The average salary for a professor in the United States is around $75,350 per year.
Avg Salary
Professors earn an average yearly salary of $75,350.
Wages typically start from $39,530 and go up to $126,860.
15% above national average Updated in 2025
Professor earnings by seniority
90th percentile
Top-level professor earnings begin at:
$60.99 per hour
$126,860 per year
75th percentile
Senior-level professor earnings begin at:
$46.92 per hour
$97,590 per year
50th percentile
Mid-level professor earnings begin at:
$36.23 per hour
$75,350 per year
25th percentile
Junior-level professor earnings begin at:
$25.85 per hour
$53,770 per year
10th percentile
Starting level professor earnings begin at:
$19.00 per hour
$39,530 per year
Approximate values based on highest and lowest earning segments.
Professor salary by state
| State Name | Average Salary |
|---|---|
| Louisiana | $83,710 |
| New York | $82,020 |
| Alaska | $81,890 |
| District of Columbia | $80,810 |
| Connecticut | $80,620 |
| Rhode Island | $80,030 |
| Massachusetts | $79,980 |
| Michigan | $79,910 |
| Minnesota | $78,950 |
| Nebraska | $78,950 |
| Maryland | $78,820 |
| Arizona | $78,520 |
| Vermont | $78,100 |
| New Jersey | $77,600 |
| North Dakota | $77,540 |
| Delaware | $77,170 |
| Utah | $77,090 |
| Virginia | $77,060 |
| Maine | $77,050 |
| Washington | $75,170 |
| Pennsylvania | $74,910 |
| Wisconsin | $74,790 |
| Arkansas | $74,500 |
| Nevada | $74,240 |
| Oregon | $73,880 |
| Tennessee | $72,390 |
| Montana | $70,320 |
| North Carolina | $70,050 |
| Texas | $68,280 |
| Colorado | $66,870 |
| South Carolina | $66,690 |
| Wyoming | $66,350 |
| Indiana | $66,150 |
| Missouri | $65,910 |
| Idaho | $65,720 |
| New Mexico | $64,830 |
| Alabama | $63,730 |
| Florida | $63,640 |
| South Dakota | $63,350 |
| West Virginia | $63,270 |
| Kansas | $63,010 |
| Georgia | $62,510 |
| Ohio | $62,400 |
| Iowa | $62,090 |
| Mississippi | $61,860 |
| Illinois | $61,560 |
| Kentucky | $61,450 |
| Oklahoma | $60,880 |
| Hawaii | $49,800 |
| New Hampshire | $49,250 |
| Puerto Rico | $31,680 |
| California | $111,850 |
How do professor salaries compare to similar careers?
Professors earn about the same as related careers in the United States. On average, they make less than distance learning coordinators but more than school counselors.
| Career | Median Salary |
|---|---|
| Distance learning coordinator salary | $95K |
| School psychologist salary | $96K |
| Music teacher salary | $79K |
| Physical education teacher salary | $77K |
| Professor salary | $75K |
| High school teacher salary | $72K |
| Librarian salary | $68K |
| Elementary school teacher salary | $64K |
| School counselor salary | $64K |
Source: CareerExplorer (Aggregated)