> Source: https://coursetojob.com/careers/university-lecturer/ — updated 2026-09-26 · language: en > Markdown version of this CourseToJob page for AI agents. The HTML page is canonical. Data licence CC BY 4.0: cite the page URL and the original statistical source. Education # University lecturer Degree required No licence needed in most countries Also known as: Professor · Academic · Assistant professor · Faculty member Updated September 26, 2026 [How we use data](https://coursetojob.com/methodology/) Quick answer University lecturers teach students in higher education, carry out research in their subject and publish their findings. Most permanent posts require a PhD, and many people spend several years in short-term research or teaching jobs before they get one. Lecturers work in universities, colleges and research institutes, and the job title varies by country, from lecturer to assistant professor. ## What does a university lecturer do? - Plan and give lectures, seminars and practical classes. - Design courses and assessments, and mark students' work. - Carry out research and publish it in academic journals and books. - Apply for research funding from governments, foundations and industry. - Supervise students' projects, dissertations and doctoral research. - Take part in committees, admissions and other university administration. - Share research with the public, policymakers or industry. ### Where do they work? University lecturers work in public and private universities, colleges of higher education and research institutes. Their time is split between teaching, research and administration, and the balance depends on the institution and the type of contract. Hours are flexible but often long, with busy periods during marking and before funding deadlines. Many early-career academics work on fixed-term contracts and move between institutions or countries to find a permanent post. ## What skills do you need? - Expert knowledge of a subject - Research design and analysis - Academic writing and publishing - Teaching and presenting - Supervising and mentoring students - Writing funding applications - Balancing teaching, research and administration - Resilience when work is rejected ### Official skills profile (ESCO) Essential skills listed for this occupation in ESCO, the European Commission's multilingual classification of skills and occupations. - [guarantee students' safety](https://data.europa.eu/esco/skill/11f536f5-b0e2-46a6-95c1-bd765946604c) - [develop course outline](https://data.europa.eu/esco/skill/f0699875-51da-48d2-bc92-54b0749baef1) - [perform classroom management](https://data.europa.eu/esco/skill/cedd0710-62ae-4ff4-89ae-ac52375f86ec) - [give constructive feedback](https://data.europa.eu/esco/skill/b9bb1f03-15e2-4079-943e-7e483b21725b) - [write work-related reports](https://data.europa.eu/esco/skill/918f5211-b99f-4b29-9a34-6e475583ef55) - [assess students](https://data.europa.eu/esco/skill/6fe019dd-027f-45f3-b19c-d27f7ae00980) - [assist students in their learning](https://data.europa.eu/esco/skill/d5e1e30e-44ab-4aba-abab-b8263e801b7a) - [liaise with educational support staff](https://data.europa.eu/esco/skill/36fe44b2-af36-4467-9be8-601e64b3dbc7) - [apply intercultural teaching strategies](https://data.europa.eu/esco/skill/e3ef4981-2cba-4b34-b273-728c3a33d04f) - [prepare lesson content](https://data.europa.eu/esco/skill/20f57a7f-b90e-4403-8c77-5ddd89b5835b) - [apply teaching strategies](https://data.europa.eu/esco/skill/59eb177a-2f30-4943-8b30-5f87dd51a80d) - [liaise with educational staff](https://data.europa.eu/esco/skill/ed57378a-2b27-4d80-8701-124e559cf17d) **Essential knowledge:** assessment processes · university procedures · curriculum objectives ## How do you become a university lecturer? The usual route is a bachelor's degree, often a master's, and then a PhD in your subject, which usually takes three to six years depending on the country and subject. Most people then work as postdoctoral researchers, teaching fellows or temporary lecturers while they build a record of publications and teaching. Permanent posts are highly competitive. In professional and applied fields, such as nursing, law, business or art, a master's degree and strong professional experience can sometimes be enough, especially for teaching-focused roles. 1. **PhD and postdoctoral research.** This is the main route in most subjects. After a PhD, you usually work on short-term research contracts, publish papers and gain some teaching experience before you apply for a permanent lecturer or assistant professor post. The process can take many years, and moving between universities or countries is common. 2. **Teaching-focused roles.** Many universities employ lecturers whose main job is teaching rather than research. A PhD is still often expected, but strong teaching experience and a teaching qualification for higher education carry more weight. These roles are common in some countries, but they may offer less time and support for research. 3. **Professional practice first.