Accounting Faculty in U.S. Colleges and Universities: Status and Trends, 1993 – 2004
by
David W. Leslie*
*Chancellor Professor of Education, The College of William and Mary, Fellow, TIAA-CREF Institute
Data source = 1993 and 2004 iterations of the National Survey of Postsecondary Faculty (conducted by the National Center for Education Statistics). • Weights approx. 20,000 responses to known population parameters, covers many elements of faculty characteristics, work, attitudes. Response rates have been high – e.g., 80-85%. • On-line data analysis system limits use of small cell sizes; cannot crosstabulate with too many variables in play (e.g., highest degree and gender and discipline and age could not be jointly specified in a field as small as accounting.) • See appendix of full report for more detail on NSOPF.
Principal findings:
• Number of accounting faculty declined 13% while number of accounting students increased 12%.
•
• • • •
Most of this decline occurred in 4-year, non-doctoral universities (the regional, comprehensives).
A steep decline also occurred in numbers of accounting faculty under the age of 41. (And among men; number of women stayed the same.) About 500 accounting faculty will retire annually in the foreseeable future. Accounting produces about 150 new Ph.D.’s a year, half of whom are foreign nationals. Scarcity of replacement faculty and market forces appear to be driving “salary inversion,” so that accounting faculty under the age of 45 are paid at higher average salaries that those over 45. Workload (work-week, student credit-hours taught, and research) all show steady increases among faculty at research and doctoral universities.
•
Table 1: NSOPF estimated number of full-time, tenure eligible faculty in accounting and all other business fields, 1993 – 2004. (Institutions offering baccalaureate degrees and higher.) 1993 1999 2004 % Change -19.11% +20.20%
Accounting All other business fields.
6331 16,933
4555 16,027
5121 20,352
Table 2: NSOPF estimated number of full-time NON-tenure eligible faculty in accounting and all other business fields, 1993-2004 (Institutions offering baccalaureate degrees and above). 1993 Accounting 1169 All other business fields. 1976 1079 -7.7% 1999 2004 % Change
3649
5573
6148
+68.0%
Figure 1: NSOPF estimated number (in 1000's) of full-time tenured or on-track faculty in accounting and other business fields at institutions granting baccalaureate or higher degrees, 1993, 1999, and 2004.
25
20
Number in 1000's
15
10
5
0 Accounting Other business
Table 3: Number of all accounting faculty at all types of institutions (including 2-year) by tenure status, and percent change from 1993 to 2004. 1993 1999 2004 % Change -18.0%
Tenured
5,825
4,900
4,779
On-Track
2,384
1,400
1,909
-19.9%
Not Eligible Total
12,112
11,100
10,922
-9.8%
20,321
17,400
17,610
-13.3%
al) undergraduate enrollment in accounting e, 1999-00 to 2003-04.
000-01 2001-02 2002-03
2003-04 %
Change
34,775 133,435 141,175
143,735 12.33%
Table 5: Number of full-and part-time accounting faculty, by type of institution, 1993 - 2004. 1993FT 2004FT 1993PT Research/Doctoral 4-Yr. Non-Doct. 2-Year Total 2853 4572 2274 9699 3072 3169 2287 8528 2163 2714 4601 9478
2004PT 851 3555 3911 8317
Figure 2: Change in number of full-time accounting faculty by type of institution, 1993 - 2004
5000
4500
4000
3500
Number of full-time faculty
3000 Number FT '93 Number FT '04
2500
2000
1500
1000
500
0 Doctoral 4-year non-doctoral 2-year
Figure 3: Change in number of part-time accounting faculty by type of institution, 1993 - 2004
5000
4500
4000
3500
Number of part-time faculty
3000 Number PT '93 Number PT '04
2500
2000
1500
1000
500
0 Doctoral 4-year non-doctoral 2-year
Figure 4: Percentage of faculty who are full - and part-time, accounting vs. all other fields, 1993 - 2004.
60
58
56
54
Percentage of faculty
52 All other Accounting
50
48
46
44
42
40 Full-time 1993 Full-time 2004 Part-time 1993 Part-time 2004
100
120
20
40
60
80
0 Percentage female, '93 Percentage female, '04
Ph Ph En ilo ys gi ic ne s O oph al s eri cc y c n up an ien g at d c 1s i r e Po on elig s t-p lit pro io ro ic n fe al gra si on sc m ie s al he Eco nc M C a a n es A the om lth om gr ic ma put sci ics ul tic e en r tu c re s a sci es /h nd en om s c e tati es ec st on ic om s i B H cs io is lo S gi oc tor ca io y l s lo c g A ien y cc c ou es n B tin us g in O es th s er so F La c in w C ial e om s ar c ts A ll mu ien ot n ce he ica s r p tio O th ro n er P g s he sy ram al ch s t o En Ot h s lo he ci gy gl is r e en h d c Fo an uc es a d re ig lite tion Te n r ac la atu he ng re r e ua du ge ca s t N ion ur si ng
Figure 5: Percentage of females by teaching field, tenure-eligible only, '93 - '04
Table 6: Numbers (and % change) of male and female accounting faculty by tenure status, 1993 - 2004. Male 93 Male 04 %Change Femal e93 Female %Change 04
Tenured or ontrack
6068
4361
-0.28 Tenured or on track
-0.16 Not eligible -0.21 Overall
2000
2253
0.13
Not eligible
7838
6600
3815
3628
-0.05
Overall
1390 5
1096 1
5815
5881
0.01
Figure 6: Male accounting faculty (all) by tenure status, 1993-2004.
