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What does a college director do?

Updated January 8, 2025
6 min read
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College director responsibilities

Here are examples of responsibilities from real college director resumes:

  • Lead project management team in development/execution of conferences and enduring CME -accredite programs.
  • Work with colleges through out Texas to develop common numbering system for courses.
  • Foster communication with alumni and encourage participation in events, programs and monetary support
  • Develop relationships with area guidance counselors in order to facilitate alumni transition from high school to post secondary education.
  • Design curricula and teach courses in development of oral and written communication skills, mathematics and general educational development for adults.
  • Safeguard course and syllabus alignment by performing ongoing examination review.

College director skills and personality traits

We calculated that 13% of College Directors are proficient in Alumni, Financial Aid, and Program Development. They’re also known for soft skills such as Computer skills, Organizational skills, and Problem-solving skills.

We break down the percentage of College Directors that have these skills listed on their resume here:

  • Alumni, 13%

    Fostered communication with alumni and encouraged participation in events, programs and monetary support

  • Financial Aid, 10%

    Managed consulting service for corporate clients requesting information on diverse undergraduate and graduate programs, admission and financial aid procedures.

  • Program Development, 10%

    Support new program development through data collection and analysis, budget implementation, marketing, and effective recruiting strategies.

  • Professional Development, 9%

    Create and update an annual professional development plan to the supervising administrator.

  • Academic Affairs, 7%

    Participate in preparing and executing the budget for the College of Health Professions in collaboration with the Director of Academic Affairs.

  • Student Services, 6%

    Directed each of its institutional sections including academics, administration, accounting, admissions, and student services.

Most college directors use their skills in "alumni," "financial aid," and "program development" to do their jobs. You can find more detail on essential college director responsibilities here:

Computer skills. One of the key soft skills for a college director to have is computer skills. You can see how this relates to what college directors do because "postsecondary education administrators need to be comfortable working with computers so they can use software to manage student and school records." Additionally, a college director resume shows how college directors use computer skills: "coordinated government approval in offering bachelor of science degrees in computer engineering and industrial technology. "

Organizational skills. Another soft skill that's essential for fulfilling college director duties is organizational skills. The role rewards competence in this skill because "administrators need to be organized so they can manage records, prioritize tasks, and coordinate activities with their staff." According to a college director resume, here's how college directors can utilize organizational skills in their job responsibilities: "attend community events such as chamber events in various counties and ok ethics to support organizational and program objectives. "

Problem-solving skills. college directors are also known for problem-solving skills, which are critical to their duties. You can see how this skill relates to college director responsibilities, because "administrators need to react calmly when a difficult situation arises and develop creative solutions." A college director resume example shows how problem-solving skills is used in the workplace: "managed and resolved difficult customer service issues for prospective students and outside organizations. "

See the full list of college director skills

The three companies that hire the most college directors are:

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Compare different college directors

College director vs. 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. They also handle the department's budget, accurately allocating resources and funds to different activities and educational materials.

If we compare the average college director annual salary with that of a dean, we find that deans typically earn a $7,434 lower salary than college directors make annually.While the two careers have a salary gap, they share some of the same responsibilities. Employees in both college director and dean positions are skilled in financial aid, student services, and academic programs.

While similarities exist, there are also some differences between college directors and dean. For instance, college director responsibilities require skills such as "alumni," "program development," "professional development," and "academic affairs." Whereas a dean is skilled in "curriculum development," "oversight," "scholarship," and "human resources." This is part of what separates the two careers.

The education levels that deans earn slightly differ from college directors. In particular, deans are 3.2% less likely to graduate with a Master's Degree than a college director. Additionally, they're 1.9% more likely to earn a Doctoral Degree.

College director vs. 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. As an admissions officer, it is your duty to evaluate potential applicants, and advise and guide students about the admission procedure, programs offered, costs, and eligibility. Other duties include reviewing and evaluating student applications, arranging orientation programs for new students, and developing innovative recruitment and communication strategies.

Admissions officer positions earn lower pay than college director roles. They earn a $59,919 lower salary than college directors per year.A few skills overlap for college directors and admissions officers. Resumes from both professions show that the duties of each career rely on skills like "financial aid," "student services," and "community colleges. "

While some skills are similar in these professions, other skills aren't so similar. For example, resumes show us that college director responsibilities requires skills like "alumni," "program development," "professional development," and "academic affairs." But an admissions officer might use other skills in their typical duties, such as, "admissions process," "recruitment efforts," "student recruitment," and "career fairs."

Admissions officers earn similar levels of education than college directors in general. They're 1.5% less likely to graduate with a Master's Degree and 1.9% less likely to earn a Doctoral Degree.

College director vs. Department chairperson

A Department Chairperson is a faculty member who provides academic and administrative leadership to an academic department. They exercise leadership in recruiting and retaining capable faculty, communicate departmental needs and desires to the Dean and Provost, and coordinate the academic advisement process.

An average department chairperson eans a higher salary compared to the average salary of college directors. The difference in salaries amounts to department chairpeople earning a $4,686 higher average salary than college directors.Using the responsibilities included on college directors and department chairpeople resumes, we found that both professions have similar skill requirements, such as "professional development," "academic programs," and "strategic plan.rdquo;

There are many key differences between these two careers, including some of the skills required to perform responsibilities within each role. For example, a college director is likely to be skilled in "alumni," "financial aid," "program development," and "academic affairs," while a typical department chairperson is skilled in "curriculum development," "classroom management," "rehabilitation," and "student learning."

Department chairpeople typically earn higher educational levels compared to college directors. Specifically, they're 9.6% more likely to graduate with a Master's Degree, and 1.3% more likely to earn a Doctoral Degree.

College director vs. Student dean

A Student Dean is focused on responding to students' needs at a college or university. They plan and direct university activities related to student services and campus life.

Student deans tend to earn a lower pay than college directors by an average of $34,255 per year.While their salaries may vary, college directors and student deans both use similar skills to perform their duties. Resumes from both professions include skills like "financial aid," "student services," and "social justice. "While some skills are required in each professionacirc;euro;trade;s responsibilities, there are some differences to note. "alumni," "program development," "professional development," and "academic affairs" are skills that commonly show up on college director resumes. On the other hand, student deans use skills like behavior issues, staff development, crisis intervention, and student achievement on their resumes.student deans reach higher levels of education compared to college directors, in general. The difference is that they're 12.8% more likely to earn a Master's Degree, and 2.4% less likely to graduate with a Doctoral Degree.

Types of college director

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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