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Median Salaries of Midlevel College Administrators, 2011-12

By  Andrea Fuller
March 26, 2012

Salaries for midlevel administrators rose by a median of 2 percent this year over last year, matching the median pay increase for senior administrators and coming in slightly higher than the 1.9-percent median increase for faculty members, says an annual report released this week by the College and University Professional Association for Human Resources.

Midlevel administrators—who include auditors, curators, police officers, coaches, and other staff—received a bigger pay increase from the 2011 to the 2012 fiscal years than they did in the previous year, when the median salary increase was 1.3 percent.

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Median Salaries of Midlevel College Administrators, 2011-12

Salaries for midlevel administrators rose by a median of 2 percent this year over last year, matching the median pay increase for senior administrators and coming in slightly higher than the 1.9-percent median increase for faculty members, says an annual report released this week by the College and University Professional Association for Human Resources.

Midlevel administrators—who include auditors, curators, police officers, coaches, and other staff—received a bigger pay increase from the 2011 to the 2012 fiscal years than they did in the previous year, when the median salary increase was 1.3 percent.

Still, pay increases for midlevel administrators lagged behind inflation, which rose 3.2 percent from 2010 to 2011.

Even though this year’s increases trailed inflation, “we are pleased that many institutions have been able to provide some adjustment to employee salaries,” Andy Brantley, president of the association, known as CUPA-HR, said in written remarks.

“Our hope,” he said, “is that the economy will continue to improve, and that institutions will be able to allocate larger salary increase pools next year.”

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As with other types of positions, private colleges gave midlevel administrators better raises on average than public ones did, according to the report, which reflects data for 489 public and 595 private institutions. For those employees, private institutions provided salary increases of 2.2 percent, compared with 1.4 percent at public colleges.

The highest-paid midlevel administrators across all institution types were staff physicians, who earned median pay of $134,808. Security guards were the lowest-paid midlevel administrators, earning median pay of $28,293.

At doctoral institutions, football coaches were paid more than any midlevel administrator at any institution type, earning median pay of $267,800.

Median Salaries of Midlevel Administrative Workers by Job Category and Type of Institution, 2011-12

