Prof. Salary

[t_ruth]

I've been reading a few threads on the Chronicles forum and they keep mentioning 40K as a professor salary. Is this really the case? I just find it odd considering there are plenty of grad student fellowships that pay a stipend of 30K...

Are there any good sites that have info on ave salaries in different fields and types of schools?

I know this isn't a typical "waiting it out" topic, but it's a time killer to investigate, right? Not that I'm going in to this for the money, but it would be nice to have some realistic expectation of what we will be earning...

[timuralp]

State universities are required to publish the salaries of the employees. You can look up what the profs are making right now. Here's the information for Michigan, for example: http://errwpc.umdl.umich.edu/public/3/3/1/3314612.html

[t_ruth]

thanks! that's interesting. I should check salary.com I suppose, but was wishfully thinking there was a similar service just for academics

[frankdux]

those are some really unimpressive numbers. there is definitely a much higher percentage of teachers at my old high school making six figures. i've heard people say you could make more money as a high school teacher than as a professor, but i never actually believed it.

[t_ruth]

there is definitely a much higher percentage of teachers at my old high school making six figures.

where the heck did you go to high school?

[natofone]

It all depends on the field. Humanities PhDs shouldn't expect much starting out, but an accounting or law professor will be making a nice salary from day 1.

[t_ruth]

I guess the chronicle site has some data:

http://chronicle.com/stats/salary/salary.htm

ETA: I can't access the good stuff, like the lists by field, but could see the state/university averages. For example, the average assist. prof. in Georgia makes between 60 and 80K.

[IvyHope]

I highly doubt a prof will be making six figures until well into their career...

A peer of mine just started her first year at a university and her starting salary is in the low 40s.

If you want more money, you should enter law or medicine.

I don't know any teachers K-12 that make 100k. In my state you might break 80k, with a PhD, in your 25th or plus year. I work for the state dept of education as well...100k in a public K-12 doesn't happen.

Frankdux, you must have gone to a pretty prestigious private high school.

[Tonights]

My partner's father is a long-time tenured professor (I had him for some classes - woo, that was uncomfortable) and knowing him, we definitely aren't expecting to be wealthy. Putting it mildly.

[IvyHope]

Now, that's not to say it can't be done...I do have one advisor/mentor who is well beyond the 100k range, but she's at the end of her career and has a very successful textbook that she revises every year.

Pearson/Allyn Bacon, etc will pay those big bucks. Not so much in the university (unless you're in a T50).

[pikatopia]

Not University related, but in terms of high schools - the teachers at my International (and fairly highly ranked) high school are in the upper 60s at initial placement and pretty close to 6 figures after a good run. They are also tax free!!

[gadhelyn]

>.<

Well, I'll still be called "Doctor"

Maybe I'll take some genius program I design for protein analysis and start a company with it. Should net me some money.

See, this is why playing the lottery isn't a bad idea. True, you have a horrible chance of actually winning, but do you have a better chance of earning that much?

Oh, and my mother's a teacher at a high school here, she's national board certified and such and makes mid60s

[socialpsych]

Totally depends on the field.

Professional schools pay way better.

[IvyHope]

Not University related, but in terms of high schools - the teachers at my International (and fairly highly ranked) high school are in the upper 60s at initial placement and pretty close to 6 figures after a good run. They are also tax free!!

Major difference between American public schools and others...

[frankdux]

where the heck did you go to high school?

Frankdux, you must have gone to a pretty prestigious private high school.

due to the freedom of information act, all public teacher salaries are available to the public.

http://www.thechampion.org has all illinois teacher's salaries viewable.

here is a neighboring school district of mine. a TON of teachers make over six figures. and this is a middle class PUBLIC high school.

http://www.championnews.net/district.ph ... &year=2007

hell, the chicago suburbs are full of well paid teachers.

[deianira]

Profs can (and typically do) substantially supplement their salary bu consulting with private industry, if their home institution allows it.

[t_ruth]

those are very high frank. I wonder if they include some kind of coaching supplement or something like that...

[IvyHope]

due to the freedom of information act, all public teacher salaries are available to the public.

http://www.thechampion.org has all illinois teacher's salaries viewable.

here is a neighboring school district of mine. a TON of teachers make over six figures. and this is a middle class PUBLIC high school.

http://www.championnews.net/district.ph ... &year=2007

hell, the chicago suburbs are full of well paid teachers.

Ugh...Frankdux, fine. Yes, you've made your point but I am going to disagree with several of your arguments and then let it lie.

First of all, you're not talking about middle class the way most of us do. The New Trier district is in Evanston, an arguably higher class and higher educated community.

Looking at your own source (http://www.championnews.net/district.ph ... &year=2007), several of their staff do make over 100k as you noted. There are also FT teachers listed who make 22k. If you look carefully, you see that most of the people listed with a 100k+ salary are administrators, and even the teachers listed have been there 25+ years. I'm sure there are exceptions, so you don't need to retort back with that.

The point is, teachers don't make that much money. Most start at 30k. Profs can make 100k toward the end of their career unless they're in a science field, then they make much more.

[miratrix]

What's wrong with $40K? Okay, if that's the single income you're trying to raise a family on that's tough, but most of us on this forum aren't single parents or supporting partners who don't work.

[t_ruth]

nothing wrong w/it mira (depending on cost of living of course). I just thought it wasn't that realistic as an average salary (and they weren't mentioning 'starting' salary either) when grad students make 30K...

[plisar]

nothing wrong w/it mira (depending on cost of living of course). I just thought it wasn't that realistic as an average salary (and they weren't mentioning 'starting' salary either) when grad students make 30K...

With stipend payments, tution, and health insurance, we're talking more like 65K

[IvyHope]

Not counting my tuition reimbursement, I made a fat 4-figure salary last year as a TA. 30k sounds like a dream.

[miratrix]

I wouldn't count tuition as part of salary, though....

[IvyHope]

I wouldn't count tuition as part of salary, though....

Right. I probably did hit 30k, WITH tuition.

[plisar]

I wouldn't count tuition as part of salary, though....

Yeah, but what i'm saying is it costs a lot more for a grad student than a TT professor and definitely an adjunct. That tuiton does cost the department money, regardless of whether you see it.