9000
8000
7000
NSOPF estimated number.
6000
5000 Tenured or on-track Not eligible 4000
3000
2000
1000
0 Male93 Male04
Figure 7: Female accounting faculty (all) by tenure status, 1993 - 2004
4500
4000
3500
NSOPF estimated number
3000
2500 Tenured or on track Not eligible 2000
1500
1000
500
0 Female93 Female04
Percentage change
C
0
5
10
15
20
-5
-15
Change in %White Change in %Black Change in %Asian Change in %Hisp. Change in %Other
-10
om A pu cco te u n r s ti O th 1s ci ng er e t-p so B nce ro us s ci fe a in si on Oth l sc es al er ie s he ed nc al u c es th a sc tio A ie n ll nc ot Fo he Hi es re r p st B ign ro ory io g lo la ram gi ng Po ca ua s M lit l sc ge at ic s he al ien m sc ce at s A ic En ien gr gi ce s ic an ne s ul d e tu st rin re at g /h o m S is ti o Te e cio cs ac e c En o lo gl he no gy is r e m O cc h a du ics c u n O pa d l ati th ti ite on er on ra he pr tu al og re Ph th r ilo sc am so ie s nc ph es y Ph an La ys d ic re w al lig sc io n Ec ien ce on Ps om s y c ic ho s C om F lo g m in e y un a ic rts at io N ns ur si ng
Figure 8: Change in ethnic composition of tenure-eligible faculty by teaching field, '93 - '04
Figure 9: NSOPF estimated mean age of male accounting faculty (all) by tenure status, 19932004
60
55
50
Tenured On tenure track, not tenure Not eligible 45
40
35 Males93 Males04
Figure 10: NSOPF estimated mean age of female accounting faculty (all) by tenure status, 1993 - 2004
53
51
49
47
45
43
Tenured On track, not tenured Not eligible
41
39
37
35 Females93 Females04
Figure 11: NSOPF estimated number (1000's) of male accounting faculty under age 40 and over age 55, 1993 - 2004
5
4.5
4
3.5
3 Under age 40 Over age 55 Linear (Under age 40) Linear (Over age 55)
2.5
2
1.5
1
0.5
0 Males93 Males04
Figure 12: NSOPF estimated number (1000's) of female accounting faculty under age 40 and over age 55, 1993 - 2004.
2.5
2
1.5 Under age 40 Over age 55 Linear (Under age 40) Linear (Over age 55) 1
0.5
0 Females93 Females04
Figure 13: Mean years to retirement, full-time accounting faculty by type of institution, 19932004
19
18
Mean years to retirement
17
16 Res/Doct 4-Year 2-Year 15
14
13
12
1993YrstoRetire
2004YrstoRetire
Figure 14: Average annual production of Ph.D.s in accounting, 1980 - 2005
200
180
160
Average annual number of Ph.D.s
140
120
100
80
60
40
20
0
1980–84
1985–89
1990–94
1995–99
2000-04
2005
Table 7a: Income of all accounting faculty with Ph.D. or 1st professional degree, under/over age 45, 1993 (Inflated) – 2004[1]
Basic salary from institution
Total income Total from the income of institution respondent from all sources
N
Age in 1993 45 and under 46 and over 44,744.25 65,751.48 48,584.44 73,323.75 71,418.58 99,172.30 2500 4200
Age in 2004
45 and under 92,731.80 101,061.90 125,370.80 1500
46 and over
73,982.60
81,149.60
98,144.60
4400
Figure 15: Trend (1993-2004) in base salary for (full-time) accounting and "all" faculty.
80000
75000
Mean base salary in $
70000 AllFaculty AcctgFaculty 65000
60000
55000 1993 2004
Figure 16: Base pay and other income, full-time accounting faculty vs. other business and engineering, 2004.
120000
100000
80000
60000
Accounting Other business Engineering
40000
20000
0
Base pay
Total income
Figure 17: Mean base pay, full-time accounting faculty age 42 and over and age 41 and under, 1993 - 2004
90,000.00
80,000.00
70,000.00
60,000.00
50,000.00
40,000.00
Age 41 and under Age 42 and over Linear (Age 41 and under) Linear (Age 42 and over)
30,000.00
20,000.00
10,000.00
0.00 1993 Inflated 2004
Base pay for accounting faculty under and over age 45 with Ph.D. or 1st professional degree, 1993 - 2008(projected). 120000
100000
80000
60000
Under 45 Over 45
40000
20000
0 1993 2004 2008 (est.)