All Doctoral Master’s Baccalaureate 2-year
Academic affairs
Conference/workshop education coordinator, continuing education $43,838 $44,061 $42,626 $39,923 $49,425
Continuing-education specialist $51,104 $55,150 $50,372 $47,982 $49,546
Museum curator $50,524 $51,057 $46,316 $55,829 $45,760
Head reference and instruction librarian, level II $54,314 $61,152 $52,538 $51,899 $53,219
Reference and instruction librarian, level I $44,776 $47,128 $45,069 $43,260 $43,537
Catalog/metadata librarian, level II $50,980 $54,145 $49,581 $49,000 $50,953
Catalog librarian, level I $37,970 $42,415 $37,981 $35,400 $41,178
Coordinator, library services for distance education $52,391 $63,726 $46,476 $50,130 $48,495
Government documents/publications librarian $52,019 $57,171 $50,450 $45,729
Serials librarian $50,225 $55,684 $47,824 $48,300 $42,504
Systems librarian, digital library $58,008 $64,567 $57,315 $51,159 $53,534
Admissions counselor $35,032 $36,308 $34,603 $33,108 $38,827
Financial-aid counselor $37,600 $39,262 $37,193 $35,464 $39,618
Academic evaluator $36,240 $36,045 $35,706 $33,203 $39,208
Business and administrative affairs
Administrative specialist $45,000 $46,534 $43,798 $42,283 $45,672
Staff attorney $109,782 $114,644 $99,934 $113,465 $74,592
Buyer $41,544 $43,186 $40,053 $37,690 $40,000
Buyer, senior level $51,098 $52,397 $48,930 $46,338 $50,532
Buyer, supervisor $65,327 $70,990 $57,080 $51,317 $61,135
Contract and grants specialist $50,394 $50,023 $49,500 $51,511 $52,459
Accountant $42,870 $44,805 $41,714 $40,643 $43,313
Accountant, senior level $55,140 $55,194 $53,272 $53,315 $55,840
Accounting unit, supervisor $63,729 $66,914 $60,000 $57,855 $60,976
Auditor $50,171 $50,171 $49,377 $46,292
Auditor, senior level $65,217 $67,720 $59,327 $65,100 $64,952
Budget analyst $50,635 $52,674 $48,392 $47,852 $56,076
Budget analyst, senior level $65,400 $65,814 $62,919 $63,970 $60,582
Budget unit, supervisor $79,097 $81,771 $76,197 $68,924
Department business manager, small unit $56,087 $57,742 $51,023 $55,900 $58,440
Department business manager, large unit $69,949 $72,238 $63,090 $62,922 $86,350
Head cashier $35,548 $41,948 $34,494 $30,973 $42,502
Collections supervisor $44,818 $49,808 $44,182 $37,196 $48,811
Auditor, IT $58,571 $58,000
Auditor, IT senior level $78,925 $74,751
Manager, audit $86,928 $87,425 $83,640
Manager, IT audit $93,959 $92,921
Shipping-and-receiving supervisor $41,972 $44,371 $41,914 $39,737 $40,152
Print-shop supervisor $43,554 $49,570 $42,293 $38,064 $47,596
Mail-services supervisor $38,086 $42,227 $36,606 $33,336 $42,992
Child-care-center teacher $31,941 $31,849 $31,676 $31,658 $33,400
Child-care site director $55,000 $62,335 $52,174 $52,030 $57,357
Textbook manager $41,083 $47,466 $38,687 $37,816 $45,032
Food-service manager $48,885 $50,775 $44,577 $48,593 $53,419
Assistant police chief $70,850 $84,540 $62,811 $55,004 $69,378
Police lieutenant $58,854 $66,941 $53,282 $50,440 $53,328
Police sergeant $47,666 $56,720 $43,835 $42,370 $48,552
Police officer $38,862 $43,681 $36,539 $33,841 $40,236
Security guard $28,293 $28,164 $28,213 $27,850 $29,034
Environmental-health-and-safety specialist $53,947 $54,566 $52,554 $50,656 $56,538
Safety officer $52,489 $56,868 $47,705 $45,797 $49,569
Skilled-crafts supervisor $54,668 $58,165 $52,442 $52,486 $51,984
Coordinator, construction projects $65,724 $68,439 $63,047 $64,158 $65,271
Architect $75,332 $75,375 $71,431 $74,550 $70,621
Facilities-utilization planner $57,222 $58,695 $55,800 $48,000 $57,931
Facilities engineer $67,125 $70,449 $62,804 $68,521
Inventory manager $44,285 $49,320 $41,764 $42,848 $42,296
