View in EDS

Adjunct Faculty in the Higher Education Workforce

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Title: Adjunct Faculty in the Higher Education Workforce
Language: English
Authors: Brielle Johnson, Melissa Fuesting, College and University Professional Association for Human Resources (CUPA-HR)
Source: College and University Professional Association for Human Resources. 2026.
Availability: College and University Professional Association for Human Resources. 1811 Commons Point Drive, Knoxville, TN 37932. Tel: 877-287-2474; Fax: 865-637-7674; e-mail: research@cupahr.org; Web site: http://www.cupahr.org
Peer Reviewed: Y
Page Count: 25
Publication Date: 2026
Document Type: Reports - Research
Education Level: Higher Education
Postsecondary Education
Descriptors: Adjunct Faculty, College Faculty, Private Colleges, Public Colleges, Institutional Characteristics, Intellectual Disciplines, Teacher Salaries, School Policy, Faculty Workload, Teacher Characteristics, Disproportionate Representation
Abstract: Across U.S. colleges and universities, there are more than 650,000 adjunct faculty. Adjunct faculty are hired by institutions to teach specific courses and are paid on a course-by-course basis. This low pay is especially notable considering the education level of adjuncts, as many colleges and universities require an advanced degree for these positions. In addition to low pay, adjuncts are seldom offered retirement savings plans by their college or university, and they are typically ineligible to receive healthcare benefits from their institution. Due to the critical role played by adjuncts in post-secondary education as well as the noted vulnerabilities associated with these positions, it is important to better understand this part of the higher ed workforce. This report provides a deep dive on adjunct faculty, outlining the state of the adjunct workforce and identifying opportunities for increased support for this critical sector of higher ed employees. The findings from the current report contribute to a growing body of research on the conditions of adjunct faculty employment in higher education.
Abstractor: ERIC
Entry Date: 2026
Accession Number: ED678593
Database: ERIC
FullText Text:
  Availability: 0
CustomLinks:
  – Url: https://eric.ed.gov/contentdelivery/servlet/ERICServlet?accno=ED678593
    Name: ERIC Full Text
    Category: fullText
    Text: Full Text from ERIC
Header DbId: eric
DbLabel: ERIC
An: ED678593
AccessLevel: 3
PubType: Report
PubTypeId: report
PreciseRelevancyScore: 0
IllustrationInfo
Items – Name: Title
  Label: Title
  Group: Ti
  Data: Adjunct Faculty in the Higher Education Workforce
– Name: Language
  Label: Language
  Group: Lang
  Data: English
– Name: Author
  Label: Authors
  Group: Au
  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Brielle+Johnson%22">Brielle Johnson</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Melissa+Fuesting%22">Melissa Fuesting</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22College+and+University+Professional+Association+for+Human+Resources+%28CUPA-HR%29%22">College and University Professional Association for Human Resources (CUPA-HR)</searchLink>
– Name: TitleSource
  Label: Source
  Group: Src
  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="SO" term="%22College+and+University+Professional+Association+for+Human+Resources%22"><i>College and University Professional Association for Human Resources</i></searchLink>. 2026.
– Name: Avail
  Label: Availability
  Group: Avail
  Data: College and University Professional Association for Human Resources. 1811 Commons Point Drive, Knoxville, TN 37932. Tel: 877-287-2474; Fax: 865-637-7674; e-mail: research@cupahr.org; Web site: http://www.cupahr.org
– Name: PeerReviewed
  Label: Peer Reviewed
  Group: SrcInfo
  Data: Y
– Name: Pages
  Label: Page Count
  Group: Src
  Data: 25
– Name: DatePubCY
  Label: Publication Date
  Group: Date
  Data: 2026
– Name: TypeDocument
  Label: Document Type
  Group: TypDoc
  Data: Reports - Research
– Name: Audience
  Label: Education Level
  Group: Audnce
  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="EL" term="%22Higher+Education%22">Higher Education</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="EL" term="%22Postsecondary+Education%22">Postsecondary Education</searchLink>
– Name: Subject
  Label: Descriptors
  Group: Su
  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Adjunct+Faculty%22">Adjunct Faculty</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22College+Faculty%22">College Faculty</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Private+Colleges%22">Private Colleges</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Public+Colleges%22">Public Colleges</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Institutional+Characteristics%22">Institutional Characteristics</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Intellectual+Disciplines%22">Intellectual Disciplines</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Teacher+Salaries%22">Teacher Salaries</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22School+Policy%22">School Policy</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Faculty+Workload%22">Faculty Workload</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Teacher+Characteristics%22">Teacher Characteristics</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Disproportionate+Representation%22">Disproportionate Representation</searchLink>
– Name: Abstract
  Label: Abstract
  Group: Ab
  Data: Across U.S. colleges and universities, there are more than 650,000 adjunct faculty. Adjunct faculty are hired by institutions to teach specific courses and are paid on a course-by-course basis. This low pay is especially notable considering the education level of adjuncts, as many colleges and universities require an advanced degree for these positions. In addition to low pay, adjuncts are seldom offered retirement savings plans by their college or university, and they are typically ineligible to receive healthcare benefits from their institution. Due to the critical role played by adjuncts in post-secondary education as well as the noted vulnerabilities associated with these positions, it is important to better understand this part of the higher ed workforce. This report provides a deep dive on adjunct faculty, outlining the state of the adjunct workforce and identifying opportunities for increased support for this critical sector of higher ed employees. The findings from the current report contribute to a growing body of research on the conditions of adjunct faculty employment in higher education.
– Name: AbstractInfo
  Label: Abstractor
  Group: Ab
  Data: ERIC
– Name: DateEntry
  Label: Entry Date
  Group: Date
  Data: 2026
– Name: AN
  Label: Accession Number
  Group: ID
  Data: ED678593
PLink https://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&site=eds-live&db=eric&AN=ED678593
RecordInfo BibRecord:
  BibEntity:
    Languages:
      – Text: English
    PhysicalDescription:
      Pagination:
        PageCount: 25
    Subjects:
      – SubjectFull: Adjunct Faculty
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: College Faculty
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Private Colleges
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Public Colleges
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Institutional Characteristics
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Intellectual Disciplines
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Teacher Salaries
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: School Policy
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Faculty Workload
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Teacher Characteristics
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Disproportionate Representation
        Type: general
    Titles:
      – TitleFull: Adjunct Faculty in the Higher Education Workforce
        Type: main
  BibRelationships:
    HasContributorRelationships:
      – PersonEntity:
          Name:
            NameFull: College and University Professional Association for Human Resources (CUPA-HR)
      – PersonEntity:
          Name:
            NameFull: Brielle Johnson
      – PersonEntity:
          Name:
            NameFull: Melissa Fuesting
    IsPartOfRelationships:
      – BibEntity:
          Dates:
            – D: 01
              M: 02
              Type: published
              Y: 2026
          Titles:
            – TitleFull: College and University Professional Association for Human Resources
              Type: main
ResultId 1