Education Administrators, Postsecondary Job Outlook
The Bureau of Labor Statistics projects employment of postsecondary education administrators to grow 1.8% from 2025 to 2035 (about 4,100 more jobs), with about 14,500 openings a year, and the May 2025 median pay of $104,590 a year ranks 114th of 825 occupations.
- Projected change
- +1.8%
- Openings a year
- 14,500
- Median pay
- $104,590
- Pay rank
- 114th of 825
Is employment of postsecondary education administrators growing or shrinking?
Growing: BLS projects employment of postsecondary education administrators to rise 1.8% (about 4,100 more jobs) from 2025 to 2035, slower than the 3.5% projected across all occupations. That is slower than the +6.2% summed from BLS's employment levels across the 37 management occupations with a projection. That change ranks 503rd of 830 projected occupations.
| Measure | Figure |
|---|---|
| Employment, 2025 | 231,800 |
| Employment, 2035 | 235,900 |
| Projected change | +1.8% |
| Openings a year | 14,500 |
Source: BLS Employment Projections, 2025 to 2035. A projection is a BLS estimate, not a count. The 231,800 jobs here differ from the 180,470 on the salary page because Employment Projections also counts the self-employed and a wider set of workers, while OEWS counts wage and salary jobs in May 2025. BLS published these projections on August 27, 2026; checked November 10, 2026. Confirm any figure in the BLS Employment Projections tables.
BLS's reasons for this projection are at the Occupational Outlook Handbook. State projections are at Projections Central; projections by industry are left to BLS. Education, licensing and work context at O*NET.
How many job openings are there each year?
About 14,500 openings a year, from job growth and from workers leaving the occupation, the 203rd most of 830 occupations. About 97% of them replace workers who change occupations or leave the labor force; the rest come from the 410 jobs added in an average year.
Source: BLS Employment Projections, 2025 to 2035.
How does pay for postsecondary education administrators rank?
The median of $104,590 a year ranks 114th of 825 occupations with a published median. It sits in the upper half of occupations on both pay and openings.
Source: BLS OEWS national file, May 2025. Wage and salary jobs only; the self-employed are not counted. OEWS pay excludes overtime, shift differentials and non-production bonuses. Ranks count only the occupations with that published figure: 830 for projected change, 830 for openings, 825 for median pay, which is why the totals differ.
What does it take to start?
- Typical entry-level education: master's degree.
- Work experience in a related occupation: less than 5 years.
Source: BLS Employment Projections, 2025 to 2035, education and training assignments.
How do related jobs compare on outlook?
| Occupation | Change | Openings a year | Median pay |
|---|---|---|---|
| Education Administrators, Kindergarten through Secondary | -0.3% | 20,600 | $105,870 |
| Social and Community Service Managers | +7.2% | 18,500 | $80,390 |
| Training and Development Managers | +6.4% | 4,100 | $133,000 |
| Education and Childcare Administrators, Preschool and Daycare | -3.1% | 5,200 | $59,300 |
| Chief Executives | +3.2% | 19,100 | $213,990 |
| Medical and Health Services Managers | +24.2% | 62,300 | $123,860 |
| Education Teachers, Postsecondary | +2.5% | 5,300 | $75,350 |
| Educational, Guidance, and Career Counselors and Advisors | +2.9% | 27,800 | $64,330 |
Related occupations from O*NET; projections from BLS Employment Projections, 2025 to 2035; pay from BLS OEWS, May 2025.