Assistant Professor vs Associate Professor
In 2025, the median salary for Associate Professor was $36,686 (26.8%) higher than for Assistant Professor: $173,517 against $136,831. Assistant Professor had 1,871 people on the list, Associate Professor 3,292.
At a glance
| Assistant Professor | Associate Professor | |
|---|---|---|
| People on the 2025 list | 1,871 | 3,292 |
| Median salary | $136,831 | $173,517 |
| Middle half | $123,161–$157,061 | $153,383–$197,030 |
| Highest salary | $371,399 | $382,260 |
| Total salaries | $269,376,207 | $583,595,755 |
| People, change | −1.4% vs 2024 | +1.5% vs 2024 |
| Median, change | +2.9% vs 2024 | +2.3% vs 2024 |
Median salary by year
Show as a table
| Year | Assistant Professor | Associate Professor |
|---|---|---|
| 1996 | $104,841 | |
| 1998 | $103,576 | $106,105 |
| 1999 | $109,793 | $104,690 |
| 2000 | $105,526 | $105,868 |
| 2001 | $104,417 | $105,106 |
| 2002 | $106,583 | $105,738 |
| 2003 | $111,823 | $106,807 |
| 2005 | $112,006 | $110,575 |
| 2006 | $110,699 | $111,225 |
| 2007 | $108,444 | $113,532 |
| 2008 | $109,412 | $115,180 |
| 2009 | $108,825 | $118,140 |
| 2010 | $110,265 | $119,883 |
| 2011 | $111,521 | $122,420 |
| 2012 | $112,455 | $124,588 |
| 2013 | $113,171 | $127,725 |
| 2014 | $113,885 | $131,260 |
| 2015 | $116,668 | $133,747 |
| 2016 | $116,882 | $138,874 |
| 2017 | $117,101 | $141,377 |
| 2018 | $118,485 | $144,401 |
| 2019 | $119,835 | $148,941 |
| 2020 | $121,473 | $152,088 |
| 2021 | $123,351 | $153,909 |
| 2022 | $124,162 | $156,740 |
| 2023 | $128,009 | $162,316 |
| 2024 | $132,960 | $169,650 |
| 2025 | $136,831 | $173,517 |
People on the list by year
Show as a table
| Year | Assistant Professor | Associate Professor |
|---|---|---|
| 1996 | 21 | |
| 1998 | 6 | 35 |
| 1999 | 15 | 56 |
| 2000 | 17 | 121 |
| 2001 | 32 | 117 |
| 2002 | 34 | 210 |
| 2003 | 65 | 451 |
| 2005 | 156 | 911 |
| 2006 | 178 | 1,087 |
| 2007 | 298 | 1,521 |
| 2008 | 383 | 1,814 |
| 2009 | 535 | 2,248 |
| 2010 | 632 | 2,827 |
| 2011 | 766 | 3,153 |
| 2012 | 761 | 3,415 |
| 2013 | 703 | 3,176 |
| 2014 | 824 | 3,503 |
| 2015 | 867 | 3,774 |
| 2016 | 1,082 | 4,201 |
| 2017 | 1,050 | 3,704 |
| 2018 | 1,185 | 3,668 |
| 2019 | 1,288 | 3,466 |
| 2020 | 1,558 | 3,517 |
| 2021 | 1,652 | 3,252 |
| 2022 | 1,711 | 3,098 |
| 2023 | 1,800 | 3,118 |
| 2024 | 1,898 | 3,244 |
| 2025 | 1,871 | 3,292 |
Highest paid in 2025
Assistant Professor
| # | Name | Employer | Salary | Benefits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Ting Xu | University Of Toronto | $371,399 | $210 |
| 2 | Stephen Thomas | Queen's University | $362,596 | $272 |
| 3 | Shelley Kierstead | York University | $309,881 | $956 |
| 4 | Chang-Yuan Lee | University Of Toronto | $293,315 | $126 |
| 5 | Daniel Sang Kim | University Of Waterloo | $283,885 | $1,314 |
Associate Professor
| # | Name | Employer | Salary | Benefits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Blake Phillips | University Of Waterloo | $382,260 | $1,531 |
| 2 | Atefeh Mashatan | Toronto Metropolitan University | $376,535 | $3,436 |
| 3 | Maja Djikic | University Of Toronto | $337,604 | $126 |
| 4 | Willow A Sheremata | York University | $334,651 | $534 |
| 5 | Stephen Sapp | University Of Western Ontario | $334,433 | $100 |
More comparisons
Questions and answers
Which pays more, Assistant Professor or Associate Professor?
By median salary in 2025, Associate Professor: $173,517 against $136,831.
Which has more people on the list?
Associate Professor: 3,292 against 1,871 in 2025.
How has the gap changed since 1998?
In 1998 the median for Assistant Professor was $103,576 and for Associate Professor $106,105, a gap of $2,529; in 2025 the gap was $36,686.
What do these figures cover?
Only people paid $100,000 or more are on the list, so medians and counts describe them, not everyone with each title.
What does “salary paid” include?
What the employer paid in the calendar year, so it can include overtime, retroactive pay, vacation payouts, severance or a partial year. Taxable benefits are listed separately. How the lists work