Can Teachers Be Called Professors?

Teachers are essential in the lives of those who undergo formal and informal education. They go by many names: mentor, tutor, coach, trainer, sensei, and guru, to name a few. But can teachers be called professors? If not, what are the differences between a teacher and a professor?

There are important differences between professors and teachers regarding their education level, work setting, personality traits, and even how they interact with students. Therefore, it is not accurate to refer to teachers as professors.

The rest of this article will explain why not all teachers can be called professors and the significant differences between those we can refer to as teachers and those we can call professors.

Table of Contents

Teacher vs. Professor

It is crucial not to use “teacher” and “professor” interchangeably. However, it’s understandable why some may perpetuate this misconception. Both teachers and professors share the same goal of educating students and helping prepare them for the future.

In essence, a teacher is an individual who educates students, while a professor is someone who either teaches tertiary students at a college/university or has a high-ranking position at a college/university.

Even if professors and teachers have similar tasks, the path to becoming each differs. The primary differences lie in the functions they have, their tenure track, their teacher training, and their interactions with stakeholders, as well as the research community.

Professors teach in a higher education institution, such as a university or college. They have more independence than teachers but are also expected to create a curriculum. Professors must stay up to date in their field of study and regularly publish research papers.

Teachers, on the other hand, aren’t expected to do research, but they have several administrative duties. They don’t need to be as specialized but must have a decent footing in many areas of knowledge. Teachers usually guide their students more closely and also work with their parents.

What Makes Someone a Professor?

Specific requirements make an individual qualified to be a professor. Indeed, only certain “types of teachers” can have the title based on the factors below.

Professors Have a Distinct Employment Environment

To be a professor, an instructor should be part of a postsecondary academic setting. Professors are strictly employed in a higher education or university classroom.

A stark difference between teachers and professors is that professors don’t necessarily report to their workplace daily but instead can opt to work on certain days or even at particular times of the day (e.g., afternoon classes only). Such an option comes from the prestige that advanced academia holds.

Moreover, professors do not have to worry about room changes or classroom decorations.

Degrees and licenses also matter because professors are often hailed as the highest-level educators. They have highly specialized fields of study.

This doesn’t mean teachers in K-12 settings can’t have master’s or doctoral degrees. It only means they can’t be called professors due to where they choose to work.

Teachers also need licenses for particular degree programs. On the other hand, professors might not necessarily need a teaching license because their industry experience and degrees, not necessarily Education degrees, are accepted in a higher education setting.

Professors Have Specialized Curricular Duties

The path to being a professor (and being called one) also has to do with the unique duties that go with it. Professors handle highly specialized classes, while primary or secondary school teachers are tasked to teach core subjects.

To be a professor, one must be able to create a curriculum, syllabus, projects, and exams for tertiary students. Depending on a University’s mandate, professors must also provide lectures and run mentorship groups.

Another and most distinguishing factor between teachers and professors is the research track. Most higher education institutions require professors to publish independent research in peer-reviewed academic journals and continue pursuing further academic studies.

It is also important to note that professors no longer directly work with parents. They work primarily with college students who are young adults and push the boundaries of their thinking.

In addition, professors prepare college students for their prospective careers, a task that does not fall specifically in the hands of most K-12 teachers.

Professors Have Defining Characteristics

Another factor to consider regarding qualified professors is whether they meet job expectations and student perceptions.

In a Teaching and Learning Anthropology study, Ashworth confirms that a professor can only be called such when one has already done extensive research related to the degrees required by the academe.

In another study about professors’ teaching effectiveness, personalities, and research creativity, the researchers highlight what they call “researcher personality” among professors, which is why professors tend to have higher levels of writing productivity.

Other defining traits that Rushton et al. detailed in their research include adjectives like “dominant,” “independent,” and “enduring.”

Moreover, the abovementioned research cites ambitiousness as another defining trait among professors.

Teachers in K-12 settings do not necessarily need to compete among themselves, but professors do. As Professor David Maslach shares in a YouTube video, they must be in a highly competitive environment to be among the best researchers globally.

Without the risk of boxing professors into stereotypes, however, one must acknowledge that students still look for professors who understand their circumstances and can extend compassion and patience.

