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Admissions dean education requirements

Updated January 8, 2025
4 min read

There are several educational requirements to become an admissions dean. Admissions deans usually study business, psychology, or political science. 55% of admissions deans hold a bachelor's degree, and 24% hold an master's degree. We analyzed 88 real admissions dean resumes to see exactly what admissions dean education sections show.

The most common colleges for admissions deans are the University of Kansas and the University of Kansas.

There are also many online admissions dean courses to help get the education required to be an admissions dean.

What education do you need to become an admissions dean?

What degree do you need to be an admissions dean?

The most common degree for admissions deans is bachelor's degree, with 55% of admissions deans earning that degree. The second and third most common degree levels are master's degree degree at 24% and master's degree degree at 9%.
  • Bachelor's, 55%
  • Master's, 24%
  • Doctorate, 9%
  • Associate, 8%
  • Other Degrees, 4%

What should I major in to become an admissions dean?

You should major in business to become an admissions dean. 17% of admissions deans major in business. Other common majors for an admissions dean include psychology and political science.

Most common colleges for admissions deans

Admissions deans often get their degrees at University of Kansas, Illinois State University, and University of Illinois at Chicago. Here are the most common colleges for admissions deans in the US based on their resumes.
Admissions dean common collegePercentages
University of Kansas8.33%
Illinois State University8.33%
University of Illinois at Chicago8.33%
Barry University8.33%
University of Southern Maine4.17%

Best majors for admissions deans

RankMajorPercentages
1Business16.9%
2Psychology11.9%
3Political Science8.5%
4English6.8%
5History6.8%

Best colleges for admissions deans

The best colleges for admissions deans are Northwestern University, University of Pennsylvania, and Columbia University in the City of New York.

An admissions dean with advanced education typically earns a higher salary and has access to better jobs. That's why Zippia looked into the best colleges for admissions deans. We based this list on several metrics: admissions rate, retention rate, mean earnings of graduates, the ratio of working vs. non-working students ten years after admission, the average cost of attendance, and median debt for graduates who become admissions deans.

1. Northwestern University

Evanston, IL • Private

In-state tuition

$54,568

Enrollment

8,451

2. University of Pennsylvania

Philadelphia, PA • Private

In-state tuition

$55,584

Enrollment

10,764

3. Columbia University in the City of New York

New York, NY • Private

In-state tuition

$59,430

Enrollment

8,216

4. New York University

New York, NY • Private

In-state tuition

$51,828

Enrollment

26,339

5. University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

Chapel Hill, NC • Private

In-state tuition

$8,987

Enrollment

18,946

6. Harvard University

Cambridge, MA • Private

In-state tuition

$50,420

Enrollment

7,582

7. Johns Hopkins University

Baltimore, MD • Private

In-state tuition

$53,740

Enrollment

5,567

8. University of Michigan - Ann Arbor

Ann Arbor, MI • Private

In-state tuition

$15,262

Enrollment

30,079

9. Stanford University

Stanford, CA • Private

In-state tuition

$51,354

Enrollment

7,083

10. California State University - Long Beach

Long Beach, CA • Private

In-state tuition

$6,798

Enrollment

31,503

20 best online courses for admissions deans

Advertising disclosure

1. Graduate Admission Prediction with Pyspark ML

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In this 1 hour long project-based course, you will learn to build a linear regression model using Pyspark ML to predict students' admission at the university. We will use the graduate admission 2 data set from Kaggle. Our goal is to use a Simple Linear Regression Machine Learning Algorithm from the Pyspark Machine learning library to predict the chances of getting admission. We will be carrying out the entire project on the Google Colab environment with the installation of Pyspark. You will...

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Recruitment is an integral part of an organization’s diversity and inclusion strategy. Effective recruitment strategies ensure a workforce reflects a company’s customer base and the communities where it operates. Such strategies also capitalize on the benefits of employees’ diverse backgrounds, experiences, and perspectives. In this specialization, you will gain a unique combination of analytical, communication and leadership skills. These will serve as practical tools that enable you to...

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5. Blockchain in Financial Services: Strategic Action Plan

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In this fourth and final course of the specialization, you will synthesize your learning into a Strategic Action Plan. The goals of this course are twofold: One, it’s for you to identify a specific need or problem within the financial services industry that can potentially be solved using blockchain technology. Two, it’s for you to investigate possible solutions to this problem, and to develop a strategic plan for how these solutions might be executed. You will accomplish different project...

6. Creating a Student Profile in Google Docs

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By the end of this project, you will have created a Student Profile in Google Docs that will allow you identify student needs and differentiate instruction. We will work together to learn how to use Google Docs as we create a Student Profile template and complete it for a particular student you have in mind. You will be provided with additional resources that will help improve your teaching practice through identification of students needs and ensuring that the appropriate accommodations are...

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9. Enhance Student Learning through Kahoot

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By the end of this project, you will have created a Kahoot collection that will engage your students during virtual learning or as a more engaging way to encourage practice and review at home or in the classroom. Teaching is constantly evolving. As we learn more about our students, we uncover new ways to ensure that they are not just learning - they are thriving. When we can connect our tech-savvy students to tech-connected learning, our students are more likely to enjoy learning. We can also...

10. Attaining Higher Education

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Prepare to transition to college using intentional decision-making. Aimed at active duty service members and veterans, with this course you will learn about the college admission process, including financial aid, to help you choose a right-fit college...

