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Student development specialist salary
Average student development specialist salary
$41,280
Understanding the Salary of Student Development Specialists
The average salary for a Student Development Specialist in the United States is approximately $41,280 annually, translating to about $20 per hour. This salary can vary based on various factors, including geographic location, experience level, and the specific institution or organization. For instance, states such as California and New York are known for offering higher salaries due to increased living costs and demand for educational professionals.
Salary by Experience Level
Entry-level specialists may start at lower salaries, while those with several years of experience can command significantly higher wages. It's not uncommon for experienced professionals to earn upwards of $60,000, especially in prominent educational institutions.
Opportunities for Advancement
Many student development specialists can also enhance their earning potential by pursuing advanced degrees or certifications related to student affairs or educational leadership. Exploring job openings and salary estimates can help you gauge your potential earnings and career trajectory in this field.
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Where can a Student Development Specialist earn more?
Student development specialist salaries by experience level
Student development specialist salary estimates from across the web
Average student development specialist salary by state
The highest-paying states for student development specialists are Washington, Minnesota, and Virginia. The lowest average student development specialist salary states are Oklahoma, Arkansas, and South Carolina.
- State view
- County view
Highest paying states for student development specialists
| Rank | State | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Minnesota | $54,869 | $26.38 |
| 2 | District of Columbia | $55,143 | $26.51 |
| 3 | Virginia | $52,051 | $25.02 |
| 4 | Washington | $59,014 | $28.37 |
| 5 | South Dakota | $40,736 | $19.58 |
| 6 | Montana | $44,803 | $21.54 |
| 7 | Michigan | $40,467 | $19.46 |
| 8 | Wyoming | $39,790 | $19.13 |
| 9 | Maryland | $51,283 | $24.66 |
| 10 | Maine | $46,563 | $22.39 |
| 11 | North Dakota | $39,223 | $18.86 |
| 12 | Rhode Island | $44,073 | $21.19 |
| 13 | Illinois | $48,648 | $23.39 |
| 14 | Kansas | $39,815 | $19.14 |
| 15 | New Jersey | $49,748 | $23.92 |
| 16 | Colorado | $46,566 | $22.39 |
| 17 | Mississippi | $40,042 | $19.25 |
| 18 | Texas | $39,313 | $18.90 |
| 19 | Indiana | $39,436 | $18.96 |
| 20 | Delaware | $41,535 | $19.97 |
| 21 | Nevada | $39,373 | $18.93 |
| 22 | New Hampshire | $42,435 | $20.40 |
| 23 | Hawaii | $41,433 | $19.92 |
| 24 | California | $46,454 | $22.33 |
| 25 | Alabama | $38,799 | $18.65 |
| 26 | Nebraska | $36,073 | $17.34 |
| 27 | North Carolina | $40,180 | $19.32 |
| 28 | New York | $40,334 | $19.39 |
| 29 | Ohio | $37,570 | $18.06 |
| 30 | Connecticut | $42,568 | $20.47 |
| 31 | Tennessee | $36,601 | $17.60 |
| 32 | Louisiana | $38,064 | $18.30 |
| 33 | Florida | $37,026 | $17.80 |
| 34 | Vermont | $37,970 | $18.25 |
| 35 | Georgia | $36,471 | $17.53 |
| 36 | Missouri | $36,726 | $17.66 |
| 37 | Iowa | $35,235 | $16.94 |
| 38 | Massachusetts | $39,116 | $18.81 |
| 39 | New Mexico | $33,480 | $16.10 |
| 40 | Arizona | $33,561 | $16.14 |
| 41 | Pennsylvania | $33,571 | $16.14 |
| 42 | Arkansas | $32,680 | $15.71 |
| 43 | Alaska | $33,914 | $16.30 |
| 44 | Oregon | $37,345 | $17.95 |
| 45 | Wisconsin | $33,560 | $16.13 |
| 46 | Oklahoma | $33,376 | $16.05 |
| 47 | Utah | $33,688 | $16.20 |
| 48 | Kentucky | $30,081 | $14.46 |
| 49 | South Carolina | $31,648 | $15.22 |
| 50 | West Virginia | $27,264 | $13.11 |
| 51 | Idaho | $31,429 | $15.11 |
Highest paying cities for student development specialists
The highest-paying cities for student development specialists are Arlington, VA, Chicago, IL, and Berkeley, CA.
| Rank | City | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Arlington, VA | $52,929 | $25.45 |
| 2 | Chicago, IL | $48,835 | $23.48 |
| 3 | Berkeley, CA | $47,529 | $22.85 |
| 4 | Denver, CO | $46,562 | $22.39 |
| 5 | Milford, CT | $42,674 | $20.52 |
| 6 | Dover, DE | $41,514 | $19.96 |
| 7 | Ann Arbor, MI | $40,387 | $19.42 |
| 8 | New York, NY | $40,366 | $19.41 |
| 9 | Laredo, TX | $39,767 | $19.12 |
| 10 | Columbus, GA | $36,307 | $17.46 |
| 11 | Ottumwa, IA | $34,910 | $16.78 |
| 12 | Tucson, AZ | $33,561 | $16.14 |
| 13 | Fayetteville, AR | $32,769 | $15.75 |
| 14 | Aiken, SC | $31,556 | $15.17 |
Student development specialist salary details
A student development specialist's salary ranges from $31,000 a year at the 10th percentile to $53,000 at the 90th percentile.