** In fields such as medicine, nursing, law, engineering, business, architecture and the arts, universities also hire experienced professionals to teach. You may need a master's degree and a strong professional record rather than a PhD, although research posts in these fields usually still require a doctorate. ### Degrees that lead to this career - **[History](https://coursetojob.com/subjects/history/)** — A history degree studies how societies, cultures, economies and ideas have changed over time, using evidence such as documents, objects and people's memories. 6 linked careers - **[Physics](https://coursetojob.com/subjects/physics/)** — A physics degree explores the laws that govern the universe, from particles and atoms to materials, energy and stars, using mathematics, experiments and computer models. 6 linked careers - **[Biology](https://coursetojob.com/subjects/biology/)** — A biology degree teaches how living things work, from molecules and cells to whole organisms and ecosystems. 6 linked careers - **[Economics](https://coursetojob.com/subjects/economics/)** — An economics degree studies how people, businesses and governments make choices with limited resources, and how markets, money and policy affect jobs, prices and growth. 6 linked careers - **[English literature](https://coursetojob.com/subjects/english-literature/)** — An English literature degree teaches you to read, analyse and write about novels, poetry, plays and other texts written in English, from medieval writing to the present day. 6 linked careers - **[Mathematics](https://coursetojob.com/subjects/mathematics/)** — A mathematics degree develops advanced reasoning and problem-solving through pure mathematics, such as algebra and analysis, and applied areas, such as statistics, modelling and computing. 6 linked careers - **[Philosophy](https://coursetojob.com/subjects/philosophy/)** — A philosophy degree trains you to think clearly about difficult questions, such as what we can know, what is right and wrong, and how minds, language and societies work. 6 linked careers [Ready to apply? Build a free CV and cover letter with our CV builder](https://coursetojob.co.uk/careers/cv-builder/) ## Do you need a licence to work as a university lecturer? University teaching is not a licensed profession, and the main requirement is an advanced degree. Some universities and countries expect new lecturers to complete a teaching qualification for higher education during their first years. In several countries, including France, Italy and Spain, candidates for permanent or senior posts at public universities need a national accreditation first. In some countries, such as Germany and Poland, a further qualification after the PhD, called habilitation, has traditionally been needed to become a full professor. ## How much does a university lecturer earn? The US Bureau of Labor Statistics does not publish a separate pay estimate that matches this occupation, so we do not show one. ### Earnings of Professionals around the world Most countries do not publish pay for single job titles. The International Labour Organization collects median monthly earnings for broad occupation groups instead. This career belongs to ISCO-08 major group 2, "Professionals". The table covers the whole group, which includes university lecturer and many other occupations. | Country | Local currency a month | PPP$ a month | vs all employees | Year | | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | | [Netherlands](https://coursetojob.com/countries/netherlands/) | €6,217 | 8,102 | +22% | 2025 | | [Germany](https://coursetojob.com/countries/germany/) | €5,315 | 7,389 | +41% | 2022 | | [France](https://coursetojob.com/countries/france/) | €5,314 | 7,255 | +43% | 2025 | | [Switzerland](https://coursetojob.com/countries/switzerland/) | CHF 7,600 | 7,133 | +27% | 2025 | | [Ireland](https://coursetojob.com/countries/ireland/) | €6,252 | 6,917 | +56% | 2025 | | [Spain](https://coursetojob.com/countries/spain/) | €4,153 | 6,832 | +57% | 2025 | | [United States](https://coursetojob.com/countries/united-states/) | $6,673 | 6,673 | +49% | 2025 | | [Italy](https://coursetojob.com/countries/italy/) | €3,716 | 5,762 | +19% | 2025 | | [Sweden](https://coursetojob.com/countries/sweden/) | €4,398 | 5,491 | +13% | 2025 | | [United Kingdom](https://coursetojob.com/countries/united-kingdom/) | £3,501 | 4,991 | +29% | 2025 | | [Türkiye](https://coursetojob.com/countries/turkiye/) | TRY 60,000 | 3,381 | +100% | 2025 | | [South Africa](https://coursetojob.com/countries/south-africa/) | ZAR 17,000 | 2,292 | +209% | 2020 | | [Brazil](https://coursetojob.com/countries/brazil/) | R$5,000 | 1,937 | +127% | 2025 | | [India](https://coursetojob.com/countries/india/) | ₹32,000 | 1,613 | +113% | 2025 | | [Philippines](https://coursetojob.com/countries/philippines/) | ₱30,417 | 1,466 | +100% | 2024 | | [Mexico](https://coursetojob.com/countries/mexico/) | MX$14,745 | 1,304 | +68% | 2025 | | [Egypt](https://coursetojob.com/countries/egypt/) | EGP 5,000 | 719 | +10% | 2024 | | [Indonesia](https://coursetojob.com/countries/indonesia/) | IDR 2,759,817 | 537 | +23% | 2023 | | [Pakistan](https://coursetojob.com/countries/pakistan/) | PKR 34,640 | 530 | +34% | 2025 | | [Nigeria](https://coursetojob.com/countries/nigeria/) | NGN 50,000 | 188 | 0% | 2024 | Source: ILOSTAT, median monthly earnings of