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News

Characteristics of Adjunct Faculty Members, 2018

Almanac 2019 August 18, 2019

Adjunct faculty members in 2018 were likely to be over age 40, to have a master’s as their highest degree, and to teach one or two courses at a single institution. Although more than half of adjuncts earned less than $3,000 per course, 43 percent of those who were married or lived with a partner reported annual household income exceeding $100,000. Adjuncts who were single, by contrast, reported much lower household income, nearly two-thirds of them with incomes of less than $50,000.

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Adjunct faculty members in 2018 were likely to be over age 40, to have a master’s as their highest degree, and to teach one or two courses at a single institution. Although more than half of adjuncts earned less than $3,000 per course, 43 percent of those who were married or lived with a partner reported annual household income exceeding $100,000. Adjuncts who were single, by contrast, reported much lower household income, nearly two-thirds of them with incomes of less than $50,000.

Representation among all part-time nontenure-track faculty members
Adjunct faculty members 66%
Professors of practice 23%
Retired tenured faculty members 11%
Age (adjuncts only)
Under 40 28%
40 to 54 32%
55 to 69 34%
70 and older 6%
Median age 51
Gender
Female 52%
Male 47%
Marital status
Married or living with partner 67%
Not married 33%
Highest degree
Doctorate 32%
Master’s 56%
Professional/other terminal 6%
Bachelor’s 5%
Academic discipline
Humanities/social sciences 55%
Professional/sciences 44%
Number of institutions at which they teach
1 74%
2 19%
3 to 6 7%
Number of courses (if teaching at 1 institution)
1 35%
2 35%
3 or more 28%
Number of courses (if teaching at 2 or more institutions)
2 16%
3 or 4 44%
5 or more 39%
Average pay per course
Less than $2,000 28%
$2,000 to $2,999 30%
$3,000 to $3,999 19%
$4,000 or more 22%
Worked for pay outside higher education in past academic year
If working at one institution 40%
If working at more than one institution 55%
Annual household income for adjuncts of all marital statuses
Less than $50,000 29%
$50,000 to $99,999 30%
$100,000 or more 30%
For single adjuncts
Less than $50,000 65%
$50,000 to $99,999 23%
$100,000 or more 6%
For adjuncts who were married or living with a partner
Less than $50,000 12%
$50,000 to $99,999 34%
$100,000 or more 43%
Level of career satisfaction
Very satisfied 23%
Satisfied 43%
Neither satisfied nor dissatisfied 18%
Dissatisfied 13%
Very dissatisfied 3%
Preferred faculty status
Tenure-track position 50%
Full-time nontenure-track position 11%
Adjunct position 24%
Not sure 15%

Note: Data are based on an online survey of 502 adjunct faculty members working in all sectors of higher education. Respondents to the survey, which was conducted from May 14 to June 8, 2018, were selected from members of the Research Now online research panel. Survey responses were weighted by age, gender, and highest degree attained. Aside from being counted in the first detail on representation, professors of practice and retired tenured faculty members who worked part time not on the tenure track were excluded. The study also excluded two groups who are called adjuncts: clinical faculty members in professional schools, and tenured and tenure-track faculty members with courtesy appointments in other units. It also excluded graduate students. “Single” adjuncts include those who were divorced, separated, or widowed. Percentages may not add up to 100 because of rounding, because the percentages of those who did not respond to questions about income were omitted, and because the percentage of adjuncts who hadn’t taught a course in the previous semester was omitted. Questions or comments on the Almanac should be sent to Ruth Hammond.

Source: 2018 Adjunct Faculty Survey, TIAA Institute


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<hr/>

A version of this article appeared in the August 23, 2019, issue.
Read other items in Tenure Status & Adjuncts.
We welcome your thoughts and questions about this article. Please email the editors or submit a letter for publication.
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