Human resources
Coordinator, disability services $52,642 $59,952 $46,890 $50,442 $49,661
Training specialist $52,659 $52,944 $46,200 $55,135 $56,217
Equal-employment-opportunity/affirmative-action specialist $56,577 $56,446 $51,125 $56,790
Employee-relations specialist $48,607 $48,304 $41,317 $53,113
Employee-relations specialist, senior level $61,778 $61,988 $55,805
Employee-relations unit, supervisor $68,964 $69,127 $61,026 $71,268
Human-resources generalist $43,685 $47,856 $43,000 $40,677 $44,736
Human-resources generalist, senior level $55,468 $60,088 $52,038 $51,987 $59,972
Credential specialist $43,152 $50,033 $44,364 $39,072 $47,332
Compensation specialist $46,514 $49,711 $41,858 $39,693 $46,528
Compensation specialist, senior level $60,020 $60,239 $50,601 $61,478
Compensation/classification unit, supervisor $68,054 $69,061 $65,613
Benefits specialist $41,820 $41,900 $41,988 $40,099 $44,502
Benefits specialist, senior level $52,050 $52,000 $49,600 $50,964 $50,411
Benefits unit, supervisor $67,000 $67,000 $60,528 $60,457
Labor-relations specialist $49,622 $45,012
Labor-relations specialist, senior level $72,838 $73,202
Labor-relations unit, supervisor $98,811 $98,811
Employment specialist $41,707 $42,924 $38,760 $38,667 $41,254
Employment specialist, senior level $53,599 $54,210 $50,000 $49,834 $53,595
Employment unit, supervisor $68,964 $71,221 $63,860 $64,375
Adviser, disability services $45,274 $46,336 $44,887 $42,062 $46,830
Work-life coordinator $55,595 $57,584 $51,542
Information technology
Programmer analyst $53,798 $56,422 $52,275 $51,687 $55,974
Programmer analyst, senior level $66,245 $69,745 $60,629 $64,938 $71,852
Programmer analyst, supervisor $78,503 $82,359 $74,668 $69,601 $72,579
Systems programmer $55,976 $58,822 $53,679 $49,817 $59,896
Systems programmer, senior level $70,707 $72,874 $65,551 $66,830 $77,308
Systems programmer, supervisor $80,469 $83,649 $76,632 $78,050 $82,721
IT security analyst/engineer $66,767 $71,165 $61,626 $60,775 $67,610
Telecommunications manager $60,490 $80,150 $57,686 $53,096 $61,394
Network engineer $62,566 $67,114 $57,783 $56,107 $63,004
E-mail administrator $63,930 $71,011 $58,487 $61,150 $56,212
Network administrator $59,747 $66,654 $58,850 $57,473 $56,976
System administrator $59,226 $62,138 $56,452 $55,876 $62,334
Database administrator $66,685 $71,825 $64,140 $62,400 $69,542
Data administrator $63,779 $77,336 $58,328 $60,211 $62,975
Manager, Web services/Web master $58,310 $68,532 $56,862 $55,406 $56,664
Web/graphics designer $47,917 $49,000 $45,604 $47,000 $51,312
Web/content developer $49,671 $52,446 $46,499 $46,309 $51,702
Computer operator, entry level $34,590 $33,738 $37,600 $32,487 $37,566
Computer operator, senior level $44,475 $42,548 $45,872 $46,078 $47,737
Computer operations, supervisor $59,384 $58,828 $53,910 $65,292 $65,067
IT support specialist $44,689 $46,538 $44,463 $42,466 $40,912
Help-desk specialist/technician $39,208 $42,500 $38,460 $37,800 $37,675
Help-desk manager $55,019 $64,838 $52,054 $47,035 $56,135
IT technical writer $50,114 $53,066 $45,015
IT project manager $73,489 $78,477 $69,662 $67,914 $75,475
Electronic-resources librarian $51,504 $60,415 $48,425 $44,937 $47,986
Media librarian $54,501 $63,438 $54,501 $48,472
Instructional-technology specialist $50,663 $53,232 $49,756 $52,170 $44,510
Multimedia specialist/technician $43,188 $45,437 $42,338 $41,850 $42,551
Distance-education-network operations manager $58,018 $62,243 $51,408 $48,196 $55,417
Distance-education faculty-support manager $55,476 $63,795 $53,712 $50,666 $55,000
