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Job outlook for grants administrators in the United States
Grants administrator job growth summary. After extensive research, interviews, and analysis, Zippia's data science team found that:
The projected grants administrator job growth rate is 6% from 2018-2028.
About 4,600 new jobs for grants administrators are projected over the next decade.
Grants administrator salaries have increased 9% for grants administrators in the last 5 years.
There are over 3,693 grants administrators currently employed in the United States.
There are 60,227 active grants administrator job openings in the US.
The average grants administrator salary is $49,206.
Are grants administrator jobs in demand?
Grants administrator job and salary trends over time
Grants administrator jobs over time
Grants administrator job growth rate over time
| Year | # of jobs | % of population |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 3,693 | 0.00% |
| 2020 | 3,584 | 0.00% |
| 2019 | 3,496 | 0.00% |
| 2018 | 3,319 | 0.00% |
| 2017 | 3,310 | 0.00% |
Average grants administrator salary over time
Grants administrator salary by year
| Year | Avg. salary | Hourly rate | % Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | $49,206 | $23.66 | +4.0% |
| 2025 | $47,333 | $22.76 | +2.4% |
| 2024 | $46,224 | $22.22 | +1.1% |
| 2023 | $45,722 | $21.98 | +1.7% |
| 2022 | $44,943 | $21.61 | +1.7% |
Grants administrator jobs by state
Most common states for grants administrators
| Rank | State | Population | # of jobs | Employment/ 1000ppl |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Alaska | 739,795 | 109 | 15% |
| 2 | Colorado | 5,607,154 | 745 | 13% |
| 3 | Massachusetts | 6,859,819 | 790 | 12% |
| 4 | Vermont | 623,657 | 72 | 12% |
| 5 | North Dakota | 755,393 | 80 | 11% |
| 6 | Utah | 3,101,833 | 322 | 10% |
| 7 | New Hampshire | 1,342,795 | 137 | 10% |
| 8 | Rhode Island | 1,059,639 | 102 | 10% |
| 9 | Washington | 7,405,743 | 652 | 9% |
| 10 | Arizona | 7,016,270 | 649 | 9% |
| 11 | Oregon | 4,142,776 | 373 | 9% |
| 12 | Montana | 1,050,493 | 90 | 9% |
| 13 | Delaware | 961,939 | 83 | 9% |
| 14 | District of Columbia | 693,972 | 62 | 9% |
| 15 | Minnesota | 5,576,606 | 469 | 8% |
| 16 | Alabama | 4,874,747 | 386 | 8% |
| 17 | New Mexico | 2,088,070 | 168 | 8% |
| 18 | Nebraska | 1,920,076 | 156 | 8% |
| 19 | Wyoming | 579,315 | 49 | 8% |
| 20 | Connecticut | 3,588,184 | 241 | 7% |
Most common cities for grants administrators
| Rank | City | # of jobs | Employment/ 1000ppl | Avg. salary |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Plainfield | 1 | 3% | $48,723 |
| 2 | Bethesda | 1 | 2% | $59,307 |
| 3 | Coral Gables | 1 | 2% | $42,595 |
| 4 | East Hartford | 1 | 2% | $53,285 |
| 5 | Malden | 1 | 2% | $55,487 |
| 6 | Boston | 7 | 1% | $55,706 |
| 7 | Baltimore | 4 | 1% | $59,917 |
| 8 | McKinney | 1 | 1% | $41,835 |
| 9 | Rockville | 1 | 1% | $59,351 |
| 10 | Chicago | 3 | 0% | $48,023 |
| 11 | Arlington | 1 | 0% | $50,789 |
| 12 | Miami | 1 | 0% | $42,581 |
| 13 | New York | 1 | 0% | $61,095 |
| 14 | Oakland | 1 | 0% | $49,976 |
| 15 | Phoenix | 1 | 0% | $43,497 |
Grants Administrator job outlook: Expert opinions
Our panel of grants administrator experts
Tarleton State University
Transylvania University
DePaul University
Virginia Commonwealth University
California State University San Bernardino
Mercer University
International Association of Administrative Professionals
Dr. Jacqueline Abernathy
Assistant ProfessorTarleton State University
Public Administration
What general advice would you give to a Grants Administrator?
