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Boston Career Explorer

Management

Education Administrators, Postsecondary

Plan, direct, or coordinate student instruction, administration, and services, as well as other research and educational activities, at postsecondary institutions, including universities, colleges, and junior and community colleges.

Also called: Academic Affairs Vice President (Academic Affairs VP), Academic Dean, Admissions Director, College President, Dean, Financial Aid Director

Median pay in Greater Boston
$131,130
$63.04/hr
Jobs in Greater Boston
6,770
Massachusetts 2024–2034
+5.5%
670 openings a year
Typical U.S. entry requirement
Master's degree
Less than 5 years of related work experience

Greater Boston: Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH metro area, May 2025. Growth and openings: Massachusetts statewide projection.

Pay range in Greater Boston

Yearly pay in Greater Boston by percentile
10th25thMedian75th90th
$81,000$102,170$131,130$173,740$281,100

10% of workers earn less than the first figure and 10% earn more than the last.

What you’d do

  • Design or use assessments to monitor student learning outcomes.
  • Recruit, hire, train, and terminate departmental personnel.
  • Direct, coordinate, and evaluate the activities of personnel, including support staff engaged in administering academic institutions, departments, or alumni organizations.
  • Advise students on issues such as course selection, progress toward graduation, and career decisions.
  • Plan, administer, and control budgets, maintain financial records, and produce financial reports.
  • Formulate strategic plans for the institution.

AI and this job

AI exposure: how much of this job’s work AI tools can do or help with, based on national research. It is not a forecast of job loss.

Higher exposure90 of 100

The index averages three national research measures, each shown as a percentile of all jobs:

  • AIOE 99
  • Language-model AIOE 96
  • GPTs-are-GPTs 76

Observed AI use today: Some (Anthropic Economic Index)

AI exposure for this job is among the higher ones, and some workers already use AI tools. Tools can help with tracking student learning data, keeping financial records, and producing budget reports. Advising students, hiring and leading staff, and making career decisions with people rely on human judgment. Massachusetts job growth is projected at 5.5%.

Likely to change

  • Financial records and budget reports
  • Analyzing student learning assessment results

Still relies on people

  • Advising students on courses and careers
  • Hiring, leading, and evaluating staff

Written with AI from the data on this page. Check with a career coach before making a decision.

Next steps from here

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    Pay difference
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Training near Boston

College and school programs in the Boston metro area that lead to this job, with 2023-24 completions (IPEDS).

5 programs near Boston (plus 39 graduate)

Related occupations

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