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How to hire a director of admissions

Director of admissions hiring summary. Here are some key points about hiring directors of admissions in the United States:

  • There are a total of 14,982 directors of admissions in the US, and there are currently 12,833 job openings in this field.
  • The median cost to hire a director of admissions is $1,633.
  • Small businesses spend $1,105 per director of admissions on training each year, while large companies spend $658.
  • It takes between 36 and 42 days to fill the average role in the US.
  • It takes approximately 12 weeks for a new employee to reach full productivity levels.
  • HR departments typically allocate 15% of their budget towards recruitment efforts.
  • New York, NY, has the highest demand for directors of admissions, with 12 job openings.

How to hire a director of admissions, step by step

To hire a director of admissions, 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 director of admissions:

Here's a step-by-step director of admissions hiring guide:

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

What does a director of admissions do?

The admissions director is responsible for evaluating admission applications in an educational institution setting. Admissions directors monitor the admission process, develop admission procedures and reasonable criteria, and recruit potential students by determining their eligibility and educational objectives. They also assist with handling marketing and promotional campaigns about academic programs, conduct career seminars through school visits, and managing registration paperwork, such as scholarship grants, financial aid applications, and other admission requirements. The admissions director must have excellent communication and leadership skills, responding to the students' inquiries and concerns, as well as overseeing the admissions staff's operations.

Learn more about the specifics of what a director of admissions does
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  1. Identify your hiring needs

    Before you post your director of admissions job, you should take the time to determine what type of worker your business needs. While certain jobs definitely require a full-time employee, it's sometimes better to find a director of admissions for hire on a part-time basis or as a contractor.

    Determine employee vs contractor status
    Is the person you're thinking of hiring a US citizen or green card holder?

    A director of admissions's background is also an important factor in determining whether they'll be a good fit for the position. For example, directors of admissions from different industries or fields will have radically different experiences and will bring different viewpoints to the role. You also need to consider the candidate's previous level of experience to make sure they'll be comfortable with the job's level of seniority.

    This list shows salaries for various types of directors of admissions.

    Type of Director Of AdmissionsDescriptionHourly rate
    Director Of AdmissionsPostsecondary 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.$21-35
    Co-ChairA co-chair is responsible for supporting the duties and responsibilities under the supervision of a chair. Co-chairs help with the implementation of effective plans and programs that would benefit the organization... Show more$10-167
    Student DeanA 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.$15-52
  2. Create an ideal candidate profile

    Common skills:
    • Patients
    • Customer Service
    • Admissions Process
    • Facility Tours
    • Rehabilitation
    • Customer Satisfaction
    • English Language
    • Financial Aid
    • Home Health
    • Medicare
    • Medicaid
    • CRM
    • Marketing Campaigns
    • Student Recruitment
    Check all skills
    Responsibilities:
    • Manage school's Facebook page.
    • Transform CRM system from measuring activities to managing business pipeline.
    • Complete MDS sections as appropriate.
    • Record and file documents in medical records using HIPAA compliance.
    • Compute grade point averages (GPA) using a calculator for new students.
    • Give MDS as much info regarding patient to help them insure the highest rug level as possible.
    More director of admissions duties
  3. Make a budget

    Including a salary range in the director of admissions job description is a good way to get more applicants. A director of admissions salary can be affected by several factors, such as the location of the job, the level of experience, education, certifications, and the employer's prestige.

    For example, the average salary for a director of admissions in Kansas may be lower than in New Hampshire, and an entry-level engineer typically earns less than a senior-level director of admissions. Additionally, a director of admissions with lots of experience in the field may command a higher salary as a result.

    Average director of admissions salary

    $57,524yearly

    $27.66 hourly rate

    Entry-level director of admissions salary
    $45,000 yearly salary
    Updated December 25, 2025

    Average director of admissions salary by state

    RankStateAvg. salaryHourly rate
    1Connecticut$66,275$32
    2Massachusetts$66,187$32
    3California$64,180$31
    4District of Columbia$64,004$31
    5Michigan$62,706$30
    6Nevada$59,603$29
    7Virginia$58,162$28
    8New York$58,125$28
    9Florida$56,305$27
    10Oregon$55,946$27
    11New Jersey$55,083$26
    12Maryland$54,188$26
    13Minnesota$54,125$26
    14Ohio$53,622$26
    15Indiana$51,393$25
    16Illinois$51,015$25
    17Missouri$50,783$24
    18Utah$49,649$24
    19South Carolina$49,448$24
    20North Dakota$49,372$24

    Average director of admissions salary by company

    RankCompanyAverage salaryHourly rateJob openings
    1Cleveland Institute of Art$67,202$32.31
    2Claremont Graduate University$66,369$31.91
    3Canisius College$65,987$31.72
    4California State University$64,842$31.1730
    5Central State University$64,802$31.153
    6Farmingdale State College$64,578$31.05
    7Utica College$64,529$31.02
    82U$64,029$30.78
    9California Institute of Technology$64,010$30.773
    10St. Ambrose University$63,334$30.45
    11Avalon Health Care Group$63,263$30.41
    12Grays Harbor College$63,136$30.35
    13Yale University$63,073$30.325
    14Springfield College$62,098$29.851
    15Lincoln Memorial University$61,932$29.7710
    16University of Detroit Mercy$61,931$29.776
    17Aperion Care$61,110$29.38
    18Trilogy Health Services$61,100$29.3818
    19American Senior Benefits$61,034$29.341
    20Minneapolis Community and Technical College$61,001$29.33
  4. Writing a director of admissions job description

    A director of admissions 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 a director of admissions job description:

    Director of admissions job description example

    1. Receives/documents all admission inquiries or makes arrangements for designee to be available to handle such inquires.

