Faculty Salary By Academic Rank at Michigan State University
The 2025 average faculty salary is $122,284 at Michigan State University across all academic ranks. MSU's faculty salary increased by 1.99% compared to the 2024 salary.
At Michigan State University, by academic rank:
- The average professor salary is $178,665, representing a 3.29% increase from the previous year (+$5,686).
- The average associate professor salary is $120,620, representing a 2.04% increase from the previous year (+$2,411).
- The average assistant professor salary is $94,984, representing a 3.12% increase from the previous year (+$2,876).
- The average instructor salary is $61,038, representing a 2.86% increase from the previous year (+$1,700).
- The average lecturer salary is $65,692, representing a 7.67% increase from the previous year (+$4,680).
- The average no academic rank salary is $76,550, representing a 2.27% increase from the previous year (+$1,702).
Average Salary by Academic Rank Chart
This chart summarizes average faculty salary by academic rank at Michigan State University for the most recent year and the prior year.
The side-by-side bars compare current versus previous salaries for each rank, while the line shows the percentage change to highlight increases, decreases, or no change.
Faculty Salary By Gender
The following tables show the average faculty salary by academic rank and gender at Michigan State University.
At MSU, the average male faculty's salary is $134,318 and female faculty's is $108,047. The difference in salary between male and female faculty $26,271, with male faculty' annual salary being 24.31% higher than that of female faculty.
| Contract Length | Total | Men | Women |
|---|---|---|---|
| Equated to 9-Month Contract | $122,284 +$2,388 (1.99%) |
$134,318 +$2,362 (1.79%) |
$108,047 +$2,736 (2.60%) |
| 9-Month Contract | $126,778 +$1,809 (1.45%) |
$138,190 +$2,030 (1.49%) |
$112,389 +$1,663 (1.50%) |
| 10-Month Contract | No Faculty with 10-Month Contract | ||
| 11-Month Contract | No Faculty with 11-Month Contract | ||
| 12-Month Contract | $142,896 +$5,539 (4.03%) |
$159,288 +$4,012 (2.58%) |
$127,216 +$8,155 (6.85%) |
The average salary for MSU's 771 Professor is $178,665. By gender, the average male professor salary is $182,070, and that of female professor is $170,852. The salary difference between male and female professor is $11,218, which means male professor's salary is 6.57% higher than female professor's salary.
| Contract Length | Total | Men | Women |
|---|---|---|---|
| Equated to 9-Month Contract | $178,665 +$5,686 (3.29%) |
$182,070 +$5,602 (3.17%) |
$170,852 +$6,348 (3.86%) |
| 9-Month Contract | $181,774 +$5,229 (2.96%) |
$186,516 +$5,831 (3.23%) |
$170,436 +$3,853 (2.31%) |
| 10-Month Contract | No Professor with 10-Month Contract | ||
| 11-Month Contract | No Professor with 11-Month Contract | ||
| 12-Month Contract | $224,710 +$9,900 (4.61%) |
$222,380 +$5,585 (2.58%) |
$229,409 +$19,581 (9.33%) |
The average salary for MSU's 616 Associate professor is $120,620. By gender, the average male associate professor salary is $123,071, and that of female associate professor is $117,735. The salary difference between male and female associate professor is $5,336, which means male associate professor's salary is 4.53% higher than female associate professor's salary.
| Contract Length | Total | Men | Women |
|---|---|---|---|
| Equated to 9-Month Contract | $120,620 +$2,411 (2.04%) |
$123,071 +$1,415 (1.16%) |
$117,735 +$3,363 (2.94%) |
| 9-Month Contract | $121,675 +$1,734 (1.45%) |
$124,224 -$43 (-0.03%) |
$118,669 +$3,513 (3.05%) |
| 10-Month Contract | No Associate professor with 10-Month Contract | ||
| 11-Month Contract | No Associate professor with 11-Month Contract | ||
| 12-Month Contract | $151,406 +$9,237 (6.50%) |
$153,729 +$14,270 (10.23%) |
$148,707 +$3,388 (2.33%) |
The average salary for MSU's 731 Assistant professor is $94,984. By gender, the average male assistant professor salary is $99,180, and that of female assistant professor is $91,433. The salary difference between male and female assistant professor is $7,747, which means male assistant professor's salary is 8.47% higher than female assistant professor's salary.
