Why have many universities begun hiring more adjunct professors? Universities want to hire the most highly-educated faculty they can and adjunct professors typically hold PhDs or other terminal degrees in their fields.

Many universities are under pressure to cap salaries at $60,000 so adjunct professors who agree to “job-share” make this more possible.

They are more cost-effective to hire than full-time professors because they are given fewer benefits, like health insurance.

Universities are following the trend of European schools who began hiring more adjunct professors decades ago.