Tenure-Track Professors: How to Become One
If you were to ask a group of tenure-track professors about how they arrived at their current job, there's a good chance you would get several different answers about the paths and steps that each person took.
That said, there are still ways that you can develop a baseline understanding of the preparation that is necessary to become one.
The Best Adult Colleges and Careers Guide has gathered data to provide you with insight into the type of education that's commonly required for tenure-track professors to land a job. This page contains information, sourced from real job postings, that describes the experience levels and specific skills that employers of tenure-track professors expect candidates to have. In the end, this information will help you create an education or professional development plan that aligns with your career aspirations.
Keep reading to learn more about career steps for tenure-track professors.
What Education & Experience is Needed for Tenure-Track Professors?
Do tenure-track professors need a degree? What kind of experience do tenure-track professors typically need? Thanks to data sourced from Lightcast™ from real job postings, we can get some clarity on those questions, as well as the level of education that is commonly required for tenure-track professors to secure jobs.
Education Level Required in Job Postings for Tenure-Track Professors
Jobs Postings for Tenure-Track Professors By Education
- Master's degree: 110,067 (34%)
- Ph.D. or professional degree: 105,669 (32%)
- Bachelor's degree: 65,659 (20%)
- No Education Listed: 37,005 (11%)
- High School or GED: 8,981 (3%)
A master's degree is the level of education sought the most by employers of tenure-track professors. According to job data, a master's degree was required for 34% of positions. In 32% of job listings a ph.d. or professional degree was required and in 20% of postings a bachelor's degree was required.
Experience Level Required in Job Postings for Tenure-Track Professors
Jobs Postings for Tenure-Track Professors By Experience
- 0-1 Years: 9,691 (15%)
- 2-3 Years: 37,145 (56%)
- 4-6 Years: 15,650 (24%)
- 7-9 Years: 1,232 (2%)
- 10+ Years: 2,202 (3%)
While the amount of required experience will vary based on the responsibility and seniority of the position, an aggregate view of job posting data can help paint a picture of the experience level sought for most job openings for tenure-track professors. In 56% of job postings for Tenure-Track Professors, employers were looking for candidates with 2-3 years of experience. In 24% of listings employers were looking for candidates with 4-6 years of experience, while 0-1 years of experience was sought in 15% of job postings for tenure-track professors.
What Kind of Degree Do Tenure-Track Professors Need?
So far this page has provided detail into the level of education and the amount of experience required in job openings for tenure-track professors, but what type of education or degree will help prepare you for a career in the field?
According to occupational data obtained through Lightcast,™ there are 120 key academic programs that can help prepare prospective tenure-track professors, and in 2023 a total of 532,846 of those programs were completed at institutions in the United States.
Check out the information below to learn more about the specific programs that should be considered by prospective tenure-track professors.
Top Degree Programs for Tenure-Track Professors
Top 5 Degree Programs for Tenure-Track Professors (2023)
| Program | Completions |
|---|---|
| Liberal Arts and Sciences/Liberal Studies. | 333,999 |
| General Studies. | 123,192 |
| Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities, Other. | 34,318 |
| Multi-/Interdisciplinary Studies, General. | 9,274 |
| Talmudic Studies. | 4,406 |
| Program | Completions |
|---|---|
| Liberal Arts and Sciences/Liberal Studies. | 333,999 |
| General Studies. | 123,192 |
| Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities, Other. | 34,318 |
| Multi-/Interdisciplinary Studies, General. | 9,274 |
| Talmudic Studies. | 4,406 |
| Data Science, General. | 4,387 |
| Nursing Education. | 3,666 |
| Electrical and Computer Engineering. | 1,988 |
| Criminal Justice and Corrections, General. | 1,987 |
| Jewish/Judaic Studies. | 1,285 |
| Data Analytics, General. | 1,256 |
| Comparative Literature. | 908 |
| English Language and Literature/Letters, Other. | 868 |
| Geography and Environmental Studies. | 809 |
| Christian Studies. | 745 |
| Cloud Computing. | 730 |
| Financial Analytics. | 729 |
| Digital Marketing. | 729 |
| Sports Studies. | 616 |
| Applied Statistics, General. | 541 |
| Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) Educational Methods. | 379 |
