What Does it Take to Be a Law Professor?
Law Professor Job Description Teach courses in law. Includes both teachers primarily engaged in teaching and those who do a combination of teaching and research.
Life As a Law Professor
- Supervise undergraduate or graduate teaching, internship, and research work.
- Compile bibliographies of specialized materials for outside reading assignments.
- Serve on academic or administrative committees that deal with institutional policies, departmental matters, and academic issues.
- Provide professional consulting services to government or industry.
- Compile, administer, and grade examinations, or assign this work to others.
- Keep abreast of developments in the field by reading current literature, talking with colleagues, and participating in professional conferences.
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What Skills Do You Need to Work as a Law Professor?
Below is a list of the skills most Law Professors say are important on the job.
Speaking: Talking to others to convey information effectively.
Reading Comprehension: Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work related documents.
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.
Learning Strategies: Selecting and using training/instructional methods and procedures appropriate for the situation when learning or teaching new things.
Instructing: Teaching others how to do something.
Critical Thinking: Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions or approaches to problems.
Types of Law Professor Jobs
- Law Librarian
- Labor Law Professor
- Teacher
- Legal Writing Professor
- Instructor
Is There Going to be Demand for Law Professors?
In the United States, there were 21,200 jobs for Law Professor in 2016. New jobs are being produced at a rate of 12.3% which is above the national average. The Bureau of Labor Statistics predicts 2,600 new jobs for Law Professor 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 Professor are Maryland, Wyoming, and Utah. Watch out if you plan on working in Nebraska, Maine, or Illinois. These states have the worst job growth for this type of profession.
What is the Average Salary of a Law Professor
The average yearly salary of a Law Professor ranges between $36,000 and $208,000.

Law Professors who work in Iowa, Georgia, or Minnesota, make the highest salaries.
How much do Law Professors make in each U.S. state?
State | Annual Mean Salary |
---|---|
Alabama | $152,430 |
Arizona | $96,440 |
California | $136,920 |
Colorado | $135,310 |
District of Columbia | $125,900 |
Florida | $141,230 |
Georgia | $172,320 |
Illinois | $152,110 |
Iowa | $166,520 |
Maryland | $140,990 |
Massachusetts | $137,150 |
Michigan | $110,040 |
Minnesota | $159,460 |
Mississippi | $129,630 |
Missouri | $128,180 |
Montana | $85,210 |
New Jersey | $138,360 |
New York | $137,990 |
North Carolina | $149,470 |
Oregon | $81,230 |
Pennsylvania | $97,810 |
Tennessee | $124,300 |
Texas | $110,360 |
Utah | $160,920 |
Washington | $103,520 |
West Virginia | $66,760 |
Wisconsin | $114,030 |
What Tools & Technology do Law Professors Use?
Although they’re not necessarily needed for all jobs, the following technologies are used by many Law Professors:
- Microsoft Excel
- Microsoft Word
- Microsoft Office
- Microsoft PowerPoint
- Microsoft Outlook
- Web browser software
- Data entry software
- Email software
- Microsoft Publisher
- Google Docs
- LexisNexis
- Calendar and scheduling software
- Blackboard Learn
- Learning management system LMS
- Desire2Learn
- Sakai CLE
- iParadigms Turnitin
- Collaborative editing software
- Course management system software
- DOC Cop
Becoming a Law Professor
What kind of Law Professor requirements are there?

How Long Does it Take to Become a Law Professor?

Who Employs Law Professors?

Law Professors work in the following industries:

You May Also Be Interested In…
Those thinking about becoming a Law Professor might also be interested in the following careers:
Are you already one of the many Law Professor in the United States? If you’re thinking about changing careers, these fields are worth exploring:
References:
Image Credit: Okan Г‡alД±Еџkan via CC0 Public Domain
More about our data sources and methodologies.
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