How to hire an education director

How to hire an education director, step by step

Here's a step-by-step education director hiring guide:

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

What does an education director do?

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1. Identify your hiring needs

   Before you start hiring an education director, identify what type of worker you actually need. Certain positions might call for a full-time employee, while others can be done by a part-time worker or contractor.

   Determine employee vs contractor status

   Is the person you're thinking of hiring a US citizen or green card holder?

   Yes

   No

   An education director's background is also an important factor in determining whether they'll be a good fit for the position. For example, education directors 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.

   Here's a comparison of education director salaries for various roles:

   Type of Education Director	Description	Hourly rate
   Education Director	Postsecondary 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.	$19-44
   Registrar	A registrar's role is to process and maintain accurate records within an institution or establishment. They are the main point of communication to obtain various kinds of information... Show more	$13-26
   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... Show more	$23-72

   Show more

2. Create an ideal candidate profile

   Common skills:

   • Educational Programs
   • Curriculum Development
   • Classroom Management
   • Professional Development
   • Oversight
   • Customer Service
   • Community Outreach
   • Staff Development
   • Training Programs
   • Program Development
   • Colleges
   • Medical Education
   • Strategic Plan
   • CPR

   Check all skills

   Responsibilities:

   • Lead numerous off site rock climbing and whitewater canoe trips.
   • Manage company and teach community CPR, first aide and disaster preparedness.
   • Initiate and manage an intensive ESL program, serving hundreds of students.
   • Schedule and/or lead staff training sessions and follow-ups regarding TL process, LRE, and RTI.
   • Lead project management team in development/execution of conferences and enduring CME -accredite programs.
   • Coordinate several courses which involve development of the departmental syllabus and managing development of the departmental final.

   More education director duties

3. Make a budget

   Including a salary range in the education director job description is a good way to get more applicants. An education director 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 an education director in Texas may be lower than in California, and an entry-level engineer typically earns less than a senior-level education director. Additionally, an education director with lots of experience in the field may command a higher salary as a result.

   Average education director salary

   $62,123yearly

   $29.87 hourly rate

   ---

   Entry-level education director salary

   $41,000 yearly salary

   Updated January 30, 2026

   Average education director salary by state

   Rank	State	Avg. salary	Hourly rate
   1	California	$85,769	$41
   2	Virginia	$77,234	$37
   3	District of Columbia	$76,720	$37
   4	Massachusetts	$74,648	$36
   5	New York	$72,575	$35
   6	Nevada	$69,501	$33
   7	Maryland	$68,421	$33
   8	Oregon	$64,915	$31
   9	New Jersey	$64,783	$31
   10	Maine	$63,093	$30
   11	Wisconsin	$60,950	$29
   12	Louisiana	$59,744	$29
   13	Washington	$58,952	$28
   14	Colorado	$58,751	$28
   15	Pennsylvania	$58,135	$28
   16	Minnesota	$58,032	$28
   17	Indiana	$57,486	$28
   18	Florida	$56,758	$27
   19	Illinois	$55,584	$27
   20	Arizona	$54,837	$26

   Average education director salary by company

   Company

   Rank	Company	Average salary	Hourly rate	Job openings
   1	WebMD	$105,366	$50.66
   2	Novartis	$103,382	$49.70	1
   3	Regeneron	$98,282	$47.25
   4	RE/MAX	$98,094	$47.16
   5	Cordis	$93,148	$44.78
   6	Childhelp	$92,426	$44.44
   7	Abbott	$87,196	$41.92	1
   8	King Low Heywood Thomas	$85,075	$40.90
   9	Guild Education	$84,109	$40.44
   10	Dignity Health	$78,118	$37.56	13
   11	Siemens	$77,643	$37.33
   12	Siemens Healthineers	$77,287	$37.16	4
   13	Mt. San Antonio College	$76,896	$36.97	3
   14	Central American Resource Center	$75,764	$36.42
   15	Mayo Clinic	$74,562	$35.85	18
   16	L'Oréal	$72,803	$35.00	2
   17	Alphanumeric	$71,979	$34.61
   18	Henkel	$71,523	$34.39	8
   19	Chicago State University	$70,327	$33.81	1
   20	Golden Gate University	$69,814	$33.56

