Rev. Tamara Lewis PhD: In the next five- ten years, Islam will continue to grow numerically and in the next twenty years, the number of Muslims will almost equal the number of Christians globally. This is just an indication of the need for leaders to have greater abilities to communicate in a religiously pluralistic world. Religious studies majors develop critical thinking skills during their education. These skills allow them to be efficient in problem solving, crisis resolution, and conflict mediation. This makes them highly sought after leaders in an increasingly diverse and pluralistic global context in which various religious systems and faith practices intersect with political, economic, and cultural structures. Religious studies graduates are today entering careers like teaching, government diplomacy, political action committee fundraising and lobbying, media consultation, grass- roots organizing, social work, not- for profit centers, counseling, ministry, and law- enforcement because of these complex skills and training that make them indispensable in positions that require emotional intelligence, negotiation skills, and analytical abilities.
What will help Professors increase their earning potential?
Rev. Tamara Lewis PhD: Religious studies majors often complement their training with other study fields. Many join their religious education to studies in fields like medicine, law, business, nursing, and teaching. Thus they maximize their salary potential by increasing their education, skills, and training in interlocking areas that allow them to develop highly specialized training and education, making them attractive to employers. Also, these individuals make the best of their unique skills by forming their own businesses, firms, and networks in which they offer their services to the public or special clientele. The goal is to develop multiple sources of income through utilizing what they have to offer, which satisfies needs in the market.
Sherah Basham Ph.D.
Assistant Professor and Criminal Justice Online CoordinatorThe University of Tennessee - Chattanooga
Criminal Justice And Corrections
What general advice would you give to a Professor?
Sherah Basham Ph.D.: Criminal justice is a vast field; however, there are several areas that graduates can focus on as they enter the workforce: 1. Ethics - Criminal justice work can be challenging. Staying grounded in one's values and principles while maintaining a professional demeanor is crucial to making good decisions and personal peace. 2. Mentorship - Find a mentor who can provide guidance as you navigate your vocation. Keep in mind this may or may not be someone in your particular office. Mentors can be found at work or through professional networking. Associations and professional platforms provide connections to experienced colleagues who can help identify career opportunities, provide up-to-date information on the field, and offer support throughout one's career.
What Professor skills would you recommend for someone trying to advance their career?
Sherah Basham Ph.D.: 1. Specialized career paths - Criminal justice salaries will vary significantly by level (federal vs local), location, and specialty. Developing specific skills such as cybercrime investigations, forensic or crime scene investigations, data analysis, or speaking a foreign language can leverage higher salaries for specialized positions. 2. Education - Master's degrees, specialized certificates, and professional training can increase earning potential. Education can assist with increasing base salaries or bonuses. It can also help with the placement and selection of specific roles. 3. Explore non-traditional roles - Consider career opportunities outside of traditional law enforcement or corrections agencies. Private security firms, corporations, research institutions, and consulting firms can offer competitive salaries in criminal justice.
What Professor skills would you recommend for someone trying to advance their career?
Dr. Rebecca Peters Ph.D.: The primary skills that Religious Studies majors acquire in their undergraduate programs are research skills, critical thinking, critical reading, crafting arguments, and engaging in logic and reason all skills that are imminently transferable to any job on the market. Remember to highlight and discuss how you can use these skills in job that you apply for. And, of course, understanding the role and complexity of religion in a diverse world in an incalculable skill in a diverse work environment and can be an advantage in many fields.
What will help Professors increase their earning potential?
Dr. Rebecca Peters Ph.D.: It is important to highlight the skills and experience you have and to have some knowledge of comparable starting salaries in comparable positions. If your knowledge and/or skills are higher than others in comparable positions, you should negotiate for a higher starting salary.
Dr. Stephanie Opfer
Associate Professor of English, Assistant Dean of the School of Creative and Media ArtsTiffin University
Visual And Performing Arts
What general advice would you give to a Professor?
Dr. Stephanie Opfer: Because of the state of higher education in our country today, teaching in higher education can be a difficult field to break into. However, most colleges and universities still hire adjunct instructors (part-time instructors). Students shouldn't be afraid to teach as an adjunct for a while to get some experience and decide if teaching is for them.
What Professor skills would you recommend for someone trying to advance their career?
Dr. Stephanie Opfer: Flexibility and adaptability will be the biggest skills instructors will need. The state of higher education is changing, and the 'ivory tower' is going away. Colleges and universities are starting to focus more on career-oriented programs, which include practical and application skill sets. In order to stay relevant, the focus of humanities classes like art and film should be on teaching students analysis, synthesis, and other critical-thinking skills. The content becomes less important and becomes only the vehicle for teaching these skills.
What will help Professors increase their earning potential?
Dr. Stephanie Opfer: Unfortunately, teaching as an adjunct does not pay well. Students should keep their full-time jobs and teach part-time until they find a full-time job at a college or university. That part-time teaching provides them valuable experience and connections that make them more competitive candidates for full-time positions because they'd also be competing with candidates who have PhDs. So adjunct work is more of a long-term investment rather than an immediate return. Also, even full-time teaching jobs don't pay particularly well, so they'll really need to love teaching if they want to do it full-time. If they don't like teaching as an adjunct, they won't like doing it full-time.
