How to hire an academic dean

How to hire an academic dean, step by step

Here's a step-by-step academic dean hiring guide:

• Step 1: Identify your hiring needs
• Step 2: Create an ideal candidate profile
• Step 3: Make a budget
• Step 4: Write an academic dean job description
• Step 5: Post your job
• Step 6: Interview candidates
• Step 7: Send a job offer and onboard your new academic dean
• Step 8: Go through the hiring process checklist

What does an academic dean do?

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1. Identify your hiring needs

   First, determine the employments status of the academic dean you need to hire. Certain academic dean roles might require a full-time employee, whereas others can be done by part-time workers or contractors.

   Determine employee vs contractor status

   Is the person you're thinking of hiring a US citizen or green card holder?

   Yes

   No

   Hiring the perfect academic dean also involves considering the ideal background you'd like them to have. Depending on what industry or field they have experience in, they'll bring different skills to the job. It's also important to consider what levels of seniority and education the job requires and what kind of salary such a candidate would likely demand.

   Here's a comparison of academic dean salaries for various roles:

   Type of Academic Dean	Description	Hourly rate
   Academic Dean	Postsecondary education administrators oversee student services, academics, and faculty research at colleges and universities. Their job duties vary depending on the area of the college they manage, such as admissions, student life, or the office of the registrar.	$27-73
   Registrar	A registrar's role is to process and maintain accurate records within an institution or establishment. They are the main point of communication to obtain various kinds of information... Show more	$13-26
   New Member Educator	A New Member Educator is a person who prepares new members to uphold the standards and ideals of a fraternity and sorority and continually strives to improve it especially found in colleges and universities. These positions are; educating initiated and active members on how to support and mentor the younger members to become successful within an organization, recruit new members whose ideals match those of the organization, assist new members to navigate campus, and make use of campus resources.	$11-23

   Show more

2. Create an ideal candidate profile

   Common skills:

   • Curriculum Development
   • Professional Development
   • Student Services
   • Student Learning
   • Academic Affairs
   • Program Directors
   • Academic Programs
   • Faculty Development
   • Student Retention
   • Instructional Program
   • Regulatory Compliance
   • Professional Growth
   • Strategic Plan
   • Colleges

   Check all skills

   Responsibilities:

   • Produce, manage and evaluate all budgetary and programmatic aspects of a comprehensive career service program for students and alumni.
   • Work cooperatively with other offices and student groups in the implementation of various campus-wide multicultural activities and other major events.
   • Create individualized educational plans for students desiring to study in English speaking countries.
   • Coordinate several courses which involve development of the departmental syllabus and managing development of the departmental final.

   More academic dean duties

3. Make a budget

   Including a salary range in your academic dean job description is one of the best ways to attract top talent. An academic dean can vary based on:

   • Location. For example, academic deans' average salary in arkansas is 43% less than in district of columbia.
   • Seniority. Entry-level academic deans 63% less than senior-level academic deans.
   • Certifications. An academic dean with certifications usually earns a higher salary.
   • Company. Working for an established firm or a new start-up company can make a big difference in an academic dean's salary.

   Average academic dean salary

   $94,053yearly

   $45.22 hourly rate

   ---

   Entry-level academic dean salary

   $57,000 yearly salary

   Updated January 13, 2026

   Average academic dean salary by state

   Rank	State	Avg. salary	Hourly rate
   1	California	$117,436	$56
   2	New York	$112,904	$54
   3	District of Columbia	$112,793	$54
   4	Connecticut	$111,165	$53
   5	Indiana	$101,871	$49
   6	Ohio	$97,482	$47
   7	North Carolina	$94,994	$46
   8	New Jersey	$94,575	$45
   9	Massachusetts	$94,197	$45
   10	Michigan	$92,405	$44
   11	Maryland	$91,737	$44
   12	South Dakota	$88,520	$43
   13	Washington	$85,547	$41
   14	Colorado	$85,466	$41
   15	Virginia	$84,385	$41
   16	Texas	$83,241	$40
   17	South Carolina	$81,823	$39
   18	Missouri	$77,584	$37
   19	Florida	$73,430	$35

   Average academic dean salary by company

   Company

   Rank	Company	Average salary	Hourly rate	Job openings
   1	DCP Holdings Inc	$97,581	$46.91
   2	CAPITAL PREP HARBOR SCHOOL	$93,733	$45.06	5
   3	Johns Hopkins University	$87,836	$42.23	6
   4	Hyde Leadership Charter School (Elementary & Middle School)	$83,340	$40.07
   5	New York College of Health Professions	$81,006	$38.95
   6	Ivy Tech Community College	$76,251	$36.66	7
   7	Walla Walla Community College	$73,802	$35.48	2
   8	Meeting Street	$68,180	$32.78
   9	Eastern Nazarene College	$66,913	$32.17
   10	Pacific Union College	$66,173	$31.81
   11	St. Timothy School	$64,804	$31.16
   12	Texas Tech University	$63,338	$30.45	3
   13	Rochester Academy Charter School	$63,090	$30.33	1
   14	KIPP Austin Public Schools	$56,919	$27.36	10
   15	Floresville ISD	$50,845	$24.44
   16	Edison Bethune Charter School	$46,316	$22.27
   17	United Schools Network	$44,234	$21.27
   18	South Dakota Board Of Regents	$43,555	$20.94	9
   19	Excellence Community Schools	$42,621	$20.49
   20	Aims Community College	$42,194	$20.29	1

4. Writing an academic dean job description

   A good academic dean job description should include a few things:

   • Summary of the role
   • List of responsibilities
   • Required skills and experience

   Including a salary range and the first name of the hiring manager is also appreciated by candidates. Here's an example of an academic dean job description:

   Academic dean job description example

5. Detailed knowledge of federal, state, and local requirements for K-12 schools and charter schools preferred.

6. Unwavering commitment to Ambition Prep’s mission, students, families, and community.

7. The belief that all students can learn at a high level, regardless of race, culture, or socioeconomic status.

8. The ability to collaborate with team members and provide constructive and instructive feedback.

9. The ability to demonstrate excellent decision-making and judgment skills.

10. The ability to be flexible and adapt to changing priorities.

11. The ability to synthesize information and present it to stakeholders in a comprehensive manner.

12. The ability to work on broad-based strategy and everyday details.

13. Responsiveness; follow up with students, families, and staff members.

Desired and Required Experience

• Bachelor’s degree required

• Master’s degree preferred

• A successful background check in compliance with state law is required

• Strong computer skills, including familiarity with Google Suite

• Experience managing a team, coaching teachers, and designing curriculum

• 2 years of charter school experience required

Background on the Organization

Through high-quality instruction, intensive academic support, and hard work, Ambition Preparatory Charter School ensures that all students in kindergarten through grade eight have the academic skills and self-discipline for college and life success.

Please visit our website, www.ambitionprep.org, for more information.

Compensation

Ambition Preparatory Charter School offers competitive salaries and benefits commensurate with experience. Ambition Preparatory Charter School is an Equal Opportunity Employer and does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, gender, sexual orientation, national or ethnic origin, age, disability, pregnancy, or veteran status.

Disclaimer: The above statements are intended to describe the general nature and level of work being performed by the people assigned to this job. They are not intended to be an exhaustive list of all responsibilities, duties, and skills required of personnel so classified.