<p></p><div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table float_right"><div><div class="image on-image"><img src="https://static-ssl.businessinsider.com/image/563265619dd7cc1a008c5b5f-648-486/screen%20shot%202015-10-29%20at%202.27.36%20pm.png" alt="Adjunct professor" data-mce-source="Screenshot/Professors in Poverty" data-mce-caption="Adjunct professor Judy Olson"><p class="source"><span>Screenshot/Professors in Poverty</span></p><p class="caption">Adjunct professor Judy Olson.</p></img></div><p></p></div></div>Amid an environment of ballooning tuition costs and pay raises for presidents at colleges and universities, one&#xa0;large segment of faculty members struggles to make ends meet.<p>A new&#xa0;video campaign by <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kbWFcqbefMs">Brave New Films called "Professors in Poverty"</a>&#xa0;shares the heartbreaking perspective of many adjunct (part-time) professors who say they can't&#xa0;earn a living wage.</p><p>"I have the highest level of learning and I am literally on welfare,"&#xa0;Dr. Wanda J. Evans-Brewer says in the video.</p><p>Evans-Brewer has a bachelor's degree in English literature, a master's in urban <keyword id="6355445" type="COMPANY" weightage="100" keywordseo="Education">education</keyword>, and a doctor of philosophy in education. She still needs to collect food stamps to survive.</p><p>Half of all professors in the US are adjuncts, according to the <a href="http://www.aaup.org/issues/contingency/background-facts" data-omni-click="r'article',r'link',r'1',r'394091'">American Association of University Professors</a>.&#xa0;And they make substantially less than their full-time colleagues.</p><p><span>Adjunct professors earn a median of&#xa0;</span><a href="http://www.aaup.org/report/heres-news-annual-report-economic-status-profession-2012-13" data-omni-click="r'article',r'link',r'2',r'394091'">$2,700</a>&#xa0;<span>for a semester-long class and annually earn about $20,000 to $25,000, The <a href="http://www.theatlantic.com/education/archive/2015/05/the-cost-of-an-adjunct/394091/">Atlantic wrote in a detailed piece</a> about part-time professors.</span>&#xa0;</p><p>The&#xa0;Professors in Poverty video contends&#xa0;the higher education model is pushing&#xa0;professors&#xa0;in to poverty.</p><p>On&#xa0;camera, adjunct professors say they grapple with staying in an industry that brings them joy, but makes their standard of living so poor.</p><p>"It's a lie that getting an education is your road to financial security," says Judy Olson, an adjunct professor.</p><p>That sentiment&#xa0;has been frequently restated, as&#xa0;adjunct professors become more vocal about their plight.&#xa0;</p><p>Earlier this year, adjunct professor&#xa0;<span>Matt Debenham <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/reality-of-being-an-adjunct-professor-2015-5">wrote an&#xa0;essay explaining that he makes more money</a>&#xa0;working at his local grocery store than at his job teaching at two colleges as an adjunct professor.</span></p><p><span>Evans-Brewer also doesn't mince words in the video about how difficult it is for her to scrape by.</span></p><p>"I don't want some student to say I want to be just like you, professor," <span>Evans-Brewer said.</span>&#xa0;"Be like me? I'm broke."</p><p>Watch the entire Brave New Films video below.</p><p><div><iframe width="560" height="315" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/kbWFcqbefMs" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen=""></iframe></div></p><p class="embed-spacer">&#xa0;</p>    <div class="margin-top">        <h3>NOW WATCH: <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/obama-has-a-plan-to-end-teaching-to-the-test-2015-10">Obama has a plan to cut down on standardized testing in public schools</a></h3>        <div>            <div>    <script src="http://player.ooyala.com/v3/6e12e8b3387a44daacfb73afba25a76e"></script>    <div class="ooyala-video-player" data-video-autoplay="false" data-video-id="lqcTBmeDoBUJSFIAtXLodwKdiYE6ShpF" data-player-variable="ooyalapopvideo" id="ooyalaplayer_popvideo" style="width:1280px;height:720px"></div>    <script>    if (typeof RunFunctions === 'undefined') { var RunFunctions = []; }     RunFunctions.push(function()    {         var ooyalapopvideo = OO.Player.create('ooyalaplayer_popvideo', 'lqcTBmeDoBUJSFIAtXLodwKdiYE6ShpF',{ autoplay: 'false' });     });    </script>    <noscript><div>Please enable Javascript to watch this video</div></noscript></div>        </div>        <script>(function() { function createPlayer() { OO.ready(function() { RunFunctions.forEach(function(ooyalaFunction) { ooyalaFunction(); }); RunFunctions = [];}); } createPlayer(); }()); </script>    </div>

