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What is a school business manager and how to become one

Updated January 8, 2025
4 min read

School business managers supervise the financial finances of colleges. Their duty is to draw up the school's budget. They seek to guarantee the productivity of available services while defining the required resources and prioritizing expenditures. They also explore opportunities to reduce business expenses as much as possible. School business managers are interested in the procurement and the billing for facilities from vendors and others as well.

School business managers' responsibilities also include duties on human resources. They are also in charge of hiring staff for vacant positions. When individuals are contracted, the contract process is tracked and bids are accepted. They also oversee the execution of school policy by ensuring that all policies are upheld. If the school leases, the school business manager manages these leases and will also find funds for school tuition.

School business managers must at least have a bachelor's degree that has a focus on subjects like accounting or public administration. It is important for this role to have good math skills to be able to build a budget. It is also advantageous to have good analytical skills to identify areas in which spending can be reduced.

ScoreSchool Business ManagerUS Average
Salary
4.9

Avg. Salary $62,224

Avg. Salary $59,228

Stability level
10.0

Growth rate 5%

Growth rate 0.3%

Diversity
3.0
Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 0.70%

Asian 4.35%

Black or African American 11.12%

Hispanic or Latino 14.19%

Unknown 4.00%

White 65.64%

Gender

female 57.08%

male 42.92%

Age - 47
Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 3.00%

Asian 7.00%

Black or African American 14.00%

Hispanic or Latino 19.00%

White 57.00%

Gender

female 47.00%

male 53.00%

Age - 47
Stress level
10.0

Stress level is very high

7.1 - high

Complexity level
10.0

Complexity level is advanced

7 - challenging

Work life balance
4.4

Work life balance is poor

6.4 - fair

School business manager career paths

Key steps to become a school business manager

  1. Explore school business manager education requirements

    Most common school business manager degrees

    Bachelor's

    61.0 %

    Master's

    17.6 %

    Associate

    11.8 %
  2. Start to develop specific school business manager skills

    SkillsPercentages
    K-1215.08%
    Professional Development12.69%
    Payroll11.34%
    Financial Reports8.26%
    Public Schools7.50%
  3. Complete relevant school business manager training and internships

    Accountants spend an average of 1-2 years on post-employment, on-the-job training. New school business managers learn the skills and techniques required for their job and employer during this time. The chart below shows how long it takes to gain competency as a school business manager based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data and data from real school business manager resumes.
  4. Research school business manager duties and responsibilities

    • Utilize on-line agency managing software which aides in conformation of patient progress note submission to Medicare regulation standards.
    • Provide oversight to school business operations through its closure and transition with regional technical high school.
    • Maintain a computerize accounting system and are responsible for payroll.
    • Set up and train production staff to utilize QuickBooks for assembly company inventory system for accurate information provide to commercial customers.
  5. Apply for school business manager jobs

    Now it's time to start searching for a school business manager job. Consider the tips below for a successful job search:

    1. Browse job boards for relevant postings
    2. Consult your professional network
    3. Reach out to companies you're interested in working for directly
    4. Watch out for job scams

How did you land your first school business manager job

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Average school business manager salary

The average school business manager salary in the United States is $62,224 per year or $30 per hour. School business manager salaries range between $43,000 and $88,000 per year.

Average school business manager salary
$62,224 Yearly
$29.92 hourly

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Updated January 8, 2025

Zippia Research Team
Zippia Team

Editorial Staff

The Zippia Research Team has spent countless hours reviewing resumes, job postings, and government data to determine what goes into getting a job in each phase of life. Professional writers and data scientists comprise the Zippia Research Team.

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