Explore jobs
Find specific jobs
Explore careers
Explore professions
Best companies
Explore companies
As of October 2025, the average salary for an Academic Dean stands at $94,053 annually, translating to approximately $45 per hour. This compensation varies based on several factors, including geographic location, years of experience, and the type of institution (public vs. private).
Academic Deans in certain states tend to earn more due to cost of living adjustments and funding levels for education. States like California, New York, and Texas typically offer higher salaries, reflecting their higher living costs and expansive educational systems. For instance, Academic Deans in California can earn upwards of $110,000 annually.
Years of experience also play a significant role in salary determination. Those with over a decade in the field often see salaries exceeding $100,000, as they bring valuable expertise and leadership skills to their institutions.
Let Zippia find your next academic dean job
Let Zippia find your next academic dean job
The highest-paying states for academic deans are New York, Connecticut, and Arizona. The lowest average academic dean salary states are Alaska, Hawaii, and Mississippi.
| Rank | State | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Arizona | $111,251 | $53.49 |
| 2 | New York | $112,201 | $53.94 |
| 3 | Connecticut | $111,424 | $53.57 |
| 4 | District of Columbia | $112,379 | $54.03 |
| 5 | California | $110,417 | $53.09 |
| 6 | Indiana | $101,972 | $49.02 |
| 7 | Oregon | $96,878 | $46.58 |
| 8 | North Carolina | $97,978 | $47.10 |
| 9 | Wisconsin | $89,595 | $43.07 |
| 10 | Massachusetts | $92,411 | $44.43 |
| 11 | Idaho | $91,134 | $43.81 |
| 12 | Michigan | $91,906 | $44.19 |
| 13 | Nevada | $109,080 | $52.44 |
| 14 | Ohio | $97,567 | $46.91 |
| 15 | Montana | $89,981 | $43.26 |
| 16 | Pennsylvania | $90,286 | $43.41 |
| 17 | West Virginia | $96,527 | $46.41 |
| 18 | New Jersey | $94,619 | $45.49 |
| 19 | South Dakota | $87,228 | $41.94 |
| 20 | Wyoming | $82,870 | $39.84 |
| 21 | Kentucky | $88,831 | $42.71 |
| 22 | Colorado | $86,288 | $41.48 |
| 23 | Rhode Island | $86,723 | $41.69 |
| 24 | Minnesota | $87,408 | $42.02 |
| 25 | Maine | $85,287 | $41.00 |
| 26 | Delaware | $89,390 | $42.98 |
| 27 | Louisiana | $87,381 | $42.01 |
| 28 | Maryland | $91,683 | $44.08 |
| 29 | Washington | $87,604 | $42.12 |
| 30 | Virginia | $83,218 | $40.01 |
| 31 | Texas | $80,397 | $38.65 |
| 32 | Iowa | $77,906 | $37.45 |
| 33 | Georgia | $79,985 | $38.45 |
| 34 | Utah | $74,558 | $35.85 |
| 35 | Missouri | $80,523 | $38.71 |
| 36 | Alaska | $68,173 | $32.78 |
| 37 | New Mexico | $77,521 | $37.27 |
| 38 | South Carolina | $80,067 | $38.49 |
| 39 | Illinois | $76,206 | $36.64 |
| 40 | New Hampshire | $82,507 | $39.67 |
| 41 | Alabama | $77,706 | $37.36 |
| 42 | Tennessee | $75,524 | $36.31 |
| 43 | Vermont | $81,493 | $39.18 |
| 44 | North Dakota | $76,558 | $36.81 |
| 45 | Nebraska | $73,593 | $35.38 |
| 46 | Florida | $73,961 | $35.56 |
| 47 | Mississippi | $67,483 | $32.44 |
| 48 | Hawaii | $67,598 | $32.50 |
| 49 | Kansas | $67,007 | $32.21 |
| 50 | Oklahoma | $64,228 | $30.88 |
| 51 | Arkansas | $64,071 | $30.80 |
The highest-paying cities for academic deans are San Francisco, CA, New York, NY, and Washington, DC.
