Personally, it was worth a lot because it gave me insight into other parts of the library world. Also, I wanted to teach at the college level some.

I probably was not clear about the pay and public schools. I worked for the city public school district, not a public university. However, the school district payed more than the 2 closest public universities that have a library school.

I'm glad I found this thread, because I am about to start making steps in this direction.

I'd like to know more about being an English professor (and it's probably a lot of those). I already have a B.A. in English, with a literature concentration. I've had an interest in teaching, but not high school or anything. I think I might do better teaching in a university setting.

History professors are so not rare.

I've gone back and forth about becoming a professor of architectural history. It's less competitive than becoming a history prof, but there's still no love.

Unless you're a named professor at a very major university, and constantly on the lecture/book circuit, there's no way you're going to make 200K. Chances are that UF professor is either in the School of Medicine, in the hard sciences, or a superstar.

Seriously, I didn't even see that post. You have to be a big shot in the academic/professional world to be making that amount; it's certainly not the norm.

I've considered it.... but it would mean going back for more school and I reallllly don't feel like that right now... maybe next year ;)

Anyways if you want an idea of what type of professors some universities look for here's a link the University of Toronto academic career website:
http://link.library.utoronto.ca/acad...rrent_jobs.cfm

I've been browsing it lately to try and look into what directions some departments are going... and also to keep an eye out for positions in Celtic Studies or Medieaval Studies for a friend who's contract out in BC will be up next year.

Anyways if your wondering what the pay scale is like here- most start at 40-45K and go up to about 60K - full professors hit the 80K+ mark, and tenured ones average around 100-110K (except of course for medicine and law, they're about double that).