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College administrator education requirements
Updated January 8, 2025
4 min read
There are several educational requirements to become a college administrator. College administrators usually study business, psychology, or communication. 59% of college administrators hold a bachelor's degree, and 16% hold an master's degree. We analyzed 158 real college administrator resumes to see exactly what college administrator education sections show.
The most common colleges for college administrators are the Springfield College and the Springfield College.
There are also many online college administrator courses to help get the education required to be a college administrator.
What education do you need to become a college administrator?
What degree do you need to be a college administrator?
- Bachelor's, 59%
- Master's, 16%
- Associate, 15%
- High School Diploma, 5%
- Other Degrees, 5%
What should I major in to become a college administrator?
- Business, 19%
- Psychology, 9%
- Communication, 7%
- Other Majors, 58%
Most common colleges for college administrators
| College administrator common college | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Springfield College | 8.33% |
| Grambling State University | 8.33% |
| St. Louis | 8.33% |
| University of Cincinnati | 8.33% |
| Capital University | 4.17% |
Best majors for college administrators
| Rank | Major | Percentages |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Business | 18.5% |
| 2 | Psychology | 8.6% |
| 3 | Communication | 7.4% |
| 4 | General Education, Specific Areas | 7.4% |
| 5 | Biology | 6.2% |
Best colleges for college administrators
The best colleges for college administrators are Northwestern University, University of Pennsylvania, and Stanford University.
A college administrator with advanced education typically earns a higher salary and has access to better jobs. That's why Zippia looked into the best colleges for college administrators. 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 college administrators.
1. University of Pennsylvania
Philadelphia, PA • Private
In-state tuition
$55,584
Enrollment
10,764
2. Northwestern University
Evanston, IL • Private
In-state tuition
$54,568
Enrollment
8,451
3. University of Southern California
Los Angeles, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$56,225
Enrollment
19,548
4. Stanford University
Stanford, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$51,354
Enrollment
7,083
5. SUNY Stony Brook
Stony Brook, NY • Private
In-state tuition
$9,625
Enrollment
17,407
6. Boston University
Boston, MA • Private
In-state tuition
$53,948
Enrollment
17,238
7. New York University
New York, NY • Private
In-state tuition
$51,828
Enrollment
26,339
8. University of Minnesota - Twin Cities
Minneapolis, MN • Private
In-state tuition
$14,760
Enrollment
31,451
9. Harvard University
Cambridge, MA • Private
In-state tuition
$50,420
Enrollment
7,582
10. Howard University
Washington, DC • Private
In-state tuition
$26,756
Enrollment
6,166
20 best online courses for college administrators
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1. Financial Accounting-Adjusting Entries & Financial Statement
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3. Accounting & Financial Statement Analysis: Complete Training
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6. How to Read Financial Statements: Build Financial Literacy.
Read financial statements and speak the language of business without the drudgery of a traditional accounting course...
7. Financial Statement Analysis - Ratio Analysis
Master the Art of Financial Statement Analysis: Unlocking Insights through Vertical, Horizontal, and Ratio Analysis...
8. Accounting basics, create financial statements easily
Discover, develop, practice your financial information and explore the world of accounting...
9. Audit - Financial Statement
Master the Art of Auditing Financial Statements: In-Depth Analysis, Techniques, and Real-World Case Studies...
10. Financial Statement Auditing Cycles
In this course, we learn how public accountants plan and execute an audit...
11. Principles of Financial Accounting
Learn the complete accounting cycle -recording business transactions to presenting the Balance Sheet & Income Statement...
12. Administrative Human Resources (HR) for Beginners
This course is an introduction to the role and duties of Human Resources (HR)...
13. Seeing the Big Picture: Understanding Financial Statements
Learn the key measures to look for on a financial statement so you can build your credibility and grow your company...
14. Accounting for Corporations - Financial Accounting
Demystifying Corporate Accounting: An In-depth Exploration of Financial Transactions in Corporations...
15. Financial Accounting: The Complete Introductory Crash Course
Learn the Basics of Financial Accounting: Financial Statements, Debits and Credits, The Accounting Cycle and More!...
16. Financial Statements: Balance Sheet, Income Stmt, Cash Flow
How To Quickly Read & Understand The Big 3 Financial Statements: Balance Sheet, Income Statement, Cash Flow Statement...
