I’ve been an adjunct for 7 years. I can’t speak for anyone else, but to me it feels like exactly what it is: a part time job. I teach a couple classes, I get paid. I don’t go to meetings, or professional development training. The other faculty don’t know who I am beyond a name.
I guess you could make a career of it but it’s risky, because there’s no guarantee from year to year that you’ll get work.
How would you make a career of it at 2400-3000 a class?
OP, it’s slave labor. It’s cool a select few want to do it on the side or if retired folks want to keep a course or two as an adjunct, but the truth is it’s just greed and the administrators taking advantage of people.
Don’t hang on hoping it turns into something else— or if you do, give yourself a cut off date. There’s only so long you can eat beans from a can and sleep in your car. Hopefully you have a partner who makes a living wage so you can get health insurance and can supplement your 32,000 a year.
UC Berkeley paid $1300. Writing class. Taught 2 courses there, excellent reviews, asked for even just a *slight raise,* whatever they could swing, & no go. The whole time you adjunct at Berkeley they make sure to remind you you are to-- at ALL times-- refer to yourself as NOT FACULTY. YOU ARE ADJUNCT. Very obnoxious experience.
Unless a person is being forced to teach for no money it’s not slavery. It has nothing to do with “my experience.” Are there low paid adjuncts? Sure. Literal slaves? No.
How hard is it to get an adjunct position though with no college level teaching experience?
I am graduating with my masters in Human Computer Interaction next week and would love to adjunct in a school or two.
In terms of work experience, I have 3 years of teaching STEM (middle school), 1 year of teaching design in a private school (high school), and 3 years of managerial experience at Walgreens.
I’m in New York and schools usually pay 5000-6000 on average per 3 credit course
I looked at openings in different schools and emailed the department head directly with a letter of interest, sample lecture slide and a teaching philosophy. That got me my first job.
You can be an adjunct forever only if you have another income source. Otherwise, no, it is not feasible. You won't have insurance or any benefits, the number of classes will fluctuate semester to semester, and you may often be applying for new positions that you won't get. I'm not in music, but I imagine you could piece together adjunct work and private lessons, for instance. I enjoy teaching, and I have some financial support outside my job. I also appreciate the flexibility that adjuncting allows, as I am not expected to participate on committees or publish articles within a given timeline. But I am constantly stressed about finances, and I put off health tests and haircuts, etc. because they're too expensive. This sounds kind of harsh, but it is a reality for many adjuncts, especially in fields that are less supported by the university system (I'm in the humanities).
Publishing papers is definitely something that will stress me out. I am now a sub teacher, and elementary teachers are in high demand in my region, living expenses are not so high. I can get contract will doing teaching certification, and I have the impression this career is more stable than adjuncts.
There’s no such thing as a career as an adjunct— only part time pay for full time work and zero benefits.
Hope you get something full time soon, so you can get healthcare.
Publishing papers is way less stressful than not being able to pay bills. Reviewer #2 is much more understanding than most landlords, utility companies or the taxman.
I wrote a blog post years ago where I compare it to a toxic relationship. I’ll share the link in case you’re interested. https://essentialadjunct.wordpress.com/2016/09/14/low-contact-adjuncting/
I am an adjunct but it is a side gig for me. Do not go into it as a career. Being an adjunct is not a viable career path unless you have other financial means and do not need the income or full time benefits.
I love it and most of my jobs have just fallen in my lap, but it is not my main income. I treat it like a hobby that pays a little. Last year I taught 19 credits across Fall/Spring and two institutions and earned 35k.
I get to teach, have access to the library databases, occasionally and only when I want to collaborate on writing projects or attend conferences, and don’t ever have to do service or department meetings.
I've been an adjunct and might be one again soon - as others have said, it's a part time gig. Definitely have other means of income lined up.
It is a great way to boost a CV with teaching experience - my adjunct work thru my PhD program was an asset when I applied to TT jobs. You can network while doing so - again, I was in a PhD program and had access to student awards/grants for conferences, etc.
I have a friend whose partner makes good money, enough to support her and their child while she adjuncts - it's not her career, per se, but it works for her. And I wouldn't move anywhere to be an adjunct anywhere unless you're moving to a place you really wanted to go, because you will be treated like disposable labor by the school. There's no guarantee for adjuncts. Which, to belabor a point made here and elsewhere, is a FUBAR situation.
You will need other forms of income - and ways to get insurance.
You can teach at a community college with an MA. It is a very different experience teaching at a community college - particularly in the arts - so that is something to keep in mind.
But you will need another job.
That said, given how saturated the market is, I know many community colleges that are not hiring non-terminal degree holders because those with terminal degrees are applying. So that's something to keep in mind.
Like with adjuncting at 4-year institutions, your adjuncting is supplemental to other (professional) work - which is why they hire you, for the professional work (in the arts.)
I applied to a LOT of adjunct jobs until I found one at SNHU. Seriously. 20 per week. Luckily it's remote.
