What the AAUP Faculty-Pay Survey Reveals About Academic Jobs

Three findings from the American Association of University Professors’ annual faculty compensation survey.

Recently, the American Association of University Professors released its annual survey that examines trends and changes in the salaries of full- and part-time faculty members.  Curious to learn more?  Then here are three of the main findings from the American Association of University Professors’ annual faculty compensation survey.

1) Faculty pay is still affected by inflation

According to the survey, full-time faculty members earned an average of 2% more than they did the previous year.  However, a 1.9% increase in the cost of living eroded the effects of this salary gain.  It is important to note that the rank of the faculty member and the institution they worked at did affect individual results.  For instance, at doctoral institutions, full professors earned an average of $154,000 annually while assistant professors at the same institutions made only $88,000.  Naturally, when looking at this pay gap, full professors were far less affected by inflation than their assistant professor counterparts.

2) Part-time faculty salaries vary widely

For this year’s survey, higher education institutions were asked to report minimum, maximum, and average pay rates for part-time faculty members.  Pay rates at the 330 colleges and universities that responded spanned a wide range, sometimes differing by thousands of dollars.  This disparity reveals how institutions value certain disciplines, experience levels, market forces, and qualifications in the classroom.

3) Gender equity is still an issue

In higher education, women still have trouble moving up faculty ranks.  While women (12.8%) outnumber men (11.9%) at the assistant-professor rank, at the associate-professor level where tenure is earned, the percentage of women (12%) shrank while the percentage of men (14%) grew.  At the full-professor rank, the percentage of women (10%) decreased even more compared to men (21%).  According to the data, men outnumber women at the full-professor rank at every type of higher education institution except community colleges.  Additionally, the study showed that men earned more than women at all institutions, illustrating that the gender pay gap remains a serious issue in academia.

This is what you need to know about the American Association of University Professors’ annual faculty compensation survey.  Looking for a consulting firm with experience working with salary, legal, and other human resources considerations?  Then don’t hesitate to contact the professionals at McKnight Associates, Inc.  We are ready to offer you hands-on human resources consulting for colleges, universities, medical centers, and organizations of all sizes.