Elementary and Secondary School Education Administrators are considered part of the Enterprising careers category, according to the Strong Interest Inventory® Assessment. This system, which has been used by thousands of jobseekers since its release in 1927, divides careers into six categories based on an analysis of professionals in a number of fields. It then assesses job seekers’ interests and preferences to match them with one or more of these six categories, in the hopes of narrowing their job search. Enterprising careers are widely considered challenging and fast-paced. They involve quick decision-making and high stakes. Consequently, they tend to attract individuals who are strong-willed, detail-oriented, and assertive.

Education Administrators in Elementary and Secondary Schools fall into this category because they typically hold responsibility for planning or coordinating the academic, administrative, and other auxiliary activities for schools. They may work in public or private schools, at the primary or secondary level. While their responsibilities vary depending on the precise activities that they oversee, Education Administrators generally work with teachers or other educational experts to develop and maintain curricula, mission statements, and performance objectives. They may also evaluate curricula, teaching methods, and programs to determine how effective they are and whether they comply with federal, state, and local regulations.

To this end, they may observe teachers in the classroom and attempt to standardize curricula and teaching techniques across classes or even schools. If they are at a struggling school, they may also create global school improvement plans that apply insights from student performance data.

Most Education Administrators also recruit and train teachers, as well as provide current staff with professional development trainings and activities. Some may have mentoring or guidance counselor roles, including academic or vocational advising, or correcting students’ behavioral issues. Others may have more administrative responsibilities, including managing budgets, reviewing and approving program proposals, developing partnerships with businesses or other community organizations, reviewing and adhering to government codes, or even meeting with government agencies to discuss improvements for education programs. Some Education Administrators are even involved in research, including collecting and analyzing data, writing articles or manuals, presenting at academic or professional conferences, or lecturing in continuing education or even university programs.

In order to be successful, Education Administrators use many different kinds of tools and technology. Their tools are fairly standard for offices and educational environments—computers and cellular phones, photocopiers, alarm systems, two-way radios, public address systems, and the like. While they do use some standard technology (e.g., Microsoft Office Suite, e-mail and web browser software, and basic cloud tools like Dropbox and Google Drive), others may seem surprising. Those who are involved with research may use SAS, MATLAB, or other analytical tools. They may also need Enterprise Resource Planning software like Microsoft Dynamics or Thinc Technologies Virtual School, or Human Resources software. Some Education Administrators may even use database software or learning management systems, like Blackboard.

Education Administrators typically have a background in education and training, and possibly in human resources as well. They also need to have exceptional verbal and written communication skills, and need to be comfortable speaking in front of audiences and with many different kinds of people. They develop these skills through extensive education—over 80% hold a Master’s degree or post-Master’s certificate in their field, and the remaining 20% hold a Bachelor’s or a high school diploma.

The median Education Administrator salary in the United States is just over $95,000 annually. Connecticut leads the nation with a median of $130,460, followed closely by California with a median of $124,410. On the other end of the spectrum, the median in Louisiana is just over $70,000. Employment is expected to rise steadily, with Texas alone projected to add over 2,500 jobs annually in the next decade—a growth rate over 20%! Utah is expected to have the fastest growth rate (26%), but it is starting with a relatively small market, so 26% comes to just 200 jobs annually.

Below are some employment trends for Education Administrators:

• Education Administrator Salary: $95,310 annually
• Employment: 275,000 employees
• Projected growth (2018-2028): Average (4-6%)
• Projected job openings (2018-2028): 22,900

[Information retrieved from Bureau of Labor Statistics wage data and 2018-2028 employment projections]

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References 1. Bureau of Labor Statistics wage data and 2018-2028 employment projections Onetonline.org