| Contract Length | Total | Men | Women |
|---|---|---|---|
| Equated to 9-Month Contract | $94,984 +$2,876 (3.12%) |
$99,180 +$2,972 (3.09%) |
$91,433 +$2,921 (3.30%) |
| 9-Month Contract | $96,885 +$2,358 (2.49%) |
$103,803 +$2,559 (2.53%) |
$90,934 +$2,503 (2.83%) |
| 10-Month Contract | No Assistant professor with 10-Month Contract | ||
| 11-Month Contract | No Assistant professor with 11-Month Contract | ||
| 12-Month Contract | $116,398 +$5,804 (5.25%) |
$106,143 +$5,665 (5.64%) |
$124,501 +$6,107 (5.16%) |
The average salary for MSU's 159 Instructor is $61,038. By gender, the average male instructor salary is $69,580, and that of female instructor is $57,004. The salary difference between male and female instructor is $12,576, which means male instructor's salary is 22.06% higher than female instructor's salary.
| Contract Length | Total | Men | Women |
|---|---|---|---|
| Equated to 9-Month Contract | $61,038 +$1,700 (2.86%) |
$69,580 +$2,960 (4.44%) |
$57,004 +$1,236 (2.22%) |
| 9-Month Contract | $73,672 +$3,135 (4.44%) |
$76,354 +$5,729 (8.11%) |
$72,018 +$1,539 (2.18%) |
| 10-Month Contract | No Instructor with 10-Month Contract | ||
| 11-Month Contract | No Instructor with 11-Month Contract | ||
| 12-Month Contract | $55,028 -$2,860 (-4.94%) |
$68,903 -$7,108 (-9.35%) |
$50,981 -$1,359 (-2.60%) |
The average salary for MSU's 16 Lecturer is $65,692. By gender, the average male lecturer salary is $73,249, and that of female lecturer is $55,977. The salary difference between male and female lecturer is $17,272, which means male lecturer's salary is 30.86% higher than female lecturer's salary.
| Contract Length | Total | Men | Women |
|---|---|---|---|
| Equated to 9-Month Contract | $65,692 +$4,680 (7.67%) |
$73,249 +$8,309 (12.79%) |
$55,977 -$546 (-0.97%) |
| 9-Month Contract | $136,530 +$29,737 (27.85%) |
$151,095 +$42,580 (39.24%) |
$107,400 +$4,052 (3.92%) |
| 10-Month Contract | No Lecturer with 10-Month Contract | ||
| 11-Month Contract | No Lecturer with 11-Month Contract | ||
| 12-Month Contract | $65,793 -$297 (-0.45%) |
$68,009 +$788 (1.17%) |
$63,208 -$1,750 (-2.69%) |
The average salary for MSU's 259 No academic rank is $76,550. By gender, the average male no academic rank salary is $81,133, and that of female no academic rank is $72,714. The salary difference between male and female no academic rank is $8,419, which means male no academic rank's salary is 11.58% higher than female no academic rank's salary.
| Contract Length | Total | Men | Women |
|---|---|---|---|
| Equated to 9-Month Contract | $76,550 +$1,702 (2.27%) |
$81,133 +$2,284 (2.90%) |
$72,714 +$1,163 (1.63%) |
| 9-Month Contract | $81,150 +$1,585 (1.99%) |
$82,969 +$1,750 (2.15%) |
$79,160 +$1,298 (1.67%) |
| 10-Month Contract | No academic rank with 10-Month Contract | ||
| 11-Month Contract | No academic rank with 11-Month Contract | ||
| 12-Month Contract | $92,925 +$2,095 (2.31%) |
$102,819 +$3,826 (3.86%) |
$87,460 +$1,472 (1.71%) |
Faculty Salary Changes over Past 5 Years
The average salary for MSU faculty has increased 12.45%, from $107,056 to $122,284. Professor salaries increased by 13.92%, associate professor salaries increased by 15.47%, and assistant professor salaries increased by 13.04% at Michigan State University.