4. Writing an education director job description

   An education director 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. To help get you started, here's an example of an education director job description:

   Education director job description example

   This position is to be held as an administrative assignment by a member of the College of Pharmacy (COP) faculty. The Director of Experiential Education will provide vision, strategic direction and managerial support of the experiential components of the PharmD program, in addition to fulfilling general clinical practice faculty responsibilities (teaching, service, and research). The Director is a member of the College of Pharmacy Leadership Team and works closely with other administrative team members and with the Experiential Education team to support curricular and co-curricular experiential learning of students. The position requires flexibility, adaptability and creativity. To be successful, the Director must demonstrate excellent communication skills, superior organizational and customer service skills, be responsive to directives and feedback, and demonstrate a commitment to the mission and development of the College.
   Responsibilities • Provide leadership and direction for the daily operations of the experiential programs, including IPPE, APPE and co-curricular activities
   • Develop and follow through with strategic planning for new sites and preceptors for the experiential programs
   • Develop and oversee preceptor training and development
   • Represent the University and the College of Pharmacy to external stakeholders
   • Develop and execute the experiential curriculum based on ACPE standards and scope of practice
   • Organize the collection and review on-going quality evaluations of individual rotations, including coordination of site visits
   • Review outcomes-driven assessment of experiential courses, experiences, and student (individual and aggregate) competencies and progress and implement continuous quality improvements as appropriate
   • Collaborate with other deans, and internal and external stakeholders to support the generation of and compliance with affiliation agreements, contracts, licensing, credentialing and other necessary paperwork to support experiential education • Teach, coach, and mentor students and other appropriate faculty on and off campus as part of the curriculum
   • Manage and effectively supervise the activities of direct reports
   • Follow university Human Resources policies regarding evaluation of the performance of direct reports, and development of their skills and abilities
   • Participate on College and University committees, departmental meetings, and perform other duties as appropriate and assigned by the Dean
   • Contribute to new knowledge through research activities, presentations, publications, grants and/or contracts, clinical trials and/or other scholarly works The Director of Experiential Education will be responsible for the Assistant Director of Experiential Education, Experiential Coordinators and Experiential Staff. Qualifications The Director of Experiential Education must have an earned PharmD or equivalent, and California pharmacist licensure. The Director should have completed at least one year of pharmacy residency or equivalent, and have at least 3-5 years of experience in a management position. Experience in teaching at the professional student level is highly recommended. The Director should have the knowledge, skills and abilities to successfully perform the following:
   • Teach and evaluate the academic progress of pharmacy students in didactic and practice settings.
   • Perform precepting, advising, committee service and other duties as required of pharmacy faculty.
   • Perform all responsibilities within the values and professional framework of the College.
   • Maintain appropriate licensing and certifications.
   • Maintain accurate and complete student, preceptor, and site information.
   • Develop and maintain collegial working relations on campus and at practice sites.
   • Adhere to confidentiality and FERPA requirements.
   • Create and maintain an atmosphere of warmth, personal interest, and positive emphasis.
   • Adhere to policies and procedures of Touro University California and the Touro College and University System.

   Copy this example

   

5. Post your job

   To find education directors 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 education directors they would recommend.
   • Recruit at local colleges. Attend job fairs at local colleges to recruit entry-level education directors 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.

   Post your job online:

   • Post your education director job on Zippia to find and attract quality education director candidates.
   • Use niche websites such as k12jobspot, learn4good, serious teachers, teachingjobs.com.
   • Post a job on free websites.

6. Interview candidates

   During your first interview to recruit education directors, engage with candidates to learn about their interest in the role and experience in the field. During the following interview, you'll be able to go into more detail about the company, the position, and the responsibilities.

   You should also ask about candidates' unique skills and talents to see if they match the ideal candidate profile you developed earlier. Candidates good enough for the next step can complete 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 education director

   Once you've decided on a perfect education director candidate, it's time to write an offer letter. In addition to salary, it should include benefits and perks available to the employee. Qualified candidates may be considered for other positions, so make sure your offer is competitive. Candidates may wish to negotiate. Once you've settled on the details, formalize your agreement with a contract.

   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 education director. 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 an education director?