Two Separate Surveys Find Salaries For Faculty Increasing At All Levels

if (n == null) The Scientist 9[12]:, Jun. 12, 1995 Profession Two Separate Surveys Find Salaries For Faculty Increasing At All Levels By Edward R. Silverman Salaries paid to professors of all ranks at public and private institutions rose in 1994-95 from the levels of the previous year, according to two separate surveys recently released by the Washington, D.C.-based American Association of University Professors (AAUP) and the National Association of State Universities and Land-Grant Colleges (NASULGC), also of Washington. For example, the NASULGC survey found that the average salary for faculty at all levels and in all disciplines was $55,638 in the 1994-95 school year, an increase of 5.6 percent from the year before. For full professors in all disciplines, average pay rose 5.7 percent, to $68,725. The average for associate professors was $49,738, a 4.5 percent hike. For assistant professors, the average salary was $42,925, 4 percent over the 1993-94 figure. The AAUP study--which assessed faculty pay at a larger number and greater variety of schools--found that average annual salaries for faculty at all levels rose 3.4 percent in the 1994-95 school year. This was the first time since 1990 that real salaries increased for a second consecutive year, according to the association. The survey of institutions belonging to NASULGC--which broke out results by discipline and faculty title--was conducted by officials at Oklahoma State University. For the study, administrators at 96 four-year, Ph.D.-granting schools were queried; responses were received from 87. For the AAUP survey--which did not examine disciplines separately--questionnaires were mailed to administrators at about 3,000 colleges and universities; responses were received from 2,200, accounting for more than 90 percent of all U.S. faculty. The data were compiled by a consulting firm. In both cases, survey compilers and participants say, the upward trend reflects loosening purse strings at public schools, thus pushing up salaries for many prominent positions. "In the late 1980s and early 1990s, schools were cutting back. So you'd expect them to pick up now," Paul Brozovsky, senior institutional researcher at Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, speculates. "It's about what you would expect at a time when states are doing reasonably well. And if you don't at least keep up with inflation, you lose your good people." 'Some Very Good News': AAUP report author Daniel Hamermesh found "a ray of sunshine." AAUP Finds 'Sunshine' Daniel Hamermesh, an economics professor at the University of Texas and the author of the AAUP report, was sufficiently encouraged by the results to title the survey "A Ray of Sunshine?" "There's some very good news here," he comments. Among the optimistic findings of the AAUP report was that average salaries rose 4.6 percent for continuing faculty, defined as those who were at the same institution for both the 1993-94 and 1994-95 school years. In addition, the survey found that this was the first time in 13 years that salary increases were given at a higher rate in public institutions than in private institutions. AVERAGE FACULTY SALARIES FROM AAUP SURVEY, 1994-95 Private/ All combined Public independent Church-related Professor $63,450 $62,000 $73,160 $55,940 Associate $47,040 $46,990 $49,990 $43,630 Professor Assistant $39,050 $39,210 $41,230 $35,900 Professor Instructor $29,680 $29,600 $31,660 $28,380 Lecturer $32,600 $31,890 $36,400 $31,520 Source: American Association of University Professors The average salary was $56,000 for professors at all levels in public and private doctoral-level institutions (those granting Ph.D.'s as well as bachelor's and master's degrees), $46,710 for comprehensive institutions (those granting master's and bachelor's degrees), $41,120 for general baccalaureate schools, and $40,850 for two-year colleges. But Hamermesh is cautious to point out that government cutbacks, at state and federal levels, could begin anew, judging by all the budget-cutting talk in Washington lately. What's more, private schools are also under financial pressures, caused by rising retirement costs, difficulties in fund-raising, and students unable to afford tuition, among other factors. As an example, he cites the push in Congress toward block grants and cuts in federal education programs, including less public support for higher education. Because of these developments, he doesn't predict a long-term upward trend in pay. "There are a bunch of states that have elected