College Administrators

Median Salary: $82,800

Many college administrators across the U.S. share a handful of key professional attributes. For example, cooperation, initiative, and self control can be critical for success in the industry, especially when coupled with career training. Around 105,900 folks were working as college administrators nationwide in 2009. With that much workplace competition, it's crucial to build on these traits and receive top-notch training, particularly if you're intending to advance in the field.

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), the median annual income for college administrators in the U.S. was $82,800 in 2009, which works out to a median hourly wage of $39.80. Of course, income can vary with training and by place. Below, you'll find more data about college administrators, including wages and job density for metro areas all over the U.S..

College administrators should be skilled in:

Problem Sensitivity
Information Ordering
Near Vision
Fluency of Ideas
Number Facility

Different folks go into different careers; college administrators are typically:

Enterprising
Artistic
Investigative

Working as a college administrator requires knowledge in subjects like:

English Language
Psychology
Sociology and Anthropology
Law and Government
Mathematics

Related Occupations

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Below, you'll see links to more information on the top cities for this occupation (based on the number of folks working as college administrators). Note: "Job density" refers to the proportion of college administrators in each city as compared to the national average.

Alabama
City/Area	Employees	Median Annual Salary	Median Hourly Wage	Top 25% Annual Salary	Top 25% Hourly Wage	Job Density
Birmingham	560	$75,700	$36.40	$133,100	$64.00	40.4%
Huntsville	210	$83,800	$40.30	$107,900	$51.90	27%
Montgomery	130	$70,500	$33.90	$99,700	$47.90	-0.2%

Alaska
City/Area	Employees	Median Annual Salary	Median Hourly Wage	Top 25% Annual Salary	Top 25% Hourly Wage	Job Density
Anchorage	70	$87,900	$42.30	$115,800	$55.70	-50.1%

Arizona
City/Area	Employees	Median Annual Salary	Median Hourly Wage	Top 25% Annual Salary	Top 25% Hourly Wage	Job Density
Flagstaff	90	$79,900	$38.40	$101,400	$48.80	86.1%
Phoenix	1,440	$81,600	$39.20	$131,700	$63.30	0.6%
Prescott	70	$70,700	$34.00	$83,700	$40.20	49.4%

Arkansas
City/Area	Employees	Median Annual Salary	Median Hourly Wage	Top 25% Annual Salary	Top 25% Hourly Wage	Job Density
Little Rock	200	$97,100	$46.70	$130,700	$62.80	-27.3%

California
City/Area	Employees	Median Annual Salary	Median Hourly Wage	Top 25% Annual Salary	Top 25% Hourly Wage	Job Density
Bakersfield	160	$101,900	$49.00	$130,600	$62.80	-24.5%
Fresno	360	$96,900	$46.60	$124,800	$60.00	35.4%
Los Angeles (Area)	4,060	$97,300	$46.80	$127,600	$61.30	-12.6%
Oakland	740	$89,500	$43.00	$120,600	$58.00	-7.3%
Oxnard	90	$98,700	$47.50	$131,700	$63.30	-60.5%
Riverside	600	$100,600	$48.40	$127,500	$61.30	-37.7%
Sacramento	850	$90,800	$43.60	$120,100	$57.80	23.3%
Salinas	170	$92,200	$44.30	$116,200	$55.90	32.9%
San Diego	1,360	$98,000	$47.10	$135,200	$65.00	31.3%
San Francisco (Area)	1,720	$86,000	$41.40	$115,300	$55.50	7.6%
San Francisco (City)	980	$82,600	$39.70	$110,100	$53.00	22.7%
San Jose	610	$100,900	$48.50	$125,500	$60.30	-15%
Santa Barbara	120	$88,400	$42.50	$115,400	$55.50	-16.2%
Stockton	NA	$94,100	$45.30	$125,400	$60.30	NA
Vallejo	140	$92,800	$44.60	$116,400	$56.00	40.4%
Visalia	60	$105,800	$50.90	$130,700	$62.90	-46.2%

Colorado
City/Area	Employees	Median Annual Salary	Median Hourly Wage	Top 25% Annual Salary	Top 25% Hourly Wage	Job Density
Boulder	150	NA	NA	NA	NA	16.5%
Colorado Springs	130	$83,600	$40.20	$120,200	$57.80	-33.3%
Denver	710	$86,700	$41.70	$124,200	$59.70	-28.2%
Pueblo	60	$63,700	$30.60	$81,700	$39.30	38.6%

