Law Professor #2 Job with Highest Pay and Most Time Off

January 5th, 2012

Yay!

2. Law Teachers, post-secondary
  • Hours worked/year: 1,608
  • Median hourly earnings: $82.85
  • No. employed: 14,620
  • Hours worked/week: 40.3
  • Median annual income: $94,260
  • Top annual income: $145,990

While the entire list could have just been comprised of different types of college professors, we listed only the highest-paying position. Law professors have a median income approaching $100,000, and have a top range of nearly $150,000. Becoming a law professor only requires a law degree, although many today also have a Master of Laws and even a Ph.D. The time spent seems well worth it. Besides the generous salary, they enjoy unique benefits “including access to campus facilities, tuition waivers for dependents, housing and travel allowances, and paid leave for sabbaticals,” according to the BLS. Between these sabbaticals and the summer vacation, most professors work nearly 400 hours less than the average U.S. employee.Money magazine and Salary.com rated college professors at No.2 in their 2006 “Best Jobs in America” annual report.

Though I doubt I will work only 40 hours a week. I may work 40 hours during a weekend (more like 32 hours, but close enough). Also on the list were Judges and Magistrates:

9. Judges and Magistrates
  • Hours worked/year: 1,935
  • Median hourly earnings: $62.08
  • No. employed: 25,900
  • Hours worked/week: 37.2
  • Median annual income: $119,270
  • Top annual income: $142,670

 

Most judges were once lawyers, meaning they already have a bachelor’s degree, a law degree, a bar certificate, and frequently a successful career as an attorney before they gained the position. This explains the judges’ extremely high salary. The median annual income for the position is $119,270, well above the national average, with some high-ranking judges earning more than $140,000. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, many judges and magistrates work 40-hour weeks. But those with limited jurisdictions in small courts work substantially less than full-time, and many even take second jobs. Yet, even they make a very respectable $59,000 annually.