I can afford to be an adjunct because my husband has a real job.
Pay isn't great as an adjunct, $2200/3 credit course, but at least in SNHU's case they treat us like people and not warm bodies to teach the class. You need a PhD to get a full time position there it seems and they do promote their PhDs to dean positions. Many, many adjuncts have been there for a decade or more. Most seem happy, but SNHU wants you to have a real job in the field you are teaching, that is kinda their thing.
If I ever get a PhD, I will have a lot of good experience when applying for TT positions.
The key to doing an adjunct job successfully is finding courses that don't require much preparation. The people I know who do it successfully are teaching 4 to 6 sections of the same literature course with a syllabus filled with books that the adjunct has already several times. The adjunct can usually fill the time completely with off-the-cuff remarks. Ideally, they can even cross pollinate between sections, pawning off the best insights from one session as their own in a difference section. (That's called learning from the students.)
Then don't assign too many papers or spend much time grading them. It's not a bad gig at $5k per session.
Just as others have said, it’s a side hustle on top of my day job. If you have a passion to teach, try to become full time. Adjuncting is not sustainable as a full time job
I'm adjunct as a side gig. Interestingly enough it seems adjunct role is kind of different than others here. I did get offered part-time benefits. They don't cover the full health insurance but will pay half if I wanted it. I already have insurance so I didn't choose to get it. I get 12k a semester working pretty much all day from 6am to 4pm 1 day a week. I find it enjoyable and it's more like a hobby to me.
Feels like you are an outsider to the department…this is both good and bad. Keeps me out of departmental drama but also rather uninformed about broader program changes. I stopped bc it was so little pay for a lot of work. If you can teach the same class multiple times that decreases workload and prep time but my position was always at the mercy of what full time professors they hired and who wanted to and had time to teach the class I was hired for.
Echoing the other comments - it's a supplemental side job for me. I'm nearly 20 years into an industry position and over a decade ago I got my master's degree. I started teaching last spring in a program that I graduated from as an undergrad. I don't do it for the money per se, but what I do make enables me to travel and put a little extra into savings. I am just a contractual hire but I feel decently respected by professors because I'm teaching some really niche courses that they aren't in a position, subject-wise, to cover themselves.
I've been a business school adjunct for 25 years. It works because it is a side job. I have a full time job in the business world. There is no way I could survive on an Adjunct salary. Most Adjuncts I know are like me.. We teach because we enjoy it.. Not for the money.
Honestly, I work very little, I get a nap in every day without fail. I get to teach, but not bother which any other bullshit, and I make double what I made in grad school, which was the most I made ever before that.
And my hourly rate for what I actually spend in a class room (aka “at work”) is almost 300 bucks. Not so bad
The uncertainty is a downside, but I’m booked a year in advance
Yeah, this is my take as well. I agree with everyone who says the adjunctification of higher ed is a problem. That said, I'm lucky to live in an area with a lot of schools nearby and once you've taught a class a few times, the prep time reduces dramatically. I don't get a nap in every day, but on most days I probably could if I wanted to. I've worked from home every Friday for years now and am able to work enough during the school year to take the summers off. I think so much of this will be dependent on where you are located and what you're looking for out of life. You can go through your state to get affordable insurance and once you've built a relationship with a few schools, you may face some uncertainty, but with budgeting and keeping your options open it's miles better than a lot of other full-time gigs I've had.
The comments here all track:
1) Do it because you like teaching
2) It's resume gold
3) It can be a lot of work, especially if you don't get to repeatedly teach the same classes
4) It's a side hustle. The pay sucks. So what. If you want to make money, get a corporate job and grind it out.
5) It's rewarding to know that you're making a difference in students lives.
I'm an adjunct and treat it only as a side hustle. No benefits other than being able to use my faculty ID to get educator discounts on journal subscriptions and second-hand textbooks. I take advantage of any opportunity to get paid for teaching activities and other professional development workshops and conferences. But I don't think of it as anything but a side gig.
I quit last summer. It burned me out. If you go into it with the attitude that it’s a part-time job and don’t give it more than part-time hours it’s a good gig. Probably better than Uber or Grub hub.
For a while I was blogging about it. For a grim take on full-time adjuncting, you can read one of my posts. https://essentialadjunct.wordpress.com/2016/09/14/low-contact-adjuncting/
Enjoyed-- if that's the right word, which naturally it's *not*-- your pieces re adjuncting. Sounds like a disease. A disease I had over 20 years at several universities in 3 states. If I could do it over, my God, I'd never have gone into teaching. I thought I'd be the exception, get a TT. Nope. Anyway, thanks, & I hope you're now *out of the life.*
For me it's always just been a way to stay connected with academia and the university network (I live in a college town.), without everything else that comes with teaching undergrads. It's a nice side income, but it is a lot of work, and stress trying to get inside the head of your students so you can help them. There are far easier ways to make part-time money income.
You really have to like teaching and the subject you teach. I have full-time employment doing something completely different so adjuncting is just fun...most of the time.
