How to hire an admissions associate

How to hire an admissions associate, step by step

Here's a step-by-step admissions associate hiring guide:

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

What does an admissions associate do?

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1. Identify your hiring needs

   Before you start hiring an admissions associate, identify what type of worker you actually need. Certain positions might call for a full-time employee, while others can be done by a part-time worker or contractor.

   Determine employee vs contractor status

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

   Yes

   No

   An admissions associate's background is also an important factor in determining whether they'll be a good fit for the position. For example, admissions associates from different industries or fields will have radically different experiences and will bring different viewpoints to the role. You also need to consider the candidate's previous level of experience to make sure they'll be comfortable with the job's level of seniority.

   Here's a comparison of admissions associate salaries for various roles:

   Type of Admissions Associate	Description	Hourly rate
   Admissions Associate	School counselors help students develop academic and social skills and succeed in school. Career counselors assist people with the process of making career decisions by helping them develop skills or choose a career or educational program.	$10-28
   Peer Mentor	A peer mentor is an individual who builds a relationship with another person or mentee who is new to the career or at the same level. Peer mentors must serve as a social role model and educate mentees on various resources and services... Show more	$10-17
   Student Support Counselor	A student support counselor is responsible for identifying the students' strengths and challenges through one-on-one counseling and establishing solutions to help them overcome difficulties and achieve their educational goals and aspirations. Student support counselors assist the faculty in determining appropriate programs and activities to develop the students' capabilities, especially as a way of preparing them with their career objectives... Show more	$13-27

   Show more

2. Create an ideal candidate profile

   Common skills:

   • Patients
   • Data Entry
   • Cleanliness
   • Guest Service
   • Customer Service
   • Admissions Process
   • Insurance Verification
   • Medicare
   • Financial Aid
   • Season Pass
   • Inbound Calls
   • Admission Tickets
   • Front Desk
   • Administrative Tasks

   Check all skills

   Responsibilities:

   • Manage applicant and student files electronically within CampusVue software.
   • Coordinate eligibility qualifications concerning private insurance and Medicaid.
   • Coordinate eligibility qualifications concerning private insurance and Medicaid.

   More admissions associate duties

3. Make a budget

   Including a salary range in the admissions associate job description is a good way to get more applicants. An admissions associate salary can be affected by several factors, such as the location of the job, the level of experience, education, certifications, and the employer's prestige.

   For example, the average salary for an admissions associate in North Dakota may be lower than in California, and an entry-level engineer typically earns less than a senior-level admissions associate. Additionally, an admissions associate with lots of experience in the field may command a higher salary as a result.

   Average admissions associate salary

   $35,827yearly

   $17.22 hourly rate

   ---

   Entry-level admissions associate salary

   $21,000 yearly salary

   Updated December 23, 2025

   Average admissions associate salary by state

   Rank	State	Avg. salary	Hourly rate
   1	California	$72,107	$35
   2	District of Columbia	$60,870	$29
   3	Massachusetts	$59,323	$29
   4	New York	$58,640	$28
   5	Connecticut	$53,046	$26
   6	Pennsylvania	$51,509	$25
   7	New Jersey	$49,843	$24
   8	Washington	$44,852	$22
   9	Ohio	$43,883	$21
   10	Texas	$41,425	$20
   11	New Mexico	$39,530	$19
   12	North Carolina	$34,792	$17
   13	Florida	$33,892	$16
   14	Nebraska	$33,433	$16
   15	Michigan	$32,746	$16
   16	Colorado	$31,579	$15
   17	South Carolina	$31,514	$15

   Average admissions associate salary by company

   Company

   Rank	Company	Average salary	Hourly rate	Job openings
   1	University of California-Berkeley	$50,592	$24.32
   2	University of California	$48,473	$23.30	10
   3	Rutgers University	$46,378	$22.30	14
   4	Morgan Lewis	$45,885	$22.06
   5	Universal Health Services	$45,789	$22.01	65
   6	Acadia Healthcare	$44,474	$21.38	84
   7	Legends Hospitality	$44,207	$21.25
   8	Kindred Healthcare	$43,663	$20.99
   9	University of Nebraska Medical Center	$43,056	$20.70	4
   10	Per Scholas	$41,976	$20.18	1
   11	First Atlantic	$40,656	$19.55	1
   12	The University of New Mexico	$39,700	$19.09	4
   13	Legend Holdings	$38,484	$18.50	1
   14	Texas Christian University	$37,637	$18.09	1
   15	TriHealth	$37,333	$17.95	1
   16	Campbellsville University	$35,949	$17.28	1
   17	S.C. Department of Commerce	$35,822	$17.22
   18	Res-Care Premier	$35,178	$16.91	11
   19	Eastern Connecticut Health Network (echn)	$33,685	$16.19
   20	Bright Horizons	$32,743	$15.74

4. Writing an admissions associate job description

   A good admissions associate 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 admissions associate job description:

   Admissions associate job description example

   Reports to Vice President of Enrollment Management.
   Full-Time.
   
