Tenure Track Professor Salary in the United States

How much does a Tenure Track Professor make in the United States?

As of August 01, 2026, the average salary for a Tenure Track Professor in the United States is $91,224 per year, which breaks down to an hourly rate of $44.

However, a Tenure Track Professor's salary can vary significantly. Here’s a look at the typical salary range:

  • Top Earners (90th percentile): $106,040
  • Majority Range (25th-75th percentile): $83,639 to $98,979
  • Entry-Level (10th percentile): $76,734
Compensation Planning
Develop a Job Description
Pay Equity
2026 Compensation Trend
AI Onboarding
AI-Powered Talent
View as table View as graph 25% $83,639 10% $76,734 90% $106,040 75% $98,979 $91,224 50%(Median) Didn’t find job title? Click

Tenure Track Professor Salaries by Percentile

Annual
Salary
Monthly
Pay
Weekly
Pay
Hourly
Wage
75th Percentile $98,979 $8,248 $1,903 $48
Average $91,224 $7,602 $1,754 $44
25th Percentile $83,639 $6,970 $1,608 $40
Check out Tenure Track Professor Job Openings in the United States
Assistant Associate Professor

Ohio State University - Columbus, OH

Physician

Ohio State University - Columbus, OH

Graduate Assistant Track and Field Cross Country

Ohio Dominican University - Columbus, OH

Physician

Ohio State University - Columbus, OH

Search More Tenure Track Professor Jobs in the United States

Key Factors That Influence Tenure Track Professor Salaries

A Tenure Track Professor's salary isn't a fixed number. It's shaped by several important factors. Below, we'll explore how your years of experience, geographic location, education and company size can directly affect your earning potential.

How Experience Level Affects Tenure Track Professor Salaries?

Experience is a primary driver of a Tenure Track Professor's salary. As you build your skills and take on more complex tasks, your compensation generally increases. Here’s how the average salary grows at different career stages:

  • Entry-Level (less than 1 year): $68,075
  • Early Career (1-2 years): $77,268
  • Mid-Level (2-4 years): $92,804
  • Senior-Level (5-8 years): $108,048
  • Expert (over 8 years): $116,848
Levels Salary
Financial... Level Tenure Track Professor$68,075
Financial... Level Tenure Track Professor$77,268
Tenure Tr... Level Tenure Track Professor$92,804
Financial... Level Tenure Track Professor$108,048
Financial... Level Tenure Track Professor$116,848
$68,075 0 yr
$77,268 < 2 yrs
$92,804 2-4 yrs
$108,048 5-8 yrs
$116,848 > 8 yrs
View as Table
View as Graph

What Am I Worth?

Top Paying Cities for Tenure Track Professors

Salaries can also vary between different cities. Major metropolitan areas or cities with a high demand for technicians often offer more competitive pay. Here are a few examples of average annual salaries in different U.S. cities:

  • San Jose: $115,061
  • San Francisco: $113,801
  • Oakland: $111,403

What Skills Can Increase a Tenure Track Professor's Salary?

Demanded Skills for the Role:

  • Analysis (Mentioned in 6.95% Job Postings): Analysis is the process of considering something carefully or using statistical methods in order to understand it or explain it.
  • General Ledger (Mentioned in 2.29% Job Postings): Creating and keeping track of business transactions and activities to monitor financial operations.
  • Financial Accounting (Mentioned in 1.19% Job Postings): Financial accounting (or financial accountancy) is the field of accounting concerned with the summary, analysis and reporting of financial transactions related to a business. This involves the preparation of financial statements available for public use. Stockholders, suppliers, banks, employees, government agencies, business owners, and other stakeholders are examples of people interested in receiving such information for decision making purposes. Financial accountancy is governed by both local and international accounting standards. Generally Accepted Accounting Principles (GAAP) is the standard framework of guidelines for financial accounting used in any given jurisdiction. It includes the standards, conventions and rules that accountants follow in recording and summarizing and in the preparation of financial statements. On the other hand, International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS) is a set of passionable accounting standards stating how particular types of transactions and other events should be reported in financial statements. IFRS are issued by the International Accounting Standards Board (IASB). With IFRS becoming more widespread on the international scene, consistency in financial reporting has become more prevalent between global organizations.
See More Skills
Skills Demand Percentage
Analysis 6.95%
General Ledger 2.29%
Financial Accounting 1.19%
What skills can make your compensation higher?
Mastering certain specialized skills can lead to a significant increase in pay. Here are examples of skills and the potential impact they can have on a Tenure Track Professor's salary.
  • Hyperion: Can increase your salary by up to 6%.
  • Project Management: Can increase your salary by up to 6%.
  • Treasury: Can increase your salary by up to 5%.
Skill Salary Salary % Increase
Hyperion
$96,697
6%
Project Management
$96,697
6%
Treasury
$95,785
5%
External Reporting
$95,785
5%
Accounting and Reporting
$94,873
4%
Finance and Accounting
$94,873
4%
Get Latest Data

Tenure Track Professor Salary by Industry: Top Paying Sectors

For Tenure Track Professor roles, the industry you choose can affect earning potential by as much as 20% (the gap between the highest and lowest paying industries). Data shows that the Energy & Utilities and Aerospace & Defense sectors offer the strongest compensation, at 10% above the average. In contrast, Tenure Track Professor positions in Hospitality & Leisure or Transportation typically offer lower base pay, as these industries often view Tenure Track Professor as a support function rather than a direct revenue driver.