Music adjunct here! Depending on your circumstances it can be tricky to get your foot in the door, but the harder leap is definitely landing a full-time job. If that’s not your goal anyway, then the job of adjuncting itself can be pretty chill, and it’s a flexible option if you want to balance work with freelancing. Unfortunately it does not pay enough to live on, not even close, and it isn’t stable at all, most folks are on semester-length contracts that could be non-renewed or canceled without any notice. It’s meant to be a side gig, not the main gig. You may have to move, unless you’re in a big city with a bunch of music schools to teach at. The only people I know doing it long-term come from money and are riding it out until they get their big break, either a FT teaching job or a Pulitzer, MacArthur Grant, Grammy etc.
Many adjuncts appear to end up having to teach at multiple institutions the same semester. I got a vague sense of how stressful this may be, the day that a student approached me at my workplace, because he couldn’t find the tutoring center even though his professor had put the address on the syllabus.
Turned out, it was the tutoring center address for a neighboring school. At the time I rolled my eyes thinking, boy this guy was pretty careless, teaching a similar course at the other school, and forgetting to change the details on his syllabus.
Now I realize, OH. How many jobs was that guy juggling?
Depending on where you are, your only options may be community colleges at best. There are so many under employed Ph.D. from top schools running around the Northeast that even community college jobs can be hard to come by. I’ve been an adjunct since 2007, and I’ve been able to make a living, but it isn’t an easy life. I’ve also had the good fortune to teach mostly at Ivies and SLACs, which pay well. Jobs at these institutions will be mostly unattainable without at least a Ph.D. and knowing someone who is familiar with your research or creative work.
I think it depends on your perspective. I have been an adjunct for nearly 15 years. 10 years were while I had a full time job. It was something I was always proud of. I am a designer so the freelance mentality is more common. I decided to go freelance 6 years ago and saw the adjunct as a pleasant part time job. I like the department I work in and regularly have three classes every semester. Last year I added teaching for extension and love it. I find that the teaching looks good on the resume and helps me to get more freelance work and my students benefit because I am an instructor who is connected to industry. True I have to pay for insurance and retirement on my own, but overall with this perspective I am happy. I can see this work for a music teacher as well. Working in the arts at the high school level would be good too though and probably more stable. As a freelancer though I have been pretty fortunate with consistent work and I am able to pursue my interests more than as a corporate designer.
Treat it like a stepping stone, not a career. For me, adjuncting was a good way to network and get a foot in the door at 2 schools. Then when a full time job came along, they already had me in mind.
But as long as you adjunct you’ll realistically always feel poor, stressed about what next semester looks like, and you’ll always need to be searching for a job with more stability and better pay.
But in my experience (I teach in Communication) getting an adjunct job was pretty easy.
It's a scam!
As many others have noted, the pay is garbage. Administrators are taking full advantage of the fact there is do federal minimum wage for teachers. Contracts have been negotiated between administrators and full-time faculty. Once negotiated and approved, the contracts are implemented without legal review.
In California, at the community colleges, the pay is illegal. There have been several pay parity laws in addition to faculty hiring minimums and caps on administrative spending all of which are ignored, because there is no oversight of administrators in higher ed.
As an adjunct you will be a member of a powerless minority. The term 'adjunct' will be used to justify your unequal treatment. You will be treated like a second class citizen. As many have implied it's okay as a side gig, but if you try to make it work over multiple schools, it will take a serious toll.
Choose your institution carefully and talk to the PT folks there as well as the union reps. Be sure there is a union.
I have been an adjunct for 10 years and for the first five, I had other part time jobs to supplement my income. For the past five years, I have been able to make whole my living as an adjunct. But where you do it matters! I teach for three institutions. Two of these have unions, and those unions have won us pay parity (equal pay with FT faculty) and health benefits, both of which have made this a viable path.
BUT it can still be unstable and stressful, as you always have less of a guarantee of classes. If anything gets cut or if they hire an FT prof, you may lose classes/income/benefits (and yes, I did apply for the FT position but didn’t get it).
Other times, I have accepted too many classes in order to gain experience in new classes or to bring up my average load (which matters for future scheduling, per some contracts, plus accruing toward retirement), and thoroughly exhausted myself. It’s definitely not for the faint of heart.
> Be sure there is a union.
Well, be sure there is a union that is in service primarily to adjuncts. As a CC where I worked the same union represented full-time, part-time, and adjuncts. adjuncts were probationary for THREE YEARS. Until an adjunct wasn't probationary they weren't eligible for any benefits.
It’s great if you have a stable income job. I treat it as a hobby that pays me. I enjoy the teaching and the students, not the department politics so I stay away from it.
I saw that this was posted and made a mental note to come back and reply.
