Earlier this week, we told you about the latest surveyfrom the American Association of University Professors – a look at salaries paid to tenured faculty members.
That same survey brought discouraging news for associate professors – more senior than assistants but not yet full professors. The AAUP reports their pay had risen just 5.6 percent since 2000, adjusting for inflations, while assistant professors got 9 percent more money and full professors saw 11.7 percent more.
What’s more, salaries for assistant professors are rising at a faster rate than those of associate professors, as schools compete to hire the best new junior faculty. The average salary for an assistant professor is just under $70,000 a year, compared with nearly $82,000 for an associate professor, and full professors are earning about $37,000 a year more than associates.
The Chronicle of Higher Education notes the path to full professor is often fraught with barriers, particularly for women and minorities. Research shows that both groups are often disproportionally saddled with service activities, like mentoring undergrads and sitting on various committees. In early middle age, these associate professors may also have family responsibilities that make it tough for them to take on the kind of work that counts toward promotion.
Professor Paychecks
