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How to hire a college coach

College coach hiring summary. Here are some key points about hiring college coaches in the United States:

  • In the United States, the median cost per hire a college coach is $1,633.
  • It takes between 36 and 42 days to fill the average role in the US.
  • Human Resources use 15% of their expenses on recruitment on average.
  • On average, it takes around 12 weeks for a new college coach to become settled and show total productivity levels at work.

How to hire a college coach, step by step

To hire a college coach, you should clearly understand the skills and experience you are looking for in a candidate, and allocate a budget for the position. You will also need to post and promote the job opening to reach potential candidates. Here's a step-by-step guide on how to hire a college coach:

Here's a step-by-step college coach hiring guide:

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

    The college coach 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?

    Hiring the perfect college coach also involves considering the ideal background you'd like them to have. Depending on what industry or field they have experience in, they'll bring different skills to the job. It's also important to consider what levels of seniority and education the job requires and what kind of salary such a candidate would likely demand.

    This list presents college coach salaries for various positions.

    Type of College CoachDescriptionHourly rate
    College CoachCoaches teach amateur or professional athletes the skills they need to succeed at their sport. Scouts look for new players and evaluate their skills and likelihood for success at the college, amateur, or professional level... Show more$12-36
    ScoutThere are different types of scout based on the organization or workplace. There are sports scouts, talent scouts, and athletic scouts... Show more$13-56
    Student AthleteA student-athlete competes in various sporting events to represent a school or institution. Most student-athletes are under scholarships and receive an allowance, either from the school or a particular organization... Show more$12-37
  2. Create an ideal candidate profile

    Common skills:
    • Academic Support
    • Financial Aid
    • Student Athletes
    • AmeriCorps
    • Course Selection
    • Mathematics
    • Salesforce
    • Community Resources
    • Curriculum Development
    • Test Preparation
    • Academic Programs
    • Student Data
    • Study
    • Academic Performance
    Check all skills
    Responsibilities:
    • Assist each student in managing and maintaining their academic GPA (mentor/tutor students as needed in difficult subject areas).
    • Perform additional responsibilities as deemed appropriate by school and district supervisors such as organizing and managing elementary school mathematics information nights.
    • Assist students with building skills need for success in higher education such as self-advocacy, time management, and study skills
    • Teach effective study habits and provide academic advisement for this population on site and remotely.
    • Increase participating student attendance and average GPA in academic focus areas through streamline afterschool academic programming and management of volunteer tutors.
    • Perform additional responsibilities as deemed appropriate by school and district supervisors such as organizing and managing elementary school mathematics information nights.
    More college coach duties
  3. Make a budget

    Including a salary range in your college coach job description is a great way to entice the best and brightest candidates. A college coach salary can vary based on several factors:
    • Location. For example, college coaches' average salary in wyoming is 69% less than in massachusetts.
    • Seniority. Entry-level college coaches earn 67% less than senior-level college coaches.
    • Certifications. A college coach with a few certifications under their belt will likely demand a higher salary.
    • Company. Working for a prestigious company or an exciting start-up can make a huge difference in a college coach's salary.

    Average college coach salary

    $44,315yearly

    $21.31 hourly rate

    Entry-level college coach salary
    $25,000 yearly salary
    Updated December 13, 2025

    Average college coach salary by state

    RankStateAvg. salaryHourly rate
    1Massachusetts$79,249$38
    2New York$60,083$29
    3California$59,881$29
    4Pennsylvania$59,599$29
    5Maryland$50,469$24
    6Texas$49,916$24
    7Minnesota$46,691$22
    8Illinois$45,079$22
    9Michigan$44,766$22
    10Indiana$44,754$22
    11Colorado$40,887$20
    12Georgia$39,213$19
    13Wisconsin$38,168$18
    14Missouri$35,012$17
    15Iowa$33,884$16
    16Montana$28,855$14

    Average college coach salary by company

    RankCompanyAverage salaryHourly rateJob openings
    1Bunker Hill Community College$72,891$35.044
    2North Shore Community College$72,814$35.01
    3Siena Heights University$61,508$29.57
    4Research Foundation of The City University of New York$58,936$28.33
    5Dallas College$58,861$28.303
    6Meristem Family Wealth$57,385$27.59
    7IDEA Public Schools$55,883$26.873
    8Middlesex Community College$55,756$26.814
    9Ivy Tech Community College$51,219$24.624
    10Grantham University$51,163$24.60
    11Northern Essex Community College$50,250$24.163
    12Virginia's Community Colleges$49,923$24.003
    13Denver Public Schools$48,697$23.412
    14Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi$47,208$22.709
    15Tyler Junior College$44,224$21.26
    16State of West Virginia$40,921$19.6722
    17Americorps$38,980$18.7413
    18SMASH$32,032$15.40
    19South Florida State College$26,311$12.65
  4. Writing a college coach job description

