Education Administrators, Postsecondary
Postsecondary education administrators oversee student services, academics, and faculty research at colleges and universities.
Is education administrators, postsecondary a good career?
It scores 23/100 and ranks #252 of 825 occupations on pay, growth, employment and openings. Here's what the federal data says, with no editorializing.
Advantages
- Pays well above the U.S. median wage ($104,590 vs $61,390)
Possible tradeoffs
- Slower-than-average projected growth (+1.7%)
- Typically requires a master's degree
- Often needs prior experience (less than 5 years)
What education administrators, postsecondary earn
Wages: BLS OEWS May 2025Pay is a range, not a number. Half of U.S. education administrators, postsecondary earn between $80,870 and $144,370 a year.
Best-paying states
Best-paying metros
Strongest employment concentration
Live education administrators, postsecondary jobs
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- Typical education
- Master's degree
- Work experience
- Less than 5 years
- On-the-job training
- None
- Outlook
- Employment is projected to grow slower than average through 2034.
Education
Postsecondary education administrators typically need a master’s degree. However, a bachelor’s degree may be sufficient for positions at small colleges and universities. Degrees may be in a variety of fields, such as education, business, or social science.
Provosts and deans often must have a Ph.D. Some begin their careers as professors and later move into administration. They have a doctorate in the field in which they taught or in higher education.
Advancement
Education administrators with advanced degrees may be promoted to higher level positions within their department or the college. Some become college presidents, an occupation discussed in the profile on top executives.
Important qualities
Computer skills. Postsecondary education administrators need to be comfortable working with computers so they can use software to manage student and school records.
Interpersonal skills. Postsecondary education administrators need to build good relationships with colleagues, students, and parents. For example, those in admissions need to be outgoing so they can encourage prospective students to apply to the school.
Organizational skills. Administrators need to be organized so they can manage records, prioritize tasks, and coordinate activities with their staff.
Problem-solving skills. Administrators need to react calmly when a difficult situation arises and develop creative solutions.
Related occupations
How much do education administrators, postsecondary make?
The national median wage is $104,590 a year, with the middle half earning between $80,870 and $144,370 (BLS OEWS May 2025).
Is education administrators, postsecondary a good career?
On the Jobs.best index it scores 23 of 100 and ranks #252 of 825 occupations, weighing pay, growth, employment and openings. Employment is projected to change +1.7% through 2034.
What education do you need to become a education administrators, postsecondary?
The typical entry-level education is master's degree, usually with less than 5 years.
Where do education administrators, postsecondary earn the most?
Among states, New York pays the highest median ($139,640). Local pay for every state and metro is below.