Full college professors in the U.S. made an average of $140,543 in 2020-21. Senior-level professors at private institutions boast the highest annual earnings. Adjunct and other non-tenured faculty earn considerably less per year.

Can professors make a lot of money?

Many college professors change lives, challenge the world around us, and teach us the skills needed to improve ourselves. However, their salaries range widely — anywhere from adjunct professors earnings around $30,000 to a full-time professor earning $500,000 and more.

How much do professors actually make?

The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reports that the average salary of a University Professor was $75,430 annually as of May 2016. The lowest-paid 10 percent of all University Professors earn less than $38,290, while the highest-paid 10 percent are paid more than $168,270 per year.