College and University Administrators
Training and Education
| Fast Facts* | |
|---|---|
| Recommended Degree Level | Master's |
| Salary, Typical | $86,490 |
| Salary Range | |
| Number of Jobs, 2012 | 122,930 |
| Annual Job Growth Rate | 4.3% |
| Job Openings per Year (est.) | 6,910 |
A bachelor's or higher degree, plus work experience is useful when pursuing this career. Among employees, 78% graduated from college with 4 year degrees. 15% of people working as college and university administrators went to college but did not obtain a degree. 6% of workers completed high school but did not pursue a college education.
Part-Time Work and Self-Employment
Employees that work part-time represent 8% of the total in 2008. College and university administrators who work for themselves represent about 3% of the total.
Area Job Conditions
Finding jobs for employees may be easier in Ithaca (New York), Raleigh (North Carolina), and Brockton (Massachusetts), and the most challenging in York (Pennsylvania), West Palm Beach (Florida), and Tampa (Florida).
The pay for these jobs is highest in Albuquerque (New Mexico), Lubbock (Texas), and Hartford (Connecticut) and lowest in Erie (Pennsylvania), Asheville (North Carolina), and Rockford (Illinois).
Video Overview
A high-level introduction to administration careers in higher education. Produced for the US Dept. of Labor.
Salaries by City
See typical salaries and ranges for this career below*. Shift click to sort by more than one column -- for example first shift-click on state and then shift-click on salary to find best and worst salaries in each state.
| State | City / Region | Typical Salary | Salary Range | Job Count | % of All Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| AK | Anchorage | $93,930 | N/A | N/A | |
| AL | Auburn - Opelika | $92,160 | 190 | 0.38% | |
| AL | Birmingham - Hoover | $82,990 | 450 | 0.09% | |
| AL | Huntsville | $75,160 | 280 | 0.14% | |
| AL | Mobile | $97,040 | 210 | 0.12% | |
| AL | Montgomery | $86,840 | 180 | 0.11% | |
| AL | Tuscaloosa | $102,900 | 210 | 0.24% | |
| AR | Fayetteville - Springdale - Rogers | $97,950 | 160 | 0.08% | |
| AR | Fort Smith | $74,610 | 60 | 0.05% | |
| AR | Little Rock - North Little Rock - Conway | $80,360 | 330 | 0.10% | |
| AZ | Flagstaff | $103,700 | 190 | 0.34% | |
| AZ | Phoenix - Mesa - Glendale | $92,150 | 2,090 | 0.12% | |
| AZ | Prescott | $62,710 | 130 | 0.24% | |
| AZ | Tucson | $93,510 | 600 | 0.17% | |
| CA | Bakersfield - Delano | $91,770 | 130 | 0.05% | |
| CA | Fresno | $100,210 | 310 | 0.10% | |
| CA | Los Angeles - Long Beach - Glendale (Metro Area) | $89,490 | 3,470 | 0.09% | |
| CA | Modesto | $103,690 | N/A | N/A | |
| CA | Oakland - Fremont - Hayward (Metro Area) | $92,250 | 1,080 | 0.11% | |
| CA | Oxnard - Thousand Oaks - Ventura | $68,090 | 270 | 0.09% | |
| CA | Riverside - San Bernardino - Ontario | $94,920 | 740 | 0.06% | |
| CA | Sacramento - Arden - Arcade - Roseville | $99,510 | 810 | 0.10% | |