| Year | All Faculty | Professor | Associate Professor | Assistant Professor | Instructor |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2019 | $107,056 | $153,793 | $101,955 | $82,601 | $48,967 |
| 2020 | $108,234 | $157,769 2.59% | $104,105 2.11% | $83,475 1.06% | $50,809 3.76% |
| 2021 | $106,315 | $151,939 3.70% | $101,654 2.35% | $82,938 0.64% | $54,175 6.62% |
| 2022 | $108,281 | $156,355 2.91% | $103,710 2.02% | $83,307 0.44% | $51,938 4.13% |
| 2023 | $116,379 | $168,279 7.63% | $113,171 9.12% | $89,597 7.55% | $56,653 9.08% |
| 2024 | $119,896 | $172,979 2.79% | $118,209 4.45% | $92,108 2.80% | $59,338 4.74% |
| 2025 | $122,284 | $178,665 3.29% | $120,620 2.04% | $94,984 3.12% | $61,038 2.86% |
| 5 Years Change | $15,228 12.45% | $24,872 13.92% | $18,665 15.47% | $12,383 13.04% | $12,071 19.78% |
Faculty Salary Trends Chart by Academic Rank
This interactive faculty salary trends chart shows year-by-year average salaries for all faculty, professors, associate professors, assistant professors, and instructors at Michigan State University. It highlights long-term salary growth, rank-by-rank changes, and historical comparisons to help evaluate compensation trends and academic rank salary patterns over the past 5 years.
How MSU Faculty Salary Compared?
MSU's average faculty salary is $122,284. MSU's faculty salary is much higher than the national average faculty salary at four-years colleges ($73,709). Its salary is also well above the average salary ($77,931) of four-years colleges in Michigan.
Michigan State University is a R1: Doctoral Universities according to the Carnegie Classification. When compared R1: Doctoral Universities, its salary is slightly lower than national average and similar to Michigan R1: Doctoral Universities.
| Average Faculty Salary | |
|---|---|
| Michigan State University | $122,284 |
| R1: Doctoral Universities | $128,754 |
| Michigan R1: Doctoral Universities | $119,292 |
| National Average (Four-years Colleges) | $73,709 |
| Four-years Michigan Colleges | $77,931 |
Similar Schools' Faculty Salary
Compared to similar colleges such as University of Michigan-Ann Arbor and Wayne State University, MSU's faculty salary is higher than the average salary ($103,798). You can compare the salary to analyze or make a decision.
| Average Faculty Salary | Number of Faculty | |
|---|---|---|
| Michigan State University | $122,284 | 3,583 |
| University of Michigan-Ann Arbor Ann Arbor, MI | $125,258 | 8,810 |
| Wayne State University Detroit, MI | $110,333 | 2,394 |
| Michigan Technological University Houghton, MI | $106,725 | 454 |
| Schoolcraft Community College District Livonia, MI | $105,799 | 370 |
| Henry Ford College Dearborn, MI | $102,809 | 523 |
| University of Michigan-Dearborn Dearborn, MI | $101,116 | 493 |
| Western Michigan University Kalamazoo, MI | $98,247 | 1,189 |
| Ferris State University Big Rapids, MI | $96,578 | 669 |
| Central Michigan University Mount Pleasant, MI | $96,194 | 867 |
| University of Michigan-Flint Flint, MI | $94,925 | 452 |
Frequently Asked Questions about Faculty Salary at MSU
Here are some frequently asked questions about faculty salary at MSU, along with detailed answers based on the latest available data.
What is the average faculty salary at MSU?
The average faculty salary at MSU is $122,284 for the most recent year with available data. By academic rank, the average salaries are as follows:
- Professors: $178,665
- Associate Professors: $120,620
- Assistant Professors: $94,984
- Instructors: $61,038
- Lecturers: $65,692
How does MSU's faculty salary compare to similar schools?
Compared to similar schools, such as UM-Ann Arbor, WSU, MTU and 7 other similar schools, MSU's average faculty salary is higher than the average salary of similar institutions, which is $103,798. Compare them in the table above.
How does MSU's faculty salary compare to four-years colleges nationally?
Compared to four-years colleges nationally, MSU's average faculty salary is much higher than the average salary of four-years colleges nationally, which is $73,709.
How does MSU's faculty salary compare to R1: Doctoral Universities nationally?
Compared to R1: Doctoral Universities nationally, MSU's average faculty salary is slightly lower than the average salary of R1: Doctoral Universities nationally, which is $128,754.
What are the salary trends for faculty at MSU?
The salary trends for faculty at MSU over the past few years show that the average salary has MSU's faculty salary increased by 1.99% compared to the 2024 salary. For more detailed trends by academic rank, please refer to the faculty salary trends table and chart above.
What is the gender pay difference among faculty at MSU?
The gender pay difference among faculty at MSU is higher for male faculty by $26,271 (24.31%).
How many faculty members are included in the salary data for MSU?
The salary data for MSU includes a total of 2,552 faculty members across all ranks.
How does MSU's faculty salary compare to state averages?
Compared to state averages for public 4-year college, MSU's average faculty salary is much higher than the average faculty salary for colleges in Michigan, which is $77,931.