Online instructional designer, entry level $46,604 $49,504 $44,044 $43,943 $48,020
Online instructional designer, senior level $55,129 $60,168 $53,000 $53,106 $52,881
Athletics
Assistant athletics trainer/physical therapist $39,604 $41,887 $37,899 $37,258 $50,570
Head athletics trainer $55,294 $69,593 $53,238 $50,000 $50,003
Ticket manager, athletics event $45,067 $50,000 $39,923 $40,000
Strength and conditioning coach $45,687 $54,472 $41,286 $40,165
Head coach, football $93,596 $267,800 $90,750 $72,837
Offensive coordinator, football $59,400 $150,000 $51,500 $41,345
Defensive coordinator, football $60,500 $150,000 $52,750 $43,489
Assistant coach, football $43,956 $100,000 $42,408 $36,909
Head coach, baseball $57,500 $83,813 $56,650 $46,512 $52,563
Assistant coach, baseball $37,662 $47,684 $36,663 $28,050 $33,006
Head coach, men’s basketball $76,640 $236,300 $77,170 $60,971 $52,232
Assistant coach, men’s basketball $44,267 $85,534 $41,856 $32,640 $31,387
Head coach, women’s basketball $67,402 $150,000 $67,600 $52,086 $55,309
Assistant coach, women’s basketball $41,960 $58,131 $39,000 $31,000 $31,500
Head coach, cross-country $42,745 $47,629 $43,068 $40,000
Head coach, track and field $52,728 $61,500 $50,314 $44,064
Head coach, cross-country and track and field $57,575 $67,372 $52,210 $50,188
Head coach, skiing alpine/Nordic $56,795 $59,501 $56,274
Head coach, swimming and diving $55,358 $66,000 $48,656 $48,570
Head coach, men’s golf $48,999 $70,000 $42,153 $40,469
Head coach, men’s gymnastics $68,163 $74,331
Head coach, men’s ice hockey $93,461 $210,000 $60,000 $89,300
Head coach, men’s lacrosse $50,429 $113,350 $48,730 $47,783
Head coach, men’s rowing $58,290 $78,382 $51,138 $53,000
Head coach, men’s soccer $50,124 $70,797 $49,348 $44,821
Head coach, men’s tennis $47,537 $62,063 $41,899 $43,762
Head coach, men’s volleyball $53,008 $72,500 $52,559 $40,991
Head coach, men’s wrestling $57,019 $76,109 $54,399 $48,944
Head coach, women’s field hockey $50,400 $64,672 $46,114 $46,551
Head coach, women’s golf $49,314 $63,072 $40,000 $43,655
Head coach, women’s gymnastics $73,679 $84,016 $57,757
Head coach, women’s ice hockey $59,860 $96,141 $51,245 $63,000
Head coach, women’s lacrosse $45,703 $63,309 $44,109 $43,954
Head coach, women’s rowing $57,728 $69,848 $45,089 $53,375
Head coach, women’s soccer $50,412 $66,694 $47,649 $43,920
Head coach, women’s softball $48,569 $70,000 $47,532 $43,923 $43,050
Head coach, women’s tennis $48,353 $61,013 $40,760 $47,482
Head coach, women’s volleyball $53,248 $75,740 $51,500 $44,490 $42,724
Student affairs
Intramural/recreation coordinator $39,911 $43,214 $38,197 $36,025 $40,504
Student-activities officer $41,000 $44,227 $39,872 $37,000 $44,923
Campus minister $47,004 $50,978 $45,197 $48,930
Sign-language interpreter $46,048 $48,507 $40,136 $46,900 $45,705
Events coordinator $41,143 $42,272 $40,350 $39,627 $42,538
Events technical-services coordinator $42,976 $43,482 $41,204 $42,794 $50,378
Academic adviser/counselor $40,963 $41,757 $40,449 $41,329 $41,666
Student career counselor $42,704 $44,972 $42,328 $41,500 $43,236
Cooperative-education-program coordinator $45,486 $45,441 $46,350 $44,153 $48,452
Study-abroad adviser $40,986 $41,434 $40,005 $41,095 $42,253
Academic-support-center coordinator $45,992 $47,900 $44,855 $45,130 $46,037
Residence-hall manager (room and board included) $30,200 $32,079 $29,711 $28,511 $32,182
Residence-hall manager (room and board not included) $37,191 $40,455 $38,000 $31,713
Counseling psychologist $59,021 $59,923 $55,779 $61,467 $59,894
Counselor $47,698 $49,169 $46,007 $46,988 $52,955
Nurse practitioner $73,696 $76,645 $71,388 $70,426 $73,882