What is a student development specialist's salary?
| Percentile | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 90th Percentile | $53,000 | $4,417 | $25 |
| 75th Percentile | $47,000 | $3,917 | $23 |
| Average | $41,280 | $3,440 | $20 |
| 25th Percentile | $36,000 | $3,000 | $17 |
| 10th Percentile | $31,000 | $2,583 | $15 |
Highest paying student development specialist jobs
The highest paying types of student development specialists are senior technician specialist, development officer, and training specialist.
| Job title | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate | Job openings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Trainer | $47,574 | $3,964 | $22.87 | 40,650 |
| Training Coordinator | $46,698 | $3,891 | $22.45 | 54,796 |
| Certified Trainer | $54,770 | $4,564 | $26.33 | 54,839 |
| Corporate Trainer | $58,803 | $4,900 | $28.27 | 52,090 |
| Facilitator | $44,851 | $3,738 | $21.56 | 30,474 |
| Training Supervisor | $38,093 | $3,174 | $18.31 | 45,171 |
How would you rate the starting salaries for student development specialists, as well as the prospects for salary advancement?
Dr. Kate Seltzer Ph.D.
Assistant Professor, Rowan University
Top companies hiring student development specialists now:
Which companies pay student development specialists the most?
Student development specialist salaries at Los Alamos National Laboratory and New York University are the highest-paying according to our most recent salary estimates. In addition, the average student development specialist salary at companies like Siemens and University of California, Berkeley are highly competitive.
| Rank | Company | Average salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Los Alamos National Laboratory | $72,407 | $34.81 |
| 2 | New York University | $56,316 | $27.07 |
| 3 | Siemens | $55,094 | $26.49 |
| 4 | University of California-Berkeley | $49,807 | $23.95 |
| 5 | UC Santa Barbara | $48,263 | $23.20 |
| 6 | Loyola Marymount University | $44,623 | $21.45 |
| 7 | PSEA | $44,091 | $21.20 |
| 8 | The University of Texas at San Antonio | $43,653 | $20.99 |
| 9 | Chicago Public Schools | $43,624 | $20.97 |
| 10 | Denver Public Schools | $43,313 | $20.82 |
| 11 | Danfoss | $42,151 | $20.26 |
| 12 | University of Michigan | $42,112 | $20.25 |
| 13 | Belle Fountain Nursing & Rehab | $41,738 | $20.07 |
| 14 | Delaware Systems Technology, Inc. | $41,665 | $20.03 |
| 15 | Univ. Of Texas Cancer Ctr. | $41,584 | $19.99 |
| 16 | Greystar Real Estate Partners | $41,579 | $19.99 |
| 17 | Galvanize | $41,554 | $19.98 |
| 18 | The University of Texas at El Paso | $41,248 | $19.83 |
| 19 | Tyler Junior College | $39,771 | $19.12 |
| 20 | Faurecia Interior Systems Inc | $39,028 | $18.76 |
Wage gap by gender, race and education
Student development specialist salary trends
The average student development specialist salary has risen by $4,971 over the last ten years. In 2014, the average student development specialist earned $36,309 annually, but today, they earn $41,280 a year. That works out to a 6% change in pay for student development specialists over the last decade.
Compare student development specialist salaries for cities or states with the national average over time.
Average student development specialist salary over time
Compare student development specialist salaries for individual cities or states with the national average.
Student development specialist salary by year
| Year | Avg. salary | Hourly rate | % Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | $41,300 | $19.85 | +2.4% |
| 2025 | $40,300 | $19.37 | +0.6% |
| 2024 | $40,100 | $19.27 | +0.8% |
| 2023 | $39,700 | $19.11 | +2.2% |
| 2022 | $38,900 | $18.68 | +1.4% |
Recently added student development specialist salaries
| Company | Job | Location | Date added | Salary |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| WSU | Student Achievement Specialist | Moses Lake HS | Richland, WA | 06/28/2025 | $48,600 |
| Texas A&M University | Student Development Specialist II | College Station, TX | 06/27/2025 | $51,750 |
| Ozarks Technical Community College | Student Success Specialist (TRC) | Hollister, MO | 06/25/2025 | $28,801 |
| Texas A&M University at Galveston | Student Development Specialist II | Galveston, TX | 06/25/2025 | $45,000 |
| John Deere | Student-Ngec Embedded Development | Waterloo, IA | 06/24/2025 | $31,305 |
| The University of Texas at Arlington Portal | Student Development Specialist II | Arlington, TX | 06/13/2025 | $37,600 |
| Unitek Learning | Student Persistence Specialist (Student Retention/Advising Role) | Hayward, CA | 06/10/2025 | $56,349 |
| University of Texas at Dallas | Student Development Specialist I | Richardson, TX | 06/10/2025 | $37,500 |
| Penn State University | Student Advocacy Specialist (Financial Literacy) | Parkesburg, PA | 05/29/2025 | $46,400 |
| University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, Il | Access Specialist for Professional Students | Urbana, IL | 05/28/2025 | $55,000 |
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