The average salary for a professor in the United States is around $52,268 per year.
Avg Salary
Professors earn an average yearly salary of $52,268.
Wages typically start from $28,311 and go up to $96,499.
12% below national average Updated in 2023
Professor earnings by seniority
90th percentile
Top-level professor earnings begin at:
$46.39 per hour
$96,499 per year
75th percentile
Senior-level professor earnings begin at:
$34.70 per hour
$72,175 per year
50th percentile
Mid-level professor earnings begin at:
$25.13 per hour
$52,268 per year
25th percentile
Junior-level professor earnings begin at:
$18.20 per hour
$37,852 per year
10th percentile
Starting level professor earnings begin at:
$13.61 per hour
$28,311 per year
Approximate values based on highest and lowest earning segments.
Professor salary by state
| State Name | Average Salary |
|---|---|
| New York | $96,100 |
| Alaska | $81,890 |
| Utah | $81,460 |
| California | $79,340 |
| Rhode Island | $78,160 |
| Hawaii | $78,110 |
| Maryland | $77,920 |
| Massachusetts | $77,740 |
| South Carolina | $77,650 |
| New Jersey | $77,280 |
| Connecticut | $77,170 |
| Delaware | $77,170 |
| North Dakota | $77,030 |
| Minnesota | $76,260 |
| Virginia | $75,600 |
| Tennessee | $73,990 |
| Pennsylvania | $73,600 |
| Wyoming | $69,940 |
| Oregon | $64,360 |
| Alabama | $63,900 |
| Indiana | $63,900 |
| North Carolina | $63,900 |
| New Hampshire | $63,900 |
| Maine | $63,740 |
| Michigan | $63,740 |
| New Mexico | $63,740 |
| Vermont | $63,740 |
| Arizona | $63,670 |
| Florida | $63,650 |
| Colorado | $63,530 |
| Louisiana | $63,470 |
| Ohio | $62,850 |
| Texas | $62,570 |
| Wisconsin | $62,350 |
| Missouri | $62,240 |
| Georgia | $62,100 |
| Montana | $61,880 |
| Kansas | $61,770 |
| Nevada | $61,550 |
| Oklahoma | $61,550 |
| Illinois | $61,520 |
| Washington | $61,510 |
| South Dakota | $61,120 |
| Kentucky | $61,010 |
| Mississippi | $60,630 |
| Iowa | $60,550 |
| Arkansas | $58,380 |
| Nebraska | $49,920 |
| Idaho | $48,490 |
| West Virginia | $38,810 |
| Puerto Rico | $31,680 |
| District of Columbia | $31,200 |
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 high school teachers.
| Career | Median Salary |
|---|---|
| Distance learning coordinator salary | $79K |
| Educational administrator salary | $65K |
| Professor salary | $52K |
| Special education teacher salary | $54K |
| Librarian salary | $55K |
| Career counselor salary | $48K |
| High school teacher salary | $47K |
Source: CareerExplorer (Aggregated)