25+ Pros and Cons of Being a Professor (Explained)

In the USA, a professor means a person who has done a Ph.D. on any subject and teaches at an academic level. A professor is responsible for teaching in colleges or high schools. Also, research institutes sometimes assign high-level professors exclusively to research centers. 

Advantages of Being a ProfessorDisadvantages of Being a Professor 
Professor has a high social standing1. Professors may become arrogant 
Professors can make a decent amount of money2. Professor cannot get rich
Professors can work indoors3. Teleworking is not possible in this profession
Professors have decent job security4. Students may make fun of you
Working as a professor is not stressful5. college degree is needed in this profession 
Professors do not have to work for many hours6. May have to take a student loan 
Easy to get bank loans

Advantages of Being a Professor

Professor have a high social standing:

Being a professor, one advantage is that you will have a high social standing in society. In fact, most people admire professors and teachers as they have higher knowledge on some particular subject more than any common people in the society.

It will take quite a long time for you to become a professor, but after being a professor you will get enough respect from society and even, they will be grateful to you for your advice. 

Professor can make a decent amount of money:

One of the biggest advantages of being a professor is that you can also earn a decent amount of money. It cannot make you rich but you can earn enough to pay your bills and can also use some luxurious items as well.

Hence, becoming a professor can make sense from a financial perspective. Moreover, if you can get a chance in a really big institute then you may have an income in six figures. 

Professors can work indoors:

Another advantage of being a professor is that you can work indoors. Many people out there who are in some other professions like a construction worker or a garbage man who have to do their work outdoors in any weather condition.

There may be hot summer or cold winter and may have heavy rain or snow but they still have to continue their work. but you on the other hand can work indoors. Your work will be just to teach your students inside a room or a hall in a school, college or institute. 

Professors have decent job security:

Being a professor, you will also have decent job security. In fact, once you get a chance in a school or college for teaching, it will be pretty hard to fire you.

Most of the professors work in the same college or school for decades. Even if you get fired from the college or school for any reason, then also you will have high chance to get another job in any other college or school as a professor. You can work internationally, which means you can work worldwide. 

Working as a professor is not stressful:

Working as a professor is not that stressful as compared to the other professions out there. Though you can stick with your research sometimes, that situation will not stay for longer.

Yet you can learn to deal with those hard times. But as compared to other jobs like being a police officer which are really stressful, your job will not be that stressful.

Hence, you can really work in a relaxed manner and if you are the type of person who wants to go for a relaxed profession then choosing this profession will be a nice idea for you. 

Professors do not have to work for many hours:

Another upside of being a professor is that you do not have to work for many hours. As a school of a college professor, you just have to teach your students for a given period of time. As many schools and colleges end before evening.

Though some have night shifts, you as a teacher only have to work either in the morning or at night. Hence, you will get enough time to spend with your family, friends or with your loved ones. 

Easy to get bank loans:

As a professor you will have a decent amount of income and even you will have decent job security and you will also have a nice image in society. So, the banks will allow you to grant a loan, and it will be pretty easy for you to get a mortgage.

Banks will also grant you high loans as they know that you will be able to return their money on time. Hence, this can give you a high level of flexibility when you decide to build your own house. 

Disadvantages of Being a Professor

Professors may become arrogant:

Being a professor, there are some disadvantages, one of them is that you can become arrogant, because of your high social standing and your decent amount of income.

 Professor cannot get rich:

Another downside of being a professor is that you cannot get rich. While you can earn a decent amount of money which can easily help you to pay all your bills, that will not make you rich enough to live a luxurious lifestyle.

Hence, if you are the type of person who loves money and wants a luxurious lifestyle then choosing this profession as your permanent career will be a bad choice. 

Teleworking is not possible in this profession:

Teleworking is also not possible in this profession, as a professor cannot do their work from home or from any place through the internet.

You as a professor will have to be present in person in the class for your lectures and yes, it is also possible by streaming your lecture through any online source but most of the institutes will want you to be present in person.

Since students cannot make clear their doubts on that particular subject if you do stream your lecture. 

Students may make fun of you:

If you are not that good at representing yourself as a teacher in front of your students then they may make fun of you. There are also some bad students in the class who will always try to disturb you while you are there in the class. 

college degree is needed in this profession:

To become a professor, you will need a high level of a college degree and for that, you will have to spend a few more years to complete your courses and to get all those degrees. In fact, that means you just cannot start earning after completing high school. 

May have to take student loan:

As we discussed in the last point, you will need a high level of a college degree, so for that, you may have to take a student loan if you do not have much savings. As you may know, getting all those degrees will cost you a big amount of money. 

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