These professors have advanced degrees and jobs, and they're still living in poverty

<p>John Lewis, the bellwether <keyword id="6354868" type="COUNTRY" weightage="60" keywordseo="UK">UK</keyword> department store, had a tough August - and so did the rest of the High Street.</p><p>The retailer, which is a stalwart of British High Streets, on Friday released sales figures for the final week of August and they show that across the month sales fell 3% compared to last year.</p><p><div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table"><div><div class="image"><img src="https://static-ssl.businessinsider.com/image/55e95690dd0895db338b45d3-753-535/john lewis.jpg" alt="John Lewis" data-mce-source="John Lewis" data-link="http://www.johnlewispartnership.co.uk/financials/weekly-figures/john-lewis.html" /><p class="source"><span><a href="http://www.johnlewispartnership.co.uk/financials/weekly-figures/john-lewis.html">John Lewis</a></span></p></div><p></p></div></div></p><p>The numbers coincide with figures out today from BDO - which excludes online sales - showing sales fell 4.8% in August compared to last year, <a href="http://www.telegraph.co.uk/finance/newsbysector/retailandconsumer/11842478/High-street-sales-tumble-to-lowest-level-since-2008-crisis.html">their worst performance since 2008 during the financial crisis according to the Telegraph</a>. Fashion is the biggest loser, with sales of clothes tanking 5.5% in August. </p><p>Accendo Markets head of research Mike van Dulken says in an emailed statement:</p><p style="padding-left: 30px;">Blame is being pinned on consumers staying at home due to wetter and colder than average summer weather as well as a stronger GBP (notably versus the EUR) seeing the recent austerity-driven preference for staycations revert to traditional demand for foreign holidays, something the budget airlines EZJ and RYA can attest to given their strong passenger numbers published this week.</p><p>That might be one explanation for August, but there's a wider slump going on right now. High Street sales have fallen every month since May for the first time since 2009.</p><p>Nick Bubb, an independent retail analyst, told Business Insider over email: "There is a timing issue, with the Bank Holiday a week later, but the underlying trend is that consumers are still feeling cautious and don't see any rush to buy new stuff in a deflationary era."</p><p>Bubb also points out that when you factor in online sales many retailers look like they're doing better, although John Lewis' numbers do include them.</p><p>Investec's retail analyst Kate Calvert told Business Insider: "There were tough comparatives in the early part of the period vs. last year with the weather last year being almost perfect for clothing retailers. August being wet has not helped.</p><p>"Whilst consumer confidence is good, this hasn't been broad-based and consumers are still having to prioritise spending in my view. So there are areas of strength, for example car sales, holidays, housing related stuff."</p><p>High Street retailers are tanking on the back of these numbers: Next is the biggest faller on the FTSE 100, down 3.1%; Carphone Dixons is down 2.9%; Debenhams is down 1%; JD Sports is down 0.9%; and Sports Direct is down 1.1%.<div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table"><div><div class="image on-image"><img src="https://static-ssl.businessinsider.com/image/55e95690dd0895db338b45d4-948-446/next.jpg" alt="Next" data-mce-source="Investing.com" /><p class="source"><span>Investing.com</span></p></div><p></p></div></div></p>    <div class="margin-top">        <h3>NOW WATCH: <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/ferrari-california-t-specs-facts-video-drive-2015-7">The cheapest new Ferrari money can buy is absolutely gorgeous</a></h3>        <div>            <div>    <script src="http://player.ooyala.com/v3/6e12e8b3387a44daacfb73afba25a76e"></script>    <div class="ooyala-video-player" data-video-autoplay="false" data-video-id="JleHMzdjpIcJpld5dfaVynKzlNb_4V_q" data-player-variable="ooyalapopvideo" id="ooyalaplayer_popvideo" style="width:1280px;height:720px"></div>    <script>    if (typeof RunFunctions === 'undefined') { var RunFunctions = []; }     RunFunctions.push(function()    {         var ooyalapopvideo = OO.Player.create('ooyalaplayer_popvideo', 'JleHMzdjpIcJpld5dfaVynKzlNb_4V_q',{ autoplay: 'false' });     });    </script>    <noscript><div>Please enable Javascript to watch this video</div></noscript></div>        </div>        <script>(function() { function createPlayer() { OO.ready(function() { RunFunctions.forEach(function(ooyalaFunction) { ooyalaFunction(); }); RunFunctions = [];}); } createPlayer(); }()); </script>    </div>

