This blog is intended to give you a general idea of the salary range you can expect as an adjunct instructor. Adjunct faculty may find this information helpful in negotiating with the institution or search firm that is hiring them. Adjunct Faculty, who are hired by colleges and universities, often find themselves working as both teachers and administrators. As teachers, adjunct faculty members have to grade papers, exams, research papers and other work submitted by their students as well as prepare demonstrations and practical applications for their classes. In addition to teaching duties, adjunct faculty often assume administrative roles within their department, such as coordinating office space, organizing on-campus events or helping students with general academic issues.
An adjunct instructor is a part-time teacher who helps instruct a class. The role of adjunct instructors can vary widely, but they usually provide additional instruction or help with grading. Adjunct instructors are often paid less than full-time instructors and do not receive benefits.
The average salary for an adjunct instructor in the United States is $35,000 per year. However, this figure can vary depending on factors such as location, experience level and education level of the instructor. For example, adjunct instructors at California State University earn an average salary of $45,000 per year while those teaching at community colleges in New York earn an average annual salary of $30,000 per year.
Salary for adjunct instructor
A good starting salary for an adjunct instructor is $33,000 in the United States. That puts you in the 10th percentile of annual income for an adjunct instructor in the U.S., which is about what you would expect if you were new to the field. The average salary for adjunct instructors is $63,646, but that normally requires some level of experience to achieve. Furthermore, a good starting salary for an adjunct instructor can vary by state, as we show below.
What Is A Good Entry-Level Adjunct Instructor Salary By State?
The following table shows how much an entry level adjunct instructor earns in each state. Zippia used data from the BLS, public records, and job postings to create these estimates.
| State | Starting Salary | Monthly Pay | Weekly Pay | Hourly Wage |
| Alaska | $68,000 | $5,666 | $1,307 | $32.69 |
| Vermont | $60,000 | $5,000 | $1,153 | $28.85 |
| New Hampshire | $52,000 | $4,333 | $1,000 | $25.0 |
| New York | $50,000 | $4,166 | $961 | $24.04 |
| Massachusetts | $50,000 | $4,166 | $961 | $24.04 |
| Washington | $50,000 | $4,166 | $961 | $24.04 |
| Hawaii | $50,000 | $4,166 | $961 | $24.04 |
| New Jersey | $48,000 | $4,000 | $923 | $23.08 |
| Connecticut | $46,000 | $3,833 | $884 | $22.12 |
| Michigan | $45,000 | $3,750 | $865 | $21.63 |
| Rhode Island | $45,000 | $3,750 | $865 | $21.63 |
| Maine | $45,000 | $3,750 | $865 | $21.63 |
| California | $44,000 | $3,666 | $846 | $21.15 |
| Wisconsin | $42,000 | $3,500 | $807 | $20.19 |
| Minnesota | $41,000 | $3,416 | $788 | $19.71 |
| North Dakota | $41,000 | $3,416 | $788 | $19.71 |
| Oregon | $39,000 | $3,250 | $750 | $18.75 |
| Pennsylvania | $39,000 | $3,250 | $750 | $18.75 |
| District of Columbia | $35,000 | $2,916 | $673 | $16.83 |
| Montana | $35,000 | $2,916 | $673 | $16.83 |
| Delaware | $35,000 | $2,916 | $673 | $16.83 |
| Iowa | $32,000 | $2,666 | $615 | $15.38 |
| West Virginia | $31,000 | $2,583 | $596 | $14.9 |
| Maryland | $31,000 | $2,583 | $596 | $14.9 |
| Ohio | $31,000 | $2,583 | $596 | $14.9 |
| Idaho | $31,000 | $2,583 | $596 | $14.9 |
| Nevada | $30,000 | $2,500 | $576 | $14.42 |
| Indiana | $29,000 | $2,416 | $557 | $13.94 |
| South Dakota | $29,000 | $2,416 | $557 | $13.94 |
| Kentucky | $28,000 | $2,333 | $538 | $13.46 |
| Utah | $28,000 | $2,333 | $538 | $13.46 |
| Nebraska | $28,000 | $2,333 | $538 | $13.46 |
| Illinois | $28,000 | $2,333 | $538 | $13.46 |
| Virginia | $27,000 | $2,250 | $519 | $12.98 |
| Colorado | $27,000 | $2,250 | $519 | $12.98 |
| Arizona | $27,000 | $2,250 | $519 | $12.98 |
| Wyoming | $26,000 | $2,166 | $500 | $12.5 |
| North Carolina | $24,000 | $2,000 | $461 | $11.54 |
| Alabama | $24,000 | $2,000 | $461 | $11.54 |
| New Mexico | $24,000 | $2,000 | $461 | $11.54 |
| Missouri | $24,000 | $2,000 | $461 | $11.54 |
| Arkansas | $24,000 | $2,000 | $461 | $11.54 |
| Kansas | $24,000 | $2,000 | $461 | $11.54 |
| Louisiana | $23,000 | $1,916 | $442 | $11.06 |
| Tennessee | $23,000 | $1,916 | $442 | $11.06 |
| Mississippi | $22,000 | $1,833 | $423 | $10.58 |
| Texas | $22,000 | $1,833 | $423 | $10.58 |
| South Carolina | $21,000 | $1,750 | $403 | $10.1 |
| Florida | $21,000 | $1,750 | $403 | $10.1 |
| Oklahoma | $21,000 | $1,750 | $403 | $10.1 |
| Georgia | $20,000 | $1,666 | $384 | $9.62 |
What are The 10 Highest Paying Cities for Entry-Level Adjunct Instructor Jobs?
We’ve identified 10 cities where the typical salary for an entry level adjunct instructor job is above the national average. Topping the list is Buffalo, NY.
| City | Starting Salary | Monthly Pay | Weekly Pay | Hourly Wage |
| Anchorage, AK | $76,000 | $6,333 | $1,461 | $36.54 |
| Buffalo, NY | $66,000 | $5,500 | $1,269 | $31.73 |
| Newark, NJ | $64,000 | $5,333 | $1,230 | $30.77 |
| Boston, MA | $63,000 | $5,250 | $1,211 | $30.29 |
| Detroit, MI | $58,000 | $4,833 | $1,115 | $27.88 |
| Bakersfield, CA | $57,000 | $4,750 | $1,096 | $27.4 |
| Milwaukee, WI | $53,000 | $4,416 | $1,019 | $25.48 |
| Philadelphia, PA | $52,000 | $4,333 | $1,000 | $25.0 |
| Eugene, OR | $50,000 | $4,166 | $961 | $24.04 |
| Newark, DE | $48,000 | $4,000 | $923 | $23.08 |