| Rank | City | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | San Francisco, CA | $117,436 | $56.46 |
| 2 | New York, NY | $112,904 | $54.28 |
| 3 | Washington, DC | $112,793 | $54.23 |
| 4 | New Britain, CT | $111,165 | $53.44 |
| 5 | Lafayette, IN | $101,871 | $48.98 |
| 6 | Columbus, OH | $97,482 | $46.87 |
| 7 | Charlotte, NC | $94,994 | $45.67 |
| 8 | Jersey City, NJ | $94,575 | $45.47 |
| 9 | Chicopee, MA | $94,197 | $45.29 |
| 10 | Detroit, MI | $92,405 | $44.43 |
| 11 | Baltimore, MD | $91,737 | $44.10 |
| 12 | Sioux Falls, SD | $88,520 | $42.56 |
| 13 | Walla Walla, WA | $85,547 | $41.13 |
| 14 | Fort Collins, CO | $85,466 | $41.09 |
| 15 | McLean, VA | $84,385 | $40.57 |
| 16 | Lubbock, TX | $83,241 | $40.02 |
| 17 | Spartanburg, SC | $81,823 | $39.34 |
| 18 | Springfield, MO | $77,584 | $37.30 |
| 19 | Pompano Beach, FL | $73,430 | $35.30 |
An academic dean's salary ranges from $57,000 a year at the 10th percentile to $153,000 at the 90th percentile.

| Percentile | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 90th Percentile | $153,000 | $12,750 | $74 |
| 75th Percentile | $121,000 | $10,083 | $58 |
| Average | $94,053 | $7,838 | $45 |
| 25th Percentile | $72,000 | $6,000 | $35 |
| 10th Percentile | $57,000 | $4,750 | $27 |
The highest paying types of academic deans are chairperson, vice chairperson, and committee chairperson.
| Job title | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate | Job openings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Registrar | $40,632 | $3,386 | $19.53 | 12,723 |
| New Member Educator | $34,187 | $2,849 | $16.44 | 12,866 |
| Co-Chair | $89,375 | $7,448 | $42.97 | 2,878 |
| Director Of Student Affairs | $74,804 | $6,234 | $35.96 | 22,875 |
| Department Chairperson | $98,438 | $8,203 | $47.33 | 33,511 |
| Chairperson | $125,944 | $10,495 | $60.55 | 5,178 |
Top companies hiring academic deans now:
Academic dean salaries at DCP Holdings Inc and CAPITAL PREP HARBOR SCHOOL are the highest-paying according to our most recent salary estimates. In addition, the average academic dean salary at companies like Johns Hopkins University and Hyde Leadership Charter School (Elementary & Middle School) are highly competitive.
| Rank | Company | Average salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | DCP Holdings Inc | $97,581 | $46.91 |
| 2 | CAPITAL PREP HARBOR SCHOOL | $93,733 | $45.06 |
| 3 | Johns Hopkins University | $87,836 | $42.23 |
| 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 | Walla Walla Community College | $73,802 | $35.48 |
| 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 |
| 13 | Rochester Academy Charter School | $63,090 | $30.33 |
| 14 | KIPP Austin Public Schools | $56,919 | $27.36 |
| 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 |
| 19 | Excellence Community Schools | $42,621 | $20.49 |
| 20 | Aims Community College | $42,194 | $20.29 |
The average academic dean salary has risen by $12,753 over the last ten years. In 2014, the average academic dean earned $81,300 annually, but today, they earn $94,053 a year. That works out to a 7% change in pay for academic deans over the last decade.
Compare academic dean salaries for cities or states with the national average over time.
Compare academic dean salaries for individual cities or states with the national average.
| Year | Avg. salary | Hourly rate | % Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $94,100 | $45.22 | +2.1% |
| 2024 | $92,000 | $44.25 | +1.1% |
| 2023 | $91,000 | $43.75 | +2.1% |
| 2022 | $89,100 | $42.83 | +1.7% |
| 2021 | $87,600 | $42.09 | +2.4% |
| Company | Job | Location | Date added | Salary |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Universal Technical Institute | Academic Dean | Aurora, CO | 06/27/2025 | $115,000 |
| Dreams Retail | [Immediate ] Academic Dean | Fine, NY | 06/27/2025 | $100,000 |
| Dream Charter School | [School Year ] Elementary Academic Dean | New York, NY | 06/24/2025 | $100,000 |
| Concorde Career Institute | Academic Dean | Aurora, CO | 06/22/2025 | $115,000 |
| Bay City Independent Sch Dist | Academic Dean | Bay City, TX | 06/12/2025 | $62,556 |
| Dalton State College | Academic Dean, Wright School of Business | Dalton, GA | 06/11/2025 | $156,660 |
| Magnolia Educational & Research Foundation | Dean of Academics (Middle School) | Bell, CA | 06/11/2025 | $86,000 |
| Cornerstone Learning Community | Dean of Academic Interventions) | San Jose, CA | 06/09/2025 | $100,000 |
| TCS Education | Dean & Chief Academic Officer | Oxnard, CA | 06/08/2025 | $180,000 |
| Dreams Retail | [School Year ] Elementary Academic Dean | Fine, NY | 05/26/2025 | $100,000 |
Search for academic dean jobs