Faculty salaries at U.S. colleges and universities increased for the second consecutive year but still lag significantly behind pre-pandemic levels, according to the American Association of University Professors’ (AAUP) annual economic report released Tuesday.
Average salaries for full-time faculty members (all ranks combined) increased 3.8 percent from fall 2023 to fall 2024, following a 3.8 percent increase the prior year. However, real average salaries remain about 6.2 percent lower than they were in fall 2019, before the COVID-19 pandemic.
The report, based on data from over 800 U.S. colleges and universities representing approximately 370,000 full-time faculty members, provides a comprehensive look at faculty compensation amid ongoing challenges facing higher education.
Growth in real average salaries for full-time faculty members exceeded inflation for the second consecutive year, with salaries increasing 0.9 percent after adjusting for 2.9 percent inflation from December 2023 to December 2024. Still, the recovery remains incomplete following three consecutive years of declining real salaries during the pandemic.
Faculty compensation varies dramatically across institution types and academic ranks. Average salaries for full-time faculty members ranged from a low of $62,023 for instructors at associate’s institutions with ranking systems to a high of $181,273 for full professors at doctoral universities.
By institutional control, nominal average salaries for full-time faculty members increased 3.9 percent among public institutions, 3.6 percent among private-independent institutions, and 3.0 percent among religiously affiliated institutions.
The report also examined salary equity by gender, finding persistent disparities. Average full-time faculty salaries for women were 83.2 percent of those for men in 2024–25, with women earning an average salary of $105,751, compared with $127,125 for men. The gender salary-equity ratio was lowest (87.2) at the full professor rank, where women earned a salary of $147,375, on average, compared with $168,927 for men.
