Life As a Law Professor

Law Professor Definition Teach courses in law. Includes both teachers primarily engaged in teaching and those who do a combination of teaching and research.

A Day in the Life of a Law Professor

• Act as advisers to student organizations.
• Write grant proposals to procure external research funding.
• Serve on academic or administrative committees that deal with institutional policies, departmental matters, and academic issues.
• Prepare course materials, such as syllabi, homework assignments, and handouts.
• Maintain regularly scheduled office hours to advise and assist students.
• Compile bibliographies of specialized materials for outside reading assignments.

What a Law Professor Should Know

These are the skills Law Professors say are the most useful in their careers:

Speaking: Talking to others to convey information effectively.

Reading Comprehension: Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work related documents.

Learning Strategies: Selecting and using training/instructional methods and procedures appropriate for the situation when learning or teaching new things.

Active Listening: Giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times.

Instructing: Teaching others how to do something.

Types of Law Professors

• Instructor
• Torts Law Professor
• Associate Professor
• Environmental Law Professor
• Labor Law Professor

Law Professor Job Outlook

There were about 21,200 jobs for Law Professors in 2016 (in the United States).

New jobs are being produced at a rate of 12.3% which is lower than average. The Bureau of Labor Statistics predicts 2,600 new jobs for Law Professors by 2026. Due to new job openings and attrition, there will be an average of 1,900 job openings in this field each year.

The states with the most job growth for Law Professors are California, Texas, and Florida.

Watch out if you plan on working in Nebraska, Maine, or Wyoming. These states have the worst job growth for this type of profession.

Law Professor Salary

Law Professors Make between $36,000 and $208,000 a year. The median salary is $111,140.

How much do Law Professors make in each U.S. state?

Annual Mean Salary by State

State	Annual Mean Salary
Georgia	$172,320
Iowa	$166,520
Utah	$160,920
Minnesota	$159,460
Alabama	$152,430
Illinois	$152,110
North Carolina	$149,470
Florida	$141,230
Maryland	$140,990
New Jersey	$138,360
New York	$137,990
Massachusetts	$137,150
California	$136,920
Colorado	$135,310
Mississippi	$129,630
Missouri	$128,180
District of Columbia	$125,900
Tennessee	$124,300
Wisconsin	$114,030
Texas	$110,360
Michigan	$110,040
Washington	$103,520
Pennsylvania	$97,810
Arizona	$96,440
Montana	$85,210
Oregon	$81,230
West Virginia	$66,760

Tools & Technologies Used by Law Professors

Below is a list of the types of tools and technologies that Law Professors may use on a daily basis:

• Google Docs
• Data entry software
• Microsoft Office
• Microsoft Outlook
• Microsoft Word
• Microsoft PowerPoint
• Microsoft Excel

Becoming a Law Professor

Individuals working as Law Professors have obtained the following education levels:

How many years of work experience do I need?

Where Law Professors Work

You May Also Be Interested In…

Those thinking about becoming Law Professors might also be interested in the following careers:

• Philosophy and Religion Professors
• Business Professors
• Sociologists

Those who work as Law Professors sometimes switch careers to one of these choices:

• Lawyers
• Political Science Professors

References

Bureau of Labor Statistics

College Factual

O*NET Online

Image Credit: Via Wikimedia Commons