What is the difference between Adjunct and Associate Professor?

An adjunct professor performs a supplementary role in schools and colleges. They do not possess full-time responsibility, which means that they do not have the same benefits as full-time professors. Universities profit from hiring adjunct professors and these professors can work more flexible hours and require a lesser income bracket.

On the other hand, an associate professor is someone who fits in the tenured and tenure track roles in a teaching situation. They are often grouped as mid-level professors. Also, they are full-time members who can execute graduate or undergraduate roles as teachers. Associate professors are typically college professors.

An adjunct professor is more or less like a part-time professor employed by an institution of learning to offer an additional or a supplementary teaching role. An adjunct professor does not work like a regular professor. Although adjunct professors are employed on a contractual arrangement, this also reflects in the benefits they get in return. However, adjunct professors are not always saddled with administrative responsibilities compared to regular professors. An associate professor, on the other hand, has a full-time responsibility in an institution of learning. However, associate professors are usually classified as mid-level professors and are usually tenured. Unlike an adjunct professor who works as a part-time professor, an associate professor is a permanent staff in an institution. Due to the many teaching and administrative roles and responsibilities of the associate professors, they receive more pay compared to the adjunct professors. Another difference is that the employment of an adjunct professor can easily be terminated compared to that of an associate professor.