How to hire an athletic director

How to hire an athletic director, step by step

Here's a step-by-step athletic director hiring guide:

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

What does an athletic director do?

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1. Identify your hiring needs

   The athletic director hiring process starts by determining what type of worker you actually need. Certain roles might require a full-time employee, whereas part-time workers or contractors can do others.

   Determine employee vs contractor status

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

   Yes

   No

   You should also consider the ideal background you'd like them an athletic director to have before you start to hire. For example, what industry or field would you like them to have experience in, what level of seniority or education does the job require, and how much it'll cost to hire an athletic director that fits the bill.

   The following list breaks down different types of athletic directors and their corresponding salaries.

   Type of Athletic Director	Description	Hourly rate
   Athletic Director	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.	$19-60
   Dean	A dean is responsible for overseeing the educational operations of the assigned department, enforcing school policies, and monitoring the students' progress by coordinating with the teachers and setting up procedures to improve teaching methods. Deans administer educational training and programs for the students, as well as extra-curricular activities to develop the students' social behavior, maximize their potentials, and increase their self-confidence... Show more	$23-72
   Admissions Officer	An admissions officer is responsible for recruiting new students from various venues and channels. You will connect with students and answer their questions about the college or university, and conduct interviews to better understand the students' objectives and background... Show more	$9-26

   Show more

2. Create an ideal candidate profile

   Common skills:

   • Student Athletes
   • NCAA
   • Physical Education
   • Oversight
   • Athletic Events
   • Varsity Sports
   • Title IX
   • Soccer
   • Softball
   • CPR
   • Volleyball
   • Professional Development
   • Sports Programs
   • Strategic Plan

   Check all skills

   Responsibilities:

   • Develop and manage an athletic page on facebook.
   • Manage student transcripts, GPA, and credit verification according to school and CIF rules and regulations.
   • Manage facility schedules and oversee activities including league basketball and indoor soccer.
   • Lead project management team in development/execution of conferences and enduring CME -accredite programs.
   • Develop strategy to revamp locker rooms and improve high school athletic facilities including a new softball field and scoreboard for gym.
   • Provide athletes with injury prevention information: maintenance exercises, nutrition plans and resources, and develop rehabilitation and treatment protocols.

   More athletic director duties

3. Make a budget

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

   • Location. For example, athletic directors' average salary in arkansas is 43% less than in california.
   • Seniority. Entry-level athletic directors 68% less than senior-level athletic directors.
   • Certifications. An athletic director 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 athletic director's salary.

   Average athletic director salary

   $71,311yearly

   $34.28 hourly rate

   ---

   Entry-level athletic director salary

   $40,000 yearly salary

   Updated January 19, 2026

   Average athletic director salary by state

   Rank	State	Avg. salary	Hourly rate
   1	California	$101,773	$49
   2	Massachusetts	$84,974	$41
   3	Oregon	$83,070	$40
   4	Nevada	$82,741	$40
   5	Ohio	$80,474	$39
   6	Pennsylvania	$78,546	$38
   7	New York	$77,825	$37
   8	Michigan	$77,641	$37
   9	Colorado	$76,240	$37
   10	Wyoming	$76,035	$37
   11	New Jersey	$75,577	$36
   12	Washington	$75,386	$36
   13	Maryland	$75,232	$36
   14	Virginia	$72,608	$35
   15	Illinois	$70,255	$34
   16	Utah	$65,465	$31
   17	North Carolina	$64,009	$31
   18	Alabama	$63,650	$31
   19	Texas	$60,764	$29
   20	New Mexico	$60,533	$29

   Average athletic director salary by company

   Company

   Rank	Company	Average salary	Hourly rate	Job openings
   1	Kern Community College District	$123,378	$59.32
   2	Harvard University	$95,992	$46.15
   3	Providence College	$91,281	$43.89
   4	UCI Health	$86,739	$41.70
   5	University of California-Berkeley	$86,233	$41.46	2
   6	Santa Clara University	$82,670	$39.75	1
   7	Las Vegas	$81,821	$39.34
   8	Chicago State University	$80,694	$38.80
   9	Boston College	$80,618	$38.76	2
   10	University of California	$80,329	$38.62	9
   11	The City University of New York	$80,305	$38.61	8
   12	California Polytechnic State University	$79,201	$38.08
   13	Colorado State Express	$79,038	$38.00
   14	University of Massachusetts Boston	$78,440	$37.71	1
   15	Chicago Public Schools	$77,747	$37.38	5
   16	Yale University	$77,602	$37.31	5
   17	Parking Solutions	$76,564	$36.81
   18	UC Merced	$73,227	$35.21
   19	Chicago Fire FC	$71,022	$34.15
   20	Portland State University	$71,015	$34.14