Connecticut
City/Area	Employees	Median Annual Salary	Median Hourly Wage	Top 25% Annual Salary	Top 25% Hourly Wage	Job Density
Bridgeport	360	$98,200	$47.20	$119,200	$57.30	-23.4%
Hartford	960	$94,000	$45.20	$139,000	$66.80	111%
New Haven	NA	$93,200	$44.80	$127,200	$61.20	NA
Norwich	70	$120,200	$57.80	$133,600	$64.20	-35.9%

Delaware
City/Area	Employees	Median Annual Salary	Median Hourly Wage	Top 25% Annual Salary	Top 25% Hourly Wage	Job Density
Dover	110	$79,500	$38.20	$112,900	$54.30	125.6%

District of Columbia
City/Area	Employees	Median Annual Salary	Median Hourly Wage	Top 25% Annual Salary	Top 25% Hourly Wage	Job Density
Washington (Area)	NA	$67,200	$32.30	$97,600	$46.90	NA

Florida
City/Area	Employees	Median Annual Salary	Median Hourly Wage	Top 25% Annual Salary	Top 25% Hourly Wage	Job Density
Deltona	50	$93,000	$44.70	$112,500	$54.10	-56.5%
Jacksonville	110	$83,500	$40.10	$105,600	$50.80	-77.7%
Lakeland	40	$94,000	$45.20	$106,100	$51.00	-74.8%
Miami (Area)	530	$100,100	$48.10	$127,900	$61.50	-71.1%
Orlando	430	$75,600	$36.40	$87,500	$42.10	-46.7%
Palm Bay	60	$84,700	$40.70	$114,900	$55.20	-65.2%
Pensacola	40	$97,100	$46.70	$139,900	$67.30	-71.6%
Tallahassee	50	$98,100	$47.20	$123,600	$59.40	-63.5%
Tampa	160	$103,900	$49.90	$132,000	$63.50	-82.6%

Georgia
City/Area	Employees	Median Annual Salary	Median Hourly Wage	Top 25% Annual Salary	Top 25% Hourly Wage	Job Density
Atlanta	2,410	$84,400	$40.60	$119,900	$57.60	29.7%
Augusta	190	NA	NA	NA	NA	16.3%
Gainesville	30	$74,300	$35.70	$87,900	$42.30	-46.9%
Macon	140	$85,600	$41.20	$111,500	$53.60	81.8%
Savannah	150	$80,300	$38.60	$112,100	$53.90	24.4%

Hawaii
City/Area	Employees	Median Annual Salary	Median Hourly Wage	Top 25% Annual Salary	Top 25% Hourly Wage	Job Density
Honolulu	250	$91,400	$43.90	$143,000	$68.80	-28.9%

Idaho
City/Area	Employees	Median Annual Salary	Median Hourly Wage	Top 25% Annual Salary	Top 25% Hourly Wage	Job Density
Boise City	520	$75,500	$36.30	$105,500	$50.70	141.9%

Illinois
City/Area	Employees	Median Annual Salary	Median Hourly Wage	Top 25% Annual Salary	Top 25% Hourly Wage	Job Density
Chicago (Area)	2,010	$78,200	$37.60	$111,100	$53.40	-29.8%
Rockford	120	$45,500	$21.90	$67,900	$32.70	1.8%
Springfield	NA	$68,600	$33.00	$86,100	$41.40	NA

Indiana
City/Area	Employees	Median Annual Salary	Median Hourly Wage	Top 25% Annual Salary	Top 25% Hourly Wage	Job Density
Evansville	120	$57,300	$27.60	$85,800	$41.30	-15.4%
Fort Wayne	NA	$97,600	$46.90	$129,300	$62.20	NA
Indianapolis	490	$58,400	$28.10	$83,900	$40.30	-31.3%
South Bend	NA	$50,100	$24.10	$69,900	$33.60	NA