    2. Interviews prospective residents and/or families. Provides orientation and tour of facility. Provides explanation of application process including current New York State regulations.

    3. Provides resident and/or family with admission agreement contract; clearly explains all Resident’s Rights, receives copy of signed agreement to be maintained in the facility.

    4. Educates and explores resident/families interest in advance directives and refers these and all related Social Work Services to the assigned social worker.

    5. Maintains communication with hospitals and other agencies for the purpose of marketing and/or follow-up on current applications.

    6. Coordinates the intake application process that includes liaison within facility’s interdisciplinary team, financial investigator, resident and/or family, and referring agency regarding the status of applications and bed availability and alerts Social Work as to potential difficult situations based upon the Social Services Needs when assessing the PRI’s.

    7. Controls various files and statistics relating to applications, admissions, discharges and bed holds. Completes monthly statistics and report. Completes reports as requested and assists others in the department, as necessary.

    8. Computes and distributes facility’s daily census report as required.

    9. Maintains all PRI applications and PRI log. Reviews admission PRIs with the Director of Nursing Services Director of Rehab Services and other Departments as needed.

    10. Notifies hospitals/nursing homes/family of bed availability when Admissions Assistant requires assistance.

    11. Performs duties other than those specified above at the discretion of the Administrator/CEO.

    12. Recommends/ Evaluates resident needs and demonstrates the ability to select the appropriate intervention and provides as necessary, any related Social Work information. Prioritizes requests for service. Seeks guidance from appropriate personnel, when necessary. Demonstrates good judgment in interviewing techniques by adapting methods to elicit data. Demonstrates good judgment in selecting, interpreting and reporting data. Maintains confidentiality of resident records and uses discretion when discussing resident and facility matters.

    13. Participates as a team member, on behalf of residents, in conferences with facility personnel and community agencies. Demonstrates a sensitive and supportive attitude with residents, families and staff. Addresses residents, visitors and co-workers in a courteous and respectful manner. Maintains a professional working relationship with other health care personnel.

    14. Answers telephone information requests with courtesy, accuracy and respect for confidentiality. Possess good verbal and written communication skills; documents and reports clearly and concisely. Operates as an integral member of the Admission/Administrative and Clinical Team as required, as it relates to Admission for the admitted individual.

    15. Demonstrates knowledge, respect and sensitivity of resident’s rights as identified within the Resident Bill of Rights and facility policy and mission statement. Assures confidentiality of all resident information.

    16. Demonstrates awareness of legal issues, utilizes judgment and actions to reduce potential adverse consequences for residents, facility and self.

    17. Performs efficiently in emergency situations; remains calm, uses good judgment, follows established protocols, informs appropriate personnel and documents events.

    18. Accepts responsibility for own conduct. Develops supportive collegial relations with all members of the health care team. Demonstrates effective communication methods and skills utilizing lines of authority appropriately. Accepts responsibility in complying with facility attendance/punctuality standards. Demonstrates effective use of work time by completing work assignments within time schedule.

    19. As part of interdisciplinary team, attends meetings and other committees as directed by the Administrator/CEO.

    Attends in-service education as required by position tit

  5. Post your job

    To find directors of admissions for your business, try out a few different recruiting strategies:

    • Consider internal talent. One of the most important talent pools for any company is its current employees.
    • Ask for referrals. Reach out to friends, family members, and your current work to ask if they know any directors of admissions they would recommend.
    • Recruit at local colleges. Attend job fairs at local colleges to recruit entry-level directors of admissions with the right educational background.
    • Social media platforms. LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter have more than 3.5 billion users, and they're a great place for company branding and reaching potential job candidates.
    To find director of admissions 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

    Your first interview with director of admissions candidates should focus on their interest in the role and background experience. As the hiring process goes on, you can learn more about how they'd fit into the company culture in later rounds of interviews.

    Remember to include a few questions that allow candidates to expand on their strengths in their own words. Asking about their unique skills might reveal things you'd miss otherwise. At this point, good candidates can move on to the technical interview.

    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 director of admissions

    Once you've found the director of admissions 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 also important to follow up with applicants who do not get the job with an email letting them know that the position is filled.

    To prepare for the new employee's start date, you can create an onboarding schedule and complete any necessary paperwork, such as employee action forms and onboarding documents like I-9 forms, benefits enrollment, and federal and state tax forms. Human Resources should also ensure that a new employee file is 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 director of admissions?

Hiring a director of admissions comes with both the one-time cost per hire and ongoing costs. The cost of recruiting directors of admissions involves promoting the job and spending time conducting interviews. Ongoing costs include employee salary, training, benefits, insurance, and equipment. It is essential to consider the cost of director of admissions recruiting as well the ongoing costs of maintaining the new employee.

You can expect to pay around $57,524 per year for a director of admissions, as this is the median yearly salary nationally. This can vary depending on what state or city you're hiring in. If you're hiring for contract work or on a per-project basis, hourly rates for directors of admissions in the US typically range between $21 and $35 an hour.

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