Britain's High Street is in crisis and retailers are tanking

<p><div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table"><div><div class="image on-image"><img src="https://static-ssl.businessinsider.com/image/554cf6d1ecad045560164641-1200-600/wealthy-people-picnic-6.jpg" border="0" alt="Wealthy People Picnic"><p class="source"><span><a href="http://www.gettyimages.com/detail/news-photo/visitors-to-the-henley-royal-regatta-enjoy-a-car-park-news-photo/451607318">Flickr / Matt Cardy</a></span></p><p class="caption">Advanced degrees have their advantages, but they aren't a prescription for wealth.</p></img></div><p></p></div></div></p><p>Once upon a time, becoming a white-collar professional like a doctor, lawyer, or college professor meant you would be rich - or at least, richer than most everyone else.</p><p>Today, things are a little different.</p><p>Students are still choosing to attend law school, medical school, business school, or pursue a PhD. <a href="http://nces.ed.gov/fastfacts/display.asp?id=372">The National Center for Education Statistics</a> reports that schools are expected to award <span>821,000 master's degrees and 177,500 doctoral degrees in 2015.</span></p><p><a href="http://www.bls.gov/emp/ep_chart_001.htm">Data from the US Bureau of Labor Statistics</a> from 2014 illustrates that with each successive degree, your earning potential increases, as well as your likelihood of finding employment.</p><p><div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table"><div><div class="image"><img src="https://static-ssl.businessinsider.com/image/554ce974eab8ead62f7ab057-805-448/screen shot 2015-05-08 at 12.50.10 pm.png" border="0" alt="BLS chart employment and earnings by degree"><p class="source"><span>Bureau of Labor Statistics</span></p></img></div><p></p></div></div></p><p>That's good news, until you take two more factors into account: The debt these former students took on to get there, and what they're actually being paid.</p><h3>First, the debt. </h3><p><a href="http://blogs.wsj.com/numbers/congatulations-to-class-of-2014-the-most-indebted-ever-1368/">The Wall Street Journal</a> writes that "<span>15% of graduate and professional school students graduate with six-figure student loan debt, <span>compared with only 0.3% of undergraduate students."</span></span></p><p>A <a href="https://www.edvisors.com/media/files/student-aid-policy/20140107-debt-at-graduation.pdf">2014 study from college planning site EAdvisors</a> found that:</p><ul><li><span style="line-height: 1.5em;">51.9% of master's degree recipients graduate with student loans, the average amount of which is $56,661</span></li><li><span style="line-height: 1.5em;">37.5% of doctoral degree recipients take on loans, average amount $74,958</span></li><li><span style="line-height: 1.5em;">57.3% of professional degree recipients on take on loans, average amount $146,466</span></li></ul><p>Compared to undergraduate students, EAdvisors finds the likelihood that grad students will hold six-figure debt has grown disproportionately over the past two decades:</p><p><div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table"><div><div class="image"><img src="https://static-ssl.businessinsider.com/image/554cf049ecad043d2e164644-727-519/screen shot 2015-05-08 at 1.18.19 pm.png" border="0" alt="edvisors chart"><p class="source"><span><a href="https://www.edvisors.com/media/files/student-aid-policy/20140107-debt-at-graduation.pdf">Edvisors/ Debt at Graduation</a></span></p></img></div><p></p></div></div></p><h3>Next, the salaries.