| As would be expected, the average salary of a | | | | for them. |
| college professor can vary due to many factors. | | | | For some courses there are relatively few |
| Some of the most important factors that affect | | | | qualified individuals available to teach. Yet, the |
| professor salaries depend on whether a person is | | | | courses still must be covered. Thus, schools must |
| working full-time or part-time, the length of time | | | | resort to offering a higher amount to attract |
| they have been teaching at an institution, the | | | | qualified individuals to teach for them. Along these |
| need for adjunct faculty, and the level of the | | | | lines, graduate-level courses usually bring a |
| course. | | | | premium for professors when compared to |
| Full-time professors are usually paid at a higher | | | | undergraduate courses. A person with a master's |
| rate than that for adjunct professors and they | | | | degree may be allowed to teach an |
| also receive benefits. This cost savings enables | | | | undergraduate course but would not be allowed to |
| schools to offer more courses without | | | | teach a graduate course. This is reserved for |
| substantially increasing their costs. This is the | | | | people with doctorates. The pay rate is usually |
| reason that we have an opportunity to earn a | | | | higher for doctorate-level professors, the pay |
| great deal of money as an adjunct professor. | | | | rate is even higher for graduate courses because |
| Many schools are shifting from full-time faculty to | | | | only doctorate-level professors can teach them. |
| the use of adjunct professors. Thus, there are | | | | Salaries are important considerations when |
| more schools out there that need our services. | | | | accepting a position, but they should not be the |
| Many, but not all, institutions of higher learning | | | | sole basis for accepting a teaching contract. While |
| base the amount they pay per course depending | | | | we should pay attention to the average salary of |
| on the number of courses an adjunct has taught | | | | a college professor, it is more important, especially |
| for them. This way, a college gives incentives for | | | | when starting out, to gain experience. With |
| their better adjunct faculty to remain and teach | | | | experience, the money will come. |