Best cities for a dean

The best cities for deans are Oakland, CA, Sacramento, CA, and Bakersfield, CA, based on factors like average salary and job availability per capita. Jobs and pay for deans vary across the country, but we've determined the ten best cities for deans in the U.S.

Whether you're starting your career as a dean or considering a move, this list of the best cities for deans to live in will help you decide. These aren't just the best-paying cities for deans. We also consider how easy it is to find work as a dean. While the absolute best city for deans is Oakland, CA, there are plenty of other great places to consider.

Keep reading to learn more about the best cities for deans in 2024.

If you're looking for a dean job, here are five companies hiring now:

10 best cities for deans in 2025

1. Oakland, CA

Total dean jobs:	4
Average annual salary:	$116,789
Lowest 10 percent warn:	$62,000
Highest 10 percent earn:	$218,000
Location quotient:	23.89

2. Sacramento, CA

Total dean jobs:	7
Average annual salary:	$115,036
Lowest 10 percent warn:	$61,000
Highest 10 percent earn:	$215,000
Location quotient:	19.17

3. Bakersfield, CA

Total dean jobs:	2
Average annual salary:	$113,312
Lowest 10 percent warn:	$59,000
Highest 10 percent earn:	$215,000
Location quotient:	25.25

4. Milwaukee, WI

Total dean jobs:	3
Average annual salary:	$89,612
Lowest 10 percent warn:	$47,000
Highest 10 percent earn:	$168,000
Location quotient:	8.69

5. Long Beach, CA

Total dean jobs:	3
Average annual salary:	$109,226
Lowest 10 percent warn:	$57,000
Highest 10 percent earn:	$208,000
Location quotient:	28.04

6. San Jose, CA

Total dean jobs:	5
Average annual salary:	$116,460
Lowest 10 percent warn:	$62,000
Highest 10 percent earn:	$218,000
Location quotient:	4.03

7. Fremont, CA

Total dean jobs:	1
Average annual salary:	$116,504
Lowest 10 percent warn:	$62,000
Highest 10 percent earn:	$218,000
Location quotient:	2.84

8. Detroit, MI

Total dean jobs:	0
Average annual salary:	$95,171
Lowest 10 percent warn:	$50,000
Highest 10 percent earn:	$179,000
Location quotient:	0.00

9. Reno, NV

Total dean jobs:	0
Average annual salary:	$99,923
Lowest 10 percent warn:	$52,000
Highest 10 percent earn:	$188,000
Location quotient:	0.00

10. Las Vegas, NV

Total dean jobs:	0
Average annual salary:	$96,796
Lowest 10 percent warn:	$50,000
Highest 10 percent earn:	$186,000
Location quotient:	0.00

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Best cities for deans

Oakland, CA
Sacramento, CA
Bakersfield, CA
Milwaukee, WI
Long Beach, CA
San Jose, CA
Fremont, CA
Detroit, MI
Reno, NV
Las Vegas, NV

(4 dean jobs)
(7 dean jobs)
(2 dean jobs)
(3 dean jobs)
(3 dean jobs)
(5 dean jobs)
(1 dean jobs)
(0 dean jobs)
(0 dean jobs)
(0 dean jobs)

Detailed list of the best cities for a dean

Rank	City	Average salary	Lowest 10% Earn	Population	Job count
1	Oakland, CA	$116,789	$62,000	420,005	4
2	Sacramento, CA	$115,036	$61,000	495,234	7
3	Bakersfield, CA	$113,312	$59,000	376,380	2
4	Milwaukee, WI	$89,612	$47,000	595,047	3
5	Long Beach, CA	$109,226	$57,000	470,130	3
6	San Jose, CA	$116,460	$62,000	1,025,350	5
7	Fremont, CA	$116,504	$62,000	233,136	1
8	Detroit, MI	$95,171	$50,000	672,795	-
9	Reno, NV	$99,923	$52,000	245,255	-
10	Las Vegas, NV	$96,796	$50,000	632,912	-
11	Madison, WI	$87,401	$46,000	252,551	2
12	Henderson, NV	$96,631	$50,000	292,969	-
13	San Francisco, CA	$117,108	$62,000	870,887	-
14	North Las Vegas, NV	$96,448	$49,000	238,702	-
15	Los Angeles, CA	$110,332	$57,000	3,976,322	5
16	Chula Vista, CA	$103,106	$54,000	267,172	2
17	Stockton, CA	$115,240	$61,000	307,072	-
18	New York, NY	$104,737	$57,000	8,537,673	17
19	Hempstead, NY	$104,918	$57,000	759,757	-
20	Fresno, CA	$113,672	$60,000	522,053	-
21	Philadelphia, PA	$81,867	$44,000	1,567,872	7
22	Islip, NY	$104,970	$58,000	335,543	-
23	Oyster Bay, NY	$104,786	$57,000	293,214	-
24	Durham, NC	$82,949	$41,000	263,016	2
25	Boston, MA	$98,233	$54,000	673,184	4
26	Brookhaven, NY	$104,808	$58,000	486,040	-
27	Anaheim, CA	$108,993	$57,000	351,043	-
28	San Diego, CA	$103,756	$54,000	1,406,630	5
29	Cleveland, OH	$82,335	$43,000	385,809	-
30	Santa Ana, CA	$108,622	$56,000	334,217	-
31	Riverside, CA	$108,424	$56,000	324,722	-
32	Irvine, CA	$108,236	$56,000	266,122	-
33	Columbus, OH	$78,981	$40,000	860,090	-
34	Toledo, OH	$80,371	$42,000	278,508	-
35	Buffalo, NY	$98,454	$53,000	256,902	-
36	Portland, OR	$85,216	$46,000	639,863	3
37	Winston-Salem, NC	$79,892	$39,000	242,203	-
38	Raleigh, NC	$82,918	$41,000	458,880	-
39	Greensboro, NC	$80,978	$40,000	287,027	-
40	Washington, DC	$100,574	$53,000	681,170	5
41	Fort Wayne, IN	$76,137	$39,000	264,488	-
42	Virginia Beach, VA	$90,192	$47,000	452,602	-
43	Norfolk, VA	$89,951	$47,000	245,115	-
44	Pittsburgh, PA	$77,918	$41,000	303,625	-
45	Chesapeake, VA	$89,638	$46,000	237,940	-
46	Lexington, KY	$75,159	$37,000	318,449	-
47	Cincinnati, OH	$73,825	$37,000	298,800	-
48	Saint Petersburg, FL	$72,157	$36,000	260,999	1
49	Phoenix, AZ	$77,681	$40,000	1,615,017	1
50	Charlotte, NC	$75,336	$37,000	842,051	-

Highest paying cities for deans

Rank	City	Avg. dean salary
1	Los Altos, CA	$116,846
2	New York, NY	$104,737
3	Washington, DC	$100,574
4	Boston, MA	$98,233
5	Detroit, MI	$95,171
6	Milwaukee, WI	$89,612
7	Eugene, OR	$87,346
8	Piscataway, NJ	$85,738
9	Baltimore, MD	$85,107
10	Youngstown, OH	$83,245
11	Durham, NC	$82,949
12	Philadelphia, PA	$81,867
13	Dubuque, IA	$75,330
14	Walla Walla, WA	$73,317
15	Gainesville, FL	$68,010
16	San Antonio, TX	$66,345
17	Chicago, IL	$65,363
18	Knoxville, TN	$64,268
19	Salt Lake City, UT	$61,236
20	Saint Louis, MO	$52,863