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Job outlook for academic directors in the United States
Are academic director jobs in demand?
Academic director job and salary trends over time
Academic director jobs over time
Academic director job growth rate over time
| Year | # of jobs | % of population |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 1,267 | 0.00% |
| 2020 | 1,144 | 0.00% |
| 2019 | 1,176 | 0.00% |
| 2018 | 1,165 | 0.00% |
| 2017 | 1,154 | 0.00% |
Average academic director salary over time
Academic director salary by year
| Year | Avg. salary | Hourly rate | % Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | $122,669 | $58.98 | +2.2% |
| 2025 | $120,039 | $57.71 | +1.1% |
| 2024 | $118,693 | $57.06 | +2.1% |
| 2023 | $116,202 | $55.87 | +1.8% |
| 2022 | $114,189 | $54.90 | +2.5% |
Academic director jobs by state
Most common states for academic directors
| Rank | State | Population | # of jobs | Employment/ 1000ppl |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Louisiana | 4,684,333 | 495 | 11% |
| 2 | Oklahoma | 3,930,864 | 427 | 11% |
| 3 | Alabama | 4,874,747 | 511 | 10% |
| 4 | Mississippi | 2,984,100 | 309 | 10% |
| 5 | District of Columbia | 693,972 | 67 | 10% |
| 6 | Massachusetts | 6,859,819 | 201 | 3% |
| 7 | Alaska | 739,795 | 23 | 3% |
| 8 | Vermont | 623,657 | 16 | 3% |
| 9 | New York | 19,849,399 | 383 | 2% |
| 10 | Illinois | 12,802,023 | 213 | 2% |
| 11 | Georgia | 10,429,379 | 175 | 2% |
| 12 | New Jersey | 9,005,644 | 150 | 2% |
| 13 | Virginia | 8,470,020 | 128 | 2% |
| 14 | Colorado | 5,607,154 | 109 | 2% |
| 15 | Minnesota | 5,576,606 | 84 | 2% |
| 16 | Connecticut | 3,588,184 | 57 | 2% |
| 17 | Montana | 1,050,493 | 17 | 2% |
| 18 | California | 39,536,653 | 561 | 1% |
| 19 | Indiana | 6,666,818 | 83 | 1% |
| 20 | Oregon | 4,142,776 | 56 | 1% |
Most common cities for academic directors
| Rank | City | # of jobs | Employment/ 1000ppl | Avg. salary |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Fort Collins | 1 | 1% | $128,489 |
| 2 | Washington | 2 | 0% | $131,717 |
| 3 | Boston | 1 | 0% | $120,572 |
| 4 | Detroit | 1 | 0% | $108,809 |
Academic Director job outlook: Expert opinions
Our panel of academic director experts
Soka University of America
What Academic Director skills would you recommend for someone trying to advance their career?
Ryan Allen: I don't think there is any one skill that will prepare students for even the next 3-5 years. Things are changing so fast in our sector. Think back to just five years ago, there was no global COVID-19 pandemic nor Chat-GPT. Things are fluid, especially in the field of education right now. The main thing I want my students to understand in my classes is that they should be learning to learn. This means that they might not always have an answer to every questions, but they also have the confidence to find an answer out there somewhere. I don't think this concept can be categorized as just one skill, but rather a broader ethos that I hope my students attain after our program.
What will help Academic Directors increase their earning potential?
Ryan Allen: I think being willing to move to a new location, even sometimes across the world, can be one of the things that helps propel a career. In the educational leadership space, someone may end up at a place they like, but career advancement is limited because the person above them also likes that place. Depending on the location or institution, these can be desirable roles. One way to overcome these issues is to move to another institution, sometimes even in a lateral move with an eye moving up. There is no shame in getting more experience elsewhere and then moving back later. In fact, I think seeing a wider range of different schools, organization, or other educational institutions can be a great way to bring fresh ideas back with you if you do return. I understand moving (especially abroad) is not always an option for people, but it might even just be moving to a different school down the road. Grow through your options.
What Academic Director skills would you recommend for someone trying to advance their career?
Dr. Matthew Ohlson Ph.D.: Become knowledgeable and most importantly, comfortable, sharing the data and impact you’ve had as a school leader. The use of data is so imperative to show progress towards long and short-term goals, for example: attendance gains, teacher retention rates, etc. School leaders can seek more compensation and larger responsibilities in more prominent roles when they are able to show how their leadership made a difference. Annual impact reports, data snapshots, student/teacher testimonials, etc. can illustrate how your leadership impacted teaching and learning.