What Does an Accessibility Services Manager Do?
For students with disabilities, their instructors and the college itself, accessibility services managers ensure equal access to every course, exam and reading. They make sure that accommodations are approved and delivered, and that textbooks, videos and websites are accessible and ready on time. Many run offices that also produce braille, audio and captioned materials.
Also known as: Accessible Media (AMAC) Manager
Accessibility Services Manager Duties and Responsibilities
The primary responsibilities of an accessibility services manager include:
- Lead the office that reviews disability documentation and approves academic accommodations.
- Run production of accessible textbooks in braille, large print, audio and tagged digital formats.
- Arrange sign language interpreters and real-time captioning for classes and campus events.
- Manage testing rooms where students take exams with extra time or assistive technology.
- Train faculty and staff on accommodations, accessible course design and their legal duties.
- Advise departments on accessible websites, documents and videos using WCAG guidelines.
- Set the office budget and staffing, and track demand for each type of service.
- Review complaints and grievances about access, and work with legal counsel on resolutions.
- Evaluate and buy assistive technology such as screen readers and text-to-speech software.
- Report on students served, services delivered and turnaround times to senior administrators.
Required Skills and Qualifications
To succeed as an accessibility services manager, you will need the following skills and qualifications:
- Knowledge of the ADA and Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act
- Accessible formats: braille, audio, large print and tagged PDF
- Screen readers such as JAWS and NVDA
- WCAG web accessibility guidelines
- Staff leadership and budgeting
- Case management and confidentiality
- Training and presenting to faculty
- Fair, steady judgment on accommodation requests
Education and Training
Many managers first work as accommodation specialists or accessible media producers, then move up through coordinator posts before they run an office. A master's degree in higher education, special education or rehabilitation counseling is typical, in line with BLS data for postsecondary education administrators. Hands-on training in screen readers and other assistive technology is a real advantage.
Salary and Job Outlook
Typical pay: $80,870 - $144,370 per year, with a median of $104,590.
The range covers the middle half of earners nationwide. Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025, Education Administrators, Postsecondary.
BLS projects employment of postsecondary education administrators, the group that includes accessibility services managers, to grow about 2 percent from 2025 to 2035, with about 14,500 openings a year. Growth is slow. And, as long as colleges enroll students with disabilities, these managers will be needed to make sure accommodations arrive on time and course materials work for everyone.
Outlook source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Employment Projections, 2025 to 2035, Education administrators, postsecondary.