do prof's make lots of money??

[Semidevil]

So I always thought that being a college professor would bring lots of money, because of the education level and things they have to go through to reach that level....

but in school, almost all my prof's jokingly complain about their pay being low....

so seriously, how much do professors get paid anyways? Is it more then the average undergrad engineer graduate? Do they usually have enough money to buy nice cars and all? I mean, assuming they get all their college debt paid off, do they need still to worry about saving money w/ their salary?

just curious.

 

[jagec]

They get paid well. Depends on the location, the department, and how high up they are, of course, but I know that some of the profs here are in the six figures.

 

[HomeBrewerDude]

it depends on the school, the level of tenure, the amount of grants the prof pulls in, the field, and a bunch of other factors.

some might be pulling well over 100k, whereas the lowest of the low probably make 40k.

 

[Tiamat]

Professors do not get much until they are tenured. Associate Professors bring in maybe 38k$. BS in ChE can bring in 52k$ THis is in BOston Area.

Of course Department Chairs bring in over 110k$

 

[KoolAidKid]

Depends on their specialty. In mine, $40K starting is standard for a teaching position.

 

[JDub02]

I don't know averages, but that screwball in Colorado is getting $100k of taxpayer money for basically making an ass of himself.

 

[Syringer]

Originally posted by: JDub02
I don't know averages, but that screwball in Colorado is getting $100k of taxpayer money for basically making an ass of himself.

Who?

 

[RaDragon]

Depends on their education, where they work, if they're tenured, and the field of study/research...

That being said, I want to "retire" as a professor granted tenure.

 

[DainBramaged]

Originally posted by: Syringer

Originally posted by: JDub02
I don't know averages, but that screwball in Colorado is getting $100k of taxpayer money for basically making an ass of himself.

Who?

Something Churchill

Edit: Ward Churchill

 

[Analog]

Originally posted by: Semidevil
So I always thought that being a college professor would bring lots of money, because of the education level and things they have to go through to reach that level....

but in school, almost all my prof's jokingly complain about their pay being low....

so seriously, how much do professors get paid anyways? Is it more then the average undergrad engineer graduate? Do they usually have enough money to buy nice cars and all? I mean, assuming they get all their college debt paid off, do they need still to worry about saving money w/ their salary?

just curious.

I don't get paid six figures. I won't divulge what I'm making, but I'll tell you this, I could get an automatic $25K increase in pay if I'd go to the private sector.

Why don't I? Because money isn't everything to me. I like my summers off with the kids, and I like the flexible schedule teaching gives me.

 

[Semidevil]

crap, i mean, in my opinion, 40k is pretty good in my state if that is the lowest.....and I have all the tenured full time brilliant professors and , dean of college complain about their salary...I wonder what is wrong w/ them

 

[iamwiz82]

You should be able to look up a certain number of your school's highest paid employees. Someone at my school did that and posted it on the bulletin boards. The president makes $350k plus a house. The highest paid prof pulls in over $200k a year.

 

[JDub02]

Originally posted by: DainBramaged

Originally posted by: Syringer

Originally posted by: JDub02
I don't know averages, but that screwball in Colorado is getting $100k of taxpayer money for basically making an ass of himself.

Who?

Something Churchill

yah .. Ward or Warren or something. Saw him on the news .. apparently he feels that the Americans who were murdered on 9/11 deserved to die. :|

 

[dullard]

I'd say the average is ~$80k at a public university. Community colleges pay far less. Private colleges may pay more or less.

It varies a bunch with the university and the field you are in. It also varies on your level of tenure (research associate professor, assistant professor, associate professor, professor, department chair, etc). Many would make far more by going into the private sector. Of course, in many fields you can get grants and tack on $10k - $20k per grant per year for yourself.

 

[irwincur]

Consider how easy the job is. You are still on the college schedule - which means three to four hours of work a day max, and you make your own schedule for the most part. Most Universities require you to regularly publish, so every now and then you need to do a months worth orf work or so in your field. It is easy - just join another professors study or something like that, and you can get off with doing very little.

As an engineer you may start at 50K, but you will probably be working 60 - 70 hour weeks and travelling a lot (depending on the job). Days start early and run long. It can be a very high pressure job. As a professor you start around 40K (but move up quickly because Unions and strong teacher vs. board powers) and you work about 20 - 30 hours per week. You actually do as much work as you want.


Now for the final tip: DO NOT BE THE LOSER A**HOLE PROFESSOR THAT HAS NO REAL WORLD EXPERIENCE. No one should be allowed to walk into a high level teaching career without any notable real world experience. The difference between a person that 'knows' something and one that has 'done' something are worlds apart. I hated my teachers that were merely products of the system. They were all complete IDIOTS when it came to real world sense. On the flip side you could have the experienced individule teaching you with little more than stories and examples - little work or testing and you came out with 10x the understanding that you would with a lecutre, assign, test style robot.

 

[phisrow]

I don't know the specific values(take a look at http://chronicle.com/free/v48/i32/4832aaup.htm for a general outline), and they vary widely depending on the department; but as a general rule you don't become a professor for the money. For certain skillsets with basically no private sector applications(classicist, expert on Aristotelian metaphysics, etc.) a professorship may be about the best you are likely to get; but for pretty much anything else you don't teach for the money. This is especially true for economists, engineers, computer scientists, etc.

 

[Vette73]

Well at my old College the business Professors HAD to have a PHD so they were really underpaid compared to what they could make in the private sector. But english Professors and other departments made as much or more then others in the private sector.

So really depends.