11. Financial Planning & Analysis: Building a Company's Budget

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12. Financial Planning Coaching Certification Holistic Coaching

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13. Diversity Equity & Inclusion Hiring, Recruiting, & Sourcing

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14. Strong & Effective Marketing Plan (Plan Template & Example)

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15. Recruitment Tools for Difficult Times

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17. Goal Setting For Success: Plan And Achieve Your Goals

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18. Strategic Planning Basics for Human Resources

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20. The Complete Business Process Management (BPM) Master Class

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12000+ enrollments Learn the Business Process Management methods used by the world's most successful organizations...

Top 10 most affordable universities for admissions deans

The most affordable schools for admissions deans are Baruch College of the City University of New York, california state university - long beach, and usf sarasota-manatee.

If the best universities for admissions deans are out of your price range, check out these affordable schools. After factoring in in-state tuition and fees, the average cost of attendance, admissions rate, average net price, and mean earnings after six years, we found that these are the most affordable schools for admissions deans.

1. Baruch College of the City University of New York

New York, NY • Private

In-state tuition

$7,262

Cost of attendance

14,046

2. California State University - Long Beach

Long Beach, CA • Private

In-state tuition

$6,798

Cost of attendance

18,306

3. USF Sarasota-Manatee

Sarasota, FL • Private

In-state tuition

$5,587

Cost of attendance

13,043

4. California State University - Bakersfield

Bakersfield, CA • Private

In-state tuition

$7,309

Cost of attendance

16,714

5. California State University - Dominguez Hills

Carson, CA • Private

In-state tuition

$6,942

Cost of attendance

14,469

6. Hunter College of the City University of New York

New York, NY • Private

In-state tuition

$7,182

Cost of attendance

13,998

7. California State University - Los Angeles

Los Angeles, CA • Private

In-state tuition

$6,749

Cost of attendance

14,823

8. University of South Florida

Tampa, FL • Private

In-state tuition

$6,410

Cost of attendance

20,456

9. Lehman College of the City University of New York

Bronx, NY • Private

In-state tuition

$7,210

Cost of attendance

14,359

10. University of Florida

Gainesville, FL • Private

In-state tuition

$6,381

Cost of attendance

21,034

Top 10 hardest universities to get into for admissions deans

The hardest universities for admissions deans to get into are Northwestern University, University of Pennsylvania, and Columbia University in the City of New York.

Some great schools for admissions deans are hard to get into, but they also set your career up for greater success. The list below shows the most challenging universities to get into for admissions deans based on an institution's admissions rates, average SAT scores accepted, median ACT scores accepted, and mean earnings of students six years after admission.

1. Northwestern University

Evanston, IL • Private

Admissions rate

8%

SAT average

1,508

2. University of Pennsylvania

Philadelphia, PA • Private

Admissions rate

8%

SAT average

1,492

3. Columbia University in the City of New York

New York, NY • Private

Admissions rate

6%

SAT average

1,512

4. Johns Hopkins University

Baltimore, MD • Private

Admissions rate

11%

SAT average

1,513

5. Harvard University

Cambridge, MA • Private

Admissions rate

5%

SAT average

1,520

6. Vanderbilt University

Nashville, TN • Private

Admissions rate

10%

SAT average

1,514

7. University of Southern California

Los Angeles, CA • Private

Admissions rate

13%

SAT average

1,445

8. Stanford University

Stanford, CA • Private

Admissions rate

4%

SAT average

1,497

9. New York University

New York, NY • Private

Admissions rate

20%

SAT average

1,419

10. Boston University

Boston, MA • Private

Admissions rate

22%

SAT average

1,420

Top 10 easy-to-apply-to universities for admissions deans

The easiest schools for admissions deans to get into are Mount Saint Mary's University, gwynedd mercy university, and barry university.

Some schools are much easier to get into. If you want to start your career as an admissions dean without much hassle, check out the list of schools where you will be accepted in no time. We compiled admissions rates, average SAT scores, average ACT scores, and average salary of students six years after graduation to uncover which were the easiest schools to get into for admissions deans.

1. Mount Saint Mary's University

Los Angeles, CA • Private

Admissions rate

84%

SAT average

1,031

2. Gwynedd Mercy University

Gwynedd Valley, PA • Private

Admissions rate

92%

SAT average

1,031

3. Barry University

Miami, FL • Private

Admissions rate

91%

SAT average

1,006

4. Felician University

Lodi, NJ • Private

Admissions rate

81%

SAT average

999

5. D'Youville College

Buffalo, NY • Private

Admissions rate

100%

SAT average

1,072

6. Notre Dame de Namur University

Belmont, CA • Private

Admissions rate

82%

SAT average

983

7. Notre Dame College

Cleveland, OH • Private

Admissions rate

90%

SAT average

994

8. Curry College

Milton, MA • Private

Admissions rate

93%

SAT average

1,026

9. Holy Names University

Oakland, CA • Private

Admissions rate

70%

SAT average

849

10. Holy Family University

Philadelphia, PA • Private

Admissions rate

72%

SAT average

1,017

Average admissions dean salary by education level

According to our data, admissions deans with a Doctorate degree earn the highest average salary, at $136,706 annually. Admissions deans with a Master's degree earn an average annual salary of $117,336.
Admissions dean education levelAdmissions dean salary
Master's Degree$117,336
Bachelor's Degree$94,488
Doctorate Degree$136,706

Admissions dean education FAQs

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Updated January 8, 2025

Zippia Research Team
Zippia Team

Editorial Staff

The Zippia Research Team has spent countless hours reviewing resumes, job postings, and government data to determine what goes into getting a job in each phase of life. Professional writers and data scientists comprise the Zippia Research Team.

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