Iowa
City/Area	Employees	Median Annual Salary	Median Hourly Wage	Top 25% Annual Salary	Top 25% Hourly Wage	Job Density
Cedar Rapids	120	$59,100	$28.40	$79,400	$38.20	9%
Davenport	70	$73,700	$35.40	$94,700	$45.50	-55.7%
Des Moines	260	$69,700	$33.50	$89,000	$42.80	0.2%
Dubuque	90	$64,300	$30.90	$82,900	$39.90	112.5%
Sioux City	40	$74,000	$35.60	$86,600	$41.60	-37.1%
Waterloo	80	$71,500	$34.40	$111,700	$53.70	14.7%

Kansas
City/Area	Employees	Median Annual Salary	Median Hourly Wage	Top 25% Annual Salary	Top 25% Hourly Wage	Job Density
Wichita	240	$64,700	$31.10	$86,800	$41.80	-0.2%

Kentucky
City/Area	Employees	Median Annual Salary	Median Hourly Wage	Top 25% Annual Salary	Top 25% Hourly Wage	Job Density
Lexington	270	$68,100	$32.80	$110,500	$53.10	37.9%
Louisville	290	$89,200	$42.90	$123,200	$59.20	-40%
Owensboro	40	$66,400	$31.90	$90,100	$43.30	4.4%

Louisiana
City/Area	Employees	Median Annual Salary	Median Hourly Wage	Top 25% Annual Salary	Top 25% Hourly Wage	Job Density
Baton Rouge	460	$81,500	$39.20	$122,000	$58.70	55.4%
New Orleans	760	$84,500	$40.60	$138,400	$66.60	85%
Shreveport	50	$72,300	$34.80	$88,300	$42.40	-66.7%

Maine
City/Area	Employees	Median Annual Salary	Median Hourly Wage	Top 25% Annual Salary	Top 25% Hourly Wage	Job Density
Bangor	140	$65,300	$31.40	$84,000	$40.40	174.4%
Portland	170	$66,800	$32.10	$88,400	$42.50	8.3%

Maryland
City/Area	Employees	Median Annual Salary	Median Hourly Wage	Top 25% Annual Salary	Top 25% Hourly Wage	Job Density
Baltimore	1,640	$80,800	$38.90	$107,600	$51.70	61%
Cumberland	40	$92,700	$44.60	$124,900	$60.10	34.2%
Hagerstown	40	$75,400	$36.20	$91,800	$44.10	-43.5%
Salisbury	80	$78,600	$37.80	$114,600	$55.10	85.2%

Massachusetts
City/Area	Employees	Median Annual Salary	Median Hourly Wage	Top 25% Annual Salary	Top 25% Hourly Wage	Job Density
Boston (Area)	3,910	$80,100	$38.50	$102,300	$49.20	128.6%
Springfield	530	$82,400	$39.60	$107,700	$51.80	127.5%
Worcester	360	$81,300	$39.10	$105,900	$50.90	86.3%

Michigan
City/Area	Employees	Median Annual Salary	Median Hourly Wage	Top 25% Annual Salary	Top 25% Hourly Wage	Job Density
Detroit (Area)	1,120	$86,700	$41.70	$121,900	$58.60	-16.4%
Flint	180	$82,400	$39.60	$113,700	$54.70	67.3%
Grand Rapids	240	$97,700	$47.00	$128,700	$61.90	-17.6%
Kalamazoo	100	$117,900	$56.70	$156,400	$75.20	-4.2%

Minnesota
City/Area	Employees	Median Annual Salary	Median Hourly Wage	Top 25% Annual Salary	Top 25% Hourly Wage	Job Density
Duluth	140	$85,500	$41.10	$113,900	$54.80	35.9%
Minneapolis	1,310	$72,300	$34.80	$89,700	$43.10	-6.9%
Rochester	50	NA	NA	NA	NA	-46.5%
St. Cloud	90	$77,800	$37.40	$105,200	$50.60	21.1%

Mississippi
City/Area	Employees	Median Annual Salary	Median Hourly Wage	Top 25% Annual Salary	Top 25% Hourly Wage	Job Density
Gulfport	70	$72,100	$34.70	$84,100	$40.40	-12.5%
Hattiesburg	60	NA	NA	NA	NA	21.5%
Jackson	280	$62,000	$29.80	$74,800	$36.00	40.9%