 

[jaybert]

Definately depends on the school..but also what department you are in. Not sure who exactly, but I know there are a few professors at Cornell's med. school who are making 7 figures...granted they are probably the chair and doing something specialized like neurology...

 

[ucdbiendog]

i think it depends on school/department. I go to UCD, and i don't doubt most fo the prof's make 6 figs, if not more. I think they make most of their bank from non-school related jobs like consulting or being an expert witness.

 

[KoolAidKid]

Originally posted by: irwincur
Consider how easy the job is. You are still on the college schedule - which means three to four hours of work a day max, and you make your own schedule for the most part. Most Universities require you to regularly publish, so every now and then you need to do a months worth orf work or so in your field. It is easy - just join another professors study or something like that, and you can get off with doing very little.

As an engineer you may start at 50K, but you will probably be working 60 - 70 hour weeks and travelling a lot (depending on the job). Days start early and run long. It can be a very high pressure job. As a professor you start around 40K (but move up quickly because Unions and strong teacher vs. board powers) and you work about 20 - 30 hours per week. You actually do as much work as you want.


Now for the final tip: DO NOT BE THE LOSER A**HOLE PROFESSOR THAT HAS NO REAL WORLD EXPERIENCE. No one should be allowed to walk into a high level teaching career without any notable real world experience. The difference between a person that 'knows' something and one that has 'done' something are worlds apart. I hated my teachers that were merely products of the system. They were all complete IDIOTS when it came to real world sense. On the flip side you could have the experienced individule teaching you with little more than stories and examples - little work or testing and you came out with 10x the understanding that you would with a lecutre, assign, test style robot.

I would not call a teaching position 'easy'. The rule of thumb for preparing a lecture is that it takes 3 times the time to prep it as it does to give it. So if you teach 10 hours a week you will be prepping for 30.

 

[illusion88]

There are also "other" advantages to teaching at a college level.

 

[Analog]

Originally posted by: irwincur
Consider how easy the job is. You are still on the college schedule - which means three to four hours of work a day max, and you make your own schedule for the most part. Most Universities require you to regularly publish, so every now and then you need to do a months worth orf work or so in your field. It is easy - just join another professors study or something like that, and you can get off with doing very little.

Okay, so you think that you can just show up and give a lecture? Right.... :roll:

And to grade homework, labs, projects? Right.... :roll:

To be involved with student activities and societies? Right... :roll:

To be an advisor to students (at least here in engineering)? Right... :roll:

Now for the final tip: DO NOT BE THE LOSER A**HOLE PROFESSOR THAT HAS NO REAL WORLD EXPERIENCE. No one should be allowed to walk into a high level teaching career without any notable real world experience. The difference between a person that 'knows' something and one that has 'done' something are worlds apart. I hated my teachers that were merely products of the system. They were all complete IDIOTS when it came to real world sense. On the flip side you could have the experienced individule teaching you with little more than stories and examples - little work or testing and you came out with 10x the understanding that you would with a lecutre, assign, test style robot.

this thread did not ask for a tip or advice from you. But since you mentioned it, everyone in my department (electronics & computer netoworking systems) has at least 20 years of industry experience before coming here to teach, including myself. You need to stop generalizing and get a better understanding of what profs do. If you would like more information, PM me.

 

[Gibson486]

Originally posted by: irwincur
Consider how easy the job is. You are still on the college schedule - which means three to four hours of work a day max, and you make your own schedule for the most part. Most Universities require you to regularly publish, so every now and then you need to do a months worth orf work or so in your field. It is easy - just join another professors study or something like that, and you can get off with doing very little.

As an engineer you may start at 50K, but you will probably be working 60 - 70 hour weeks and travelling a lot (depending on the job). Days start early and run long. It can be a very high pressure job. As a professor you start around 40K (but move up quickly because Unions and strong teacher vs. board powers) and you work about 20 - 30 hours per week. You actually do as much work as you want.


Now for the final tip: DO NOT BE THE LOSER A**HOLE PROFESSOR THAT HAS NO REAL WORLD EXPERIENCE. No one should be allowed to walk into a high level teaching career without any notable real world experience. The difference between a person that 'knows' something and one that has 'done' something are worlds apart. I hated my teachers that were merely products of the system. They were all complete IDIOTS when it came to real world sense. On the flip side you could have the experienced individule teaching you with little more than stories and examples - little work or testing and you came out with 10x the understanding that you would with a lecutre, assign, test style robot.

Being a professor is not easy at all.....i don't know what you are talking about when you say they do 4 hours worth of work max. On top of teaching, they must research something and pig backing on another professor's work does not count. Professors are, infact, not granted an increased stay at their schools because they fail to meet their research quotas. Also, in teh college level, there are no unions. It's nothing like a public middlw school teacher.

 

[desteffy]

For math, moving to industry could DOUBLE your income. But being a professor gives you a lot of freedom. You create your own agenda, research what you want to, and have summers off.

 

[Metron]

I know a few professors, and I may head that direction later in my career.

Some points to consider:

1) While you may start out at a relatively "good" salary ($65-100K depending upon the size and stature of the university), you'll probably never see much of an increase... if ever. You have to be motivated to teach by more than just money.

2) While you do have some control over your class schedule, you'll have to participate on various committees (Book committee, Graduate committee, Advisory committee, etc), which add to your work hours. That's in addition to classes, office hours, development and preparation of curriculum, and class preparation.

3) Most universities are funded by research grants, not student tuitions. The ugly truth is that the research is driving factor. Much of your time will be spent investigating and applying for grants, actual research in your field, and then documentation and publication of your work.

The idea that you can just drop by the university, spend a few hours a day giving lectures, and then "... a months worth orf work... " toward research in your field is just specious.

Metron