What Do Assistant Professors Do?
Wondering what the job is really like for assistant professors?
You've come to the right place.
Keep reading to find detailed information about what assistant professors do, including the type of work they are tasked with on a daily basis, industries in which they work, and the specific skills needed for a successful career.
Assistant Professors Overview & Description
Let's get started with the basics about assistant professors by taking a look at a simple description and popular job titles.
Assistant Professors aggregate category equivalent to SOC group 25-1000. Teach undergraduate and graduate level courses in their specialized field of study. Include both teachers primarily engaged in teaching and those who do a combination of both teaching and research. Alternate titles: College Professor.
Popular Job Titles For Assistant Professors
Sample of Reported Job Titles
- Adjunct Faculties
- Adjunct Instructors
- Assistant Professors
- Assistant/Associate Professors
- Nursing Faculties
- Non-Tenure Track Faculties
- Assistant/Associate/Full Professors
- Nursing Instructors
- Tenure-Track Assistant/Associate Professors
- Assistant Professors of Psychology
- Biology Adjunct Faculties
- Nursing Adjunct Faculties
Read on for insight into the industries where the highest concentration of jobs for assistant professors can be found.
Best Industries for Assistant Professors
Assistant Professors Jobs By Industry
- Education and Hospitals (State Government): 43.7%
- Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools: 35.5%
- Education and Hospitals (Local Government): 15.2%
- Technical and Trade Schools: 2.5%
- Junior Colleges: 0.8%
- General Medical and Surgical Hospitals: 0.5%
- Other: 1.8%
When it comes to jobs in the United States, the largest single category of assistant professors can be found working in the Education and Hospitals (State Government) sector. In 2023, about 43.7% of all jobs for assistant professors were found there.
Other top industries by percentage include Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools (35.5%), Education and Hospitals (Local Government) (15.2%), Technical and Trade Schools (2.5%), Junior Colleges (0.8%) and General Medical and Surgical Hospitals (0.5%).
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What Do Assistant Professors Do on a Daily Basis?
So you have a high-level understanding of what assistant professors do and the types of industries in which they work - but what do they really do each day?
A great way to understand the type of work assistant professors do is to examine actual job postings and focus on the specific skills that employers are seeking. That will help paint a clearer picture of the tasks that assistant professors tackle each day.
Continue reading for a breakdown of specialized skills found in job postings for assistant professors, as well as common skills - interpersonal qualities and attributes - that can help you thrive in the workplace.
In-Demand Skills for Today's Assistant Professors
Based on 223,117 job postings
Top 5 Specialized Skills for Assistant 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 Assistant 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 assistant 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 assistant 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% |
Most In-Demand Jobs for Assistant Professors
Top 5 Posted Job Titles
| Job Title | Postings | % of Total Postings |
|---|---|---|
| Adjunct Faculties | 20,607 | 19.5% |
| Adjunct Instructors | 7,039 | 6.7% |
| Assistant Professors | 10,883 | 10.3% |
| Assistant/Associate Professors | 6,642 | 6.3% |
| Nursing Faculties | 8,061 | 7.6% |
According to job postings that were published between September 2022 and August 2023, the top job sought by employers was adjunct faculties, with 10,590 unique job postings. Adjunct instructors were second, with 3,095 postings, followed by assistant professors, assistant/associate professors and nursing faculties.
Expand the section below to see unique job postings for all occupations related to assistant professors.
| Job Title | Postings | % of Total Postings |
|---|---|---|
| Adjunct Faculties | 20,607 | 19.5% |
| Adjunct Instructors | 7,039 | 6.7% |
| Assistant Professors | 10,883 | 10.3% |
| Assistant/Associate Professors | 6,642 | 6.3% |
| Nursing Faculties | 8,061 | 7.6% |
| Non-Tenure Track Faculties | 6,533 | 6.2% |
| Assistant/Associate/Full Professors | 4,842 | 4.6% |
| Nursing Instructors | 5,143 | 4.9% |
| Tenure-Track Assistant/Associate Professors | 3,381 | 3.2% |
| Assistant Professors of Psychology | 3,303 | 3.1% |
| Biology Adjunct Faculties | 3,001 | 2.8% |
| Nursing Adjunct Faculties | 2,952 | 2.8% |
| Associate Professors | 3,572 | 3.4% |
| Driving Instructors | 3,898 | 3.7% |
| University Professors | 1,933 | 1.8% |
| Tenure-Track Professors | 2,874 | 2.7% |
| Adjuncts | 2,186 | 2.1% |
| Assistant Professors of Computer Science | 2,767 | 2.6% |
| Lecturers | 3,634 | 3.4% |
| Open Rank Faculties | 2,567 | 2.4% |
Additional Links
Ready to dig deeper into career information for assistant professors? Visit our other pages focused on salary and education for assistant professors.
How much do assistant professors make?
Assistant Professors: How do you become one?
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