| Medical/Health Humanities. | 345 |
| Cultural Studies/Critical Theory and Analysis. | 340 |
| Educational Statistics and Research Methods. | 336 |
| Philosophy, Other. | 292 |
| English as a Second Language. | 282 |
| Educational Assessment, Evaluation, and Research, Other. | 274 |
| Performance and Sport Psychology. | 210 |
| Philosophy and Religious Studies, Other. | 202 |
| Music History, Literature, and Theory. | 186 |
| Energy Systems Engineering, General. | 181 |
| Ethics. | 171 |
| Online Educator/Online Teaching. | 153 |
| Philosophy, Politics, and Economics. | 153 |
| Educational Assessment, Testing, and Measurement. | 145 |
| Mathematical Economics. | 139 |
| Theatre and Dance. | 111 |
| Climate Science. | 110 |
| Environmental Geosciences. | 102 |
| College/Postsecondary/University Teaching. | 101 |
| Applied/Public Sociology. | 96 |
| Economics and Computer Science. | 89 |
| Patient Safety and Healthcare Quality. | 87 |
| Arts and Entertainment Law. | 87 |
| Religion/Religious Studies, Other. | 81 |
| Epidemiology and Biostatistics. | 80 |
| Worship Ministry. | 76 |
| Health Professions Education. | 73 |
| History and Political Science. | 68 |
| Biomechanics. | 68 |
| Comprehensive Transition and Postsecondary (CTP) Program. | 67 |
| Area, Ethnic, Cultural, Gender, and Group Studies, Other. | 62 |
| Forensic Anthropology. | 60 |
| Health Professions Education, Ethics, and Humanities, Other. | 59 |
| Play Therapy/Therapist. | 52 |
| Sustainable Design/Architecture. | 50 |
| Digital Humanities. | 50 |
| Anthrozoology. | 47 |
| Security Science and Technology, General. | 47 |
| Human Resources Law. | 46 |
| Physics and Astronomy. | 45 |
| Comedy Writing and Performance. | 44 |
| Data Analytics, Other. | 44 |
| Catholic Studies. | 42 |
| Tribal/Indigenous Law. | 41 |
| Cultural Studies and Comparative Literature. | 40 |
| Theatre Literature, History and Criticism. | 37 |
| Criminal Law and Procedure. | 35 |
| Comparative Group Studies. | 33 |
| Rehabilitation and Therapeutic Professions, General. | 33 |
| Sound Arts. | 33 |
| Data Visualization. | 30 |
| Data Science, Other. | 29 |
| Transpersonal/Spiritual Psychology. | 28 |
| Chaplain/Chaplaincy Studies. | 27 |
| Islamic Studies. | 26 |
| Earth Systems Science. | 25 |
| Architectural Studies. | 23 |
| Hawaiian Language and Literature. | 23 |
| Geospatial Intelligence. | 21 |
| Forensic Nursing. | 20 |
| Economics and Foreign Language/Literature. | 12 |
| Healthcare Environment Design/Architecture. | 11 |
| Metal Arts. | 11 |
| Astronautical Engineering. | 10 |
| Communication Arts and Literature Teacher Education. | 9 |
| Compliance Law. | 9 |
| Real Estate and Land Development Law. | 9 |
| Horticulture Therapy/Therapist. | 8 |
| Appalachian Studies. | 8 |
| Thanatology. | 8 |
| Science/Health/Environmental Journalism. | 7 |
| Orthopedic Technology/Technician. | 6 |
| Community/Environmental/Socially-Engaged Art. | 6 |
| Applied Demography. | 6 |
| Forensic Social Work. | 6 |
| Energy Systems Engineering, Other. | 6 |
| Architectural Design. | 6 |
| Buddhist Studies. | 5 |
| Construction Project Management. | 4 |
| Contemplative Studies/Inquiry. | 4 |
| Architectural Conservation. | 4 |
| Linguistics and Computer Science. | 4 |
| Agriculture Law. | 3 |
| Business/Corporate Communications, Other. | 3 |
| Implantology/Implant Dentistry. | 2 |
| Financial Risk Management. | 2 |
| Textual Studies. | 2 |
| Digital Humanities and Textual Studies, General. | 1 |
| Linguistics and Anthropology. | 1 |
| History and Language/Literature. | 1 |
| Geoarcheaology. | 1 |
| Survey Research/Methodology. | 1 |
| Cheminformatics/Chemistry Informatics. | 1 |
| Drama Therapy/Therapist. | 0 |
| History of Medicine. | 0 |
| Business and Economic Journalism. | 0 |
| Power Plant Engineering. | 0 |
| Patent Law. | 0 |
| Geobiology. | 0 |
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Degree Options for Tenure-Track Professors
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- Years To Complete: 3
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- Years To Complete: 3
Become a stronger and more confident and conscious leader with Franklin’s 3-year Ed.D. doctorate with a focus on Higher Education. In this 100% online program, you’ll learn and apply theoretical frameworks and data-informed leadership skills across different organizational contexts within the college and university setting.
- Years To Complete: 3
Educational and business settings need effective and ethical leaders. Franklin’s 3-year Ed.D. with a focus on Organization Leadership equips you to become a transformative leader. With this 100% online doctor of education, you’ll develop expertise in educational technology, data-driven decision making and real-world change management.