What general advice would you give to a Professor?
Ning Bao: This isn't really a valid concern in physics; the best way to maximize your salary potential would be to leave physics and go to software engineering/machine learning/quantitative stuff in the private sector; professors get paid significantly less that people in these fields, many of whom are interested in physics graduates. As a professor, you have an opportunity to negotiate your salary when you get a job offer, but often times there is not a great deal of flexibility there to significantly increase your starting salary without a competing offer.
What general advice would you give to a Professor?
Dr. Mike Levine: In the next 3–5 years, I anticipate that research will be expected that explores more interdisciplinarity; owing both to intellectual trends in the academy, and to an ever-shrinking job market, which means that more will be demanded by less people. As well, you will be expected to be an expert in the exciting, interesting research niche that you have found and written about in your dissertation; but also quite knowledgeable about a broad range of information applicable towards teaching large general education (GE) classes filled with non-major students. Expertise in both of these areas will make you more competitive and give you a broader network to work with.
What Professor skills would you recommend for someone trying to advance their career?
Dr. Mike Levine: Academia is most definitely not a career for those that want to get rich quick. It can take 5–6 years before your salary really starts to pick up steam (getting tenured, in other words). To get tenure: publish, publish, publish, while teaching and mentoring. Do some service to your department or college as well, but not so much that you get burnt out. As in any career, being seen and working with other people in your discipline, school, and area is key. So go to as many conferences as you can find funding for, and meet and work with as many people as you can. The 'cultural currency' you'll get from these interactions will come a lot sooner than actual currency will, but in academia, these two areas are often one and the same.
What general advice would you give to a Professor?
Mia Fiore Ph.D.: First, I would tell all students that it is VERY different from teaching k-12. Unlike K-12, you are not placed in a school with a teaching job upon graduation; teaching in higher education is one of the most competitive fields, period. The next difference is that you are expected to be an expert/ master of your field. If you're also willing to accept that you will likely have to work as an adjunct professor (for low pay) first, then go for it! Teaching in higher education is the most rewarding job, especially for people who love learning.
What Professor skills would you recommend for someone trying to advance their career?
Mia Fiore Ph.D.: Awareness and familiarity with technology has become more important, and it will continue to be more important in the next 3-5 years. With everything from peer-reviewed journals available online, to AI, technology is an important part of higher education.
What will help Professors increase their earning potential?
Mia Fiore Ph.D.: Maximize your salary potential by teaching at a state school- if you do you can join the PSLF program and after ten years, your student loans will be forgiven.
Mary Wood
Professor of EnglishUniversity of Oregon
English Language And Literature
What general advice would you give to a Professor?
Mary Wood: It depends on what level the teacher is at (college level or K-12 and if K-12 do you mean elementary, middle, or high school), whether they're in public or private education, etc. Those who wish to become K-12 English teachers would take some literature classes in our department but would do most of their teacher training in the School of Education.
What Professor skills would you recommend for someone trying to advance their career?
Mary Wood: It's a great time to become an English teacher because it's more important than ever for students to be savvy about how language works, given the ways that language is being manipulated in media (including social media) as well as in the explosion of AI applications. It's also a good time to remind students of the human values and age-old questions about life that are found in novels, plays, poetry, and short stories.
What will help Professors increase their earning potential?
Mary Wood: Dislike: Administrative meetings, Grading papers, Bureaucratic paperwork, Lack of robust funding for research and teaching. Like: Working with students, Talking, writing, and reading about literature and getting paid for it, My co-workers and their commitment to their students, Having flexibility in my workday (available to college teachers, not K-12)
What general advice would you give to a Professor?
Dr. Melissa Conroy: Jobs are few for people with Ph. D.'s in religious studies. Those who do have jobs often teach large sections of introductory courses.
What Professor skills would you recommend for someone trying to advance their career?
Dr. Melissa Conroy: Religion is a highly topical subject. The study of religion is a good asset for anyone working in fields where appreciation of diversity and religious differences are valued.
What will help Professors increase their earning potential?
Dr. Melissa Conroy: A religious studies teacher prepares lectures and research on current issues in world religions.
Dr. Linda Watts
Retired Associate ProfessorUniversity of Colorado at Colorado Springs
Anthropology
What general advice would you give to a Professor?
Dr. Linda Watts: Cultural anthropology requires at least a Masters degree in order to teach or do professional research in the field directly, so an undergraduate would likely continue to graduate school to continue their training after receiving their BA. With a Masters one could teach at a community college, or with a PHD one could become a professor and conduct independent research plus publish in the field. Many undergraduate majors proceed to any number of other social service oriented fields or even nursing, medicine, or law school, as this versatile field is far reaching in the relevance of its principles.
What general advice would you give to a Professor?
Justin Whitehill Ph.D.: Perseverance pays off. Its worth it to pursue the career you want and not settle and be unhappy.
