Academic adviser vs admissions advisor

The differences between academic advisers and admissions advisors can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. Additionally, an admissions advisor has an average salary of $54,192, which is higher than the $46,729 average annual salary of an academic adviser.

The top three skills for an academic adviser include customer service, student services and financial aid. The most important skills for an admissions advisor are customer service, admissions process, and outbound calls.

Academic adviser vs admissions advisor overview

	Academic Adviser	Admissions Advisor
Yearly salary	$46,729	$54,192
Hourly rate	$22.47	$26.05
Growth rate	10%	10%
Number of jobs	23,208	55,433
Job satisfaction	5	4
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 64%	Bachelor's Degree, 68%
Average age	42	42
Years of experience	-	-

What does an academic adviser do?

An academic adviser is responsible for managing the students' educational goals and future career aspirations by encouraging them to join scholastic activities, conducting one-on-one discussions to identify their challenges and areas of improvement, and developing educational plans to address possible difficulties. Academic advisers also monitor the students' interests and abilities for a career setting, track the students' progress, and create engaging activities to observe the students' personal and social behavior. An academic adviser must have excellent communication skills and extensive knowledge of teaching principles and disciplines to handle different personalities.

What does an admissions advisor do?

The admissions advisor's work involves meeting with potential students and organizing recruitment events in the admissions offices of colleges and universities. Their tasks also include informing students and families about the application process, requirements for admission, financial aid, and enrollment steps. Moreover, they can answer frequently asked questions about the school to help potential students decide whether it is a good fit. In addition, they may also leave campus to help in promoting the school at college and university fairs.

Academic adviser vs admissions advisor salary

Academic advisers and admissions advisors have different pay scales, as shown below.

	Academic Adviser	Admissions Advisor
Average salary	$46,729	$54,192
Salary range	Between $35,000 And $62,000	Between $27,000 And $106,000
Highest paying City	Washington, DC	Merced, CA
Highest paying state	Massachusetts	California
Best paying company	New York Film Academy	Tenet Healthcare
Best paying industry	Government	Education

Differences between academic adviser and admissions advisor education

There are a few differences between an academic adviser and an admissions advisor in terms of educational background:

	Academic Adviser	Admissions Advisor
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 64%	Bachelor's Degree, 68%
Most common major	Psychology	Business
Most common college	University of Pennsylvania	University of Pennsylvania

Academic adviser vs admissions advisor demographics

Here are the differences between academic advisers' and admissions advisors' demographics:

	Academic Adviser	Admissions Advisor
Average age	42	42
Gender ratio	Male, 35.3% Female, 64.7%	Male, 44.7% Female, 55.3%
Race ratio	Black or African American, 10.6% Unknown, 3.8% Hispanic or Latino, 14.2% Asian, 3.7% White, 67.0% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.6%	Black or African American, 10.6% Unknown, 3.8% Hispanic or Latino, 14.2% Asian, 3.7% White, 67.0% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.6%
LGBT Percentage	11%	11%

Differences between academic adviser and admissions advisor duties and responsibilities

Academic adviser example responsibilities.

Coach and mentore students in determining optimal course of study to achieve specific career performance goals and certifications.
Interpret student records such as transcripts and IEP's.
Collect and analyze data for behaviors and IEP objectives.
Direct a team of four ESL teachers, implement school policies, teaching schedules, and activities clubs.
Organize all freshman and parent oreintation programs, assist in the freshman experience class, advise all undeclare students.
Create PowerPoint presentations used for curriculum development.

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Admissions advisor example responsibilities.

Manage warranty parts inventory levels for the DoD in Kuwait, Guam and Korea
Manage Facebook updates to market events, brand FLC and create a virtual community for students.
Manage the testing of all new students, verification of transferable credits, and review process for all new applicants.
Manage budget development and allocation, consistently maximizing student and NHS opportunities while minimizing costs.
Assist in bolstering student retention by providing unparallele service to make sure students are thoroughly satisfy with the complete AIU experience.
Serve on campus committees design to enhance the success and persistence of students.

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Academic adviser vs admissions advisor skills

Common academic adviser skills

Customer Service, 9%
Student Services, 8%
Financial Aid, 7%
Professional Development, 6%
Support Services, 5%
Excellent Interpersonal, 5%

Common admissions advisor skills

Customer Service, 17%
Admissions Process, 13%
Outbound Calls, 9%
Enrollment Process, 6%
Professional Work, 6%
Criminal Justice, 6%

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Updated January 8, 2025

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