BLS SOC 25-1099 · Legal & Education
College Professor Salary
College professors teach courses in their discipline, conduct research, and advise students. They contribute to curriculum development, publish scholarly work, and provide academic mentorship.
Data: BLS OEWS · 2026
National Median
$70,067
annual
25th Percentile
$53,952
annual
75th Percentile
$89,686
annual
90th Percentile
$112,107
annual
National Salary Distribution
P25: $53,952Median: $70,067P75: $89,686P90: $112,107
1
Top Paying Cities for College Professor
Ranked by median annual salary
| # | City | Median |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | San Francisco, CA | $96,000 |
| 2 | Seattle, WA | $94,000 |
| 3 | New York, NY | $92,000 |
| 4 | Boston, MA | $85,000 |
| 5 | Washington, DC | $84,000 |
| 6 | Los Angeles, CA | $83,000 |
| 7 | San Diego, CA | $80,000 |
| 8 | Austin, TX | $77,000 |
| 9 | Portland, OR | $77,000 |
| 10 | Denver, CO | $74,000 |
2
Best After Cost of Living
Salary adjusted for cost of living (US avg = $100k)
| # | City | COL-Adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Columbus, OH | $68,132 |
| 2 | Pittsburgh, PA | $67,778 |
| 3 | Raleigh, NC | $66,990 |
| 4 | Detroit, MI | $66,292 |
| 5 | Indianapolis, IN | $65,556 |
| 6 | Chicago, IL | $65,421 |
| 7 | Houston, TX | $65,421 |
| 8 | Dallas, TX | $65,179 |
| 9 | Phoenix, AZ | $65,049 |
| 10 | Atlanta, GA | $63,889 |
3
College Professor Salary — All Cities
All 30 metro areas, sorted by median salary
| City | P25 | Median | P75 | P90 | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| San Francisco, CA | $73,920 | $96,000 | $122,880 | $153,600 | 78,000 |
| Seattle, WA | $72,380 | $94,000 | $120,320 | $150,400 | 87,000 |
| New York, NY | $70,840 | $92,000 | $117,760 | $147,200 | 102,000 |
| Boston, MA | $65,450 | $85,000 | $108,800 | $136,000 | 63,000 |
| Washington, DC | $64,680 | $84,000 | $107,520 | $134,400 | 67,500 |
| Los Angeles, CA | $63,910 | $83,000 | $106,240 | $132,800 | 72,000 |
| San Diego, CA | $61,600 | $80,000 | $102,400 | $128,000 | 36,000 |
| Austin, TX | $59,290 | $77,000 | $98,560 | $123,200 | 57,000 |
| Portland, OR | $59,290 | $77,000 | $98,560 | $123,200 | 30,000 |
| Denver, CO | $56,980 | $74,000 | $94,720 | $118,400 | 42,000 |
| Dallas, TX | $56,210 | $73,000 | $93,440 | $116,800 | 52,500 |
| Chicago, IL | $53,900 | $70,000 | $89,600 | $112,000 | 52,500 |
| Houston, TX | $53,900 | $70,000 | $89,600 | $112,000 | 42,000 |
| Atlanta, GA | $53,130 | $69,000 | $88,320 | $110,400 | 45,000 |
| Minneapolis, MN | $53,130 | $69,000 | $88,320 | $110,400 | 33,000 |
| Raleigh, NC | $53,130 | $69,000 | $88,320 | $110,400 | 33,000 |
| Phoenix, AZ | $51,590 | $67,000 | $85,760 | $107,200 | 37,500 |
| Miami, FL | $50,820 | $66,000 | $84,480 | $105,600 | 33,000 |
| Salt Lake City, UT | $50,820 | $66,000 | $84,480 | $105,600 | 27,000 |
| Nashville, TN | $50,050 | $65,000 | $83,200 | $104,000 | 27,000 |
| Charlotte, NC | $48,510 | $63,000 | $80,640 | $100,800 | 30,000 |
| Richmond, VA | $48,510 | $63,000 | $80,640 | $100,800 | 21,000 |
| Columbus, OH | $47,740 | $62,000 | $79,360 | $99,200 | 24,000 |
| Pittsburgh, PA | $46,970 | $61,000 | $78,080 | $97,600 | 21,000 |
| Detroit, MI | $45,430 | $59,000 | $75,520 | $94,400 | 22,500 |
| Indianapolis, IN | $45,430 | $59,000 | $75,520 | $94,400 | 22,500 |
| Louisville, KY | $42,350 | $55,000 | $70,400 | $88,000 | 15,000 |
| Oklahoma City, OK | $41,580 | $54,000 | $69,120 | $86,400 | 13,500 |
| Memphis, TN | $40,040 | $52,000 | $66,560 | $83,200 | 12,000 |
| El Paso, TX | $36,960 | $48,000 | $61,440 | $76,800 | 9,000 |
Top Skills for College Professor
Subject ExpertiseCurriculum DesignResearchAcademic WritingStudent Mentorship