Figure 18: Average total hours worked per week reported by full-time accounting faculty at 4year institutions, '93 - '04
53
52
51
50
49
48
47
Hours worked '93
Hours worked 04
Figure 19: Student credit hours taught by full-time accounting and other business faculty at 4year institutions, '93 - '04
305
300
295
Average SCH per faculty member
290
285
280
275
270
265
260
Student Credit Hours 93
Student Credit Hours 04
Figure 20: Percentage of time reported on research, full-time accounting at 4-year institutions, '93 - '04
22
20
Average percentage of time on research.
18
16
14
12
10
Time on research 93
Time on research 04
Figure 21: Total recent (2-years) publications reported by full-time accounting at 4-year institutions, '93 - '04
3.4
3.3
Average publications (most recent 2 years)
3.2
3.1
3
2.9
2.8
2.7
Recent Publications 93
Recent Publications 04
Figure 22: Total career publications, full-time accounting faculty at 4-year institutions, '93 - '04
16.2
16.1
Average total career publications
16
15.9
15.8
15.7
15.6
Career Publications 93
Career Publications 04
Figure 23: Proportion of full-time accounting faculty at 4-year institutions who have grants
0.26
0.24
Proportion of full-time accounting faculty
0.22
0.2
0.18
0.16
0.14
0.12
0.1
Proportion with grants 93
Proportion with grants 04
Figure 24: Enrollment of (full-time) undergraduate and (all) graduate accounting students, by type of institution, 1990 - 2000.
90
80
70
60
Number in 1000's
50 Total 1990 Total 2000 40
30
20
10
0
Res./Doct.
4-Year.
Public 2-Year
Figure 25: Trend in Student Credit Hour productivity by type of institution and full- vs. parttime accounting faculty, 1993 - 2004.
1600
1400
Index of SCH production per faculty member.
1200
1000 FTSCH93 800 FTSCH04 PTSCH93 PTSCH04 600
400
200
0
Res/Doct.
4-Yr.NonDoct
2-Yr.
Figure 26: Satisfaction with job overall, workload, and pay, full-time accounting faculty, 1993 2004 (4 = Very Satisfied; 1 = Very Dissatisfied).
4
4.0 = Very Satisfied; 2.0 = Somewhat Dissatisfied
3.5
3
2.5
Job Overall Workload Satisfied with Pay
2
1.5
1 1993 2004
Conclusions (1)
• The estimated number of accounting faculty (all institutions, all ranks) declined 13.3% between 1993 and 2004, while estimated undergraduate enrollment grew over 12%. Business fields other than accounting have added substantial numbers of faculty during the same period. • The aggregate number of students per faculty member in accounting has increased from 20.5:1 to over 28:1. • The decline in numbers of faculty has been principally among males; the number of women accounting faculty has not increased in any significant way, although they are an increasing proportion of all accounting faculty (as the number of males has declined). • The mean age of accounting faculty is increasing.
Combined z-scores
O
11 13 -7 1 3 5 7 9 SumZ93 SumZ04 -5 -3 -1
"Status" measures combined, '93 - '04
cc up A ati cc o ou na n l N ti n En urs g i Te glis ng h/ ac he Lit rE d. Fi La ne w C Ar o m ts Fo pS rL ci an g M . A at ll h O O Oth th th e er er r B E C O usi d. om th n m erH ess un e ic alt at h io n Ps s y H ch is P t O hil ory th /R er el S ig So oc ci Sc ol i o Po gy l En E Sci 1s gin co tP ee n. ro ri fH ng e Ph alt ys h S A B ci g / io H Sc om i eE c
Change in combined Z-scores
-6 0 1 2
-5
-4
-3
-2
C Ag om /H m om un e E i Te cat c a c i on he s O rE t d O her . th er Ed H . Ph eal th O cc il/R O up eli th g er atio B us nal So ine ci ss ol o N gy ur si ng Ec on Ps . Fi yc ne h A rt s M at Po h C lSc om i En p gl Sc is i h A /Li llO t th H er is Fo tor 1s y t P rLa ro ng fH . ea Ph lth A cc ysS ou ci nt in O B g th io e r Sc En So i gi cS n e ci er in g La w
-1 3
Change In Status '93 - '04
Conclusions (2)
• The number of individuals within ten years of “normal” retirement (age 55 and over) increased between 1999 and 2004, while the number of accounting faculty under the age of 40 declined during the same period. • Ph.D. production has remained relatively steady at roughly 140 per year (with annual fluctuations) over the past 10 years. • Demand for replacement faculty in accounting is estimated at roughly 500 per year for the next 5 – 10 years, while available supply of new Ph.D.s is estimated to be about 140 per year (half of whom are foreign nationals). • On the whole, accounting faculty appear satisfied with their jobs, and their workload. They are probably less fully satisfied with their pay. (Note, though, that satisfaction levels remained essentially constant from 1993 to 2004, notwithstanding substantial increases in both pay and workload.) • Workload and productivity have both increased substantially for faculty at research and doctoral institutions.