Predictors of Job Satisfaction Among Selected Agriculture Faculty

Abstract

The construct of job satisfaction is rooted in Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs and Herzberg’s MotivatorHygiene Theory. The current study was conducted to ascertain the level of job satisfaction of faculty members specializing in agricultural communication, agricultural leadership, agricultural teacher education, and extension education and to determine which job factors are the greatest predictors of an individual’s overall job satisfaction. Survey research methods were utilized to collect data from members of the American Association for Agricultural Education with specializations in the aforementioned disciplines. The Three Factor Job Satisfaction Scale was used to measure faculty members’ level of satisfaction with the policy and administration, personal growth and satisfaction, and fiscal resources job factors as well as the level of overall job satisfaction. A 74% response rate was achieved. Descriptive and relational statistics were used to analyze the data. Overall, faculty members were moderately satisfied with their jobs, with the personal growth and satisfaction job factor explaining the greatest proportion of variance in overall job satisfaction scores. Department chairs and administrators should focus faculty professional development around the factors related to individuals’ personal growth and satisfaction.