| CA | Salinas | $92,690 | 160 | 0.11% | |
| CA | San Diego - Carlsbad - San Marcos | $93,820 | 1,140 | 0.09% | |
| CA | San Francisco - San Mateo - Redwood City (Metro Area) | $93,650 | 990 | 0.10% | |
| CA | San Jose - Sunnyvale - Santa Clara | $100,180 | 560 | 0.06% | |
| CA | San Luis Obispo - Paso Robles | $104,370 | 140 | 0.14% | |
| CA | Santa Ana - Anaheim - Irvine (Metro Area) | $94,770 | 990 | 0.07% | |
| CA | Santa Barbara - Santa Maria - Goleta | $102,450 | 160 | 0.09% | |
| CA | Santa Rosa - Petaluma | $87,980 | 160 | 0.09% | |
| CA | Stockton | $69,780 | 110 | 0.06% | |
| CA | Vallejo - Fairfield | $98,800 | 140 | 0.12% | |
| CA | Visalia - Porterville | $114,880 | 50 | 0.04% | |
| CO | Boulder | $94,610 | 210 | 0.13% | |
| CO | Denver - Aurora - Broomfield | $81,840 | 1,070 | 0.09% | |
| CO | Fort Collins - Loveland | $78,470 | 180 | 0.14% | |
| CO | Grand Junction | $71,690 | 50 | 0.08% | |
| CT | Bridgeport - Stamford - Norwalk | $87,300 | 230 | 0.06% | |
| CT | Hartford - West Hartford - East Hartford | $106,220 | 740 | 0.13% | |
| CT | New Haven | $107,840 | 770 | 0.28% | |
| CT | Norwich - New London | N/A | 50 | 0.04% | |
| DC | Washington - Arlington - Alexandria (Metro Area) | $83,850 | 3,100 | 0.13% | |
| DE | Wilmington (Metro Area) | $106,690 | 230 | 0.07% | |
| FL | Deltona - Daytona Beach - Ormond Beach | $99,660 | 60 | 0.04% | |
| FL | Fort Lauderdale - Pompano Beach - Deerfield Beach (Metro Area) | $123,750 | 170 | 0.02% | |
| FL | Gainesville | $130,090 | 40 | 0.04% | |
| FL | Jacksonville | $94,940 | 60 | 0.01% | |
| FL | Miami - Miami Beach - Kendall (Metro Area) | $98,790 | 190 | 0.02% | |
| FL | Ocala | $92,830 | 30 | 0.04% | |
| FL | Orlando - Kissimmee - Sanford | $90,840 | 150 | 0.01% | |
| FL | Palm Bay - Melbourne - Titusville | $85,300 | 50 | 0.03% | |
| FL | Tampa - St. Petersburg - Clearwater | $100,760 | 200 | 0.02% | |
| FL | West Palm Beach - Boca Raton - Boynton Beach (Metro Area) | $94,740 | 110 | 0.02% | |
| GA | Albany | $94,740 | N/A | N/A | |
| GA | Athens - Clarke County | $58,830 | 50 | 0.06% | |
| GA | Atlanta - Sandy Springs - Marietta | $91,870 | N/A | N/A | |
| GA | Augusta - Richmond County | $127,300 | N/A | N/A | |
| GA | Macon | $82,240 | 160 | 0.18% | |
| GA | Rome | $71,710 | 100 | 0.27% | |
| GA | Savannah | $101,670 | 280 | 0.19% | |
| HI | Honolulu | $93,260 | 220 | 0.05% | |
| IA | Davenport - Moline - Rock Island | $68,230 | 170 | 0.10% | |
| IA | Des Moines - West Des Moines | $83,790 | 250 | 0.08% | |
| IA | Sioux City | $64,180 | 40 | 0.06% | |
| ID | Coeur d'Alene, ID | $69,500 | 40 | 0.08% | |
| IL | Bloomington - Normal | $98,220 | 140 | 0.16% | |
| IL | Chicago - Joliet - Naperville (Metro Area) | $90,930 | N/A | N/A | |
| IL | Decatur | $68,500 | 30 | 0.07% | |
| IL | Kankakee - Bradley | $69,220 | 70 | 0.18% | |
| IL | Lake County - Kenosha County (Metro Area) | $86,570 | 280 | 0.07% | |
