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Associate Professor Jobs in California (NOW HIRING)

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Associate Professor information

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$42.9K

$101.1K

$140.6K

How much do associate professor jobs pay per year?

As of Sep 14, 2026, the average yearly pay for associate professor in California is $101,090.00, according to ZipRecruiter salary data. Most workers in this role earn between $78,000.00 and $124,400.00 per year, depending on experience, location, and employer.

What is an associate professor?

An associate professor teaches at a college or university campus and ranks below a full professor. As an associate professor, you still perform the primary job duties of a full professor, such as interacting with students, grading classroom assignments, assisting students with study techniques, and developing lesson plans. You may also spend part of your career working on research projects and writing articles for academic journals.

What are the key skills and qualifications needed to thrive as an associate professor, and why are they important?

To thrive as an Associate Professor, you need advanced subject matter expertise, a doctoral degree in your field, and a record of research and scholarly publication. Familiarity with learning management systems (LMS), academic databases, and research software is typically required. Strong communication, mentorship, and organizational skills help foster student engagement and productive collegial relationships. These competencies are essential for effective teaching, impactful research, and meaningful contributions to academic communities.

What are some common challenges faced by associate professors when balancing research, teaching, and service responsibilities?

Associate Professors often juggle multiple responsibilities, including conducting research, teaching courses, mentoring students, and participating in departmental or university service. Balancing these can be challenging, especially when research expectations remain high while teaching loads and committee work increase after promotion. Successful Associate Professors typically develop strong time-management skills, collaborate with colleagues to share best practices, and seek mentorship or support from their academic community. Proactive planning and clear communication with department leadership can also help manage these competing demands.

What is the difference between Associate Professor vs Assistant Professor?

AspectAssociate ProfessorAssistant Professor
Required CredentialsDoctorate (Ph.D. or equivalent), significant research and teaching experienceDoctorate (Ph.D. or equivalent), typically early in academic career
Work EnvironmentUniversity faculty, involved in teaching, research, and serviceUniversity faculty, primarily focused on teaching and beginning research
Employer & Industry UsageHigher education institutions, research universitiesHigher education institutions, research universities

In summary, an Associate Professor is a more senior academic role with extensive research and teaching experience, while an Assistant Professor is an entry-level faculty position focused on developing research and teaching skills.

Do you need a PhD to be an associate professor?

Typically, an associate professor position requires a doctoral degree, such as a PhD, along with significant research, teaching experience, and a strong publication record. While requirements can vary by institution and field, having a PhD is generally essential for this academic rank.

What are the most commonly searched types of Professor jobs in California?

The most popular types of Professor jobs in California are:

What are popular job titles related to Associate Professor jobs in California?

For Associate Professor jobs in California, the most frequently searched job titles are:

What cities in California are hiring for Associate Professor jobs?

Cities in California with the most Associate Professor job openings:

Infographic showing various Associate Professor job openings in California as of September 2026, with employment types broken down into 1% As Needed, 68% Full Time, 28% Part Time, 1% Temporary, 1% Contract, and 1% Nights. Highlights an 95% Physical, 1% Hybrid, and 4% Remote job distribution, with an average salary of $101,090 per year, or $48.6 per hour.

Infectious Diseases Faculty - Assistant/Associate Professor

Montebello, CA • On-site

University of Southern California
Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools • 10K+ employees

Other

Posted 17 days ago


Key responsibilities

  • Provide inpatient and outpatient consultative services for infectious diseases at Keck hospitals.

  • Lead and participate in clinical programs such as transplant infectious diseases, antimicrobial stewardship, orthopedic infectious diseases, and healthcare epidemiology.

  • Contribute to graduate medical education at the Keck School of Medicine.


University Of Southern California rating

8.2

Company rating: 8.2 out of 10

Based on 54 frontline employees who took The Breakroom Quiz


Job description

University of Southern California - Keck School of Medicine

Division of Infectious Diseases

Assistant/ Associate Professor

The Department of Medicine of the Keck School of Medicine of the University of Southern California is seeking outstanding applicants for full-time faculty member at the Assistant/Associate Professor level in the Division of Infectious Diseases (ID). This individual will be involved in the clinical, educational, research, and other programmatic missions of the ID Division in the Department of Medicine.

Overview

The ID Division is renowned for its excellence in patient care and outstanding clinical training opportunities. The division consists of faculty located at two hospitals (Keck Hospital and Norris Cancer Center) and associated facilities on the Health Sciences Campus of the University of Southern California. The mission of the ID Division is to create new knowledge in the field of Infectious Diseases and to serve the local and global community by reducing burden of disease while embracing traits of equitable care.

Clinical Activities

The ID Division has a 50 plus year tradition in providing exceptional clinical services at the USC Health Sciences Campus (HSC), which includes the Keck University Hospital of USC and the Kenneth Norris Cancer Hospital. The ID Division provides inpatient and outpatient consultative services that include General, Transplantation, and Orthopedic infectious diseases at the Keck hospitals. The ID faculty lead multiple programs across campus, including transplant ID, antimicrobial stewardship, orthopedic ID and healthcare epidemiology. ID faculty play an active role in graduate medical education at the Keck School of Medicine. ID faculty have varied research interests - ranging from diagnostics in infectious disease, fungal infections, healthcare epidemiology to novel antimicrobial therapeutics.

QUALIFICATIONS

Minimum Requirements

  • Have an MD, MD/PhD, DO, and board certification or board eligible in Infectious Diseases.
  • Eligible for State of California medical licensure
  • Be eligible for faculty appointment at the University of Southern California School of Medicine at the rank of Assistant/Associate Professor per Keck School of Medicine and University policies

Salary and Benefits:

Salary is calculated using the AAMC benchmarks for subspecialty and rank. The University of Southern California offers a full benefits package. Information on University benefits programs, including eligibility, is located at: https://employees.usc.edu/benefits-perks/

The University of Southern California is dedicated to ensuring a safe and secure environment that is not threatened by hostility or harassment for our faculty, post-graduate residents, students, nurses, staff, patients, job applicants and visitors.

The University of Southern California strongly supports the principle of diversity. We encourage applications from women, ethnic minorities, persons of alternate sexual orientation, persons with disabilities, those with different political and religious views and all veterans. The University is committed to diversity and equality in education and employment.


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About University of Southern California

Sourced by ZipRecruiter

The University of Southern California (USC) is not a conventional company, but a private research university established in the heart of Los Angeles, CA, US. Founded in 1880, it's one of the oldest private research universities in California. USC operates in the education industry providing primary services of higher education, research, and community development. This prestigious institution offers a comprehensive array of undergraduate, graduate, and professional programs across various disciplines, including the humanities, social sciences, and STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics). The University is guided by its commitment to foster creativity, innovation, leadership, and discovery through academic excellence.

Industry

Colleges, universities, and professional schools

Company size

10,000+ Employees

Headquarters location

Los Angeles , CA, US

Year founded

1880