Professor Jobs in Illinois
Professor jobs in Illinois are concentrated in Chicago, Champaign-Urbana, and Evanston, where the University of Illinois system, Northwestern University, and Loyola University Chicago anchor sustained hiring across disciplines. Demand is strongest in STEM fields, business, and health sciences, with openings at every level from visiting instructor to tenured full professor. Illinois hosts one of the most active higher education markets in the Midwest, drawing candidates for both research-intensive and teaching-focused positions. Find a role that fits below and apply directly.
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Showing 2 of 96+ Professor jobs
Full-time Faculty Positions
Full-time faculty positions will be posted on a per-opening basis. Postings are organized by college/school and department. Applicants will be evaluated at the college/school level for the position which they are submitting an application. Unless noted by a close date, positions will remain open until they are filled. Qualified applicants are encouraged to apply.
Part-time Faculty Positions
DePaul University invites expressions of interest for a pool of qualified Part Time Faculty to teach courses in a variety of disciplines across all 10 colleges and schools. Individuals may enter expressions of interest by submitting their credentials to any posting for which they are qualified to teach. Postings are organized by college/school and department. Screening of individuals in the pool is ongoing, depending on curricular need and funding. Individuals will be contacted by the department if they reach the finalist stage for teaching a particular course or set of courses. The pool will remain in place until the closing date specified in the posting details; those interested in remaining in the pool beyond that time must resubmit. All individuals in the pool will be notified by email when the posting is closed.
Below you will find the details for the posting including any supplementary documentation and questions you should review before applying for the opening or submitting your interest in teaching.
Posting Details
Job ID: 187080
Rank: Assistant ProfessorCollege/School: Chicago, IL - College of Liberal Arts and Social Sciences
Position Description:The Art School, part of DePaul University's College of Liberal Arts and Social Sciences in Chicago, Illinois, invites applications for a tenure-track Assistant Professor position in PaintingStudio Fine Art (with a secondary focus in Drawing), for the Academic Year 2027-28 beginning September 1, 2027.
The successful candidate will be expected to:
- Creative Practice: Produce and exhibit high-quality artwork and/or engage in related creative activities.
- Teaching: Teach 2 undergraduate classes each of the three quarters in painting and/or painting and drawing studio fine art within The Art School, with additional teaching opportunities available through the university's Liberal Studies and Honors Programs.
- Community Engagement: Engage with faculty colleagues and actively contribute to The Art School's academic environment.
- Service: Participate in service activities and related meetings for The Art School, the college, and the university.
- Student Support: Support student recruitment, mentoring/advising, retention, and individual student mentorship.
- Visibility: Contribute to the visibility and impact of The Art School through active involvement in exhibitions, creative activities, events, and other related engagements.
Located in Chicago’s Lincoln Park neighborhood, The Art School at DePaul University offers three degree programs:
- BA in Art
- BA in Art, Media, and Design
- BFA in Art, Media, and Design
The school also offers seven minors/shared minors in art. Teaching and creative spaces/studios include dedicated painting, drawing, printmaking, photography (darkroom and digital), sculpture studios, and digital computer studios.
- Professional Background: Candidates must be a practicing artist with established exhibition/creative activities record and experience teaching painting, or both painting and drawing.
- Education: A Master of Fine Arts (MFA) in Painting or in Painting and Drawing (fine art studio).
- Teaching Experience: A minimum of 2 years of college/university-level teaching experience completed after graduate school (excluding any graduate-level teaching experience). This experience can include full-time term, part-time, or other related faculty positions at the college/university level.
- Cover Letter detailing your interest in the position, and your qualifications
- Curriculum Vitae
- 20 examples of current studio artwork focused in painting, with any accompanying list of works submitted (including media, size, and year completed)
- Two syllabi from courses you have taught in Painting (or courses that combine Painting with Drawing)
- 20 examples of student work in relationship to the submitted syllabi
DePaul University has provided a compensation range that represents its good faith estimate of what the University may pay for the position at the time of posting. The salary offered to the selected candidate will be determined based on factors such as (but not limited to) the qualifications, education, experience, and training of the selected candidate, the scope and responsibilities of the position, departmental budget availability, internal salary equity considerations, and available market information.