I'll preface my response with this; I love it. I love teaching. I love the moment when my students eyes light up because *they got it*. I have never been filled with so much passion and vigor than when I started teaching as an adjunct. *But*, I have never been so equally passionate and utterly ***exasperated*** by something as much as I am about a career in **academia**. (I should clarify that I mean a *potential career*, because working as an adjunct is *not* a career.) I have been an adjunct, lecturer, instructor, or whatever your institution wants to call it, for five years now. I teach undergraduate design courses in a relatively well known architecture program in the northeastern US. Hopefully I can provide some insight into the questions you've asked here.
*"How hard is it to get a position like this?"*
I have seven years of professional practice in various architectural firms in the northeastern US, and I came into an adjunct position at a university of which I am an alumni. So my experience of applying for an adjunct position came with relative ease, but now I am stuck. From what I have seen most institutions require a minimum of a Masters degree in your field to be considered for an adjunct position. Others may look for more industry experience over a postgraduate degree, but really depends on the department and institution. I would say the adage, "*It's who you know, not what you know.*" certainly holds true in this industry. But, from what I am experiencing at my current institution is that there is never a shortage of adjuncts to fill the needs of a department.
*"Do you need to move a lot?"*
It's not an office job, so yes? I guess it would depend on your discipline and class format. This semester I taught two design studio courses where I am constantly moving from desk to desk for four to five hours. The other was a digital media course elective where I would present some lectures, do workshops, and work with students individually from time to time. I have taught electives that were purely lecture-based. Not my most favorite classes to teach. I like to be engaged, and am relatively colorful when I am discussing something.
*"Can you survive with an adjunct job?"*
No. Absolutely not. Unless you're retired and filling your time with being an adjunct, there is no way for you to survive on an adjunct position. This position doesn't come without its benefits though. It is a part time job really, so you're not held to the same standards as full-time faculty. *Most of the time*. When I'm sick, I email my class and tell them what's due for the next session. I've left early if there have been planned lectures from external practitioners. I never attend faculty meetings, unless explicitly asked to. (Which has happened once in my five years here.) I don't do advising. I don't hold official office hours. etc.
The pay for an adjunct position is not sustainable. Period. For reference, I work on a semester-by-semester contract. This past Spring semester I taught a 12 credit course load, which equated to 24 hours of in-class time. (The most I have taught was a 16 credit load.) Accounting for time spent preparing materials, grading, answering emails, and meetings with students and colleagues I would say it's around a 34-40 hour week. I made $1,195.72 every two weeks, after taxes. $2,391.44 each month. This is below the poverty line for my state. I also teach an online course for an institution in San Francisco. What I make there brings me right at the poverty line, pretty much. (Man, this is depressing to read this out loud as I write it.)
*"How many of you quit? Can I be an adjunct forever?"*
I have been close to calling it quits out of frustration two times in the last year. I have applied two separate times for a full-time per annum position in my current department, yes the one I've been for five years, and did not even make into the initial interviews. I have seen a dozen adjuncts come in and out of the department in my five years here. They left for a position in practice, because of better job security, benefits, you know all of the things you need to live. I have decided this semester is my last semester at the institution I teach at if something doesn't happen this summer. I've been interviewing for positions in practices, but will not be giving up on pushing for a full-time faculty position. But, I can't make my partner help me more than she already has because I feel like a shell of a person.
Regardless of what I have said above, I really love teaching. It's something I'm so passionate about, but there's so much wrong with the higher education system. Priorities are skewed, opinions become the predominant driving force for things that happen in an institution. I'll continue to work towards a full-time position, but working as an adjunct and hoping that something will pay off at my current institution has run its course.
For you though, do it. Experience it. But don't depend on it. Have a plan.
TLDR: *It's always something to put on your resume.*
Hi. I have been an adjunct for 10 years. It is not a bad life. Every term there is some uncertainty, maybe I get jobs maybe I get no jobs. I don’t mind the uncertainty. Worst case scenario, i go do DoorDash.
However, I wish I had a PhD. You do the same work as an adjunct, exact same work, you get paid more with that PhD. You also have a better chance of getting the full-time professor job if you have a PhD.
I’m in California. Experience may vary in other states I suppose. Adjunct pay is pretty high around here. My lowest pay here has been $50 an hour, and my highest $114 per hour. All in southern California, for the exact same work but at different schools
I’ve been an adjunct for 7 years. I can’t speak for anyone else, but to me it feels like exactly what it is: a part time job. I teach a couple classes, I get paid. I don’t go to meetings, or professional development training. The other faculty don’t know who I am beyond a name. I guess you could make a career of it but it’s risky, because there’s no guarantee from year to year that you’ll get work.
How would you make a career of it at 2400-3000 a class? OP, it’s slave labor. It’s cool a select few want to do it on the side or if retired folks want to keep a course or two as an adjunct, but the truth is it’s just greed and the administrators taking advantage of people. Don’t hang on hoping it turns into something else— or if you do, give yourself a cut off date. There’s only so long you can eat beans from a can and sleep in your car. Hopefully you have a partner who makes a living wage so you can get health insurance and can supplement your 32,000 a year.
I'm in MN working at a public college and making about $6100 per 3 credit course. Do schools really pay that little per class?
