Untangle overlapping class times
To clear the clash, check open rooms and instructor availability, then build a working timetable with professors.
Career profile
Higher Education Administrator
College administrators run student services and academic operations, guiding students from enrollment to graduation.
Who fixes two required classes that meet at once? This role may build schedules, run an office, and steer its staff and budget for students.
A day in the life
Clear a missing degree requirement
In the registrar's office, check a student's courses and approved substitution, then update the degree audit for graduation.
Price out a student workshop
Check a proposed workshop's cost against the department's remaining budget and approve or revise it before committing funds.
Prepare the team's week
Meet tutors and office staff, go over upcoming services, and assign each task for the week ahead.
Quick facts
Usually a master's degree
United States · 2025–2035
$104,590 a year
United States · May 2025
1.8% projected growth
United States · 2025–2035
Quick orientation
Preparation, pay & outlook
Preparation
Usually a master's degreeRelated work experience is also typical; requirements depend on the position.
Pay
$104,590 a yearNational median for postsecondary administrators; equivalent to $50.29 an hour.
Outlook
1.8% projected growthAbout 14,500 openings a year on average, including replacement openings.
Fit, tradeoffs & changing tools
You might like this if…
- You enjoy bringing people together to settle a practical problem.
- You notice mismatches in records and want to trace their cause.
- You like deciding priorities and explaining your reasoning.
Things to weigh
- Workweeks can run beyond 40 hours.
- You may need to handle complaints while maintaining working relationships.
Where AI may help
Degree-audit software compares completed courses with graduation requirements, making gaps easier to see.
What people still lead
Registrar staff still process approved exceptions and review whether students can graduate.
What we can’t predict yet
How much checking software can take over depends partly on its ability to handle unusual course histories and exceptions reliably.
Pay in context
Earnings
The national figures cover postsecondary administrators across departments and responsibility levels, so they are not a starting-salary promise.
The national range is wide
The median was $104,590 a year, or $50.29 an hour. The 10th and 90th percentile wages were $64,560 and $215,620. Those are positions in the pay distribution, not beginner and senior salaries.
Workplace type changes the comparison
An older industry breakdown shows annual averages of $125,950 at colleges, universities, and professional schools; $104,560 at junior colleges; and $95,200 at technical and trade schools. These May 2023 averages are different measures from the 2025 national median.
Openings exceed net job growth
Employment is projected to grow 1.8% over 2025–2035, with about 14,500 openings annually. Openings include replacing departing workers, not just newly created positions.
Getting started
Combine graduate study with campus practice
- What the route involves
- After a bachelor's degree, pursue a master's program with supervised campus experience. Indiana State's Master of Science in Student Affairs and Higher Education combines coursework with distinct practica.
- What it can lead to
- You gain graduate preparation and practice in student services, matching the typical education level for this occupation.
Build experience from a bachelor's degree
- What the route involves
- Earn a bachelor's degree and build experience in a college administrative office.
- What it can lead to
- Some smaller colleges accept this preparation for administrative positions.
- What to check
- Many employers prefer several years of experience; a master's degree remains typical.
Choose a college function that interests you. Entry requirements differ between student services and senior academic leadership.
After entry
Career paths
This starts where the entry routes leave off: early work, growing capability, and advancement or specialization.
Get established
Learn your college's records system and how exceptions reach the people who approve them.
Take responsibility for a service
Build experience coordinating staff, managing spending, and keeping a student program running.
Lead a department
Work toward a director role with responsibility for staff and budgets. Academic dean roles often require a doctorate.
Where you can work
Smaller colleges
A small staff often covers several functions. Your office may handle student activities and athletics together, giving you a broader mix of responsibilities.
- Indoors
- Office
Larger universities
Separate offices handle functions such as admissions, registration, and athletics. Your work can be more specialized, with coordination across departments.
- Indoors
- Office
Try it
See whether the job clicks before you commit to the path.
Make a fictional timetable for four college courses using two rooms and three instructors. Add one instructor conflict, then revise the schedule. Write who you would consult before changing it. Notice whether you enjoy balancing constraints and explaining a decision.
Sources
- O*NET OnLine. Education Administrators, Postsecondary. Accessed 2026-10-03.
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Occupational projections and worker characteristics. Accessed 2026-10-03.
- O*NET OnLine / U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. National Wages: Education Administrators, Postsecondary. Accessed 2026-10-03.
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. May 2023 Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates: Education Administrators, Postsecondary. Accessed 2026-10-03.
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Postsecondary Education Administrators. Accessed 2026-10-03.
- Indiana State University. Student Affairs and Higher Education (MS). Accessed 2026-10-03.
- William & Mary. DegreeWorks Audits. Accessed 2026-10-03.
- Del Mar College. Director, Student Success Center. Accessed 2026-10-03.