Except for the College of Law, DePaul University operates on a quarter system. Classes in Autumn, Winter, and Spring quarters are 11 weeks in length (including finals week) and Summer courses, in two sessions, are typically 5 weeks in length. The College of Law operates on the semester system. Classes in the Fall and Spring semesters are 16 weeks in length (including finals week) and it offers a Summer Session of 7 weeks (including final exams).
Close Date: Oct 1, 2026
Applicant Documents
Cover Letter(1)C.V.(1)
Contact Reference(1)
Creative Work(1)
Syllabus(2)
Full-time Faculty Positions
Full-time faculty positions will be posted on a per-opening basis. Postings are organized by college/school and department. Applicants will be evaluated at the college/school level for the position which they are submitting an application. Unless noted by a close date, positions will remain open until they are filled. Qualified applicants are encouraged to apply.
Part-time Faculty Positions
DePaul University invites expressions of interest for a pool of qualified Part Time Faculty to teach courses in a variety of disciplines across all 10 colleges and schools. Individuals may enter expressions of interest by submitting their credentials to any posting for which they are qualified to teach. Postings are organized by college/school and department. Screening of individuals in the pool is ongoing, depending on curricular need and funding. Individuals will be contacted by the department if they reach the finalist stage for teaching a particular course or set of courses. The pool will remain in place until the closing date specified in the posting details; those interested in remaining in the pool beyond that time must resubmit. All individuals in the pool will be notified by email when the posting is closed.
Below you will find the details for the posting including any supplementary documentation and questions you should review before applying for the opening or submitting your interest in teaching.
Posting Details
Job ID: 187080
Rank: Assistant ProfessorCollege/School: Chicago, IL - College of Liberal Arts and Social Sciences
Position Description:The Art School, part of DePaul University's College of Liberal Arts and Social Sciences in Chicago, Illinois, invites applications for a tenure-track Assistant Professor position in PaintingStudio Fine Art (with a secondary focus in Drawing), for the Academic Year 2027-28 beginning September 1, 2027.
The successful candidate will be expected to:
- Creative Practice: Produce and exhibit high-quality artwork and/or engage in related creative activities.
- Teaching: Teach 2 undergraduate classes each of the three quarters in painting and/or painting and drawing studio fine art within The Art School, with additional teaching opportunities available through the university's Liberal Studies and Honors Programs.
- Community Engagement: Engage with faculty colleagues and actively contribute to The Art School's academic environment.
- Service: Participate in service activities and related meetings for The Art School, the college, and the university.
- Student Support: Support student recruitment, mentoring/advising, retention, and individual student mentorship.
- Visibility: Contribute to the visibility and impact of The Art School through active involvement in exhibitions, creative activities, events, and other related engagements.
Located in Chicago’s Lincoln Park neighborhood, The Art School at DePaul University offers three degree programs:
- BA in Art
- BA in Art, Media, and Design
- BFA in Art, Media, and Design
The school also offers seven minors/shared minors in art. Teaching and creative spaces/studios include dedicated painting, drawing, printmaking, photography (darkroom and digital), sculpture studios, and digital computer studios.
- Professional Background: Candidates must be a practicing artist with established exhibition/creative activities record and experience teaching painting, or both painting and drawing.
- Education: A Master of Fine Arts (MFA) in Painting or in Painting and Drawing (fine art studio).
- Teaching Experience: A minimum of 2 years of college/university-level teaching experience completed after graduate school (excluding any graduate-level teaching experience). This experience can include full-time term, part-time, or other related faculty positions at the college/university level.
- Cover Letter detailing your interest in the position, and your qualifications
- Curriculum Vitae
- 20 examples of current studio artwork focused in painting, with any accompanying list of works submitted (including media, size, and year completed)
- Two syllabi from courses you have taught in Painting (or courses that combine Painting with Drawing)
- 20 examples of student work in relationship to the submitted syllabi
DePaul University has provided a compensation range that represents its good faith estimate of what the University may pay for the position at the time of posting. The salary offered to the selected candidate will be determined based on factors such as (but not limited to) the qualifications, education, experience, and training of the selected candidate, the scope and responsibilities of the position, departmental budget availability, internal salary equity considerations, and available market information.
