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Finance aid director salary
Average finance aid director salary
$58,644
Understanding the Finance Aid Director Salary
A Finance Aid Director plays a pivotal role in guiding students through the complexities of financial aid options, ensuring they have access to necessary funding for their education. As of October 2025, the average salary for this position is $58,644 annually, translating to around $28 per hour. Salaries can vary significantly based on factors like location, years of experience, and the type of institution.
Average Salary by State
Different states offer diverse salary ranges for Finance Aid Directors. For instance, states with higher living costs tend to provide more competitive compensation. Research shows that states like California, New York, and Texas often report the highest salaries in this field.
Opportunities for Advancement
In addition to standard salaries, Finance Aid Directors can explore opportunities for advancement through specialized roles or by transitioning to higher education administration positions. Continuous professional development and networking can enhance earning potential and career progression.
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Where can a Finance Aid Director earn more?
Average finance aid director salary by state
The highest-paying states for finance aid directors are New Jersey, Massachusetts, and Connecticut. The lowest average finance aid director salary states are North Carolina, Missouri, and Mississippi.
- State view
- County view
Highest paying states for finance aid directors
| Rank | State | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Massachusetts | $82,479 | $39.65 |
| 2 | New Jersey | $82,816 | $39.82 |
| 3 | Michigan | $77,397 | $37.21 |
| 4 | Connecticut | $78,870 | $37.92 |
| 5 | Wisconsin | $75,114 | $36.11 |
| 6 | Washington | $75,071 | $36.09 |
| 7 | Oregon | $70,390 | $33.84 |
| 8 | Illinois | $68,966 | $33.16 |
| 9 | California | $73,787 | $35.47 |
| 10 | Wyoming | $69,482 | $33.40 |
| 11 | Nevada | $73,018 | $35.10 |
| 12 | Maryland | $77,049 | $37.04 |
| 13 | Iowa | $64,536 | $31.03 |
| 14 | Idaho | $69,128 | $33.23 |
| 15 | New Hampshire | $70,837 | $34.06 |
| 16 | New York | $66,061 | $31.76 |
| 17 | District of Columbia | $80,048 | $38.48 |
| 18 | Pennsylvania | $70,457 | $33.87 |
| 19 | Montana | $71,466 | $34.36 |
| 20 | Louisiana | $61,973 | $29.79 |
| 21 | West Virginia | $67,332 | $32.37 |
| 22 | Ohio | $63,669 | $30.61 |
| 23 | South Dakota | $68,406 | $32.89 |
| 24 | Maine | $68,208 | $32.79 |
| 25 | Alabama | $57,690 | $27.74 |
| 26 | Delaware | $64,572 | $31.04 |
| 27 | Rhode Island | $65,825 | $31.65 |
| 28 | Georgia | $63,851 | $30.70 |
| 29 | Minnesota | $61,608 | $29.62 |
| 30 | North Dakota | $60,405 | $29.04 |
| 31 | Utah | $59,977 | $28.84 |
| 32 | Vermont | $64,508 | $31.01 |
| 33 | Hawaii | $59,414 | $28.56 |
| 34 | Kentucky | $61,538 | $29.59 |
| 35 | Tennessee | $54,506 | $26.20 |
| 36 | Virginia | $59,534 | $28.62 |
| 37 | Colorado | $60,769 | $29.22 |
| 38 | Alaska | $56,860 | $27.34 |
| 39 | Mississippi | $50,575 | $24.31 |
| 40 | Arkansas | $49,516 | $23.81 |
| 41 | Texas | $55,866 | $26.86 |
| 42 | Indiana | $53,225 | $25.59 |
| 43 | Arizona | $55,395 | $26.63 |
| 44 | New Mexico | $53,789 | $25.86 |
| 45 | Florida | $52,828 | $25.40 |
| 46 | Oklahoma | $50,461 | $24.26 |
| 47 | North Carolina | $51,665 | $24.84 |
| 48 | Missouri | $51,133 | $24.58 |
| 49 | Nebraska | $54,288 | $26.10 |
| 50 | Kansas | $53,633 | $25.79 |
| 51 | South Carolina | $48,612 | $23.37 |
Highest paying cities for finance aid directors
The highest-paying cities for finance aid directors are Washington, DC, East Hartford, CT, and Oakland, CA.
| Rank | City | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Washington, DC | $80,083 | $38.50 |
| 2 | East Hartford, CT | $78,833 | $37.90 |
| 3 | Oakland, CA | $78,181 | $37.59 |
| 4 | Mount Pleasant, MI | $77,344 | $37.18 |
| 5 | Baltimore, MD | $77,321 | $37.17 |
| 6 | Milwaukee, WI | $75,162 | $36.14 |
| 7 | Chicago, IL | $69,373 | $33.35 |
| 8 | New York, NY | $66,214 | $31.83 |
| 9 | Cleveland, OH | $65,740 | $31.61 |
| 10 | Savannah, GA | $63,370 | $30.47 |
| 11 | Baton Rouge, LA | $61,959 | $29.79 |
| 12 | Aurora, CO | $60,703 | $29.18 |
| 13 | Charlottesville, VA | $59,160 | $28.44 |
| 14 | Austin, TX | $55,756 | $26.81 |
| 15 | Kearney, NE | $54,403 | $26.16 |
| 16 | Wichita, KS | $53,520 | $25.73 |
| 17 | Hialeah, FL | $52,839 | $25.40 |
| 18 | Greensboro, NC | $52,430 | $25.21 |
| 19 | Tulsa, OK | $50,348 | $24.21 |
| 20 | Columbia, SC | $48,774 | $23.45 |
Finance aid director salary details
A finance aid director's salary ranges from $37,000 a year at the 10th percentile to $92,000 at the 90th percentile.