The top paying industry for a Tenure Track Professor

Industry Sector Average Annual Salary Average Hourly Rate Pay vs.Avg
Energy & Utilities$100,346$48.010%

How Education impacts a Tenure Track Professor's Salary?

Your level of education can impact your salary potential. While many Tenure Track Professors enter the field with a Bachelor's Degree degree, higher education can lead to more specialized and higher-paying roles.

According to our 100% employer-reported salary data, the median salary for a Tenure Track Professor with a Bachelor's Degree is between $96,238 and $102,248).

Tenure Track Professor Salaries by Degree Level

Typical Education for Tenure Track Professor
Degree Level % of user with this level of education
No Diploma 4.3%
High School 58.1%
Associates 4.3%
Bachelors 58.1%
Masters 36.6%
Doctorate 1.1%
view as graph

Tenure Track Professor Salary: Hourly Rate, Weekly Pay, and Monthly Pay

Understanding how a Tenure Track Professor's annual salary breaks down can help with budgeting. Below, you can see the average hourly rate, weekly pay, and monthly pay for this role. Use the buttons to switch between different pay periods.

Last Updated on August 01, 2026

Salary Trends for Tenure Track Professor

Salaries for a Tenure Track Professor can change over time, reflecting shifts in market demand and the overall economy. The median salary decreased from $90,621 in 2023 to around $88,518 in 2025, reflecting changes in demand, location, experience, and the wider economy. For a detailed analysis of Tenure Track Professor salary trends, .

Average Annual Salary of Tenure Track Professor Over Time

2022
$???
2023
$90,621
2024
$89,052
2025
$88,518
2026
$???
2027
$???
Year Average Annual Salary
2022
View More
2023 $90,621
2024 $89,052
2025 $88,518
2026
View More
2027
View More

Most common benefits for Tenure Track Professor

Social Security
401(k)
Disability
Healthcare
Pension
Time Off (days)
For Employers

If your compensation planning software is too rigid to deploy winning incentive strategies, it’s time to find an adaptable solution.

Compensation Planning

Common company salaries for Tenure Track Professor

Here are companies hiring for Tenure Track Professor and their salaries, click below for more details.

Find Your Next Tenure Track Professor Job

Ready to take the next step in your career? Browse thousands of current Tenure Track Professor job openings on our job board. Use the search bar below to find your perfect match.

United States
  • Ohio State University

    Columbus, OH

    Ohio State University | Columbus, OH

    Physician- Rheumatology (Open Rank/Track Faculty). The Ohio State University College of Medicine and the Wexner Medical Center seek an academic rheumatolog... more

    4 Days Ago

  • Capital University

    Columbus, OH

    Capital University | Columbus, OH

    Job Description. Job Description. POSITION SUMMARYCapital University invites applications for the position of Assistant Cross Country/Track & Field Coach. ... more

    5 Days Ago

  • Ohio State University

    Columbus, OH

    Ohio State University | Columbus, OH

    Physician Pathology, Neuropathology (Open Rank/Track Faculty). The Department of Pathology at The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center (OSUWMC) is s... more

    5 Days Ago

  • MLee Medical Employment

    Columbus, OH

    MLee Medical Employment | Columbus, OH

    Senior Medical Sales Recruiter - Elevate Your Career with Unmatched SupportYour Journey Starts HereImagine stepping into a vibrant city where the energy is... more

    7 Days Ago

  • Ohio State University

    Columbus, OH

    Ohio State University | Columbus, OH

    Assistant/Associate Professor - Clinical Track, Dental Anesthesiologist. The Ohio State University College of Dentistry's Division of Oral and Maxillofacia... more

    7 Days Ago

  • Ohio State University

    Columbus, OH

    Ohio State University | Columbus, OH

    Physician Department of Neurology, Neurovascular/Stroke (Open Rank/Track Faculty). The Ohio State University College of Medicine and the Wexner Medical Cen... more

    3 Days Ago

For Employees

Get a Salary Increase

Analyze the market and your qualifications to negotiate your salary with confidence.

Search Job Openings

Search thousands of open positions to find your next opportunity.

For Employers

Adjust Employee Salary

Individualize employee pay based on unique job requirements and personal qualifications.

Price My Industry Jobs

Get the latest market price for benchmark jobs and jobs in your industry.

FAQ about Tenure Track Professor

1. What industry pays the highest salary for Tenure Track Professor?

The Energy & Utilities industry offers the highest average compensation for Tenure Track Professor roles, with salaries approximately 10% above the market median.

Where Does Our Salary Data Come From?

Salary.com provides salary estimates, histograms, trends, and comparisons using data from employer job postings and third-party sources.

We offer detailed salary information across multiple percentiles for your reference. (Click here to learn Why the Salary Midpoint Formula Is Crucial for Achieving Pay Equity.)

With the most extensive online, real-time compensation data available, Salary.com helps you pinpoint your exact pay target.

Are you an HR manager or compensation specialist?

Salary.com's CompAnalyst platform offers:

  • Detailed skills and competency reports for specific positions
  • Job and employee pricing reports
  • Compensation data tools, salary structures, surveys and benchmarks.
Learn about CompAnalyst