legislatures who don't seem concerned" about aca-demic salaries, he says. "And over the last 12 years, public salaries have fallen about 10 percent compared to private salaries." Many state budgets this year included enough money to compensate for previous lean years, he notes. However, he adds, this trend may change, given last November's strong Republican showing in state elections. Budgets 'Not Impossible': Caltech's Paul Jennings cites improvements in the economy. Such cautious sentiment is echoed by Paul Jennings, acting vice president of business and finance at the California Institute of Technology, which responded to the AAUP study. "The [national] economy is doing fairly well," he observes. "And state budgets are tight, but not impossible. But to expect increases much more than inflation is unrealistic. We'll move closely with inflation, not much better or worse." NASULGC: Biology Pay Rises The NASULGC report found that in biology, the average salary for a full professor was $66,098, up 8.3 percent from last year's figure. Associate professors earned $46,195, on average, a 4.8 percent gain, and assistant professors were paid an average of $39,904, up 6.2 percent. Newly hired assistant professors received $38,441, up 3.8 percent. The survey also provided data for numerous other disciplines, including biochemists, cell biologists, microbiologists, and molecular biologists, although sample sizes varied and, in some cases, were too small to make meaningful comparisons from the prior year. In biochemistry, the report found that the average salary for full professors was $69,581, up 2.6 percent. Associate professors got $49,869, on average, up 4 percent. The average salary paid to assistant professors was $43,198, up 10.8 percent. In microbiology, the average salary for full professors was $69,235, up 3 percent. Associate professors got $47,895, on average, up 3.1 percent. Assistant professors got an average of $40,376, up 11.5 percent. Virginia Tech's Brozovsky notes that, with ongoing pressures to monitor expenditures, many schools are leaving positions unfilled when senior faculty retire, or are bringing fewer people on board, which should keep salary hikes modest. "Most institutions haven't hired many new people," he says. "I assume most are hiring three to five people for a department. There just aren't that many openings, because institutions are trying to cut expenses." AVERAGE SALARIES FOR BIOLOGICAL AND LIFE SCIENCES* PROFESSORS AT STATE UNIVERSITIES AND LAND-GRANT COLLEGES 1993-94 1994-95 Percent change Professor $63,099 $66,078 4.7 Associate professor $45,201 $47,074 4.1 Assistant professor $38,769 $40,397 4.2 Newly hired assistant professor $38,842 $38,847 -- Instructor $27,810 $28,125 1.1 * Category includes general biology, biochemistry, biophysics, botany, plant pathology, cell biology, molecular biology, microbiology, anatomy, ecology, marine and aquatic biology, neuroscience, toxicology, plant and animal genetics, zoology, entomology, human and animal pharmacology, human and animal pathology, and human and animal physiology. Source: National Association of State Universities and Land-Grant Colleges Another finding of the AAUP survey was that, since 1979, college teachers' pay fell relative to three other occupations--health professionals, lawyers and judges, and engineers. These fields were chosen as a basis of comparison because they require a level of education similar to that attained by college faculty. Hamermesh notes that not only do college professors earn less than these other professionals, but also their salaries have fallen farther behind. For example, in 1979 the earnings of those in the health field were 29 percent above those of college and university faculty; by 1993, they had climbed to 55 percent more. Lawyers earned 46 percent more than faculty in 1979, vs. 70 percent more in 1993. Engineers were paid 32 percent more than faculty in 1979, vs. 40 percent more in 1993. Edward R. Silverman is a freelance writer based in Millburn, N.J. (The Scientist, Vol:9, #12, pg.16, June 12, 1995) (Copyright, The Scientist, Inc.) WE WELCOME YOUR OPINION. IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO COMMENT ON THIS STORY, PLEASE WRITE TO US AT EITHER ONE OF THE FOLLOWING ADDRESSES: garfield@aurora.cis.upenn.edu 71764.2561@compuserve.com The Scientist, 3600 Market Street, Suite 450, Philadelphia, PA 19104 U.S.A.

Two Separate Surveys Find Salaries For Faculty Increasing At All Levels

Two Separate Surveys Find Salaries For Faculty Increasing At All Levels

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