employees, latest year available. PPP$ adjusts for price differences between countries so figures can be compared. "vs all employees" compares the group's median with the median for all occupations in the same country. ## Career progression 1. PhD candidate or teaching assistant 2. Postdoctoral researcher or teaching fellow 3. Lecturer or assistant professor 4. Senior lecturer or associate professor 5. Professor ## Job outlook Universities keep needing teachers and researchers, and higher education is expanding in many parts of Asia, Africa and Latin America. However, in many countries there are far more PhD graduates than permanent academic jobs, and short-term contracts are common. University income depends on government funding, student numbers and rules for international students, so posts can be cut. AI is changing teaching and assessment, and online learning creates both new roles and new competition. ## Questions about becoming a university lecturer **Do you need a PhD to be a university lecturer?** For most permanent academic posts, yes, especially at research universities. In professional fields such as nursing, law, business or the arts, and in some teaching-focused roles, a master's degree plus strong professional experience can be enough. Some colleges of higher education also hire lecturers with a master's degree, but a PhD improves your options and promotion prospects. **What is the difference between a lecturer and a professor?** It depends on the country. In the UK, Ireland, Australia and New Zealand, lecturer is the standard academic job title and professor is the most senior rank. In the United States and Canada, most academics are called professors, starting as assistant professor, then associate professor and full professor. In many European countries, professor is a senior post that requires significant research achievements. **How long does it take to become a professor?** Usually many years. After your first degree, a PhD often takes three to six years, followed by several years of postdoctoral or temporary posts. In the United States and Canada, your first permanent-track job is usually assistant professor. Becoming a full professor anywhere often takes a decade or more after your first permanent post, and many academics never reach that rank. **Is it hard to get a job in academia?** Yes, in most subjects and countries. Many more people complete PhDs than there are permanent academic posts, so early-career researchers often work on short contracts for years. Your chances improve with strong publications, teaching experience, success in winning funding and a willingness to move. PhD skills are also valued outside universities, in research, data, policy, industry and publishing, so keep other options open. ## Related careers - **[Secondary school teacher](https://coursetojob.com/careers/secondary-teacher/)** — Secondary school teachers teach one or two subjects to students aged about eleven or twelve to eighteen and prepare them for national exams. Degree required · Licensed - **[Biologist](https://coursetojob.com/careers/biologist/)** — Biologists study living things, from molecules and cells to plants, animals and whole ecosystems, and apply what they learn in health, farming, conservation and industry. Degree required - **[Economist](https://coursetojob.com/careers/economist/)** — Economists study how people, businesses and governments use resources, and analyse data to explain and forecast trends such as growth, prices, jobs and trade. Degree required - **[Physicist](https://coursetojob.com/careers/physicist/)** — Physicists study matter, energy, forces and the laws of nature, from tiny particles to the whole universe. Degree required - **[Writer](https://coursetojob.com/careers/writer/)** — Writers create written work such as novels, non-fiction books, scripts, poems, articles, advertising copy and website content. Degree optional ## Sources 1. [ILOSTAT — Median monthly earnings of employees by occupation](https://ilostat.ilo.org/data/) — ISCO-08 major groups, latest year per country 2. [European Commission — ESCO occupation profile](https://data.europa.eu/esco/occupation/684fd8d5-9b40-4b02-a680-438f0082d923) — ESCO code 2310.1 **How to cite this page:** CourseToJob (2026). How to become a university lecturer: degrees, skills and salary. https://coursetojob.com/careers/university-lecturer/ (accessed September 26, 2026) [Report a data or content issue](mailto:hello@elitedigitalagency.io?subject=Data%20issue%3A%20https%3A%2F%2Fcoursetojob.com%2Fcareers%2Funiversity-lecturer%2F) ## Key facts - **Occupation group:** Professionals (ISCO-08 2310) - **ESCO:** [higher education lecturer](https://data.europa.eu/esco/occupation/684fd8d5-9b40-4b02-a680-438f0082d923) (2310.1) - **Degree:** Degree required - **Regulation:** No licence needed in most countries - **Official names in this language:** higher education lecturer · university lecturer · professor · higher education instructor · reader **On this page** 1. What does a university lecturer do? 2. What skills do you need? 3. How do you become a university lecturer? 4. How much does a university lecturer earn? 5. 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