Education Administrators, Postsecondary salary in the U.S.
Education Administrators, Postsecondary in the U.S. earn a median of $104,590 a year ($50.29 an hour), based on BLS data for 180,470 workers.
Pay ranges from $64,560 for the lowest-paid 10% to $215,620 for the top 10%. The average (mean) salary is $126,540, above the median because a few high earners pull it up.
Pay range for education administrators, postsecondary in the U.S.
| Pay level | Yearly | Hourly |
|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile (entry level) | $64,560 | $31.04 |
| 25th percentile | $80,870 | $38.88 |
| Median | $104,590 | $50.29 |
| 75th percentile | $144,370 | $69.41 |
| 90th percentile (top earners) | $215,620 | $103.66 |
| Average (mean) | $126,540 | $60.84 |
Half of education administrators, postsecondary earn more than the median and half earn less. Percentiles show the spread: 10% earn less than the 10th percentile, and 10% earn more than the 90th.
Median paycheck, before taxes
| Pay period | Amount |
|---|---|
| Monthly | $8,715.83 |
| Semi-monthly (24 a year) | $4,357.92 |
| Biweekly (26 a year) | $4,022.69 |
| Weekly | $2,011.35 |
| Hourly | $50.29 |
Based on a full-time year of 2,080 hours. Convert any amount with the hourly to salary converter.
Education Administrators, Postsecondary salary by state
| State | Median salary | Workers |
|---|---|---|
| New York | $139,640 | 7,280 |
| New Jersey | $131,570 | 4,100 |
| Massachusetts | $128,970 | 9,120 |
| Delaware | $128,570 | 360 |
| Wyoming | $127,960 | 120 |
| Washington | $127,630 | 2,140 |
| South Dakota | $126,160 | 240 |
| California | $125,460 | 14,870 |
| Wisconsin | $124,960 | 1,190 |
| Connecticut | $123,190 | 2,100 |
| Virginia | $120,840 | n/a |
| Oregon | $120,110 | 2,790 |
| Maryland | $118,550 | n/a |
| Colorado | $118,440 | 1,770 |
| Kentucky | $114,310 | 890 |
| Georgia | $110,200 | 2,890 |
| Kansas | $110,020 | 1,760 |
| New Mexico | $109,480 | 1,160 |
| Michigan | $108,500 | 5,110 |
| District of Columbia | $107,390 | 1,880 |
| Rhode Island | $106,520 | 1,140 |
| Oklahoma | $105,830 | 1,700 |
| Minnesota | $104,740 | 2,110 |
| Missouri | $104,560 | 2,830 |
| Vermont | $104,450 | 550 |
| Texas | $104,390 | 16,660 |
| New Hampshire | $104,190 | 920 |
| Pennsylvania | $103,740 | 8,000 |
| Arizona | $103,280 | 5,140 |
| Alaska | $103,080 | 80 |
| Montana | $102,980 | 300 |
| North Dakota | $101,600 | 600 |
| Idaho | $101,200 | 870 |
| North Carolina | $101,060 | 7,390 |
| Tennessee | $100,850 | 2,680 |
| Utah | $100,420 | 2,320 |
| Alabama | $100,030 | 3,760 |
| Illinois | $99,770 | 9,530 |
| Louisiana | $98,840 | 3,670 |
| Indiana | $98,000 | 3,370 |
| Nebraska | $96,030 | 1,560 |
| South Carolina | $95,570 | 2,990 |
| Iowa | $89,320 | 2,510 |
| Nevada | $88,810 | 1,320 |
| Maine | $88,180 | 860 |
| Ohio | $87,370 | 6,880 |
| Mississippi | $86,590 | 2,230 |
| West Virginia | $84,660 | 1,520 |
| Florida | $83,840 | n/a |
| Hawaii | $81,020 | 570 |
| Puerto Rico | $80,410 | 910 |
| Guam | $79,080 | 40 |
| Arkansas | $78,240 | 1,970 |
Best-paying metro areas for education administrators, postsecondary
| Metro area | Median salary | Workers |
|---|---|---|
| Augusta-Richmond County, GA-SC | $177,150 | 190 |
| Santa Cruz-Watsonville, CA | $172,410 | 50 |
| Binghamton, NY | $166,660 | 60 |
| Yakima, WA | $166,310 | 80 |
| Merced, CA | $165,620 | 50 |
| Lansing-East Lansing, MI | $158,720 | 480 |
| Visalia, CA | $156,010 | 50 |
| San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA | $154,140 | 1,450 |
| Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA | $153,950 | 150 |
