Is it hard to get a job as a professor?

Asked by: Talia Ritchie  |  Last update: July 11, 2022
Score: 4.8/5 (7 votes)

Overall, it's extremely difficult to become a professor. Nowadays, there are many more qualified applicants than there are full-time, college-level teaching positions, making tenure-track jobs in particular highly competitive.

How likely is it to become a professor?

3% OF ALL DOCTORATE HOLDERS BECOME PROFESSORS

If you are a PhD holder you have a 30% chance to become a postdoc and a 3% chance to become a professor. In other words: there is a 97% chance that you are going to work in a non-academic environment.

How long does it take to get a job as a professor?

It typically takes between four and five years to become a teacher. That is the length of time required to complete a bachelor's degree, which is the minimum qualification for teachers, whether they are teaching elementary, middle school or high school.

Do professors have an easy job?

Originally Answered: Do professors have an easy job? No. It's not an “easy” job by most measures of easy. Many graduate students decide to opt out of the academic track when they see first hand what we actually do, as professors.

Is becoming a professor a good career choice?

One of the biggest pros is the freedom that it offers you in terms of research. Once you are senior enough, you can choose which projects to work on and which methodologies you employ. Few other jobs can match this level of intellectual freedom, and it is undoubtedly one of the perks of being a professor.

Ask a Professor: Episode 1 - Is Being a Prof. a Difficult Job?

45 related questions found

Are professors rich?

Locally, professors earn more than average

Figure 1 shows that most professors earn in the range of $100-150k annually. Note that these numbers include faculty at all ranks (Assistant Professor, Associate Professor, and Full Professor).

What are the downsides of being a professor?

Like any career, a career as a professor has positives and negatives.
  • Long Hours. Actual class time for professors might be as little as three to six hours per week in a given semester. ...
  • Unmotivated Students. ...
  • Tenure. ...
  • Professional Challenges. ...
  • 2016 Salary Information for Postsecondary Teachers.

How stressful is being a professor?

A national survey of four-year college and university faculty members, released in October by the Higher Education Research Institute at the University of California at Los Angeles, found that more than 80 percent of faculty members -- at public and private institutions alike -- feel stress over "self-imposed high ...

Is it stressful being a professor?

It can be very stressful, and will be at least some of the time, but it needn't be, and isn't always. Part of the stress stems from the fact that, if you let it, the university will find ways to employ every bit of all the time and energy you have.

Is being a professor a stressful job?

College Professors Have Least Stressful Job In America, CareerCast.com Says. College professors have the least stressful job in America, beating out seamstresses, according to a new ranking from CareerCast.com, and it's causing a lot of outrage online.

How old are professors usually?

Typically, the research expectations for tenure are adjusted accordingly. Very few people become Full Professors before the age of 40; the average age of Full Professors is 55 and the average age when tenure is granted is at 39.

Who is the youngest professor in the world?

Business Report had a chat with Soborno Isaac Bari about his life and his accomplishments. He is the youngest professor in the world.

How much do professors earn?

According to data from the American Association of University Professors, the average full-time college professor, combining all instructor types and university categories, made $101,810 in the 2020-21 academic year. Full professors in the U.S. made an average of $140,543 during that same period.

Do you need a PhD to be a professor?

Though non-doctoral teachers can secure jobs in higher education, in order to secure the title of professor, they must have a doctoral degree in their field. Earning the Ph. D. --the terminal degree in any field--gives professors the academic knowledge and expertise to teach at the post-secondary level.

Do professors want PhD students?

The primary reason to take PhD students is because professors are primarily teachers. Just like Ben Zhao said. A secondary reason is PhD students are around for longer and hence can take on longer projects. Most fields PhDs in the US are around 5-6 years, while postdocs are 2-3.

How long does a PhD take?

On average, a Ph. D. may take up to eight years to complete. A doctorate degree typically takes four to six years to complete—however, this timing depends on the program design, the subject area you're studying, and the institution offering the program.

Are university professors happy?

Professors rate their happiness above average. At CareerExplorer, we conduct an ongoing survey with millions of people and ask them how satisfied they are with their careers. As it turns out, professors rate their career happiness 3.6 out of 5 stars which puts them in the top 25% of careers.

What professors get paid the most?

The 10 Highest-Paying Fields for College Professors
  • Political science teachers - $102,290. ...
  • Physics teachers - $101,110. ...
  • Anthropology and archaeology teachers - $95,140. ...
  • Environmental science teachers - $93,450. ...
  • Chemistry teachers - $92,650. ...
  • Geography teachers - $86,540. ...
  • Social sciences teachers - $85,390.

Is professor a low stress job?

University professors have the least stressful career in the US - narrowly beating tailors and seamstresses into second place, a job listing website has found.

What is the least stressful job?

Some low-stress jobs come with good to excellent annual salaries.
  1. 10 Low-Stress Jobs. In its annual report, CareerCast considered 11 stress factors when ranking the jobs. ...
  2. Data Scientist. ...
  3. Dietitian. ...
  4. Medical Records Technician. ...
  5. Massage Therapist. ...
  6. Appliance Repairer. ...
  7. Librarian. ...
  8. Diagnostic Medical Stenographer.

Are professors overworked?

And these professors also tend to be overworked and underpaid. Three out of 10 professors work more than 50 hours per week, and one-third of them work more than 60 hours. Two out of five (39 percent) professors earn between $41,000 and $80,000 annually.

Do professors travel a lot?

Originally Answered: Do professors at university travel often? Yes, we do. We probably don't have to travel as much as we do; I have, many years, (successfully) made a conscious effort to reduce my amount of travel. But we do get many opportunities to travel both domestically and internationally.

What age do college professors retire?

A Fidelity survey released Monday echoes prior studies and anecdotal evidence that found many professors are teaching into their golden years. Fidelity polled several hundred faculty members between the ages of 49 and 67, and nearly 75% said they planned to retire after age 65.

How many hours a week does a professor work?

On average, faculty participants reported working 61 hours per week – more than 50 percent over the traditional 40-hour work week. They worked 10 hours per day Monday to Friday and about that much on Saturday and Sunday combined.

Do most professors have a PhD?

Not all professors have PhDs. In fine arts, social work, and law, many professors will have an MFA, MSW, or JD (respectively) rather than a doctoral degree. And although some professors might also be doctors, “Professor” is a higher rank and thus tends to be preferred.