   Position Purpose
   
   Under the supervision of the VP of Enrollment Management (VPEM), the Admissions Associate (AA) assists in the recruitment of students through the establishment of professional relationships and networks, initiating campaigns and actions to encourage students to attend the college, and developing techniques and materials to innovatively share the mission and opportunity available at Williamson College of the Trades. This position requires a strong mission-orientation, excellent written and oral communication skills, and experience in marketing using both social media and other innovative technology. The ability to connect with both secondary and post-secondary students and staff is essential. Finally, the AA will need to be a self-motivated, independent worker with strong initiative.
   
   Essential Roles and Responsibilities
   
   Represent the college by providing admissions presentations and attending college fairs at high schools and community organizations, to include any pertinent evening and weekend events.
   Innovatively assist in admissions marketing through the use of social media and appropriate technology. This may include, but not limited to assisting in the creation of videos, electronic publications, and virtual tours to assist prospective students better understand the college's mission and the admissions process.
   Maintain existing admissions relationships and networks while proactively exploring initiatives to expand the college's outreach.
   Assist in providing on-campus admissions events (College Tours and Applicant Days) for prospective students and their families.
   Provide accurate and timely telephone, email and in-person responses to questions from prospective students and their families.
   Advise and counsel prospective students and parents on the admissions process
   Secure, maintain, and properly dispose admissions information and related confidential materials.
   Maintain a strong working knowledge of all federal and state student admissions and student-aid regulations, policies and procedures; while implementing the college's accrediting body's admissions standards.
   Work closely with the VPEM to track and monitor prospective student application materials and participation in required admissions events.
   
   Qualifications (Skills and Abilities Required)
   
   Desired qualifications to include a Bachelor's degree in higher education or related field; previous experience in admissions (higher education preferred), excellent presentation and interpersonal skills (including public speaking), strong computer literacy with database management experience, and experience working with social media and other marketing related technologies.
   
   Working Conditions
   
   Some physical activity required. No heavy lifting.
   
   Other Duties
   
   Please note this position (job) description is not designed to cover or contain a comprehensive listing of activities, duties, or responsibilities that are required of the employee for this position (job). Duties, responsibilities and activities may change at any time with or without notice.
   
   Application Procedure
   
   Please send resume (email preferred).

   Copy this example

   

5. Post your job

   To find admissions associates for your business, try out a few different recruiting strategies:

   • Consider internal talent. One of the most important talent pools for any company is its current employees.
   • Ask for referrals. Reach out to friends, family members, and your current work to ask if they know any admissions associates they would recommend.
   • Recruit at local colleges. Attend job fairs at local colleges to recruit entry-level admissions associates with the right educational background.
   • Social media platforms. LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter have more than 3.5 billion users, and they're a great place for company branding and reaching potential job candidates.

   Post your job online:

   • Post your admissions associate job on Zippia to find and recruit admissions associate candidates who meet your exact specifications.
   • Use field-specific websites.
   • Post a job on free websites.

6. Interview candidates

   To successfully recruit admissions associates, your first interview needs to engage with candidates to learn about their interest in the role and experience in the field. You can go into more detail about the company, the role, and the responsibilities during follow-up interviews.

   Remember to include a few questions that allow candidates to expand on their strengths in their own words. Asking about their unique skills might reveal things you'd miss otherwise. At this point, good candidates can move on to the technical interview.

   The right interview questions can help you assess a candidate's hard skills, behavioral intelligence, and soft skills.

7. Send a job offer and onboard your new admissions associate

   Once you have selected a candidate for the admissions associate position, it is time to create an offer letter. In addition to salary, the offer letter should include details about benefits and perks that are available to the employee. Ensuring your offer is competitive is vital, as qualified candidates may be considering other job opportunities. The candidate may wish to negotiate the terms of the offer, and it is important to be open to discussion and reach a mutually beneficial agreement. After the offer has been accepted, it is a good idea to formalize the agreement with a contract.

   It's equally important to follow up with applicants who don't get the job with an email letting them know that the position has been filled.

   Once that's done, you can draft an onboarding schedule for the new admissions associate. Human Resources should complete Employee Action Forms and ensure that onboarding paperwork is completed, including I-9s, benefits enrollment, federal and state tax forms, etc. They should also ensure that new employee files are created for internal recordkeeping.

8. Go through the hiring process checklist

   • Determine employee type (full-time, part-time, contractor, etc.)
   • Submit a job requisition form to the HR department
   • Define job responsibilities and requirements
   • Establish budget and timeline
   • Determine hiring decision makers for the role
   • Write job description
   • Post job on job boards, company website, etc.
   • Promote the job internally
   • Process applications through applicant tracking system
   • Review resumes and cover letters
   • Shortlist candidates for screening
   • Hold phone/virtual interview screening with first round of candidates
   • Conduct in-person interviews with top candidates from first round
   • Score candidates based on weighted criteria (e.g., experience, education, background, cultural fit, skill set, etc.)
   • Conduct background checks on top candidates
   • Check references of top candidates
   • Consult with HR and hiring decision makers on job offer specifics
   • Extend offer to top candidate(s)
   • Receive formal job offer acceptance and signed employment contract
   • Inform other candidates that the position has been filled
   • Set and communicate onboarding schedule to new hire(s)
   • Complete new hire paperwork (i9, benefits enrollment, tax forms, etc.)

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How much does it cost to hire an admissions associate?