How much does a english professor make?
Answer: A typical english professor in the United States makes $78,760 a year (median, May 2025, US Bureau of Labor Statistics).
Line up 100 people; this is the one in the middle (median). about 58,000 people work in this job. Well above the US-wide typical pay ($50,980).
If 100 people had this job
Lowest at bottom-left, highest at top-rightHover over a person to see their yearly pay
English professor pay in the United States (May 2025, median and spread)
| Lower earner (10th from bottom) | Typical person (median) | Higher earner (10th from top) | People in this job |
|---|---|---|---|
| $48,270 | $78,760 | $137,250 | about 58,000 |
| State | Typical person (median) | People in this job |
|---|---|---|
| California | $130,490 | about 5,000 |
| Connecticut | $97,310 | about 940 |
| Oregon | $91,870 | about 960 |
| Michigan | $90,240 | about 2,000 |
| New York | $84,850 | about 6,000 |
Why does pay differ?
In the U.S., pay can differ with experience, degree, college type, and location; universities generally pay more than community colleges. Part-time adjuncts may teach at several schools. A separate teaching license is generally not required for college professors.
What if you lived in a different state?
Pay varies a lot by state in the USTop 5 and bottom 3 states, typical (median) yearly pay.
What does a english professor do?
Teach courses in English language and literature, including linguistics and comparative literature. Includes both teachers primarily engaged in teaching and those who do a combination of teaching and research.
What's a typical day like?
An English professor may lead a class discussion about a poem or novel, then plan lessons and mark students’ papers. They also advise students; at large universities, some research and publish, while smaller colleges focus more on teaching.
How to get this job
In the U.S., earn a bachelor’s degree and usually a Ph.D. in English or a related field; some community colleges hire teachers with a master’s. Doctoral study takes several years and includes original research, and a separate teaching license generally isn’t required.
Graduate degree or long training (preparation level 5 of 5)
Good for people who like helping and teaching and figuring things out.
Did you know?
English professors may teach linguistics and comparative literature—not just writing and novels.
Similar jobs
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Educational Instruction and Library jobs that pay a bit moreSources and data
Source: US Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS May 2025 (bls.gov); descriptions and related jobs from O*NET 31.0. Figures as of May 2025, full-time yearly pay (hourly × 2,080 hours). bls.gov/oes · O*NET OnLine
Pages used for the text
- www.bls.gov/ooh/education-training-and-library/postsecondary-teachers.htm
- www.bls.gov/oes/2023/may/oes251123.htm
- www.onetonline.org/link/summary/25-1123.00
- www.bls.gov/careeroutlook/2015/article/wage-differences.htm
- www.wes.org/resource-library/blog/career-pathway/postsecondary-teacher-professor
Data: US BLS OEWS, May 2025 · 1 USD = 150 JPY