Understanding the Salary Disparities Between Assistant and Associate Professors in Universities

It is a common misconception that the job titles of assistant professor and associate professor in universities come with linearly increasing salaries. In reality, the pay scales can vary significantly based on a multitude of factors, including the discipline of study, years of experience, and gender.

The Academic Rank Transition: Assistant to Associate Professor

An assistant professor is the initial rank for faculty members who have recently completed their PhD and have taken on teaching and research roles in higher education. As they progress in their career and accumulate significant teaching experience, academic achievements, and research contributions, they may advance to the position of an associate professor.

Comparing Salaries: An In-depth Analysis

According to the data compiled by the U.S. Department of Education's Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS) and published in The Chronicle of Higher Education, there are notable differences in salaries between assistant and associate professors, as well as significant gender disparities within these ranks.

For the University of California at Berkeley in 2021-2022, the average nine-month equivalent salary for assistant professors, adjusted for inflation, was as follows:

Men: US$119,515 Women: US$115,255, a difference of approximately seven percent (US$124,055 - US$115,255 US$8,800, divided by US$124,055 0.07 or 7%).

On an adjusted basis, for every US$1 an assistant professor who was a man made, an assistant professor who was a woman made US$0.93.

At the associate professor level, the overall average nine-month equivalent salary was higher, reflecting the advanced stage of the faculty member's career:

Overall: US$148,799 (20% greater than the assistant professor level) Men: US$156,527 (21% greater than the assistant professor level) Women: US$138,968 (17% greater than the assistant professor level)

The gender gap at the associate professor level narrowed to approximately 12% (US$156,527 - US$138,968 US$17,559, divided by US$156,527 0.114 or 11.4%). For every US$1 an associate professor who was a man made, an associate professor who was a woman made US$0.88.

External Influences on Salary Disparities

Part of the reason for these salary disparities lies in the different disciplines faculty members belong to. Data from 37 disciplines compiled by Pritchard and colleagues in 2019-2020 revealed significant differences in assistant professor median salaries between disciplines. For instance:

Assistant Professors in criminal justice and related fields earned less than the median salaries in 33 other disciplines. The median salary for assistant professors in criminal justice and related fields was ~US$46,000 less than in business. The median salary for assistant professors in criminal justice and related fields was ~US$25,000 less than in computer science and ~US$25,000 less than the median in engineering. Assistant Professors in performing arts, culinary studies, and history had lower median salaries than those in other disciplines.

Gender Disparity: A Persistent Issue

There is also a non-trivial gender gap in academic salaries even within the same rank. In October, five women faculty members at Vassar College filed a federal lawsuit against the institution claiming 20-year-old disparities in faculty salaries by gender.

To delve deeper into salary trends and explore salary disparities, you can visit the Chronicle of Higher Education and search for specific universities. Additionally, IPEDS and other resources can be accessed for more detailed information and trends.

By understanding the complexities of salary disparities in the academic world, we can work towards more equitable compensation and opportunities for all faculty members.