What is a finance aid director's salary?
| Percentile | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 90th Percentile | $92,000 | $7,667 | $44 |
| 75th Percentile | $74,000 | $6,167 | $36 |
| Average | $58,644 | $4,887 | $28 |
| 25th Percentile | $46,000 | $3,833 | $22 |
| 10th Percentile | $37,000 | $3,083 | $18 |
Highest paying finance aid director jobs
The highest paying types of finance aid directors are chairperson, vice chairperson, and committee chairperson.
| Job title | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate | Job openings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dean | $86,317 | $7,193 | $41.50 | 1,183 |
| Student Dean | $59,497 | $4,958 | $28.60 | 10,422 |
| New Member Educator | $34,187 | $2,849 | $16.44 | 12,866 |
| Registrar | $40,632 | $3,386 | $19.53 | 12,723 |
| Co-Chair | $89,375 | $7,448 | $42.97 | 2,878 |
| Admissions Officer | $33,833 | $2,819 | $16.27 | 58,782 |
Top companies hiring finance aid directors now:
Which companies pay finance aid directors the most?
Finance aid director salaries at Commonwealth and Universal Technical Institute are the highest-paying according to our most recent salary estimates. In addition, the average finance aid director salary at companies like Midwestern State University and Grays Harbor College are highly competitive.
| Rank | Company | Average salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Commonwealth | $81,021 | $38.95 |
| 2 | Universal Technical Institute | $77,217 | $37.12 |
| 3 | Midwestern State University | $73,528 | $35.35 |
| 4 | Grays Harbor College | $71,791 | $34.51 |
| 5 | Cleveland Institute of Music | $70,531 | $33.91 |
| 6 | Education Affiliates | $69,166 | $33.25 |
| 7 | Asheville-Buncombe Technical Community College | $67,424 | $32.42 |
| 8 | East Stroudsburg University | $67,270 | $32.34 |
| 9 | Bryant & Stratton College | $64,415 | $30.97 |
| 10 | University of California-Berkeley | $63,784 | $30.67 |
| 11 | Southern Careers Institute | $61,406 | $29.52 |
| 12 | Tulsa Community College | $59,219 | $28.47 |
| 13 | Arizona College | $59,175 | $28.45 |
| 14 | The City University of New York | $57,035 | $27.42 |
| 15 | Rosemont College | $56,846 | $27.33 |
| 16 | Frederick Community College | $56,352 | $27.09 |
| 17 | West Shore Community College | $56,088 | $26.97 |
| 18 | Robert Half | $52,658 | $25.32 |
| 19 | University of Notre Dame | $52,259 | $25.12 |
| 20 | Coker University | $52,030 | $25.01 |
Wage gap by gender, race and education
Finance aid director salary trends
The average finance aid director salary has risen by $7,951 over the last ten years. In 2014, the average finance aid director earned $50,693 annually, but today, they earn $58,644 a year. That works out to a 7% change in pay for finance aid directors over the last decade.
Compare finance aid director salaries for cities or states with the national average over time.
Average finance aid director salary over time
Compare finance aid director salaries for individual cities or states with the national average.
Finance aid director salary by year
| Year | Avg. salary | Hourly rate | % Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $58,600 | $28.19 | +2.1% |
| 2024 | $57,400 | $27.59 | +1.1% |
| 2023 | $56,700 | $27.28 | +2.1% |
| 2022 | $55,600 | $26.71 | +1.7% |
| 2021 | $54,600 | $26.25 | +2.4% |
Recently added finance aid director salaries
| Company | Job | Location | Date added | Salary |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Olympic College | Director of Financial Aid | Bremerton, WA | 06/28/2025 | $102,676 |
| Bergen Community College | Director of Financial Aid and Compliance | Paramus, NJ | 06/24/2025 | $95,000 |
| Charter Oak State College | Director of Financial Aid | New Britain, CT | 06/24/2025 | $94,873 |
| Onondaga Community College | Director of Financial Aid-Onondaga Community College | Syracuse, NY | 06/23/2025 | $70,862 |
| Virginia Community College System | Director, Financial Aid | Richmond, VA | 06/20/2025 | $100,000 |
| Niagara County Community College | Director of Financial Aid/Veterans & Scholarships | Sanborn, NY | 06/18/2025 | $75,400 |
| North Central Michigan College | Director of Financial Aid-North Central Michigan College | Petoskey, MI | 06/16/2025 | $80,000 |
| Sfcollege | Director, Financial Aid Operations | Gainesville, FL | 06/16/2025 | $70,994 |
| Maine Community College System | Director of Financial Aid | South Portland, ME | 06/15/2025 | $60,602 |
| Kentucky Community and Technical College System | Director of Financial Aid | Edgewood, KY | 06/15/2025 | $71,676 |
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