Dr. Jacqueline Abernathy: My advice to graduates would be this: do not sell yourself short by taking a job at a lower level than you have to or a job that does not fully utilize your education. Otherwise, why did you spend the time and money, and effort to get your degree? I think many graduates assume that having a degree in a job where it is not required (but preferred) makes them more valuable as employees. I think the opposite is true. I think it devalues their worth to an organization and just makes them cheaper and more replaceable, especially when employers know that they can pay someone less to do the same job if they run into a budget crunch.
If having a degree is considered a plus for a job rather than a necessity, it actually makes their degree less valuable as a perk than if it were a requirement. If a degree is necessary to do a job, then the time, effort, and expense obtaining it was worthwhile because it was necessary to do that job, and also, the employer knows that they have to compensate employees for those costs. There is nothing wrong with working your way up, paying your dues, etc. but starting at a lower rung just makes a longer, harder climb to the top. They may have upward mobility more than somebody without a degree, but they will be compensated less than they are worthwhile waiting for something better to manifest. I would exhort graduates to start as high as they can and not settle for underemployment. Find a job where your knowledge, skills, and abilities are put to complete use, and the degree you earned to get those assets is not wasted or unfairly compensated.
Dr. Melissa McEuen Ph.D.
Professor of History and Bingham FellowTransylvania University
History Department
What are the biggest trends we'll see in the Grants Administrator job market given the pandemic?
Dr. Melissa McEuen Ph.D.: While I'm not an expert on predicting job market trends, the pandemic has led many of us to rely on virtual or remote workplaces more than ever. And I don't foresee a complete reversal of this trend. Companies and organizations that have invested in technologies and access this year - instead of, say, sustaining expensive office spaces - will look for worker flexibility on this front. Of course, I'm referring to fields where remote work is possible, and not, for example, frontline health care.
What skills stand out on Grants Administrator resumes?
Dr. Melissa McEuen Ph.D.: Evidence of excellent communication skills, especially in writing. If a resume is unclear, sloppy, or error-ridden, the person has not and likely will not pay attention to details while on any job.
Evidence of a candidate's flexibility and adaptability. Sometimes this comes through in the kinds of employment or jobs that an individual has already had, which can be found on their resume. As well, volunteer work or other service that a person includes on the document could be keys to understanding how they might work with a team or whether they have experience doing so. How they spend such "leisure" or "extra" time can provide important clues to a prospective employer.
What skills stand out on Grants Administrator resumes?
Dr. Anna Frank: First, a degree from a highly respected university. Our graduates have been highly sought after. Experience working with a variety of individuals in a variety of settings is significant. Future professionals must then be committed to social justice, how are explicit in supporting the health and recreational needs of ALL individuals, not just those who can purchase a Peloton.
Are there any particularly good places in the United States for Grants Administrators to find work opportunities?
Dr. Anna Frank: This was on ZipRecruiter-outdoor jobs.
Try the Top Five
If location isn't a factor in your outdoor job search, then consider heading to one of the top five states who offer the most employment opportunities to be had under the sun (and stars). Those are:
1. California
2. Florida
3. Texas
4. New York
5. North Carolina
What general advice would you give to a Grants Administrator?
Dr. Richard Huff Ph.D.: I believe opportunities for employment will begin to open up with a transition in the federal government over the next year or two. While local government and nonprofits will continue to offer opportunities for MPA graduates, I believe the federal government will have urgent needs for talent, given its aging workforce, retirements, and its neglect over the past four years.
I advise graduates to begin considering federal careers, but for whatever sector they choose to shift from micro concerns about management, behavior and work outcomes, and organization structure and operations, and begin to look toward the macro or "big picture." A macro view concerns changes brought on by external environmental forces, which shape our institutions over time. With so many external forces at work today, such as a global pandemic, technological change, ongoing climate change, political trends, and social upheavals, the involvement of public administrators is critical to maintaining our institutions and steadying government response. I encourage students to think critically but also to think big and pursue their passions. Public service is a noble calling. Set your sights high and pursue opportunities that match them.