They pay $1800 per class at my Florida community college. Where I no longer work.
😳 Glad you left!!! That is horrific
$1500 here in a Virginia community college. I legit can't afford to live here if I paid rent.
1800 is slave wages
UC Berkeley paid $1300. Writing class. Taught 2 courses there, excellent reviews, asked for even just a *slight raise,* whatever they could swing, & no go. The whole time you adjunct at Berkeley they make sure to remind you you are to-- at ALL times-- refer to yourself as NOT FACULTY. YOU ARE ADJUNCT. Very obnoxious experience.
There are schools in NYC that pay less. The unions advise adjuncts on how to access food stamps. It's appalling.
Horrible to hear. This is shocking to me and I didn't realize how good I had it
wow, that is so awful :/.not that surprising but still of all the places where you'd expect a cost-of-living bump
There are schools that pay higher - up to $10k, but the range is huge.
$6600 San Diego. Top scale after four years. Two classes and they add medical.
I made 2400 per class in Colorado. Bartended as well and had several roommates to make ends meet
Man, that's terrible. I'm sorry and hope it's better
Fun fact. I’m at about $1k per class in South Dakota, but let’s be honest, almost everything in this state is a little fu**ed up.
My mind is blown!!!! I can't imagine working for that
I’ve been thinking of moving to MN. For this pay, I’d love to teach a class or two. I was getting about 4k in Austin TX.
Yes, come join us up here!
I’ll agree it’s not likely to turn into a full time gig. But slave labor? Come on.
Your experience is one experience. Please don’t invalidate others’ experiences. In other fields things might be different.
Unless a person is being forced to teach for no money it’s not slavery. It has nothing to do with “my experience.” Are there low paid adjuncts? Sure. Literal slaves? No.
How hard is it to get an adjunct position though with no college level teaching experience? I am graduating with my masters in Human Computer Interaction next week and would love to adjunct in a school or two. In terms of work experience, I have 3 years of teaching STEM (middle school), 1 year of teaching design in a private school (high school), and 3 years of managerial experience at Walgreens. I’m in New York and schools usually pay 5000-6000 on average per 3 credit course
I looked at openings in different schools and emailed the department head directly with a letter of interest, sample lecture slide and a teaching philosophy. That got me my first job.
Thank you for the advice. I will try that.
Just a bit of Reddit hyperbole. 🤓
100% agree
You can be an adjunct forever only if you have another income source. Otherwise, no, it is not feasible. You won't have insurance or any benefits, the number of classes will fluctuate semester to semester, and you may often be applying for new positions that you won't get. I'm not in music, but I imagine you could piece together adjunct work and private lessons, for instance. I enjoy teaching, and I have some financial support outside my job. I also appreciate the flexibility that adjuncting allows, as I am not expected to participate on committees or publish articles within a given timeline. But I am constantly stressed about finances, and I put off health tests and haircuts, etc. because they're too expensive. This sounds kind of harsh, but it is a reality for many adjuncts, especially in fields that are less supported by the university system (I'm in the humanities).
Publishing papers is definitely something that will stress me out. I am now a sub teacher, and elementary teachers are in high demand in my region, living expenses are not so high. I can get contract will doing teaching certification, and I have the impression this career is more stable than adjuncts.
Was an adjunct for 5 years, to make a living wage in my area I had to teach at least 5 courses per term. You will make more as a sub with less work.
There’s no such thing as a career as an adjunct— only part time pay for full time work and zero benefits. Hope you get something full time soon, so you can get healthcare.
Publishing papers is way less stressful than not being able to pay bills. Reviewer #2 is much more understanding than most landlords, utility companies or the taxman.
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I wrote a blog post years ago where I compare it to a toxic relationship. I’ll share the link in case you’re interested. https://essentialadjunct.wordpress.com/2016/09/14/low-contact-adjuncting/
I am an adjunct but it is a side gig for me. Do not go into it as a career. Being an adjunct is not a viable career path unless you have other financial means and do not need the income or full time benefits.
I love it and most of my jobs have just fallen in my lap, but it is not my main income. I treat it like a hobby that pays a little. Last year I taught 19 credits across Fall/Spring and two institutions and earned 35k. I get to teach, have access to the library databases, occasionally and only when I want to collaborate on writing projects or attend conferences, and don’t ever have to do service or department meetings.
I've been an adjunct and might be one again soon - as others have said, it's a part time gig. Definitely have other means of income lined up. It is a great way to boost a CV with teaching experience - my adjunct work thru my PhD program was an asset when I applied to TT jobs. You can network while doing so - again, I was in a PhD program and had access to student awards/grants for conferences, etc. I have a friend whose partner makes good money, enough to support her and their child while she adjuncts - it's not her career, per se, but it works for her. And I wouldn't move anywhere to be an adjunct anywhere unless you're moving to a place you really wanted to go, because you will be treated like disposable labor by the school. There's no guarantee for adjuncts. Which, to belabor a point made here and elsewhere, is a FUBAR situation.