</h3><p><a href="http://www.bls.gov/emp/ep_table_education_summary.htm">The BLS</a> reports that holders of a doctoral or professional degree earn an average of $96,420 a year, and holders of a master's degree earn an average of $63,400 a year. Using BLS data on some of the better-known white-collar occupations, here's <a href="http://www.bls.gov/oes/current/oes_nat.htm#00-0000">the average annual salary of</a>:</p><ul><li>Postsecondary teachers (college instructors and professors, not broken down by subject): <span style="line-height: 1.5em;">$75,780</span></li><li>Lawyers: $133,470</li><li><span style="line-height: 1.5em;">CEOs: $180,700</span></li><li>Physicians and surgeons: <span style="line-height: 1.5em;">$194,990</span></li></ul><p>Compared to the average annual wage of all US workers - <a href="http://www.bls.gov/oes/current/oes_nat.htm#00-0000">$47,230</a> - thos<span style="line-height: 1.5em;">e are impressive figures. However, things aren't as great as the dollars and cents seem. First of all, there's the problem of getting the jobs that pay. <a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2015/04/27/business/dealbook/burdened-with-debt-law-school-graduates-struggle-in-job-market.html">The New York Times</a> reports that only 40% of law school grads from the class of 2010 are working at law firms, and that the class is experiencing a 6% unemployment rate.</span></p><p>As far as college professors, a 2015 report from the <a href="http://www.aaup.org/sites/default/files/files/2015salarysurvey/zreport.pdf">American Association of University Professors</a> finds:</p><p style="padding-left: 30px;"><span style="line-height: 1.5em;">In the six years since the Great Recession, real year-over-year faculty salaries have declined 0.12 percent. Despite occurring in a period of relatively low inflation, the overall increase in average salary for continuing faculty exceeded the cost of living by 1.05 percent in the years since the Great Recession.</span></p><p>Plus, <span>academia is a competitive field. For example, consider </span><a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/reality-of-being-an-adjunct-professor-2015-5">the essay published on Buzzfeed</a> by adjunct college professor <a href="http://www.buzzfeed.com/mattdebenham/bagging-groceries-grading-papers">Matt Debenham</a>, who makes more at his second job at the grocery store than at the job for which he was trained.</p><p><div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table"><div><div class="image on-image"><img src="https://static-ssl.businessinsider.com/image/554d267e6bb3f7e207e934f2-1200-600/professor-teaching-3.jpg" border="0" alt="Professor teaching"><p class="source"><span><a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/tulanesally/5158332661/in/set-72157607344465821">Tulane Public Relations/Flickr</a></span></p><p class="caption">The advanced credentials required to teach at the university level don't always mean earning a lot.</p></img></div><p></p></div></div></p><p>Doctors may have the brightest outlook, in that specialists like anesthesiologists and surgeons earn the highest annual median wages in the US - <a href="http://www.bls.gov/oes/current/oes_nat.htm#00-0000">$246,320 and $240,440</a>, respectively - followed by many of their med-school peers.</p><p>Still, the path to high earnings is a difficult one for doctors, who spend more time in school than almost anyone else. If you consider their first years out of class as their first on the job, their starting salaries aren't so high. At the Atlantic, <a href="http://www.theatlantic.com/health/archive/2014/08/a-junior-doctors-salary/375642/">James Hamblin, MD</a>, writes that doctors, who spend most of their 20s in residency furthering their schooling, earn relatively little early in their <keyword id="6354910" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="60" keywordseo="Careers">careers</keyword>. He cites data from <a