MY EXPERIENCE WITH ACADEMIC JOB SEARCH (WITH AN MS DEGREE) There are usually two avenues after MS (or even PhD). You can choose to go to industry or academia. I will focus on teaching as this is the route I took. As a candidate for instructor or teacher with MS/PhD degree you have primarily two options: Community Colleges or Universities. Here are few things to remember: Top Research universities will always want a candidate with finished PhD. Some occasionally will ask for ABDs but degree needs to be finished before you start working. These positions are mostly Tenure Track positions but sometimes Non-Tenure Track too. Other universities or colleges will prefer PhDs but may accept MS degrees for teaching positions (like lecturer or instructor). This also works for regional campuses of large universities too. Community colleges mostly want candidates with MS degrees and with some other certifications. The best time to start looking for academic jobs is from November-Decembe