    A job description for a college coach role includes a summary of the job's main responsibilities, required skills, and preferred background experience. Including a salary range can also go a long way in attracting more candidates to apply, and showing the first name of the hiring manager can also make applicants more comfortable. As an example, here's a college coach job description:

    College coach job description example

    About College Possible: As one of the largest and most successful college access and success programs in the country, since 2000 College Possible has helped put more than 59,000 students from disinvested communities on the path to economic mobility via completion of a college degree. Its proven near-peer coaching model, delivered by recent college graduates serving as AmeriCorps members, provides high-touch interventions proven to help students navigate and overcome the most common barriers to college access, retention and degree completion. Nationwide, College Possible students are three times more likely to earn a bachelor's degree within six years than their peers from similar backgrounds.


    College Possible is a growing nonprofit coaching students from low-income backgrounds to and through college to break the cycle of poverty and empower the next generation of leaders. Our model has earned national recognition: the inaugural Evergreen National Education Award recognized our leadership in increasing access to and success in college for students from low-income backgrounds. It also earns top-of-field results: a Harvard study found that the program more than doubles a student's chance of enrolling in a four-year college, and our students are four times more likely to become college graduates than their low-income peers. College Possible has a budget of $33 million, more than 128 full-time employees and more than 321 AmeriCorps and VISTA service members. During the 2021-22 school year, we will reach an estimated 21,245 students in all 50 states, with the support of 169 partner high schools and 107 partner colleges.


    Diversity, Equity and Inclusion


    College Possible is committed to diversity, equity and inclusion, and seeks to build a diverse workforce to create impact in partnership with the communities we serve. We welcome a diverse pool of qualified applicants. For each of its positions, College Possible is mindful about what best serves our students, and seeks to hire staff with relevant experience, skills and aptitude, and a commitment to the power of education. To learn more, read our Diversity and Inclusion Plan.


    Headquartered in Saint Paul, MN, College Possible operates: regional sites in Chicago, IL; Milwaukee, WI; Omaha, NE; Philadelphia, PA; Portland, OR; and Seattle, WA; College Forward in Austin, TX; and Catalyze partnerships in California, Iowa, Minnesota, New York, Ohio, and Tennessee. Learn more at CollegePossible.org.


    Available AmeriCorps Opportunities


    Available positions at our College Forward site in Austin, TX include:


    College Access Coach

    Three-quarter-time, in-person coaching role to support high school juniors or seniors. 10 month service term. Available in the following locations: Austin, TX


    College Success Coach

    Three-quarter-time, in-person coaching role to support college students. 10 month service term. Available in the following locations: Austin, TX


    Open positions at other College Possible sites and our Catalyze university partner campuses include:


    College Access Coach

    Full-time, in-person coaching role to support high school juniors or seniors. 10-11 month service term. Available in the following locations: Chicago, IL; Milwaukee, WI; Omaha, NE; Philadelphia, PA; Portland, OR; Seattle, WA; and St. Paul, MN.


    College Success Coach

    Full-time, tech-connected coaching role to support college students. 10-11 month service term. Available in the following locations: Chicago, IL; Milwaukee, WI; Omaha, NE; Philadelphia, PA; Portland, OR; Seattle, WA; and St. Paul, MN.


    Catalyze College Success Coach

    Full-time, in person, on-campus coaching role to support college students enrolled on Catalyze partner campuses. 12-month service term. Available at the following college campuses: Austin Peay State University, California State University - Stanislaus, California State University - San Bernardino, Luther College, Metro State University, St. Cloud State University, University of Cincinnati.


    Transition Coach

    Part-time tech-connected coaching support to serve incoming college freshman. 3-month service term. Available at select regional site locations.


    Community Partners Team Member

    Full time, in-person, event planning and community engagement role. Positions typically work from site office locations. 10-11 month service term. Available at select regional site locations.


    So what is AmeriCorps? When you think of AmeriCorps, think of the Peace Corps but in your own backyard. AmeriCorps is a civil society program supported by the U.S. federal government, foundations, corporations and other donors engaging adults in public service work with a goal of "helping others and meeting critical needs in the community." Not only do College Possible AmeriCorps members make a difference in their community, they gain valuable experience for their next job or graduate school endeavor.

