Pay increase for Cincy State adjunct faculty starts in Jan. 2026
Starting with Spring Semester 2026 (January 2026), compensation for all Cincinnati State adjunct faculty members has increased to $700 per contact hour. Adjunct faculty, who teach a limited number of courses each semester, are part of the instructional team in numerous academic programs throughout the College.
The Cincinnati State Board of Trustees unanimously approved this compensation increase at their meeting on September 23, 2025.
The Board resolution stated:
- WHEREAS the College seeks to attract and retain highly qualified adjunct instructors to ensure high-quality instruction of technical and general education courses;
- WHEREAS the College’s current adjunct pay rate of $680.00 per unit for adjunct professors is low among institutions of higher education in the Greater Cincinnati region;
- WHEREAS the College seeks to continue increasing the adjunct pay rate in a phased approach until the College’s adjunct pay rate is competitive with other institutions of higher education in the region;
- NOW THEREFORE BE IT HEREBY RESOLVED that an adjunct pay rate of $700.00 unit will be implemented for all adjunct instructors beginning Spring of 2026.
The September 2025 Board action was the fifth increase to adjunct compensation approved by the Trustees since Summer 2023. Board Chairperson John Silverman said it is “very important” to continue making improvements to adjunct compensation at Cincinnati State as compared to other institutions in the region.
The Cincinnati State Faculty Senate has advocated for increases to adjunct compensation during the past few years. Prior to the raise that went into effect in Summer 2023, adjunct pay rates had remained the same for 10 years.
In November 2022, the Faculty Senate forwarded to the College Executive Team a report on adjunct compensation at area institutions. At that time, the Faculty Senate recommended bringing adjunct pay to an eventual rate of $700 per contact hour through a series of incremental increases.
The Faculty Senate has continued to advocate for additional increases to adjunct compensation, beyond the goal set in 2022 of $700 per contact hour.