What Professor skills would you recommend for someone trying to advance their career?
Justin Whitehill Ph.D.: In the area of genetics and genomics, the identification of areas of the genome that can be CRISPR’d and used to add an immediate benefit is going to be very important as every cropping system races to make genome editing a reality. AI will likely play a huge role in predicting genes/regions of the genome that will provide the biggest benefits.
What will help Professors increase their earning potential?
Justin Whitehill Ph.D.: I wouldn’t know, I’m a professor.
Julie Maybee
Professor of PhilosophyLehman College of the City University of New York
Philosophy
What general advice would you give to a Professor?
Julie Maybee: It is a myth that a degree with a major in philosophy cannot help graduates get jobs or do well in the job market over the course of their careers. My advice to graduates would be to be prepared to have to learn some job-specific skills as they move forward in their careers, but to feel confident that their study of philosophy has prepared them with important skills they'll need: critical and analytical thinking, being able to think creatively and be resilient and agile in response to problems, curiosity, communication skills, and skills for reading complex texts.
What Professor skills would you recommend for someone trying to advance their career?
Julie Maybee: The World Economic Forum's 'Future of Jobs Report 2023' states that employers will be looking for skills such as analytical thinking, creative thinking, self-efficacy skills like resilience, flexibility, agility, motivation, self-awareness, curiosity, and lifelong learning. Philosophy majors are being prepared to think analytically, think creatively, be resilient, flexible, agile, curious, and remain lifelong learners.
What will help Professors increase their earning potential?
Julie Maybee: Although the median salary for a philosophy graduate when starting out may be lower, after 10 years, the median salary increases significantly. Philosophy graduates may need to be patient, but the skills they learn in philosophy will help them learn on the job and move up the ranks over time.
What general advice would you give to a Professor?
Joshua Adams Ph.D., CFE: One skill that has always been important in the field of criminology and criminal justice is the ability to work through conflict. In the next 3-5 years, I see possessing the ability to work through conflict or disagreements to find a resolution with your co-workers vital. A second skill that I believe will be more important and prevalent in the field in the next 3-5 years is the ability to leverage the use of artificial intelligence (AI) without totally relying on it to do your job for you. I think that we will see many new innovative criminal justice technologies employing AI in the future, and it will be crucial that any practitioners in the field and protectors of society feel comfortable leveraging this technology.
What Professor skills would you recommend for someone trying to advance their career?
Joshua Adams Ph.D., CFE: Keep in mind that salary is usually commensurate with your experience. That being said, do not expect to be wealthy in your first years in your career. You can maximize your salary potential when starting your career in your field by not being afraid to seek overtime opportunities and by having advanced training and/or education. Most local, city, and state municipalities are on fixed budgets, and most public service career opportunities at this level are very transparent of a salary range when they post job announcements. Typically, as you advance in rank, you advance into subsequent brackets of pay ranges. Some organizations provide extra incentives for bachelor’s-level or higher education, but some do not. This leaves the preferred option of maximizing salary, which is working overtime or working a part-time position somewhere else using your same skills (moonlighting) if your agency allows outside employment.
What will help Professors increase their earning potential?
Joshua Adams Ph.D., CFE: There are two main pieces of advice that I would give to a graduate beginning their career in the field of criminal justice. First, think of everything you would like to accomplish by the time your new career is ending and develop a plan to accomplish your goals during your tenure. Oftentimes, we underestimate how fast time goes, and due to the fast-paced nature of public service, you will have 10 or more years of service before you know it. Finally, develop your network of trusted friends and advisors early. You will need to rely on these friends and advisors when you have bad days because you will be involved in the best days of citizen’s lives and the worse days of citizen’s lives, so you will need to constantly perform self-reflection so that your positivity continues to permeate throughout the community.
Jane Kuandre
Associate ProfessorWhat general advice would you give to a Professor?
Jane Kuandre: My advice for someone looking to pursue a career in academia would be to focus on building a strong publication record, developing a network of collaborators, and continuously seeking opportunities for professional development.
What Professor skills would you recommend for someone trying to advance their career?
Jane Kuandre: Some essential skills for success in academia include critical thinking, effective communication, time management, and the ability to work both independently and collaboratively.
What will help Professors increase their earning potential?
Jane Kuandre: Networking is crucial for career advancement in academia as it allows individuals to establish collaborations, gain access to resources, and stay updated on the latest research trends.
Senior Lecturer Isabelle Hall Program coordinator
Senior LecturerThe University of Texas at San Antonio
Romance Languages, Literatures, And Linguistics
What Professor skills would you recommend for someone trying to advance their career?
Senior Lecturer Isabelle Hall Program coordinator: Teaching has to be a passion. The interaction with the students is extremely rewarding. The quality of the team of professors we work along with is essential to everyone's well-being in the department. In my case, I have extraordinary colleagues and leadership. The paycheck is lower than other positions with similar degrees. We often work 6 days a week (especially at the beginning) and we usually work in the summer to prep, do research, take students abroad, participate in conferences ...