| IL | Peoria | $69,800 | 100 | 0.06% | |
| IL | Springfield | $91,710 | 50 | 0.05% | |
| IN | Evansville | $74,100 | 50 | 0.03% | |
| IN | Fort Wayne | $80,230 | 160 | 0.08% | |
| IN | Gary (Metro Area) | $73,610 | 130 | 0.05% | |
| IN | Indianapolis - Carmel | $74,780 | 430 | 0.05% | |
| IN | Terre Haute | $90,390 | 130 | 0.20% | |
| KS | Manhattan | N/A | 220 | 0.43% | |
| KS | Wichita | N/A | 190 | 0.07% | |
| KY | Bowling Green | $83,990 | 120 | 0.21% | |
| KY | Lexington - Fayette | $85,120 | 320 | 0.13% | |
| KY | Louisville - Jefferson County | $78,680 | 360 | 0.06% | |
| LA | New Orleans - Metairie - Kenner | $82,960 | 900 | 0.17% | |
| LA | Shreveport - Bossier City | $70,500 | 130 | 0.07% | |
| MA | Barnstable Town | $87,510 | 30 | 0.03% | |
| MA | Boston - Cambridge - Quincy (Metro Area) | $92,460 | 4,340 | 0.25% | |
| MA | Brockton - Bridgewater - Easton (Metro Area) | $73,160 | 360 | 0.42% | |
| MA | Framingham (Metro Area) | $74,880 | 70 | 0.04% | |
| MA | Haverhill - North Andover - Amesbury (Metro Area) | $63,210 | 80 | 0.10% | |
| MA | Springfield | $68,110 | 790 | 0.28% | |
| MA | Worcester | $77,970 | 520 | 0.21% | |
| MD | Baltimore - Towson | $98,360 | 1,540 | 0.12% | |
| MD | Bethesda - Rockville - Frederick (Metro Area) | $101,900 | 320 | 0.06% | |
| MD | Salisbury | $108,180 | 40 | 0.07% | |
| ME | Bangor | $65,620 | 100 | 0.16% | |
| ME | Lewiston - Auburn | $72,970 | N/A | N/A | |
| ME | Portland - South Portland - Biddeford | $72,680 | 270 | 0.14% | |
| MI | Ann Arbor | $133,170 | 550 | 0.28% | |
| MI | Detroit - Livonia - Dearborn (Metro Area) | $110,040 | 730 | 0.11% | |
| MI | Flint | $84,210 | 160 | 0.12% | |
| MI | Grand Rapids - Wyoming | $83,040 | 310 | 0.08% | |
| MI | Jackson | $62,900 | 90 | 0.18% | |
| MI | Kalamazoo - Portage | $87,880 | 100 | 0.08% | |
| MI | Lansing - East Lansing | $94,310 | 380 | 0.19% | |
| MI | Warren - Troy - Farmington Hills (Metro Area) | $87,650 | 560 | 0.05% | |
| MN | Duluth | $72,380 | 190 | 0.15% | |
| MN | Minneapolis - St. Paul - Bloomington | $83,110 | 2,390 | 0.14% | |
| MO | Cape Girardeau - Jackson | $83,150 | 50 | 0.11% | |
| MO | Kansas City | $82,010 | 740 | 0.08% | |
| MO | Springfield | $87,680 | 170 | 0.09% | |
| MO | St. Joseph | $58,940 | N/A | N/A | |
| MO | St. Louis | $82,470 | 1,030 | 0.08% | |
| MS | Gulfport - Biloxi | $76,550 | 60 | 0.06% | |
| MS | Jackson | $69,560 | 440 | 0.17% | |
| NC | Asheville | $63,060 | 180 | 0.11% | |
| NC | Charlotte - Gastonia - Rock Hill | $74,210 | 860 | 0.10% | |
| NC | Durham - Chapel Hill | $104,630 | 870 | 0.32% | |
| NC | Fayetteville | $90,900 | 70 | 0.05% | |
| NC | Goldsboro | $89,710 | 60 | 0.15% | |
| NC | Greensboro - High Point | $91,830 | 330 | 0.10% | |
| NC | Hickory - Lenoir - Morganton | $58,560 | 130 | 0.09% | |
| NC | Raleigh - Cary | $104,650 | 620 | 0.12% | |
| NC | Rocky Mount | $59,790 | 50 | 0.08% | |
| NC | Wilmington | $105,620 | 70 | 0.05% | |
