An academic teaching finance at the college or university level — delivering courses across corporate finance, investments, financial markets, derivatives, or specialized topics, while typically also conducting research and publishing. The work blends teaching with the academic obligation to produce scholarship.
Most days tend to balance classroom teaching, research time, student advising, and the service obligations that come with academic appointments. You'll often prepare lectures, hold office hours, work on research papers in various stages from data collection to journal submission, and participate in committee work. The semester rhythm shapes the calendar.
The variance between institutions is significant — R1 research universities expect substantial published research in top journals, teaching-focused universities prioritize student outcomes and curriculum work, and adjunct or visiting roles often focus heavily on teaching with less research expectation. Tenure-track vs. non-tenure-track affects long-term security, autonomy, and pay. Industry experience tends to be valued more in finance than in some other disciplines.
People who tend to thrive here are comfortable with the dual identity of teacher and researcher, and patient with the slow pace of academic timelines. PhD typically required for tenure-track roles, with MS or industry experience often sufficient for non-tenure positions. The work tends to offer academic freedom and a strong intellectual community, with the trade-off being modest pay and the pressure of tenure clocks — though for those who find meaning in scholarship and teaching across decades, the role is uniquely shaped.
Where this role sits in the broader career landscape — and where it can take you.
Roles like this one sit within a broader occupational category. The numbers below reflect that full landscape — helpful for context, but your specific experience will depend on level, specialty, and where you work.
An academic teaching finance at the college or university level — delivering courses across corporate finance, investments, financial markets, derivatives, or specialized topics, while typically also conducting research and publishing. The work blends teaching with the academic obligation to produce scholarship.
Median pay for a Finance Professor is about $109K nationally, with the field ranging roughly from $46K to $217K depending on experience, employer, and metro (BLS).
Core skills for this role include Speaking, Speaking, Instructing, Reading Comprehension, and Writing.
Most people in this role hold a professional degree.
Employment in this field is projected to grow about 3.9% through 2034, with roughly 94,200 people working in it today (BLS).
Closely related roles include Finance Director, Junior Finance Professor, and Business Analyst.
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