href="http://www.medscape.com/features/slideshow/public/residents-salary-and-debt-report?src=wnl_edit_specol&amp;uac=169119DY#4">Medscape</a>:</p><p><div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table"><div><div class="image"><img src="https://static-ssl.businessinsider.com/image/554d25716da8110b032a637f-748-461/screen shot 2015-05-08 at 5.05.01 pm.png" border="0" alt="medscape chart"><p class="source"><span><a href="http://www.medscape.com/features/slideshow/public/residents-salary-and-debt-report?src=wnl_edit_specol&amp;uac=169119DY#4">Medscape</a></span></p></img></div><p></p></div></div></p><p>On the website <a href="http://www.kevinmd.com/blog/2013/03/dear-lawmakers-doctor-today.html">KevinMD.com</a>, Matthew Moller, MD, provides an in-depth <a href="http://www.kevinmd.com/blog/2013/03/dear-lawmakers-doctor-today.html">explanation of his situation</a>, holding a massive amount of debt but not yet earning the salary he needs to make a dent - and because it earns interest, the longer you hold debt, the more you ultimately pay overall<span style="line-height: 1.5em;">:</span></p><p style="padding-left: 30px;">$196,000. That was the bill, for the tuition, the tests, the books, the late night pizza. $196,000 financed through a combination of student loans, personal loans, and high-interest credit cards, now consolidated, amalgamated, homogenized into one life-defining number for my personal convenience.</p><p style="padding-left: 30px;">I then relocated to Michigan and moved into a small condo in Ann Arbor, where I started my residency. As a resident in Internal Medicine, I earned a salary of $39,000. All the while, interest continued to accrue on my mother-lode of debt at the rate of $6000 per year due to the high debt burden. Paying down this debt was not possible while raising two children. My wife began working, but her meager salary as a teacher was barely enough to cover day care costs. During residency, my costs for taking licensing examinations, interviewing for specialty training positions, and interest on the large loan ballooned my debt further, now exceeding $230,000, all before I began my career as a "real doctor."<span style="line-height: 1.5em;"> </span></p><p>Moller's experience is his own and not applicable to every grad, but it makes a strong point: When you have crushing debt, a good job and high earning potential aren't always a cure-all.</p><p>And they probably aren't enough to make you rich.</p>    <div class="margin-top">        <h3>NOW WATCH: <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/james-altucher-401k-strategy-investing-money-2015-4">JAMES ALTUCHER: Why investing in a 401(k) is a complete waste of money</a></h3>        <div>            <div>    <script src="http://player.ooyala.com/v3/6e12e8b3387a44daacfb73afba25a76e"></script>    <div class="ooyala-video-player" data-video-autoplay="false" data-video-id="F3MzBodDrTy3quqOY3LWyY_4WpiCHYJo" data-player-variable="ooyalapopvideo" id="ooyalaplayer_popvideo" style="width:1280px;height:720px"></div>    <script>    if (typeof RunFunctions === 'undefined') { var RunFunctions = []; }     RunFunctions.push(function()    {         var ooyalapopvideo = OO.Player.create('ooyalaplayer_popvideo', 'F3MzBodDrTy3quqOY3LWyY_4WpiCHYJo',{ autoplay: 'false' });     });    </script>    <noscript><div>Please enable Javascript to watch this video</div></noscript></div>        </div>        <script>(function() { function createPlayer() { OO.ready(function() { RunFunctions.forEach(function(ooyalaFunction) { ooyalaFunction(); }); RunFunctions = [];}); } createPlayer(); }()); </script>    </div>

You Searched For "Debenhams" and got 3 results

These professors have advanced degrees and jobs, and they're still living in poverty

Abby Jackson

Britain's High Street is in crisis and retailers are tanking

Oscar Williams-Grut

A graduate degree doesn't guarantee you'll get rich

Libby Kane