Admissions Director Job Description

Salary Range

$80,870 - $144,370

Experience

Several years in admissions

Work Environment

College admissions office

What Does an Admissions Director Do?

Building an entering class can be exciting and, at times, nerve-racking, especially in the weeks before the deposit deadline. Admissions directors set the recruiting plan, lead the counselors who read applications and answer to senior leaders when enrollment falls short or runs over. Most work at colleges and universities, from small private campuses to large public systems.

Also known as: Assistant Director of Admissions, Senior Assistant Director of Admissions

Other Job Titles for This Work

Workers in this occupation report titles such as Academic Affairs Vice President (Academic Affairs VP), Academic Dean, College President, Dean, Financial Aid Director, Institutional Research Director, Provost, Registrar.

Admissions Director Duties and Responsibilities

The primary responsibilities of an admissions director include:

• Set recruitment goals by region, program and student group with enrollment leaders.
• Lead admissions counselors, assigning territories and reviewing their travel and outreach results.
• Oversee application review, setting reading standards and chairing committee decisions.
• Manage the admissions CRM, such as Slate, and the communications plan that goes with it.
• Track applications, admits and deposits against targets each week during the cycle.
• Plan open houses, campus visit programs and admitted-student days with other offices.
• Coordinate with financial aid on scholarship offers that affect who enrolls.
• Review admissions policies for fairness and compliance with federal and state rules.
• Allocate the office budget for travel, events, publications and recruiting fairs.
• Present enrollment forecasts and results to deans, the president and the board.

Required Skills and Qualifications

To succeed as an admissions director, you will need the following skills and qualifications:

• Enrollment management and forecasting
• Admissions CRMs such as Slate
• Leading and developing counselors
• Data analysis in Excel or a reporting tool
• Public speaking to families and schools
• Knowledge of financial aid basics
• Sound judgment on borderline applications
• Poise under deadline pressure

Education and Training

In addition to years as an admissions counselor and assistant director, most directors hold a master's degree in higher education, business or a related field. Some start out by recruiting for a graduate, law or business school. With experience, you could progress to dean of admissions or vice president for enrollment.

Salary and Job Outlook

According to BLS, employment of postsecondary education administrators, which includes admissions directors, is projected to grow about 2 percent from 2025 to 2035, with about 14,500 openings a year. Competition for director posts is keen. Enrollment pressures often are tied to the number of high school graduates, but directors always will be needed as colleges compete for students and as recruiting moves further online.

Outlook source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Employment Projections, 2025 to 2035, Education administrators, postsecondary.

Admissions Director Pay Range

Highest-Paying States for Admissions Directors

The states with the highest median pay for this occupation are New York ($139,640), New Jersey ($131,570), Massachusetts ($128,970), Delaware ($128,570), Wyoming ($127,960). Pay is lowest in Florida ($83,840), Hawaii ($81,020), Arkansas ($78,240).

What the Work Is Like

O*NET surveys people who work as education administrators, postsecondary about their daily conditions. Of those surveyed:

• 93% use email every day
• 88% say teamwork is very or extremely important in their job
• 83% say being exact and accurate is very or extremely important
• 77% usually work more than 40 hours a week
• 76% work indoors in a climate-controlled space every day
• 73% are on the phone every day
• 68% spend more than half the workday sitting

Education Workers Say the Job Needs

Tools and Software Admissions Directors Use

Tools and equipment

• Desktop computers
• Laptop computers
• Liquid crystal display LCD video projectors
• Personal computers
• Universal serial bus USB flash drives

Software

• Microsoft Excel
• Microsoft Office software
• Microsoft Outlook
• Microsoft PowerPoint
• Facebook
• Google Docs
• Hypertext markup language HTML
• IBM SPSS Statistics
• Microsoft Access
• Microsoft Project
• Microsoft SharePoint
• Microsoft Visio

Is This Job a Good Fit for You?

People who do well in this job tend to enjoy helping, teaching or caring for people as well as leading, persuading and making business decisions.

Skills O*NET rates most important: Reading Comprehension, Critical Thinking, Active Listening, Writing, Speaking, Monitoring.

Knowledge areas used most: English Language, Administration and Management, Education and Training, Customer and Personal Service, Personnel and Human Resources.

Preparation: O*NET places this occupation in Job Zone 5 of 5, which means extensive preparation.

Related Careers

These jobs use similar skills, according to O*NET's related-occupation data:

• Academic Advising Coordinator job description
• Dean job description
• Registrar job description
• Accessibility Services Manager job description
• Career Services Director job description
• Financial Aid Director job description
• International Student Services Director job description
• Residence Hall Director job description

Applying for an Admissions Director Job

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