Higher Education As A Career

Answer 1

Institutions of higher education are often highly sought after work environments. With low turn-over and excellent benefits, a career in higher education is an appealing one to many job seekers.

When considering career in higher education, it is important to realize that there is much more to running a college or university than what goes on in the classroom. Higher education is a very complex and highly regulated environment. As such, there is a demand for detail oriented and highly credentialed staff and administration. Being that the business of higher education is to educate students and graduate them with degrees, it is standard that many entry-level administration positions require or prefer a master's degree.

Some entry-level positions prefer a master's degree in Higher Education Administration or College Student Personnel. However, other positions are simply looking for an advanced degree, some experience working college level students, and perhaps some specific skills related to their area of expertise such as experience with international students or students who are military veterans, even if the experience was gained while in college.

While the pay for many of these entry-level positions is not often very high, many colleges and universities are known for fostering an environment of work-life balance, unless of course one is a faculty member seeking tenure. Most colleges and universities offer generous benefit and vacation packages that make-up for their lower starting salaries. Additionally, most schools will allow employees to continue their education either free or at a greatly reduced cost through tuition reimbursement. Finally, employees often also receive free or reduced tuition for immediate family members. Starting salaries for entry-level positions depend on many factors. Somewhat counter intuitively, many of the most elite institutions offer lower salaries to entry-level administrators while community colleges and for profit colleges offer higher salaries. However, these schools usually have fewer and less generous benefits packages and employee perks.

The ideal candidate for a position in higher education is a well rounded, educated person who has proven experience working well with students and the public, and has the ability to navigate internal bureaucracy and changing government regulations with patience and tact.