Job satisfaction among academic employees in private and public sector universities at Addis Ababa, Ethiopia: A comparative analysis

Job satisfaction plays a significant role in the success of higher educational institutions. It boosts the skills and abilities of academic employees. However, there are few studies on academic employees' job satisfaction in higher education institutions in developing countries, including Ethiopia. Previous studies also did not examine and discuss comparing job satisfaction among academic employees between private and public sector universities in Ethiopia in general and Addis Ababa in particular. Therefore, this study aimed to compare the job satisfaction of academic employees between private and public sector universities in Addis Ababa. A quantitative research approach with a descriptive survey research design was used. Full-time academic employees were the study population.The study used a self-administered structured questionnaire to collect data from 319 respondents selected by a proportional stratified random sampling method in private and public universities. The data were analyzed by mean, one sample t-test, and independent samples t-test at p < 0.05. The findings of this study indicated that academic employees in higher education institutions in Addis Ababa were dissatisfied with their jobs, except for the work itself. Concerning the employment sector, this study also showed that academic employees were satisfied with pay and supervision in private universities. Academic employees in public universities, however, were satisfied with job security. Based on the findings, this study recommended further research relevant to the issue under investigation to provide directions for policy amendment and implications for practice.