Adjunct or Tenured? Does It Matter When Choosing a College?

When it comes to choosing a college, we all want to make the best-informed decision we can. But with the overwhelming number of options and factors that can play a role, it can be difficult to know which questions really matter for you or your child.

There is one factor I don't think families talk about enough:

Who is actually teaching the students?

When you're researching a college, you may spend hours looking at majors, campus life, graduation rates, housing, tuition, and financial aid. All of those things matter. But what about the people your student will be learning from?

One factor worth investigating is the college's faculty structure. How many courses are taught by full-time faculty? How many are taught by adjunct or other non-tenure-track faculty? And, perhaps most importantly, what does that look like within the specific program your student plans to study?

Let's take a closer look.

First, What Is an Adjunct Professor?

An adjunct professor is generally a part-time, non-tenure-track faculty member who is hired to teach one or more courses. Some adjunct faculty members teach at multiple colleges, while others also work full time in their professional field.

It's important to recognize that being an adjunct does not mean someone is a poor professor.

In fact, there can be a real benefit to having instructors who are actively working in the field. A nurse teaching a nursing course, an accountant teaching accounting, or a working journalist teaching journalism may bring current, real-world experience into the classroom that students can benefit from.

The concern isn't necessarily the title "adjunct."

The question is whether the college has created a structure that gives students consistent access to knowledgeable faculty, meaningful advising, and the academic support they need.

Adjunct faculty can also have less job security and may have shorter-term appointments, which can sometimes make it more difficult for students to build long-term relationships with those instructors. Some adjunct faculty members also teach at multiple institutions.

And that is something worth considering when you are investing significant time and money into your education.

What Does Tenure Mean?

Tenure is often misunderstood.

A tenured faculty member has an ongoing appointment that generally provides significant job security after the faculty member has completed the institution's tenure process. One of the major purposes of tenure is to protect academic freedom and allow faculty members to pursue teaching, research, and scholarship with greater independence. Tenure can also provide greater continuity within an institution.

For students, that continuity can potentially be valuable.

A professor who remains at a college year after year may become someone a student can return to for advice, mentoring, research opportunities, recommendations, or guidance about graduate school and careers.

But tenure does not automatically equal a better professor.

This is an important distinction. A tenured professor may be an incredible teacher—or they may not be the professor your student connects with best. Likewise, an adjunct professor may be an outstanding teacher who brings tremendous professional experience into the classroom.

So don't make your college decision based on the faculty label alone. Instead, dig a little deeper.

Ask What Your Experience Will Actually Look Like

When you visit a college, ask about the faculty within the program you are considering.

Questions might include:

• Who typically teaches introductory courses?

• Who teaches upper-level courses?

• How many courses in this major are taught by full-time faculty?

• How many are taught by adjunct or other non-tenure-track faculty?

• How accessible are professors outside of class?

• What are typical office hours?

• Who provides academic advising?

• Do students have opportunities to work with professors on research?

• Are professors involved in internships or career preparation?

• How often do students have opportunities to work directly with faculty?

• Are teaching assistants commonly responsible for teaching or leading courses?

• How long do faculty members typically stay in the department?

Look Beyond the College-Wide Numbers

This is especially important. A college might advertise a certain faculty ratio, but that number may not tell you what your experience will actually be.

If your student is planning to major in engineering, nursing, education, business,

psychology, or another specialized field, look specifically at the faculty within that department. Your student's experience in a particular major may look very different from the overall college statistics.

That's why I encourage students and families to ask questions during campus visits and, when possible, speak directly with someone in the department. If you already know what you want to study, try to arrange a meeting with a professor, department representative, or academic advisor.

You aren't just choosing a campus. You're choosing an academic environment. The people teaching your courses matter. You are investing years of your life and a significant amount of money in your education. It is reasonable to want to know who will be teaching you and what kind of access you will have to them.

So, Does Adjunct vs. Tenured Matter?

Yes—but perhaps not in the way you initially think.

I don't believe students should automatically avoid a college because it employs adjunct faculty.

And I don't believe a college is automatically a better choice because it has a large number of tenured professors.

Instead, I want students and families to look at the whole picture.

Ask:

Who teaches the courses I need?

Will I be able to get help when I need it?

Will I have opportunities to build relationships with faculty?

Who will advise me as I make decisions about my major and career?

Will my professors know me well enough to help me take the next step?

Those questions may tell you much more than a simple adjunct-to-tenured ratio.

Add This to Your College Visit Checklist

When you're researching colleges, add faculty and teaching to your list of things to investigate. You already have plenty to think about—cost, location, academics, campus culture, housing, internships, career outcomes, and so much more.

But remember:

The college experience isn't just about where you go. It's about who will be there to help you learn, grow, and figure out where you're going next.

That is worth investigating before you make your decision.

And as always, apply smarter—not just harder.