Are there any particularly good places in the United States for Grants Administrators to find work opportunities?
Guy D. Hepp: Again, I think a student needs to think about what they want to do within the broad field of anthropology. Take a variety of courses and see if you can settle on the subdiscipline or topic that interests you most. Are you passionate about museums and curation? Do you want to work with a company that helps to preserve cultural heritage as development continues? Do you want to work to help make government policies more culturally inclusive, both in the United States and abroad? Anthropology might be perfect for you. I would suggest that students interested in archaeology take a field school, and then, begin working in cultural resources management (CRM) to see how they enjoy it. If museums are what interest you, consider not only courses in museum studies (offered in some anthropology departments or in programs otherwise affiliated with anthropology) but also pursue internships and volunteer opportunities. There are jobs out there. It might help you to get started if you volunteer for the type of career you want.
What are the best companies to work for a Grants Administrator?
Guy D. Hepp: There are hundreds of companies, universities, and government agencies for whom anthropology graduates can work. Anthropology is a very diverse discipline and includes (depending on where one is trained) cultural, biological, archaeological, and linguistic anthropology. Your choice of where to work will depend largely on which of these subdisciplines you choose as your focus. Archaeologists, for example, might work for state or local government, cultural and environmental resources management firms, Native American tribes, museums, or universities. Cultural anthropologists might be employed in fields as varied as marketing to human resources to non-profits, as well as in academia. Biological anthropologists might be employed in the field of forensics, among other fields. As the study of humanity across time and space, anthropology is literally one of the most diverse disciplines you could pursue and, therefore, leaves you open to really diverse possibilities when you graduate.
Will there be an increase or decrease in demand for Grants Administrators in the next 5 years?
Guy D. Hepp: It's hard to say for sure, but anthropology relates to and promotes a lot of useful skills. While traditional academic employment might become less common in the future, the management of cultural resources and the employment of the writing, critical thinking, and cultural sensitivity training that are part of an anthropology degree are likely to never go out of style.
Dr. Joshua Rodefer Ph.D.
Assistant Professor of Psychology and NeuroscienceMercer University
College of Liberal Arts and Sciences
Are there any particularly good places in the United States for Grants Administrators to find work opportunities?
Dr. Joshua Rodefer Ph.D.: Major metropolitan areas are more likely to have greater concentrations of business, industry, and primary research institutions that might be looking to use graduates with these skill sets - but other areas and regions will also have demonstrated need for individuals with these skills. However, the coronavirus pandemic has seriously curtailed many hiring initiatives during 2020. Given the uncertain budgetary climate, it probably will continue to be a challenging employment climate in the coming months.
I think that it is essential that recent and soon-to-be graduates consider non-traditional sources of careers. Instead of solely focusing on graduate school education and obtaining a university faculty position after your Ph.D., individuals interested in neuroscience would be well-served to consider other career paths. Over the recent past, this typically meant positions in industry, biotech, or big pharma. However, even those areas have now seen an abundance of quality applicants.
It has been evident that individuals need to explore science-related, non-research careers. Places where individuals typically do not look for positions - non-profits, social policy organizations, government positions, business management and consulting, science writing/communication, K-12 education, even law firms often need researchers and data analysts. Thus the importance of developing an extensive and flexible skillset.
Are there any particularly good places in the United States for Grants Administrators to find work opportunities?
Veronica Cochran: I would urge graduates to not simply focus on locations or organizations with the highest salary or most job or promotion opportunities. The key to remaining engaged and creating value is finding an organization that supports your core beliefs and values.
Second to that, I believe a support network is vital to one's professional development and success. That being said, I have had the opportunity to engage administrative professionals throughout the United States and across the globe. In particular, I came across larger networks in New York, D.C., Alabama, California, and Texas.
If they are looking for a place to start, I believe Zippia's list of Best States for an Administrative Assistant is a great starting point.