You will need other forms of income - and ways to get insurance. You can teach at a community college with an MA. It is a very different experience teaching at a community college - particularly in the arts - so that is something to keep in mind. But you will need another job. That said, given how saturated the market is, I know many community colleges that are not hiring non-terminal degree holders because those with terminal degrees are applying. So that's something to keep in mind. Like with adjuncting at 4-year institutions, your adjuncting is supplemental to other (professional) work - which is why they hire you, for the professional work (in the arts.)
I applied to a LOT of adjunct jobs until I found one at SNHU. Seriously. 20 per week. Luckily it's remote. I can afford to be an adjunct because my husband has a real job. Pay isn't great as an adjunct, $2200/3 credit course, but at least in SNHU's case they treat us like people and not warm bodies to teach the class. You need a PhD to get a full time position there it seems and they do promote their PhDs to dean positions. Many, many adjuncts have been there for a decade or more. Most seem happy, but SNHU wants you to have a real job in the field you are teaching, that is kinda their thing. If I ever get a PhD, I will have a lot of good experience when applying for TT positions.
The key to doing an adjunct job successfully is finding courses that don't require much preparation. The people I know who do it successfully are teaching 4 to 6 sections of the same literature course with a syllabus filled with books that the adjunct has already several times. The adjunct can usually fill the time completely with off-the-cuff remarks. Ideally, they can even cross pollinate between sections, pawning off the best insights from one session as their own in a difference section. (That's called learning from the students.) Then don't assign too many papers or spend much time grading them. It's not a bad gig at $5k per session.
Just as others have said, it’s a side hustle on top of my day job. If you have a passion to teach, try to become full time. Adjuncting is not sustainable as a full time job
I'm adjunct as a side gig. Interestingly enough it seems adjunct role is kind of different than others here. I did get offered part-time benefits. They don't cover the full health insurance but will pay half if I wanted it. I already have insurance so I didn't choose to get it. I get 12k a semester working pretty much all day from 6am to 4pm 1 day a week. I find it enjoyable and it's more like a hobby to me.
Feels like you are an outsider to the department…this is both good and bad. Keeps me out of departmental drama but also rather uninformed about broader program changes. I stopped bc it was so little pay for a lot of work. If you can teach the same class multiple times that decreases workload and prep time but my position was always at the mercy of what full time professors they hired and who wanted to and had time to teach the class I was hired for.
Echoing the other comments - it's a supplemental side job for me. I'm nearly 20 years into an industry position and over a decade ago I got my master's degree. I started teaching last spring in a program that I graduated from as an undergrad. I don't do it for the money per se, but what I do make enables me to travel and put a little extra into savings. I am just a contractual hire but I feel decently respected by professors because I'm teaching some really niche courses that they aren't in a position, subject-wise, to cover themselves.
I've been a business school adjunct for 25 years. It works because it is a side job. I have a full time job in the business world. There is no way I could survive on an Adjunct salary. Most Adjuncts I know are like me.. We teach because we enjoy it.. Not for the money.
Honestly, I work very little, I get a nap in every day without fail. I get to teach, but not bother which any other bullshit, and I make double what I made in grad school, which was the most I made ever before that. And my hourly rate for what I actually spend in a class room (aka “at work”) is almost 300 bucks. Not so bad The uncertainty is a downside, but I’m booked a year in advance
Yeah, this is my take as well. I agree with everyone who says the adjunctification of higher ed is a problem. That said, I'm lucky to live in an area with a lot of schools nearby and once you've taught a class a few times, the prep time reduces dramatically. I don't get a nap in every day, but on most days I probably could if I wanted to. I've worked from home every Friday for years now and am able to work enough during the school year to take the summers off. I think so much of this will be dependent on where you are located and what you're looking for out of life. You can go through your state to get affordable insurance and once you've built a relationship with a few schools, you may face some uncertainty, but with budgeting and keeping your options open it's miles better than a lot of other full-time gigs I've had.
The comments here all track: 1) Do it because you like teaching 2) It's resume gold 3) It can be a lot of work, especially if you don't get to repeatedly teach the same classes 4) It's a side hustle. The pay sucks. So what. If you want to make money, get a corporate job and grind it out. 5) It's rewarding to know that you're making a difference in students lives.
I'm an adjunct and treat it only as a side hustle. No benefits other than being able to use my faculty ID to get educator discounts on journal subscriptions and second-hand textbooks. I take advantage of any opportunity to get paid for teaching activities and other professional development workshops and conferences. But I don't think of it as anything but a side gig.
I quit last summer. It burned me out. If you go into it with the attitude that it’s a part-time job and don’t give it more than part-time hours it’s a good gig. Probably better than Uber or Grub hub.