Staff nurse $48,859 $51,897 $47,126 $46,564 $58,662
Staff physician $134,808 $136,009 $124,586 $169,493
Clinical-research nurse $61,836 $61,787
Pharmacist $95,079 $96,000 $86,300
External affairs
Annual-giving officer, entry level $40,063 $45,000 $38,000 $37,000 $47,428
Annual-giving officer, senior level $51,705 $54,950 $51,241 $48,337 $54,589
Alumni-relations officer, entry level $40,500 $43,087 $40,000 $37,828 $42,640
Alumni-relations officer, senior level $50,625 $56,078 $49,522 $48,036 $50,000
Major-gift officer, entry level $55,171 $59,031 $54,673 $48,802
Major-gift officer, senior level $75,755 $80,218 $71,111 $74,499 $67,833
Planned-giving officer, entry level $52,388 $54,500 $51,424 $50,000
Planned-giving officer, senior level $81,598 $93,348 $80,699 $75,670 $52,962
Coordinator, resource development $44,652 $48,250 $42,450 $42,134 $43,892
Government-relations specialist $60,939 $60,939 $61,119
Public-information specialist $45,689 $46,423 $44,494 $40,806 $49,649
Assistant editor $42,101 $40,435 $41,241 $43,300
Editor $51,621 $50,602 $50,500 $55,500 $46,624
Graphic designer $43,557 $44,980 $42,521 $42,157 $43,510
Writer $46,324 $47,958 $45,986 $40,991 $46,957
Assistant writer $39,050 $38,750 $38,372 $37,160
Photographer $43,743 $44,180 $42,500 $47,503 $48,158
Producer/director, television $49,224 $49,224 $45,755 $58,333 $53,201
Program manager, television $54,984 $54,987 $54,732 $56,076
Television engineer, senior level $52,860 $50,619 $54,290 $46,468 $61,790
Manager, FM-radio station $62,750 $69,845 $58,949 $61,000 $61,307
Manager, television station $68,000 $86,350 $53,643 $68,698
Engineering/research, agricultural
Electrical/electronic engineer $60,714 $59,957 $63,724 $56,402
Electrical/electronic engineer, senior level $76,623 $78,053
Mechanical engineer $64,480 $64,471
Mechanical engineer, senior level $81,191 $82,996
Research assistant, natural/physical sciences, entry level $33,899 $34,372 $30,936 $33,660
Research assistant, natural/physical sciences, intermediate level $41,467 $42,884 $41,601 $38,950
Research assistant, natural/physical sciences, senior level $50,903 $51,374 $51,000 $53,561
Research assistant, social/behavioral sciences, entry level $33,131 $32,855 $36,432
Research assistant, social/behavioral sciences, intermediate level $43,139 $43,460 $32,142
Research assistant, social/behavioral sciences, senior level $55,052 $55,588 $42,777
Laboratory coordinator $45,221 $48,798 $42,183 $42,025 $42,002
Laboratory technician II $36,000 $33,900 $37,609 $37,634 $40,539
Laboratory technician IV $43,824 $43,782 $42,162 $48,439 $42,543
Research field technician $37,698 $37,271 $39,234 $41,200
Research computer specialist $57,214 $58,278 $45,500 $50,799
Electronic technician supervisor $57,263 $60,469 $52,405
Research project engineer $60,169 $60,677
Assistant research scientist (nonfaculty) $49,611 $53,772
Associate research scientist (nonfaculty) $63,016 $71,292 $45,440
Research scientist (nonfaculty) $74,454 $75,566 $82,005
Veterinarian $100,978 $102,453
Animal-care manager $53,082 $60,000 $45,320 $36,769
Farm manager $46,041 $50,416 $45,301 $43,077

NOTE: © 2011 by the College and University Professional Association for Human Resources. All rights reserved. Contact CUPA-HR for permission to reprint the data. The figures are based on the reports from 1,084 public and private colleges and universities. A dash indicates insufficient data.

We welcome your thoughts and questions about this article. Please email the editors or submit a letter for publication.
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