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The academic job market is competitive because the tenure track market is so small so a lot of PhDs and ABDs need these jobs to make ends meet and as first steps. Also, while it varies a lot, the one junior college I got an offer at expected me to teach in person 5 days a week for an 8 week summer course for $1100 total. And you're subject to a new schedule and whether or not the course will be offered or if you'll be asked to teach the next semester, so it is very unstable. You would need to have multiple classes per semester guaranteed to cover the cost of daycare if that's a consideration.

My husband is a professor and I believe PP is correct that adjunct professors make very little money. He always tells me they do it because they love it not for the money. Most have other full-time jobs and just teach classes as adjuncts on the side (or at least the ones at his school do it this way). Or they can't get tenure-track positions so take multiple adjunct positions at different schools.

I teach as an adjunct and I do it because I love to teach. At the university where I teach andjunct pay has not increased in almost 20 years. I left my full time teaching job when LO was born and I basically have a few adjunct gigs that contribute to our vacation and home remodel savings. It's been great, LO has enjoyed time with my mom a couple mornings per week, but I'm actually cutting back my schedule for fall because it's a lot of work for not a lot of pay.

@pinkcupcake: @starchild: Thats similar to what I have heard about the adjunct field here. We have 2 universities and a large community college. I think I heard like $2k per course in person.

@pinkcupcake: Can confirm that being an adjunct stinks! I've taught classes on top of my regular job at a large research university. I think I took home about $500 after taxes for each class. Once I had kids it was soooo not worth the time, no matter how much I enjoyed it. I'm not sure I'd go back to get another degree specifically to be an adjunct unless you don't care much about the money.

@pinkcupcake: I don't believe so but I can double check with her.

No idea about ESL but I also was an adjunct for a brief time and also was paid basically nothing. I have a PhD and was working at an extremely well-known research university. I didn't make enough to cover my rent while I was an adjunct (luckily DH's salary was enough for us at the time).