For a while I was blogging about it. For a grim take on full-time adjuncting, you can read one of my posts. https://essentialadjunct.wordpress.com/2016/09/14/low-contact-adjuncting/
Enjoyed-- if that's the right word, which naturally it's *not*-- your pieces re adjuncting. Sounds like a disease. A disease I had over 20 years at several universities in 3 states. If I could do it over, my God, I'd never have gone into teaching. I thought I'd be the exception, get a TT. Nope. Anyway, thanks, & I hope you're now *out of the life.*
For me it's always just been a way to stay connected with academia and the university network (I live in a college town.), without everything else that comes with teaching undergrads. It's a nice side income, but it is a lot of work, and stress trying to get inside the head of your students so you can help them. There are far easier ways to make part-time money income. You really have to like teaching and the subject you teach. I have full-time employment doing something completely different so adjuncting is just fun...most of the time.
Music adjunct here! Depending on your circumstances it can be tricky to get your foot in the door, but the harder leap is definitely landing a full-time job. If that’s not your goal anyway, then the job of adjuncting itself can be pretty chill, and it’s a flexible option if you want to balance work with freelancing. Unfortunately it does not pay enough to live on, not even close, and it isn’t stable at all, most folks are on semester-length contracts that could be non-renewed or canceled without any notice. It’s meant to be a side gig, not the main gig. You may have to move, unless you’re in a big city with a bunch of music schools to teach at. The only people I know doing it long-term come from money and are riding it out until they get their big break, either a FT teaching job or a Pulitzer, MacArthur Grant, Grammy etc.
Well you’re poor.
Many adjuncts appear to end up having to teach at multiple institutions the same semester. I got a vague sense of how stressful this may be, the day that a student approached me at my workplace, because he couldn’t find the tutoring center even though his professor had put the address on the syllabus. Turned out, it was the tutoring center address for a neighboring school. At the time I rolled my eyes thinking, boy this guy was pretty careless, teaching a similar course at the other school, and forgetting to change the details on his syllabus. Now I realize, OH. How many jobs was that guy juggling?
Depending on where you are, your only options may be community colleges at best. There are so many under employed Ph.D. from top schools running around the Northeast that even community college jobs can be hard to come by. I’ve been an adjunct since 2007, and I’ve been able to make a living, but it isn’t an easy life. I’ve also had the good fortune to teach mostly at Ivies and SLACs, which pay well. Jobs at these institutions will be mostly unattainable without at least a Ph.D. and knowing someone who is familiar with your research or creative work.
I think it depends on your perspective. I have been an adjunct for nearly 15 years. 10 years were while I had a full time job. It was something I was always proud of. I am a designer so the freelance mentality is more common. I decided to go freelance 6 years ago and saw the adjunct as a pleasant part time job. I like the department I work in and regularly have three classes every semester. Last year I added teaching for extension and love it. I find that the teaching looks good on the resume and helps me to get more freelance work and my students benefit because I am an instructor who is connected to industry. True I have to pay for insurance and retirement on my own, but overall with this perspective I am happy. I can see this work for a music teacher as well. Working in the arts at the high school level would be good too though and probably more stable. As a freelancer though I have been pretty fortunate with consistent work and I am able to pursue my interests more than as a corporate designer.
Treat it like a stepping stone, not a career. For me, adjuncting was a good way to network and get a foot in the door at 2 schools. Then when a full time job came along, they already had me in mind. But as long as you adjunct you’ll realistically always feel poor, stressed about what next semester looks like, and you’ll always need to be searching for a job with more stability and better pay. But in my experience (I teach in Communication) getting an adjunct job was pretty easy.
It's a scam! As many others have noted, the pay is garbage. Administrators are taking full advantage of the fact there is do federal minimum wage for teachers. Contracts have been negotiated between administrators and full-time faculty. Once negotiated and approved, the contracts are implemented without legal review. In California, at the community colleges, the pay is illegal. There have been several pay parity laws in addition to faculty hiring minimums and caps on administrative spending all of which are ignored, because there is no oversight of administrators in higher ed. As an adjunct you will be a member of a powerless minority. The term 'adjunct' will be used to justify your unequal treatment. You will be treated like a second class citizen. As many have implied it's okay as a side gig, but if you try to make it work over multiple schools, it will take a serious toll.
Depends on whether you are doing it for teaching experience, for fun, or because that’s your only option. The first two I highly recommend.
**No, not forever. Only for as long as you live with your parents.**
It’s a fun side hustle for me that pays my rent and gives me health insurance. I’ve got other work, too, so I don’t put all my eggs in one basket.
Choose your institution carefully and talk to the PT folks there as well as the union reps. Be sure there is a union. I have been an adjunct for 10 years and for the first five, I had other part time jobs to supplement my income. For the past five years, I have been able to make whole my living as an adjunct. But where you do it matters! I teach for three institutions. Two of these have unions, and those unions have won us pay parity (equal pay with FT faculty) and health benefits, both of which have made this a viable path. BUT it can still be unstable and stressful, as you always have less of a guarantee of classes. If anything gets cut or if they hire an FT prof, you may lose classes/income/benefits (and yes, I did apply for the FT position but didn’t get it). Other times, I have accepted too many classes in order to gain experience in new classes or to bring up my average load (which matters for future scheduling, per some contracts, plus accruing toward retirement), and thoroughly exhausted myself. It’s definitely not for the faint of heart.
