COD Full-Time Faculty Average Salaries Listed in Top 2.2 Percent in Nation for All Two- and Four-Year Schools

The National Education Association's Advocate published last week its annual study on faculty salaries in higher education. Included were a total of 1,640 institutions nationwide with salaries based on a full-time 9/10 month contract. Click here to read this report.

According to the report, College of DuPage's full-time average faculty salary in 2011-2012 ($99,400) is higher than all other community colleges in Illinois, and is the second-highest among all two- and four-year colleges and universities in the state, second in line only to University of Illinois-Urbana/Champaign, a research university, at $100,700).

Nationally, College of DuPage faculty salaries rank eight out of 1,044 community colleges. Outside of California, only two other community colleges in the U.S. have higher average full-time salaries: Henry Ford, Michigan ($101,900) and SUNY Westchester, New York (101,000).

Overall, out of the 1,640 institutions listed in this NEA report, only 37 schools, or 2.2 percent, reported average faculty salaries greater than COD's.

“As is demonstrated through these findings, College of DuPage strongly values our faculty at this institution,” said College of DuPage President Dr. Robert L. Breuder. “We are willing to pay for outstanding, quality educators, which translates into high-end educational experiences for our students.”

The NEA report also showed that 2011-2012 faculty salaries (in constant dollars) decreased from the previous year across all ranks.

“Fortunately this downward trend does not apply to our faculty members or any of our employees,” Dr. Breuder said. “In FY 11, the Board authorized an increase to the then salary pool of eligible employees which could result in an average annual percentage increase of 3.6 percent for the term of the contract. This administration has placed a strong emphasis on people as being the most important of the five P's (Product, Price, Place, Promotion, People). We will continue to do so.”