4. Writing an athletic director job description

   An athletic director job description should include a summary of the role, required skills, and a list of responsibilities. It's also good to include a salary range and the first name of the hiring manager. Below, you can find an example of an athletic director job description:

   Athletic director job description example

   The Opportunity
   
   The Regional Athletics Director will guide and manage the region's overall program of curricular, extracurricular, and intramural athletics for the district. He/she will work to provide each student with opportunities to participate in athletic activities and will ensure compliance with all school and state requirements.
   
   This position furthers the mission of KIPP Houston because athletic participation helps students develop skills such as goal-setting, pursuing excellence in performance, and other achievement-oriented behaviors that they need to excel in the classroom and beyond. Athletics promotes overall student health and well-being.
   
   Major Responsibilities and Duties
   
   The Regional Athletics Director will:
   
   Develop, direct, and manage the district's athletic program, equipment, and facilities
   
   Maintain an active athletic program that promotes good sportsmanship and student development Recommend new athletic policies and interpret existing policies
   
   Establish academic eligibility requirement for participation in extracurricular sports and verify each athlete's eligibility
   
   Ensure that KIPP's academic standards are reinforced through the district's athletic programs
   
   Assume overall responsibility for the Athletic Department's business operations Prepare and administer the department budget and ensure that programs are cost-effective and that funds are managed prudently
   
   Maintain a current inventory of all athletic equipment and recommend disposal or replacement of equipment when necessary
   
   Initiate purchase orders and bids in accordance with district policies
   
   Recruit, select, train, and supervise all Athletic Department personnel and make decisions regarding personnel placement, assignments, retention, discipline, and dismissal Coordinate coaching activities through in-service training and on-site observations to ensure positive interactions with students
   
   Evaluate job performance of coaches to ensure effectiveness
   
   Articulate the district's mission and goals in the area of athletics to the community to solicit support Use appropriate techniques to encourage community and parent involvement
   
   Serve as the KIPP Houston district liaison with all official associations
   
   Continuously gauge the effectiveness of the athletic program and ensure that the program is responsive to student needs
   
   Plan necessary time, resources, and materials to support accomplishment of department goals
   
   Prepare all game schedules for all sports
   
   Arrange transportation for athletic events
   
   Oversee the process of cleaning, repairing, and storing all athletic equipment
   
   

   Copy this example

   

5. Post your job

   To find the right athletic director for your business, consider trying out a few different recruiting strategies:

   • Consider internal talent. One of the most important sources of talent for any company is its existing workforce.
   • Ask for referrals. Reach out to friends, family members, and current employees and ask if they know or have worked with athletic directors they would recommend.
   • Recruit at local colleges. Attend job fairs at local colleges to recruit athletic directors who meet your education requirements.
   • Social media platforms. LinkedIn, Facebook and Twitter now have more than 3.5 billion users, and you can use social media to reach potential job candidates.

   To find athletic director candidates, you can consider the following options:

   • Post your job opening on Zippia or other job search websites.
   • Use niche websites that focus on engineering and technology jobs, such as k12jobspot, learn4good, serious teachers, teachingjobs.com.
   • Post your job on free job posting websites.

6. Interview candidates

   Recruiting athletic directors requires you to bring your A-game to the interview process. The first interview should introduce the company and the role to the candidate as much as they present their background experience and reasons for applying for the job. During later interviews, you can go into more detail about the technical details of the job and ask behavioral questions to gauge how they'd fit into your current company culture.

   It's also good to ask about candidates' unique skills and talents. You can move on to the technical interview if a candidate is good enough for the next step.

   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 athletic director

   Once you have selected a candidate for the athletic director 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.

   You should also follow up with applicants who don't get the job with an email letting them know that you've filled the position.

   To prepare for the new athletic director first day, you should share an onboarding schedule with them that covers their first period on the job. You should also quickly complete any necessary paperwork, such as employee action forms and onboarding documents like I-9, benefits enrollment, and federal and state tax forms. Finally, Human Resources must ensure a new employee file is created for internal record keeping.

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 athletic director?