And to keep their children on their health plan…
I agree with @MikeInNH on salaries at universities. SPIE has an annual salary survey that breaks down several engineering disciplines and in three groups: private industry, government, and universities. The university people are lowest paid, then government, and the highest paid is private industry. Professors are underpaid because there is an oversupply of PhDs that want an academic career. Yes, there are some professors that do make an excellent salary compared to anyone, but they are the rock stars of their field and should not be considered average in any way.
“I suggest you do some research before you make statements like that. MOST college teachers/professors are part-time. On average 70% of your professors are part time…and you can NOT make a living on that salary.”
I stand by what I said, but thanks for the advice, anyhow. I didn’t say all professors make huge salaries. I know several, none under-paid. The professor who is my neighbor (2 houses down) much/most of the year (his lake home here is just his “summer retreat”) makes tons of money when he’s not flying off somewhere. I can’t figure out when he works.
At the university where my daughter goes they can’t build new Taj Mahal Buildings fast enough, often bull-dozing perfectly usable facilities. When she was on the High School golf team she played at many university golf courses and they were beautiful top-notch, spare no expense courses.
My observations indicate that schools of higher learning could do more to economize and shoot for lower tuitions, but easy to get loan money causes students to not put pressure on more expensive school t do so.
Brining it back to cars, these schools had pools of cars for staff to use. They weren’t the lowest priced vehicles available, but expensive hybrids, and not just basic transportation models.
CSA
I stand by what I said, but thanks for the advice, anyhow. I didn't say all professors make huge salaries.
I guess I need to know what you mean by HUGE. A neighbor of mine is a full time tenured professor at MIT. I make more then he does. But every once in a while he gets some grant money…then leapfrogs me. A full time professor at a small college like St Anselm’s makes about the same as a High-School teacher.
But besides what an individual makes…it’s the overall salary that matters. Since the 70’s colleges have been hiring more and more adjunct professors at MUCH MUCH lower salaries. Thus the overall salary is far cheaper.
As for tuition costs…Yes…I agree…they are getting very high. But it has NOTHING to do with salary. And tuition on the coasts are far more expensive then the states. Sometimes even half what a comparable school on the east or wast coast is.
Many colleges are getting away from academic scholarships and giving out money totally on financial need. You get accepted to Harvard and your family income is $75k or less you get FREE tuition. Many of the Ivy leagues are doing this…along with other private schools.
As for new buildings…I guess it depends on the college. Very few new buildings have been built at my alma mater (Syracuse University) since I graduated some 35+ years ago.
College has become the socially acceptable place for semi affluent families to keep their semi adult children housed and occupied during the economic downturn.
I don’t know about that. My daughter went to school with many kids who’s family were down right poor. Some below the poverty level.
I made far more in the private sector than I ever made at the college… and I made more at the college than any of the profs. But they got summers off… 
Yes, there are some professors that do make an excellent salary compared to anyone, but they are the rock stars of their field and should not be considered average in any way.
Now that you bring up rock stars, you’ll be surprised at how little money some of them actually make. And for the same reasons, stellar musicians are a dime a dozen in the town I live in. It’s called the “glamour tax”, the fact that many glamorous careers pay surprisingly little.
I was amazed to learn that most of the local rock stars where I live have day jobs. I’m not talking about garage band musicians, I’m talking about the guys who tour and have regular gigs.
Actors and models are in the same boat.
Re those students @MikeinNH, my observation is from discussing the situation with grandparents of college age kids. Several friends have strongly recommended that their grand kids go to college and are throwing significant amounts of financial help into the situation. A somewhat common thought among the group is “what else is there for them to do that is worthwhile?” Listening to them I get the impression that a great many parents and grandparents have a poor opinion of grown kids living with their parents. But that may be something unique to this area. I am often flabbergasted when I hear what a grandchild is studying at a state university that is costing the family well in excess of $25,000/year plus the cost of an automobile and a social life.
Hello - could you please bring this back on topic? Thanks.
Well you would be surprised at the expensive rides some of these college kids have,the up and coming universities around here have a serious building epidemic and a lot of it pertains to cars,they have to have a place to park next to the arenas and ballfields .May friends used to drive beaters to school at the colleges and universities ,seems like people are a lot better off ,now ,but no happier .
The only people who drive older beaters than professors are jazz musicians. The waitress probably takes home more money than the band members at the local jazz club.
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