Missouri
City/Area	Employees	Median Annual Salary	Median Hourly Wage	Top 25% Annual Salary	Top 25% Hourly Wage	Job Density
Columbia	110	NA	NA	NA	NA	67.3%
Jefferson City	30	$61,800	$29.70	$76,800	$36.90	-46.7%
Joplin	30	$88,600	$42.60	$101,300	$48.70	-46.9%
Kansas City	730	$70,000	$33.60	$96,500	$46.40	-9.4%
Springfield	210	$72,900	$35.10	$104,500	$50.20	41.1%
St. Louis	1,010	$75,900	$36.50	$106,300	$51.10	-4.6%

Montana
City/Area	Employees	Median Annual Salary	Median Hourly Wage	Top 25% Annual Salary	Top 25% Hourly Wage	Job Density
Great Falls	30	$69,800	$33.60	$83,800	$40.30	5.4%

Nebraska
City/Area	Employees	Median Annual Salary	Median Hourly Wage	Top 25% Annual Salary	Top 25% Hourly Wage	Job Density
Omaha	400	$59,200	$28.50	$85,800	$41.20	8.9%

Nevada
City/Area	Employees	Median Annual Salary	Median Hourly Wage	Top 25% Annual Salary	Top 25% Hourly Wage	Job Density
Las Vegas	360	NA	NA	NA	NA	-47.6%

New Hampshire
City/Area	Employees	Median Annual Salary	Median Hourly Wage	Top 25% Annual Salary	Top 25% Hourly Wage	Job Density
Manchester	120	$65,900	$31.70	$86,700	$41.70	48.8%

New Jersey
City/Area	Employees	Median Annual Salary	Median Hourly Wage	Top 25% Annual Salary	Top 25% Hourly Wage	Job Density
Atlantic City	100	$106,900	$51.40	$149,500	$71.90	-8.3%

New Mexico
City/Area	Employees	Median Annual Salary	Median Hourly Wage	Top 25% Annual Salary	Top 25% Hourly Wage	Job Density
Albuquerque	220	$140,700	$67.70	$164,000	$78.80	-29.3%
Santa Fe	40	$72,400	$34.80	$89,200	$42.90	-31.8%

New York
City/Area	Employees	Median Annual Salary	Median Hourly Wage	Top 25% Annual Salary	Top 25% Hourly Wage	Job Density
Albany	540	$83,800	$40.30	$117,400	$56.50	52.4%
Binghamton	NA	$66,900	$32.10	$85,600	$41.10	NA
Buffalo	370	$82,600	$39.70	$109,500	$52.60	-14.4%
Ithaca	150	$109,700	$52.70	$137,400	$66.10	265.1%
New York (Area)	5,400	$103,200	$49.60	$137,800	$66.30	-34.6%
Poughkeepsie	230	$86,900	$41.80	$123,000	$59.10	15.8%
Rochester	390	$108,600	$52.20	$138,200	$66.40	-1.2%
Syracuse	250	$103,500	$49.80	$137,100	$65.90	0.2%
Utica	130	$84,400	$40.60	$103,600	$49.80	22.1%

North Carolina
City/Area	Employees	Median Annual Salary	Median Hourly Wage	Top 25% Annual Salary	Top 25% Hourly Wage	Job Density
Asheville	110	$67,800	$32.60	$94,400	$45.40	-22.3%
Charlotte	660	$68,600	$33.00	$91,500	$44.00	-3.6%
Durham	590	$58,300	$28.00	$79,800	$38.30	164.1%
Fayetteville	110	$66,400	$31.90	$90,700	$43.60	5.7%
Goldsboro	NA	$61,100	$29.40	$91,000	$43.80	NA
Greensboro	460	$76,400	$36.70	$108,900	$52.40	61.7%
Hickory	140	$61,900	$29.80	$81,800	$39.30	17.3%
Raleigh	1,830	$79,700	$38.30	$117,700	$56.60	351.7%
Wilmington	180	$76,900	$37.00	$102,900	$49.50	57%
Winston-Salem	350	$77,500	$37.30	$108,300	$52.10	107.4%

North Dakota
City/Area	Employees	Median Annual Salary	Median Hourly Wage	Top 25% Annual Salary	Top 25% Hourly Wage	Job Density
Fargo	NA	$99,000	$47.60	$127,900	$61.50	NA
Grand Forks	40	$95,100	$45.70	$145,800	$70.10	-6.9%

