Employment of postsecondary education administrators is expected to grow by 19 percent from 2010 to 2020, about as fast as the average. Expected growth is due to increases in enrollments.
The number of people attending postsecondary school will increase as people seek additional education and skills to meet their career goals. As more people enter colleges and universities, more postsecondary education administrators will be needed to serve the needs of these additional students.
Additional admissions officers will be needed to process students’ applications. More registrars will be needed to register students for classes and ensure that they meet graduation requirements. More student affairs workers will be needed to make housing assignments and plan events for students.
In particular, significant increases in enrollment are expected in online colleges and universities. As a result, there will more demand for postsecondary education administrators in these types of schools.
However, despite expected increases in enrollment, employment growth in public colleges and universities will depend on state and local government budgets. When state and local governments have budget deficits, they may lay off employees, including administrators. As a result, employment growth may be somewhat slowed by state and local government budget deficits.
Between 2010 and 2020, a large number of postsecondary education administrators are expected to retire. This should open opportunities for new workers entering the field due to the occupation’s need to replace workers who are leaving.
Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor, Occupational Outlook Handbook, 2012-13 Edition