| NC | Winston - Salem | $98,460 | 280 | 0.14% | |
| ND | Bismarck | $56,630 | N/A | N/A | |
| ND | Grand Forks | $83,960 | 80 | 0.17% | |
| NE | Lincoln | $76,470 | 270 | 0.17% | |
| NE | Omaha - Council Bluffs | $73,550 | 420 | 0.09% | |
| NH | Manchester | $77,330 | 160 | 0.16% | |
| NH | Nashua (Metro Area) | $76,840 | 50 | 0.04% | |
| NJ | Atlantic City - Hammonton | $119,070 | 90 | 0.07% | |
| NJ | Camden (Metro Area) | $112,250 | 190 | 0.04% | |
| NJ | Edison - New Brunswick (Metro Area) | $146,600 | 410 | 0.04% | |
| NJ | Newark - Union (Metro Area) | $101,170 | 710 | 0.07% | |
| NJ | Trenton - Ewing | $106,440 | 310 | 0.15% | |
| NM | Albuquerque | $65,060 | 120 | 0.03% | |
| NM | Santa Fe | $58,880 | 150 | 0.26% | |
| NV | Las Vegas - Paradise | $77,020 | 380 | 0.05% | |
| NV | Reno - Sparks | $110,330 | 220 | 0.11% | |
| NY | Albany - Schenectady - Troy | $81,800 | 580 | 0.14% | |
| NY | Binghamton | $92,510 | 80 | 0.08% | |
| NY | Buffalo - Niagara Falls | $91,740 | 350 | 0.07% | |
| NY | Ithaca | $97,560 | 120 | 0.25% | |
| NY | Kingston | $90,720 | 60 | 0.10% | |
| NY | Nassau - Suffolk (Metro Area) | $106,170 | 750 | 0.06% | |
| NY | New York - White Plains - Wayne (Metro Area) | $99,740 | 5,400 | 0.10% | |
| NY | Poughkeepsie - Newburgh - Middletown | $88,550 | 370 | 0.15% | |
| NY | Rochester | $99,920 | 440 | 0.09% | |
| NY | Syracuse | $105,080 | 550 | 0.18% | |
| NY | Utica - Rome | $93,640 | 160 | 0.13% | |
| OH | Akron | $93,840 | 310 | 0.10% | |
| OH | Canton - Massillon | $76,490 | 330 | 0.20% | |
| OH | Cincinnati - Middletown | $81,610 | 710 | 0.07% | |
| OH | Cleveland - Elyria - Mentor | $83,500 | 740 | 0.07% | |
| OH | Columbus | $100,880 | 860 | 0.09% | |
| OH | Dayton | $82,160 | 370 | 0.10% | |
| OH | Toledo | $86,240 | 240 | 0.08% | |
| OH | Youngstown - Warren - Boardman | $93,350 | 100 | 0.04% | |
| OK | Oklahoma City | $74,430 | 600 | 0.10% | |
| OK | Tulsa | $66,000 | 300 | 0.07% | |
| OR | Eugene - Springfield | $79,360 | 190 | 0.14% | |
| OR | Portland - Vancouver - Hillsboro | $72,350 | 1,080 | 0.11% | |
| OR | Salem | $70,220 | 120 | 0.08% | |
| PA | Allentown - Bethlehem - Easton | $70,790 | 330 | 0.10% | |
| PA | Harrisburg - Carlisle | $94,390 | 240 | 0.08% | |
| PA | Lancaster | $71,420 | 90 | 0.04% | |
| PA | Philadelphia (Metro Area) | $106,920 | 2,270 | 0.12% | |
| PA | Pittsburgh | $85,900 | 1,060 | 0.09% | |
| PA | Reading | $59,070 | N/A | N/A | |
| PA | Scranton - Wilkes - Barre | $73,930 | 230 | 0.09% | |
| PA | York - Hanover | $63,590 | N/A | N/A | |
| PR | Aguadilla - Isabela - San Sebastian | $49,860 | 50 | 0.12% | |
| PR | Mayaguez | $44,300 | 50 | 0.17% | |
| PR | Ponce | $48,680 | 100 | 0.19% | |
| PR | San Juan - Caguas - Guaynabo | $43,800 | 930 | 0.13% | |
| RI | Providence - Fall River - Warwick | $92,700 | 780 | 0.15% | |
| SC | Charleston - North Charleston - Summerville | $79,460 | 160 | 0.06% | |
| SC | Columbia | $71,230 | 330 | 0.10% | |