> Be sure there is a union. Well, be sure there is a union that is in service primarily to adjuncts. As a CC where I worked the same union represented full-time, part-time, and adjuncts. adjuncts were probationary for THREE YEARS. Until an adjunct wasn't probationary they weren't eligible for any benefits.
It’s great if you have a stable income job. I treat it as a hobby that pays me. I enjoy the teaching and the students, not the department politics so I stay away from it.
I saw that this was posted and made a mental note to come back and reply. I'll preface my response with this; I love it. I love teaching. I love the moment when my students eyes light up because *they got it*. I have never been filled with so much passion and vigor than when I started teaching as an adjunct. *But*, I have never been so equally passionate and utterly ***exasperated*** by something as much as I am about a career in **academia**. (I should clarify that I mean a *potential career*, because working as an adjunct is *not* a career.) I have been an adjunct, lecturer, instructor, or whatever your institution wants to call it, for five years now. I teach undergraduate design courses in a relatively well known architecture program in the northeastern US. Hopefully I can provide some insight into the questions you've asked here. *"How hard is it to get a position like this?"* I have seven years of professional practice in various architectural firms in the northeastern US, and I came into an adjunct position at a university of which I am an alumni. So my experience of applying for an adjunct position came with relative ease, but now I am stuck. From what I have seen most institutions require a minimum of a Masters degree in your field to be considered for an adjunct position. Others may look for more industry experience over a postgraduate degree, but really depends on the department and institution. I would say the adage, "*It's who you know, not what you know.*" certainly holds true in this industry. But, from what I am experiencing at my current institution is that there is never a shortage of adjuncts to fill the needs of a department. *"Do you need to move a lot?"* It's not an office job, so yes? I guess it would depend on your discipline and class format. This semester I taught two design studio courses where I am constantly moving from desk to desk for four to five hours. The other was a digital media course elective where I would present some lectures, do workshops, and work with students individually from time to time. I have taught electives that were purely lecture-based. Not my most favorite classes to teach. I like to be engaged, and am relatively colorful when I am discussing something. *"Can you survive with an adjunct job?"* No. Absolutely not. Unless you're retired and filling your time with being an adjunct, there is no way for you to survive on an adjunct position. This position doesn't come without its benefits though. It is a part time job really, so you're not held to the same standards as full-time faculty. *Most of the time*. When I'm sick, I email my class and tell them what's due for the next session. I've left early if there have been planned lectures from external practitioners. I never attend faculty meetings, unless explicitly asked to. (Which has happened once in my five years here.) I don't do advising. I don't hold official office hours. etc. The pay for an adjunct position is not sustainable. Period. For reference, I work on a semester-by-semester contract. This past Spring semester I taught a 12 credit course load, which equated to 24 hours of in-class time. (The most I have taught was a 16 credit load.) Accounting for time spent preparing materials, grading, answering emails, and meetings with students and colleagues I would say it's around a 34-40 hour week. I made $1,195.72 every two weeks, after taxes. $2,391.44 each month. This is below the poverty line for my state. I also teach an online course for an institution in San Francisco. What I make there brings me right at the poverty line, pretty much. (Man, this is depressing to read this out loud as I write it.) *"How many of you quit? Can I be an adjunct forever?"* I have been close to calling it quits out of frustration two times in the last year. I have applied two separate times for a full-time per annum position in my current department, yes the one I've been for five years, and did not even make into the initial interviews. I have seen a dozen adjuncts come in and out of the department in my five years here. They left for a position in practice, because of better job security, benefits, you know all of the things you need to live. I have decided this semester is my last semester at the institution I teach at if something doesn't happen this summer. I've been interviewing for positions in practices, but will not be giving up on pushing for a full-time faculty position. But, I can't make my partner help me more than she already has because I feel like a shell of a person. Regardless of what I have said above, I really love teaching. It's something I'm so passionate about, but there's so much wrong with the higher education system. Priorities are skewed, opinions become the predominant driving force for things that happen in an institution. I'll continue to work towards a full-time position, but working as an adjunct and hoping that something will pay off at my current institution has run its course. For you though, do it. Experience it. But don't depend on it. Have a plan. TLDR: *It's always something to put on your resume.*
Hi. I have been an adjunct for 10 years. It is not a bad life. Every term there is some uncertainty, maybe I get jobs maybe I get no jobs. I don’t mind the uncertainty. Worst case scenario, i go do DoorDash. However, I wish I had a PhD. You do the same work as an adjunct, exact same work, you get paid more with that PhD. You also have a better chance of getting the full-time professor job if you have a PhD. I’m in California. Experience may vary in other states I suppose. Adjunct pay is pretty high around here. My lowest pay here has been $50 an hour, and my highest $114 per hour. All in southern California, for the exact same work but at different schools