Ohio
City/Area	Employees	Median Annual Salary	Median Hourly Wage	Top 25% Annual Salary	Top 25% Hourly Wage	Job Density
Akron	180	$71,100	$34.20	$100,800	$48.40	-31.4%
Canton	80	$81,400	$39.10	$105,000	$50.50	-43.9%
Cincinnati	310	$88,400	$42.50	$120,000	$57.70	-61.7%
Cleveland	410	$94,900	$45.60	$121,900	$58.60	-50.1%
Columbus	570	$109,300	$52.50	$154,200	$74.10	-22.8%
Dayton	230	$92,700	$44.60	$134,200	$64.50	-22.3%
Lima	30	$73,600	$35.40	$83,800	$40.30	-24.5%
Toledo	190	$91,500	$44.00	$126,900	$61.00	-21.7%
Youngstown	90	$79,600	$38.30	$109,800	$52.80	-50.3%

Oklahoma
City/Area	Employees	Median Annual Salary	Median Hourly Wage	Top 25% Annual Salary	Top 25% Hourly Wage	Job Density
Oklahoma City	310	$82,100	$39.50	$116,400	$55.90	-32.6%
Tulsa	230	$61,700	$29.60	$76,000	$36.50	-32.2%

Oregon
City/Area	Employees	Median Annual Salary	Median Hourly Wage	Top 25% Annual Salary	Top 25% Hourly Wage	Job Density
Eugene	110	$88,400	$42.50	$108,000	$51.90	-5.2%
Medford	NA	$75,800	$36.50	$105,400	$50.70	NA
Portland	720	$77,400	$37.20	$106,400	$51.20	-10.1%
Salem	90	$80,900	$38.90	$109,700	$52.70	-21.2%

Pennsylvania
City/Area	Employees	Median Annual Salary	Median Hourly Wage	Top 25% Annual Salary	Top 25% Hourly Wage	Job Density
Allentown	380	$66,700	$32.10	$101,900	$49.00	42.5%
Erie	100	$62,900	$30.20	$98,800	$47.50	-4.1%
Harrisburg	290	$91,000	$43.80	$125,200	$60.20	16%
Johnstown	50	$55,700	$26.80	$80,500	$38.70	-1.7%
Lancaster	170	$67,000	$32.20	$102,500	$49.30	-5.4%
Philadelphia (Area)	2,600	$91,200	$43.80	$132,400	$63.60	-2.2%
Pittsburgh	1,270	$72,000	$34.60	$103,300	$49.60	40.8%
Reading	150	$55,500	$26.70	$76,000	$36.60	10.1%
Scranton	230	$63,000	$30.30	$91,600	$44.00	10.1%

Rhode Island
City/Area	Employees	Median Annual Salary	Median Hourly Wage	Top 25% Annual Salary	Top 25% Hourly Wage	Job Density
Providence	620	$89,900	$43.20	$126,200	$60.70	39.8%

South Carolina
City/Area	Employees	Median Annual Salary	Median Hourly Wage	Top 25% Annual Salary	Top 25% Hourly Wage	Job Density
Charleston	150	$67,100	$32.30	$91,100	$43.80	-35.1%
Columbia	180	$83,700	$40.30	$119,400	$57.40	-32.4%
Greenville	450	$73,800	$35.50	$113,500	$54.60	87.7%
Myrtle Beach	90	$71,000	$34.10	$86,500	$41.60	3.2%
Spartanburg	70	$72,200	$34.70	$90,700	$43.60	-26.5%

South Dakota
City/Area	Employees	Median Annual Salary	Median Hourly Wage	Top 25% Annual Salary	Top 25% Hourly Wage	Job Density
Sioux Falls	40	$69,200	$33.30	$86,700	$41.70	-66.1%

