Job Growth in Higher Education

Where is the job growth in higher education?

According to the findings of CUPA-HR’s 2018 Professionals in Higher Education Survey, employment of professionals in higher education saw an increase of about 7% overall.  However, two areas, ‘other education’ and ‘safety,’ saw a more substantial increases than any other sector.

While these two categories are the smallest in the higher ed workforce, they experienced the most substantial growth over the last year.  Other education professionals (which includes positions such as biostatistician, statistician, data scientist, and data analyst) grew by 43%, while safety professionals (campus police, public safety officers, etc.) grew by about 30%.

The study also looked at the positions that experienced significant salary increases over the last year.  The overall median salary for higher education professionals increased by about 2.2% in the past year.  The largest salary increases went to those in athletic affairs and institutional affairs.  Professionals in academic affairs and research received the smallest median salary increases.

The survey also found that professionals in the areas of health science and environmental sustainability had the highest salaries, while those in student affairs made the lowest.  Additionally, the report found that academic affairs, student affairs, and IT are the top three professional employment areas, making up about half of all professional positions in higher ed.

These are some of the findings from CUPA-HR’s 2018 Professionals in Higher Education Survey.  Looking for a consulting firm with experience working in higher education?  Then don’t hesitate to contact the professionals at McKnight Associates, Inc.  We are ready to offer you hands-on human resources consulting for colleges, universities, medical centers, and organizations of all sizes.