| Ann Arbor, MI | $144,340 | 790 |
| Lafayette-West Lafayette, IN | $141,700 | 240 |
| Atlantic City-Hammonton, NJ | $141,310 | 80 |
| Lawrence, KS | $140,710 | 420 |
| Rochester, NY | $139,640 | 460 |
| Louisville/Jefferson County, KY-IN | $138,670 | 200 |
Metro areas with the most education administrators, postsecondary
| Metro area | Workers | Median salary |
|---|---|---|
| New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ | 7,550 | $137,800 |
| Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH | 6,770 | $131,130 |
| Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN | 6,270 | $101,070 |
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | 6,050 | $125,230 |
| Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD | 4,330 | $117,980 |
| Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV | 4,200 | $125,460 |
| Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX | 3,390 | $102,990 |
| Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos, TX | 3,270 | $125,190 |
| Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX | 2,900 | $105,700 |
| Pittsburgh, PA | 1,840 | $98,320 |
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | 1,720 | $136,030 |
| Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA | 1,680 | $120,110 |
| Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA | 1,550 | $128,620 |
| San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA | 1,450 | $154,140 |
| Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, MI | 1,410 | $105,980 |
Related jobs in the U.S.
| Job | Median salary | Hourly |
|---|---|---|
| Managers, All Other | $141,900 | $68.22 |
| Medical and Health Services Managers | $123,860 | $59.55 |
| Construction Manager | $114,990 | $55.28 |
| Education Administrators, Kindergarten through Secondary | $105,870 | — |
| Property, Real Estate, and Community Association Managers | $69,990 | $33.65 |
| Food Service Manager | $69,390 | $33.36 |
| Architectural and Engineering Managers | $171,270 | $82.34 |
| Social and Community Service Managers | $80,390 | $38.65 |
| Natural Sciences Manager | $167,220 | $80.39 |
| Education and Childcare Administrators, Preschool and Daycare | $59,300 | $28.51 |
| Education Administrators, All Other | $95,200 | $45.77 |
| Lodging Manager | $69,250 | $33.29 |
| Entertainment and Recreation Managers, Except Gambling | $79,520 | $38.23 |
| Funeral Home Manager | $78,790 | $37.88 |
More: Management Occupations
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025 estimates, occupation code 11-9033. Wages include base pay, tips, commissions and shift pay, but not overtime, bonuses or benefits, and exclude the self-employed.
Frequently asked questions
How much does a education administrators, postsecondary make in the U.S.?
The median salary for education administrators, postsecondary in the U.S. is $104,590 a year, or $50.29 an hour. Pay ranges from $64,560 for the lowest-paid 10% to $215,620 for the top 10%.
How much do the highest-paid education administrators, postsecondary make in the U.S.?
The top 10% of education administrators, postsecondary in the U.S. earn at least $215,620 a year. The top 25% earn $144,370 or more.
What is the starting pay for education administrators, postsecondary in the U.S.?
Entry-level pay (the 10th percentile) is about $64,560 a year, and a quarter of education administrators, postsecondary earn $80,870 or less.
How many education administrators, postsecondary work in the U.S.?
About 180,470 education administrators, postsecondary are employed in the U.S., not counting the self-employed.