Difference Between Assistant and Associate Professor

By: | Updated: Apr-20, 2022
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Associate Professor is the title given to an academic position at the University level. It is equivalent to Assistant Professor, and Assistant Professor is given to the positions at lower educational levels such as those at Undergraduate and Graduate level.

There are two main categories of associate professors, namely those who are hired from within the university or from outside the university. Those who are hired from outside the university usually do not receive a salary, whereas those who are hired from within the university get paid salary and benefits.

Assistant Professor Associate Professor
Is given to the positions at lower educational levels such as those at Undergraduate and Graduate level. Hired specifically for the job, whether or not they are from the same university.
Not yet has tenure. Has tenure.
Has a smaller salary. Has a bigger salary.
Has lower ranking as they are the assistants. Has a higher ranking than assistant professor.
Less academic responsibilities. More academic responsibilities.

Difference Between Assistant and Associate Professor

Both categories of associate professors do not receive a fixed amount of money as they are hired on a yearly basis. There are also some instances where an individual may receive additional pay for certain duties or tasks that he/she performs on behalf of his/her employer (This may be referred to as “expedited pay”).

Difference Between Associate Professor and Assistant Professor

Both associate and assistant professors are equally responsible. They teach, conduct research in their areas of expertise, and perform many other administrative tasks.

The assistant professors are expected to develop their own research field, whereas the full professors usually work on the topics that the full professor assigns to them. As associate professors, in that aspect, they have more freedom to teach, and they have better job security.

It is reported that associate professors earn more than assistant professors. As for assistant professors, the average salary for them is $77,493 per year, and associate professors earn $87,761 per year. Be aware that your salary can be affected by the department of the lecturer, by the university in which he is a lecturer, by the state in which he teaches, and by other factors.

Your assistant professors are not just someone else’s assistants. They are on a tenure track. The people who have worked for a long time usually have a six-year contract, and in the fifth year, they are allowed to apply for tenure. The tenure application process may take up to one year. When an assistant professor is evaluated thoroughly, he is promoted to the rank of associate professor.

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