Just because professors are highly intellectual does not mean that students no longer aspire to have a mentor guiding them toward clear paths to completing their degrees.

Professors Deal With Unique Opportunities

Lastly, being a professor comes with a unique set of opportunities. As a professor becomes more senior (i.e., tenured full professors), they tend to have more work on their plate.

For one, they must find new and creative ways to increase income and advance their career even after achieving the highest possible faculty rank. They must also find ways to do this while staying loyal to an institution.

It’s good that most senior professors find themselves as leaders in their institutions, especially when management allows them to mentor younger professionals, associate with peers, and continuously find new research methods.

New roles help with the problem that senior professors might occasionally face: not having the same enthusiasm they once held when starting to work in education.

On a related note, given that institutions have numerous demands from distinguished scholars and professors, the opportunities shed light on existing problems, such as a review of their traditional rank and promotion systems.

Moreover, college professors need administrative support from their institutions and other potential donors concerning their research funding.

What Defines a Teacher

The factors above are specific to professors, so it is important to highlight what makes teachers who they are. Below are points that are unique to and better describe teachers.

Student Interactions

Students have far more close interactions with teachers than they would with professors. Before attending higher education, students spend multiple hours a day with a handful of teachers – sometimes just one teacher in the case of elementary school.

Primary and secondary school classes are also smaller on average than in college. This means that teachers can dedicate more individualized time and effort to their students.

Consequently, teachers are more likely to develop closer and more special relationships with students they get to know very well.

Additionally, professors are not essentially responsible for student formation. As such, teachers work with parents more and even directly work with struggling students. They are perceived to be more involved and concerned in their schooling and daily lives.

Teachers will mentor and guide students to ensure that they develop holistically as individuals and future professionals. In contrast, professors are primarily concerned with the knowledge and understanding a student can demonstrate in a particular field.

Subject Matter

The difference in the subject matter may be evident, but it is a factor that one must recognize. Teachers, especially in elementary, are expected to know a wide range of content at the foundational level.

As such, teachers must specialize in a greater depth of subjects and topics and tailor these to a younger audience.

Even though teachers are not expected to conduct research as part of their course, they produce work that is just as tedious, including drawing up individual lesson plans and marking daily activities, assignments, and tests.

Finally, teachers have a set curriculum or syllabus to follow as set out by administrators and school districts. The curriculum outlines the age-specific learning outcomes that shape a teacher’s planning and teaching.

Professors, on the other hand, have more independence and autonomy over what they can teach. They use this opportunity to delve deeper into their specialized field, a luxury that most teachers cannot afford.

Limited Salary

An important distinction between teachers and professors is related to salaries.

Pay scales will vary considerably due to numerous factors like location and experience. Still, based on estimates, the average teacher salary was $66,397 in 2022, compared to an average salary of $79,640 earned by postsecondary educators.

But the real discrepancy comes when the higher end of the salary scale is compared. According to Salary.com, the highest-earning teachers can expect around $80,000, while the top 90% of professors earn in excess of $250,000 per year.

As stated above, professors are expected to have the highest level of education and knowledge in their particular area, so they can demand significantly higher salaries and benefits, especially the more distinguished educators working at a top university.

Meanwhile, the earning potential of a teacher is limited, even with tenure.

What Can Professors Do to Thrive in Their Field?

Given the strict requirements and competitive environment where they belong, professors might take a tip or two from distinguished fellow scholars.

One potential for growth, despite their specialization levels, is to continue to be updated with the latest technology. Professors are encouraged to seek special funding from their Chair or Dean to transform the classrooms with educational technology when possible.

No matter how highly distinguished they are, professors can still be exposed to various strategies that work for different generations of students and colleagues. Since they are highly regarded professionals, they should use their expertise and position to enhance student learning.

Conclusion

One cannot overstate the critical role of both teachers and professors in helping students achieve success. Still, it pays to know what makes them similar and, more importantly, what makes them different.

Experts now estimate job growth for professors at 11% in the next five years, underscoring the ongoing demand by universities for prepared professionals.

Being a teacher is just as noble. They are an essential part of society. We need qualified professionals tasked with the pivotal role of teaching younger generations.

Sources

Western Governors University: Difference Between a Teacher and a Professor