Most universities make it possible for their professors to earn tenure, a long-term contract that guarantees them a job at the school for as long as they want it. This means they typically get to keep their job until they decide to retire — unless they violate school policies, break the law or make another significant mistake. One of the biggest advantages of being a professor with tenure is job security, because it is highly unlikely termination will take place. This benefit allows tenured teachers to speak out on controversial subjects without fear of getting fired and to spend more time teaching than worrying about keeping their job. Finally, most tenured professors get a higher salary than non-tenured professors and other instructors.
The main benefit of becoming a professor with tenure is the knowledge that the position is considered permanent. This means a professor does not need to try to impress other schools in the hopes of getting a better paying job elsewhere. While these professors are expected to remain competitive in their academic field, they do not have to worry about acing annual reviews or striving for promotions. In general, they enjoy job security, which tends to make life a bit less stressful.
Instead of worrying about keeping his position, a professor with tenure can devote more time to teaching and mentoring students, which is good because many such teachers are expected to tutor and serve on school committees. When they are not spending more time helping students, they tend to perform research in their chosen field, often for publication. In addition, being a professor with tenure allows more room for expression, because a tenured professor can voice his opinions on controversial topics without fear of termination by the university. Thus, he can get involved with subjects about which he is passionate.
A professor with tenure often also enjoys a pay raise along with the job security, which also equates to a bit more freedom. This is because some professors without tenure need to put in extra hours, or get a second job, to pay the bills on their salary. An increase in pay may allow professors to have more free time, which they can use to delve deeper into their academic specialty through research. Though job security alone is often responsible for decreased stress in this career, having a higher salary can also result in lower pressure when it comes time to pay the bills or relax a bit.