Tennessee
City/Area	Employees	Median Annual Salary	Median Hourly Wage	Top 25% Annual Salary	Top 25% Hourly Wage	Job Density
Chattanooga	120	$61,800	$29.70	$83,400	$40.10	-36%
Clarksville	100	$66,000	$31.70	$94,500	$45.40	56.4%
Jackson	40	$58,600	$28.20	$80,000	$38.50	-5.4%
Kingsport	80	$75,100	$36.10	$95,100	$45.70	-18.9%
Knoxville	240	$63,100	$30.30	$85,600	$41.10	-9%
Memphis	250	$71,700	$34.50	$105,700	$50.80	-49.4%
Nashville	530	$74,600	$35.90	$102,300	$49.20	-8.6%

Texas
City/Area	Employees	Median Annual Salary	Median Hourly Wage	Top 25% Annual Salary	Top 25% Hourly Wage	Job Density
College Station	670	$77,800	$37.40	$114,000	$54.80	802.1%
Dallas (Area)	1,420	$79,400	$38.20	$112,000	$53.80	-43.3%
El Paso	NA	$117,200	$56.30	$166,400+	$80.00+	NA
Killeen	110	$65,000	$31.30	$82,000	$39.40	8%
Laredo	30	$91,900	$44.20	$113,800	$54.70	-57.2%
Longview	50	$66,500	$32.00	$84,800	$40.80	-32.6%
Lubbock	100	$139,800	$67.20	$166,400+	$80.00+	2.6%
McAllen	60	$75,900	$36.50	$102,500	$49.30	-66.6%
Odessa	50	NA	NA	NA	NA	5.7%
San Antonio	460	$69,200	$33.30	$99,500	$47.80	-32.7%
Tyler	50	$91,800	$44.10	$110,100	$53.00	-35.1%
Waco	160	$70,900	$34.10	$88,400	$42.50	98.4%

Utah
City/Area	Employees	Median Annual Salary	Median Hourly Wage	Top 25% Annual Salary	Top 25% Hourly Wage	Job Density
Ogden	90	$85,400	$41.00	$118,900	$57.20	-45.9%
Provo	380	$70,300	$33.80	$87,700	$42.20	172.7%
Salt Lake City	420	$77,200	$37.10	$108,800	$52.30	-15.2%

Vermont
City/Area	Employees	Median Annual Salary	Median Hourly Wage	Top 25% Annual Salary	Top 25% Hourly Wage	Job Density
Burlington	NA	$83,000	$39.90	$119,800	$57.60	NA

Virginia
City/Area	Employees	Median Annual Salary	Median Hourly Wage	Top 25% Annual Salary	Top 25% Hourly Wage	Job Density
Danville	40	$79,400	$38.20	$91,400	$44.00	10.4%
Lynchburg	60	$64,600	$31.10	$85,200	$41.00	-31.6%
Richmond	390	$84,400	$40.60	$119,000	$57.20	-19.5%
Roanoke	50	$77,600	$37.30	$95,000	$45.70	-63.4%
Virginia Beach	700	$82,500	$39.70	$113,800	$54.70	16.6%

Washington
City/Area	Employees	Median Annual Salary	Median Hourly Wage	Top 25% Annual Salary	Top 25% Hourly Wage	Job Density
Seattle (Area)	1,130	$77,300	$37.20	$97,200	$46.70	-14.4%
Spokane	200	$78,200	$37.60	$100,400	$48.30	20%

West Virginia
City/Area	Employees	Median Annual Salary	Median Hourly Wage	Top 25% Annual Salary	Top 25% Hourly Wage	Job Density
Charleston	80	$64,900	$31.20	$82,100	$39.50	-33%
Parkersburg	30	$69,600	$33.50	$89,700	$43.10	-42.5%
Wheeling	50	$62,900	$30.20	$75,100	$36.10	4.8%

Wisconsin
City/Area	Employees	Median Annual Salary	Median Hourly Wage	Top 25% Annual Salary	Top 25% Hourly Wage	Job Density
Eau Claire	120	$68,200	$32.80	$93,500	$44.90	89.5%
Fond du Lac	50	$80,300	$38.60	$93,700	$45.00	51%
Green Bay	120	$70,200	$33.80	$103,500	$49.70	-7.3%
Janesville	40	$63,400	$30.50	$77,500	$37.30	-16%
La Crosse	120	$71,400	$34.30	$92,800	$44.60	101.8%
Madison	620	$86,000	$41.40	$111,800	$53.70	133.8%
Milwaukee	700	$71,000	$34.10	$99,600	$47.90	5.8%