College Administrators

Salaries for college and postsecondary technical school administrators vary widely among two-year and four-year colleges and among public and private institutions, but they are generally comparable to those of full-time college faculty. According to the U.S. Department of Labor, in May 2023 the median salary for postsecondary education administrators was $102,610. The lowest paid 10 percent of administrators earned $62,970 per year, while the highest 90 percent paid made $209,870 or more annually. Fifty percent of postsecondary administrators earned between $79,700 and $137,230.

The College and University Professional Association for Human Resources reported the following median salaries for certain administrative positions in 2022:

• chief student admissions officers: $107,102
• chief student financial aid officers: $99,871
• chief campus academic advising administrators: $86,273

College presidents earned average salaries of $333,371 in July 2024, according to Salary.com. Earnings ranged from $252,985 to $462,972.Though college presidents can earn high salaries, they are often not as high as the earnings of other top administrators and even some college coaches. For example, competition can drive up the pay for highly desired medical specialists, economics educators, or football coaches.

Most colleges and universities provide excellent benefits packages including health insurance, paid vacation, sick leave, and tuition remission. Higher level administrators such as presidents, deans, and provosts often receive such bonuses as access to special university clubs, tickets to sporting events, expense accounts for entertaining university guests, and other privileges.