    We have opportunities available beginning in August, 2022 in our Saint Paul, Minnesota; Milwaukee, Wisconsin; Portland, Oregon; Chicago, Illinois; Philadelphia Pennsylvania; Seattle, Washington; and Omaha, Nebraska sites.


    Available AmeriCorps Opportunities (may vary by site)

    High School Coach

    Serve as a College Possible coach in a high school. Support juniors by providing ACT/SAT test preparation and work with students on an individual basis providing subject specific assistance. Guide seniors as they complete the college application process including essay writing, applications for admission, scholarships, and the FAFSA. Reports to Program Team.

    College Coach

    Serve as a coach for students as they navigate the milestones and resources essential to graduating from college. Maintain proactive communication and offer services to students in college either from a college campus or College Possible office. Help link students to services already available on campus, plan events for students and connect them to meaningful opportunities.

    Community Partnerships Team Member

    Support College Possible's programming by building and supporting partnerships to serve students. This may include organizing College Prep Talks, college planning workshops for middle and early high school students; conceiving and organizing two program-wide community service days for College Possible students; organizing practice ACT exams for high school juniors; organizing campus visits to College Possible partner colleges and coordinating support services to College Possible partner colleges. In addition, this role will organize the annual Launch celebration; serve as lead substitute for coaches; and support programming for students transitioning from first to second year of college and supporting summer bridge programming for high school seniors. Research policies, timelines, and resources specific to your site for partners such as high schools, colleges, scholarships, summer programs, etc.

    AmeriCorps Benefits:

    Benefits include a biweekly living allowance, health coverage and an Education Award of $6,495* that can be used to repay federal student loans or pay future education expenses. Some student loans may be deferred. A 10- or 12-month commitment (depending on position) beginning in August of 2022 is required.

    *For full time AmeriCorps state and national service members. Additional benefits may be available for some service positions. Please refer to the individual job description for details.


    Required Skills:

    Four-year college degree is required. Ideal applicants will have demonstrated leadership skills, a high level of achievement in academics, employment and/or other pursuits, and a commitment to the mission of College Possible. Applicants of all academic majors are welcome to apply. Please visit www.CollegePossible.org/Serve to learn more about College Possible and AmeriCorps service.


    Equal Opportunity Employer

    College Possible is an Equal Opportunity Employer. Applicants will receive consideration for employment regardless of their race, color, creed, religion, national origin, sex, sexual orientation, disability, age, marital status, or status with regard to public assistance. Individuals with disabilities are encouraged to apply. We provide reasonable accommodation for qualified individuals and conduct all possible activities in fully accessible settings.



    Job Posted by ApplicantPro
  5. Post your job

    There are a few common ways to find college coaches for your business:

    • Promoting internally or recruiting from your existing workforce.
    • Ask for referrals from friends, family members, and current employees.
    • Attend job fairs at local colleges to meet candidates with the right educational background.
    • Use social media platforms like LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter to recruit passive job-seekers.
    Post your job online:
    • Post your college coach job on Zippia to find and recruit college coach candidates who meet your exact specifications.
    • Use field-specific websites.
    • Post a job on free websites.
  6. Interview candidates

    Recruiting college coaches 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 college coach

    Once you've found the college coach candidate you'd like to hire, it's time to write an offer letter. This should include an explicit job offer that includes the salary and the details of any other perks. Qualified candidates might be looking at multiple positions, so your offer must be competitive if you like the candidate. Also, be prepared for a negotiation stage, as candidates may way want to tweak the details of your initial offer. Once you've settled on these details, you can draft a contract to formalize your agreement.

    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.

    After that, you can create an onboarding schedule for a new college coach. Human Resources and the hiring manager should complete Employee Action Forms. Human Resources should also ensure that onboarding paperwork is completed, including I-9s, benefits enrollment, federal and state tax forms, etc., and that new employee files are created.

  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 a college coach?

There are different types of costs for hiring college coaches. One-time cost per hire for the recruitment process. Ongoing costs include employee salary, training, onboarding, benefits, insurance, and equipment. It is essential to consider all of these costs when evaluating hiring a new college coach employee.

College coaches earn a median yearly salary is $44,315 a year in the US. However, if you're looking to find college coaches for hire on a contract or per-project basis, hourly rates typically range between $12 and $36.

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