Opportunity to be a professor at a community college

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:DH has been at a midlaw firm for almost a decade and hates it. Last week, he got an offer to teach a couple of law-adjacent classes at a local community college. He is dying to take it, but it will mean a steep drop in income from $300k to about $105k. He says the quality of life and flexibility will more than make up for it, but I just don’t know how we’re going to deal with the money gap. Anyone have experience with this?

Yes, you downsize your lifestyle. It's not that hard to comprehend. BTW, if his work is killing him, you might have to sooner or later anyway, unless he has really good life insurance.

The only thing I'll say is be wary of the grass is greener syndrome.

It seems like it would be very easy for a practicing lawyer to teach business law / into crim classes at a community College. The concepts will be covered at such a high level that it should be very easy for an actual lawyer to handle it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:DH has been at a midlaw firm for almost a decade and hates it. Last week, he got an offer to teach a couple of law-adjacent classes at a local community college. He is dying to take it, but it will mean a steep drop in income from $300k to about $105k. He says the quality of life and flexibility will more than make up for it, but I just don’t know how we’re going to deal with the money gap. Anyone have experience with this?

Yes, you downsize your lifestyle. It's not that hard to comprehend. BTW, if his work is killing him, you might have to sooner or later anyway, unless he has really good life insurance.

The only thing I'll say is be wary of the grass is greener syndrome.

It seems like it would be very easy for a practicing lawyer to teach business law / into crim classes at a community College. The concepts will be covered at such a high level that it should be very easy for an actual lawyer to handle it.

Teaching is a very different skillset from law. Knowing legal concepts is very different from lesson planing, grading and teaching them to undergrads.

I'm a lawyer and have sat through my fair share of terrible CLEs and that arguably should be easier for a lawyer to do as a side gig.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:CC jobs are not stable.

The 30+ year veteran community college teacher I know would beg to differ.

[Anonymous]

I looked at a community college before and it paid $8k per class

[Anonymous]

I mean, no way. Hopkins paid adjuncts like 35K with no benefits. I don't believe the pay.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I mean, no way. Hopkins paid adjuncts like 35K with no benefits. I don't believe the pay.

Was that 35k person class?
If so, I'm going to encourage my DS to quit their job and adjunct. DS has a ph.d. from HSY and taught while there. But DS went into industry and hates it. Honestly, the extra $200k is not worth hearing them talk about how much working for industry su*** as*.

[Anonymous]

Agree that he should keep the law firm job and adjunct for 1 class to start and see how it goes. Law firms are always fine with adjunct teaching on the side.

[Anonymous]

Community college does not pay that for 3 classes
Cc jobs are not secure. SIL has been eking out a living teaching at multiple cc gigs for decades. She qualifies for Medicaid.
He might not be a good teacher. If not loses gig.
He is having a meltdown and wishful or lying.
Stash your half of assets now.

[Anonymous]

You only live once. Every day is a purchase you can't get a refund on

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Community college pays like 10k/class...

My husband teaches an advanced engineering class at a university nesr here it's around 5k for the class. It's more a hobby than anything. His full time employer supports it because it's a recruiting benefit for them.

If it's autopilot curriculum with no grading duties, $5k/semester isn't bad.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:You only live once. Every day is a purchase you can't get a refund on

That's fine is this were a stable full-time job for 105k, but the numbers aren't adding up because "teach a couple of classes" sounds like adjunct, which is no benefits and you can be dropped at the last minute. OP hasn't answered what she earns and if she can provide insurance.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Community college pays like 10k/class...

My husband teaches an advanced engineering class at a university nesr here it's around 5k for the class. It's more a hobby than anything. His full time employer supports it because it's a recruiting benefit for them.

If it's autopilot curriculum with no grading duties, $5k/semester isn't bad.

Why wouldn't there be grading? Plus, nowadays you have to put everything online, enter grades and attendance, send out periodic warnings to students who are in danger of failing, etc. It's like the onus is on the professor to make the kids pass.