| SC | Florence | $69,690 | 70 | 0.08% | |
| SC | Greenville - Mauldin - Easley | $69,690 | 830 | 0.28% | |
| SC | Spartanburg | $60,560 | 90 | 0.08% | |
| SD | Sioux Falls | $88,820 | 30 | 0.02% | |
| TN | Chattanooga | $67,400 | 110 | 0.05% | |
| TN | Jackson | $60,360 | 110 | 0.19% | |
| TN | Kingsport - Bristol - Bristol | $78,500 | 50 | 0.05% | |
| TN | Knoxville | $80,060 | 350 | 0.11% | |
| TN | Memphis | $72,420 | 830 | 0.14% | |
| TN | Nashville - Davidson - Murfreesboro - Franklin | $74,450 | 780 | 0.11% | |
| TX | Abilene | $68,300 | 60 | 0.09% | |
| TX | Amarillo | N/A | 110 | 0.10% | |
| TX | Austin - Round Rock - San Marcos | $97,380 | 520 | 0.06% | |
| TX | Beaumont - Port Arthur | $83,840 | 60 | 0.04% | |
| TX | Brownsville - Harlingen | $103,740 | 30 | 0.02% | |
| TX | College Station - Bryan | $85,380 | 550 | 0.59% | |
| TX | Corpus Christi | $98,420 | 40 | 0.02% | |
| TX | Dallas - Plano - Irving (Metro Area) | $81,080 | 660 | 0.03% | |
| TX | El Paso | $85,300 | 110 | 0.04% | |
| TX | Fort Worth - Arlington (Metro Area) | $89,330 | 350 | 0.04% | |
| TX | Houston - Sugar Land - Baytown | $89,960 | 1,300 | 0.05% | |
| TX | Killeen - Temple - Fort Hood | $84,570 | 120 | 0.09% | |
| TX | Lubbock | $94,810 | 90 | 0.07% | |
| TX | McAllen - Edinburg - Mission | $78,440 | 70 | 0.03% | |
| TX | Odessa | $69,660 | 40 | 0.06% | |
| TX | San Antonio - New Braunfels | $89,390 | 500 | 0.06% | |
| TX | Tyler | $90,960 | 60 | 0.06% | |
| TX | Waco | $107,300 | 60 | 0.06% | |
| UT | Ogden - Clearfield | $83,660 | 90 | 0.04% | |
| UT | Provo - Orem | $84,220 | 230 | 0.13% | |
| UT | Salt Lake City | $85,000 | 300 | 0.05% | |
| VA | Blacksburg - Christiansburg - Radford | $46,790 | 80 | 0.12% | |
| VA | Danville | $70,950 | 40 | 0.10% | |
| VA | Lynchburg | N/A | 60 | 0.07% | |
| VA | Richmond | $93,390 | 340 | 0.06% | |
| VA | Roanoke | $91,770 | 50 | 0.03% | |
| VA | Virginia Beach - Norfolk - Newport News | $86,190 | 530 | 0.07% | |
| VA | Winchester | $85,780 | 50 | 0.10% | |
| VT | Burlington - South Burlington | $61,570 | 170 | 0.15% | |
| WA | Bellingham | $92,260 | N/A | N/A | |
| WA | Bremerton - Silverdale | $71,840 | 30 | 0.04% | |
| WA | Kennewick - Pasco - Richland | $85,220 | 50 | 0.05% | |
| WA | Olympia | $100,940 | 40 | 0.05% | |
| WA | Seattle - Bellevue - Everett (Metro Area) | $88,450 | 1,100 | 0.08% | |
| WA | Spokane | $83,150 | 210 | 0.11% | |
| WA | Tacoma (Metro Area) | $83,690 | 180 | 0.07% | |
| WI | Eau Claire | $75,340 | N/A | N/A | |
| WI | Fond du Lac | $83,020 | 40 | 0.10% | |
| WI | Green Bay | $83,270 | 110 | 0.07% | |
| WI | Janesville | $44,460 | 60 | 0.10% | |
| WI | La Crosse | $79,940 | 120 | 0.16% | |
| WI | Madison | $91,200 | 730 | 0.22% | |
| WI | Milwaukee - Waukesha - West Allis | $75,110 | 1,370 | 0.17% | |
| WV | Charleston | $84,100 | 50 | 0.04% | |
| WV | Huntington - Ashland | $77,240 | 240 | 0.22% | |
| WV | Parkersburg - Marietta - Vienna | $69,740 | 30 | 0.05% |