17. Financial Accounting-Debits & Credits-Accounting Transaction
Masterclass: Learn Accounting Principles, Financial Statements, Transactions & More in this Comprehensive Course...
18. Financial Accounting - Subsidiary Ledgers & Special Journals
Mastering Special Journals and Subsidiary Ledgers: A Comprehensive Guide to Streamlined Accounting Practices...
19. Financial Statements Analysis for absolute beginners
Understand Financial Statements and Analyze Financial Statements for Business and Financial Analysis...
20. Financial Accounting & Excel-Comprehensive Accounting Course
Comprehensive accounting course to learn the accounting cycle in a practical way and pick up critical Excel fundamentals...
Top 10 most affordable universities for college administrators
The most affordable schools for college administrators are Baruch College of the City University of New York, university of florida, and california state university - bakersfield.
If the best universities for college administrators 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 college administrators.
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. University of Florida
Gainesville, FL • Private
In-state tuition
$6,381
Cost of attendance
21,034
3. California State University - Bakersfield
Bakersfield, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$7,309
Cost of attendance
16,714
4. California State University - Dominguez Hills
Carson, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$6,942
Cost of attendance
14,469
5. California State University - Long Beach
Long Beach, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$6,798
Cost of attendance
18,306
6. California State University - Los Angeles
Los Angeles, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$6,749
Cost of attendance
14,823
7. Florida International University
Miami, FL • Private
In-state tuition
$6,556
Cost of attendance
19,434
8. Lehman College of the City University of New York
Bronx, NY • Private
In-state tuition
$7,210
Cost of attendance
14,359
9. SUNY Farmingdale
Farmingdale, NY • Private
In-state tuition
$8,306
Cost of attendance
16,091
10. USF Sarasota-Manatee
Sarasota, FL • Private
In-state tuition
$5,587
Cost of attendance
13,043
Top 10 hardest universities to get into for college administrators
The hardest universities for college administrators to get into are Northwestern University, University of Pennsylvania, and Stanford University.
Some great schools for college administrators 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 college administrators 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. Stanford University
Stanford, CA • Private
Admissions rate
4%
SAT average
1,497
4. University of Southern California
Los Angeles, CA • Private
Admissions rate
13%
SAT average
1,445
5. New York University
New York, NY • Private
Admissions rate
20%
SAT average
1,419
6. Boston University
Boston, MA • Private
Admissions rate
22%
SAT average
1,420
7. Vanderbilt University
Nashville, TN • Private
Admissions rate
10%
SAT average
1,514
8. Johns Hopkins University
Baltimore, MD • Private
Admissions rate
11%
SAT average
1,513
9. Harvard University
Cambridge, MA • Private
Admissions rate
5%
SAT average
1,520
10. Carnegie Mellon University
Pittsburgh, PA • Private
Admissions rate
17%
SAT average
1,507
Top 10 easy-to-apply-to universities for college administrators
The easiest schools for college administrators to get into are D'Youville College, gwynedd mercy university, and mount saint mary's university.
Some schools are much easier to get into. If you want to start your career as a college administrator 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 college administrators.
1. D'Youville College
Buffalo, NY • Private
Admissions rate
100%
SAT average
1,072
2. Gwynedd Mercy University
Gwynedd Valley, PA • Private
Admissions rate
92%
SAT average
1,031
3. Mount Saint Mary's University
Los Angeles, CA • Private
Admissions rate
84%
SAT average
1,031
4. Barry University
Miami, FL • Private
Admissions rate
91%
SAT average
1,006
5. Felician University
Lodi, NJ • Private
Admissions rate
81%
SAT average
999
6. Notre Dame de Namur University
Belmont, CA • Private
Admissions rate
82%
SAT average
983
7. Ottawa University
Ottawa, KS • Private
Admissions rate
78%
SAT average
1,024
8. University of the Incarnate Word
San Antonio, TX • Private
Admissions rate
88%
SAT average
1,044
9. Notre Dame College
Cleveland, OH • Private
Admissions rate
90%
SAT average
994
10. Saint Joseph's College of Maine
Standish, ME • Private
Admissions rate
84%
SAT average
1,069
Average college administrator salary by education level
| College administrator education level | College administrator salary |
|---|---|
| Master's Degree | $48,891 |
| Bachelor's Degree | $40,225 |
| Doctorate Degree | $56,106 |
College administrator education FAQs
Have more questions? See all answers to common executive management questions.
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Updated January 8, 2025
Updated January 8, 2025