Is University Professor a good career in 2026?
D
41/100 · Below Average
Moderate risk from automation. Consider adjacent skills to broaden earning power.
$107K
Median pay
+73%
vs US average
5%/yr
Demand growth
86/100
Future-proof
Reasons it's worth it
- ✓Pays 73% above the US average wage ($107K vs $62K).
- ✓Relatively automation-resilient (86/100 future-proof).
- ✓In-demand skills: Research, Academic Writing, Curriculum Design, Grant Writing.
Things to weigh
- !Modest demand growth (~5%/yr).
Dig into the numbers
Common questions
Is University Professor a good career in 2026?
On our data, University Professor scores 41/100 (Below Average). Moderate risk from automation. Consider adjacent skills to broaden earning power. Median pay is $107K (73% above the US average), demand is ~5%/yr, and automation risk is 14/100.
Does University Professor pay well?
The median University Professor earns about $107K, which is 73% above the US average wage of $62K.
Will University Professor be automated by AI?
Automation risk is 14/100 (86/100 future-proof). Most of the role is hard to fully automate near-term.
Career score blends demand growth and automation risk; pay from BLS-anchored medians. A guide, not a guarantee.