The Public's Image of University Professors

The basic purpose of this study was to evaluate the public's image of university professors compared to other professional groups. A questionnaire was administered by telephone to a random sample of 150 residents of a southern metropolitan area. Respondents were asked to evaluate seven professions on : (1) social standing (prestige), (2) honesty and ethical standards, (3) importance to society and nation, and (4) interesting and challenging occupation. Overall ratings indicate that university professors were rated significantly lower than doctors, dentists, pharmacists, and clergy, the same as lawyers, and higher than bankers. Cross tabulations of respondents by income, age, education, and sex revealed that there were no significant differences in the ratings of university professor on the basis of the characteristics indicating that this relatively low opinion of professors is a view shared by all subgroups of respondents.