The world of higher education is changing dramatically.
With increasing numbers of students enrolling in degree programs over the next decade, the field of higher education is becoming both more complex and competitive.
Higher education offers countless opportunities for professionals with strong leadership skills and expertise. There are so many roles to fill – from the many administrative and management jobs to the plethora of careers in student services.
A master's degree in Higher Education will give you the training you need for any higher education career you want to land in.
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What kind of higher education degree should you get?
Do you want to work in administration? Career services? Enrollment management? The answers to those questions should in large part determine the program you enroll in. There are lots of options out there, with emphases in a variety of areas. And there are also more broadly-based programs that will prepare you for many different jobs in higher ed.
Online education is also a great option if you want to continue working while you study. All the programs on this ranking offer courses online, so you'll be able to balance your work and personal commitments with your studies. These are accredited, rigorous programs which will be highly respected by employers.
If you'd like to learn more about online education, check out the College Choice ranking of the Best Online Colleges.
How much money do people make with a higher education degree?
There are so many different positions in higher education – with a wide range of salaries. Your take-home pay will be determined by a range of factors like geography, work experience, and – of course – the institution you work for.
But there is high demand for professionals with the skills to support, manage, and lead the many operations associated with colleges and universities. The Bureau of Labor Statistics estimates that jobs for post-secondary educational administrators will grow by 10 percent by the year 2026. And the median pay for postsecondary education administrators is currently reported as $92,360 annually.
What can you do with a degree in higher education?
With a master's in higher education, you'll be ready to take on wide range of entry-level and middle-management positions in higher education. Broadly speaking, careers tend to lie in either administration or student affairs.
Administration can include managing finances, fundraising, or human resources – among many, many other possibilities. A career in student affairs puts you in direct contact with students through jobs like career or academic advisement, admissions, and enrollment.
With a master's in higher education, the sky's the limit – up to the very top leadership positions. Common job titles include:
Financial aid counselor
Development and fundraising officer
Alumni relations coordinator
Academic records specialist
Assistant director of marketing and communication
Assistant dean of admissions
What are the requirements for a degree in higher education?
All the degree programs on our ranking are designed for adults who have graduated with a bachelor's degree from a regionally accredited institution. Apart from that basic standard, each program has its own specific admission requirements.
Most programs are designed for both recent (or current) undergraduates and professional adults with experience in a two- or four-year college or university. Most admissions committees also ask for a statement of your professional goals and objectives, to make sure that the program is right for you.
And of course, you'll need to submit all your undergraduate transcripts and possibly GRE scores.
What are the best higher education degrees?
At College Choice, our goal is to help you locate a program that will deliver both academic excellence and a high return on investment.
To accomplish that, our team of researchers takes into account a variety of factors – like national reputation scores, tuition rates, early career earnings of graduates, and wherever possible, student satisfaction surveys. We use all that data to calculate our College Choice score and then lay it all out for you in an easy-to-read manner.
And all the schools on our ranking are regionally accredited, so you don't have to worry about any fly-by-night institutions making their way onto our rankings.
Ranking
See our rankings methodology page.