Except for the College of Law, DePaul University operates on a quarter system. Classes in Autumn, Winter, and Spring quarters are 11 weeks in length (including finals week) and Summer courses, in two sessions, are typically 5 weeks in length. The College of Law operates on the semester system. Classes in the Fall and Spring semesters are 16 weeks in length (including finals week) and it offers a Summer Session of 7 weeks (including final exams).
Close Date: Oct 1, 2026
Applicant Documents
Cover Letter(1)C.V.(1)
Contact Reference(1)
Creative Work(1)
Syllabus(2)
See All 96 Professor Jobs in Illinois
Find roles in Illinois that match your experience and apply in just a few clicks.
Find Professor JobsProfessor Jobs by City in Illinois
Where Illinois roles are concentrated, by current openings.
Professor Job Market in Illinois
A snapshot from current Illinois openings, updated as new roles post.
Who's Hiring
- University of Illinois18
- DePaul University15
- DeVry University7
- Augustana College6
- SIU Medicine5
Top Industries Hiring
- Education
- Healthcare & Medical Services
What Illinois Employers Look For
The qualifications that appear most often in professor jobs across Illinois.
- Terminal degree (Ph.D. or equivalent) in the relevant academic discipline required
- Demonstrated record of peer-reviewed scholarship, grants, or creative work in the field
- Prior teaching experience at the undergraduate or graduate level strongly preferred
- Ability to develop and deliver curriculum aligned with department or program requirements
- Experience supervising graduate students, dissertations, or undergraduate research projects
- Commitment to faculty service including committee work and institutional governance participation
Professor Jobs in Illinois: Frequently Asked Questions
How do you become a professor in Illinois?
Most Illinois colleges and universities require a terminal degree, typically a Ph.D. or M.F.A., in the discipline you plan to teach. Illinois does not issue a state license specifically for college professors, so hiring decisions rest with individual institutions. Community colleges governed by the Illinois Community College Board may require additional teaching credentials or state-aligned coursework, but the core path is completing your terminal degree and building a teaching and research portfolio before applying.
Which companies hire professors in Illinois?
Employers hiring professors in Illinois right now include University of Illinois, DePaul University, and DeVry University, based on current listings on Migrate Mate as of September 2026. Illinois's dense concentration of research universities, liberal arts colleges, and community college districts means hiring is distributed statewide, with the largest volume coming from institutions in and around the Chicago metro and Champaign-Urbana.
Which Illinois cities have the most professor jobs?
The cities with the most professor openings in Illinois are Chicago, Urbana, and Springfield. Chicago dominates because of the sheer number of universities, medical schools, and professional programs headquartered there, while Champaign-Urbana reflects the large footprint of the University of Illinois flagship campus, and suburban or mid-size cities often appear when regional universities or community college campuses in those areas are actively hiring.
Are there remote professor jobs in Illinois?
Yes, but they are less common than in most knowledge-work fields, since most professor roles involve in-person instruction, lab supervision, or student advising. About 47% of professor openings tied to Illinois are remote or hybrid as of September 2026, and those positions tend to be in online program development, continuing education, or fully asynchronous degree programs rather than traditional tenure-track or full-time teaching roles.
How can I get hired as a professor in Illinois with little or no experience?
The most realistic entry path is an adjunct or visiting instructor appointment while you complete or have recently finished your terminal degree. Large Illinois community college districts, including City Colleges of Chicago and College of DuPage, regularly hire part-time adjuncts and offer pathways to full-time lecturer roles. Postdoctoral fellowships at University of Illinois or Northwestern can also bridge into assistant professor positions, and building a teaching portfolio through graduate teaching assistantships or departmental visiting roles strengthens your candidacy significantly.
Where can I find and apply to professor jobs in Illinois?
You can find and apply to professor jobs in Illinois on Migrate Mate, which lists current openings tied to Illinois institutions and programs. Search the listings, find roles that match your discipline and experience level, and apply directly to each position.
See All 96 Professor Jobs in Illinois
Find roles in Illinois that match your experience and apply in just a few clicks.
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