- Years To Complete: 3
Become a more relevant and responsive leader with a 100% online Ed.D. in PK-12 Leadership from Franklin. This 3-year program will help you become a visionary leader ready to solve the learning, technology and cultural challenges facing PK-12 districts and schools.
- Years To Complete: 3
Rise to meet the unique challenges of a higher education leader with Franklin’s 12-month online M.Ed. in Educational Leadership with a focus in Higher Education Leadership. The broad-based, theory-to-practice program will prepare you to manage systems and processes that contribute to student achievement.
- Placement Tests: GMAT/GRE not required for admission
Shape the future of nursing with Franklin’s M.S. in Nursing-Nurse Educator program. The 18-month, CCNE accredited online program blends evidence-based advanced nursing practice with industry-standard skills and concepts in instructional methods and design that equip you to excel in academic or clinical settings.
- Months To Complete: 18
- Accreditation: CCNE
- Placement Tests: GMAT/GRE not required for admission
What Skills Do Tenure-Track Professors Need?
Education and experience have been covered, so what are the specific skills and traits needed by tenure-track professors to secure a job?
A good way to understand this is to examine actual job postings for skills commonly sought by employers. Continue reading for a breakdown of specialized skills found in job postings for tenure-track professors, as well as common skills that can help you thrive in the workplace.
In-Demand Skills for Today's Tenure-Track Professors
Based on 223,117 job postings
Top 5 Specialized Skills for Tenure-Track Professors
| Skills | Postings | % of Total Postings |
|---|---|---|
| Curriculum Development | 26,980 | 12% |
| Nursing | 21,390 | 10% |
| Pedagogy | 15,473 | 7% |
| Learning Management Systems | 14,724 | 7% |
| Biology | 13,524 | 6% |
Top 5 Common Skills for Tenure-Track Professors
| Skills | Postings | % of Total Postings |
|---|---|---|
| Teaching | 170,693 | 77% |
| Research | 79,833 | 36% |
| Communication | 57,414 | 26% |
| Writing | 33,536 | 15% |
| Leadership | 32,768 | 15% |
Based on 223,117 job postings related to tenure-track professors, curriculum development was the top specialized skill sought by employers, with 12% of all postings looking for that skillset. Skills for nursing, pedagogy, learning management systems, biology and psychology were also highly sought.
As for common skills, teaching was the most desired skill found in job postings for tenure-track professors, followed by research, communication, writing, leadership and mentorship.
| Skill | Postings | % of Total Postings |
|---|---|---|
| Curriculum Development | 26,980 | 12% |
| Nursing | 21,390 | 10% |
| Pedagogy | 15,473 | 7% |
| Learning Management Systems | 14,724 | 7% |
| Biology | 13,524 | 6% |
| Psychology | 12,425 | 6% |
| Computer Science | 12,322 | 6% |
| Syllabus Development | 11,847 | 5% |
| Statistics | 11,376 | 5% |
| Student Engagement | 11,267 | 5% |
| Online Teaching | 11,230 | 5% |
| Social Sciences | 10,841 | 5% |
| Lecturing | 10,421 | 5% |
| Health Sciences | 9,681 | 4% |
| Educational Assessment | 9,307 | 4% |
| Academic Advising | 9,171 | 4% |
| Distance Learning | 9,170 | 4% |
| Marketing | 9,067 | 4% |
| Clinical Experience | 8,628 | 4% |
| Talent Management | 8,479 | 4% |
| Skill | Postings | % of Total Postings |
|---|---|---|
| Teaching | 170,693 | 77% |
| Research | 79,833 | 36% |
| Communication | 57,414 | 26% |
| Writing | 33,536 | 15% |
| Leadership | 32,768 | 15% |
| Mentorship | 32,439 | 15% |
| Management | 27,726 | 12% |
| Advising | 26,066 | 12% |
| Innovation | 25,973 | 12% |
| Planning | 18,582 | 8% |
| Interpersonal Communications | 17,061 | 8% |
| English Language | 16,651 | 7% |
| Mathematics | 15,416 | 7% |
| Ethical Standards And Conduct | 13,149 | 6% |
| Presentations | 12,050 | 5% |
| Operations | 10,250 | 5% |
| Microsoft Office | 9,782 | 4% |
| Coordinating | 9,455 | 4% |
| Verbal Communication Skills | 9,270 | 4% |
| Professionalism | 9,152 | 4% |
Additional Links
Ready to dig deeper into career information about tenure-track professors? Visit our other pages focused on salary and education for tenure-track professors.
What do tenure-track professors do?
How much do tenure-track professors make?
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