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Higher education
Academic Advisor
Keeping students on a path they keep wanting to change.
Typical pay
$42k-$70k
How you get in
Bachelor's to enter; master's preferred for advancement
Outlook
Steady; tied to enrollment levels
Academic advisors guide college students through degree requirements, registration and academic difficulty. It is student-facing higher education work without teaching, and caseloads of several hundred students are common.
A day in the life
- 8:30aReview the day's appointments and any registration holds
- 9:00aBack-to-back advising sessions, 30 minutes each
- 12:00pLunch
- 1:00pDegree audits and graduation checks
- 3:00pMeet a student on academic probation
- 4:30pDocumentation and referrals to campus resources
How to get in
Bachelor's into advising
Duration
4 years
Cost
$40,000-$150,000
Credential
Bachelor's in any field
- Complete a bachelor's — the field itself matters less than communication skill
- Work in a campus office, orientation or as a peer advisor during school
- Apply to advising roles at community colleges and universities
- Many institutions offer free or reduced tuition for a master's while employed
Master's in higher education
Duration
2 years after the bachelor's
Cost
$0-$50,000 — assistantships often cover tuition
Credential
MEd or MA in higher education or student affairs
- Enter a higher education or counseling master's program
- Take a graduate assistantship, which usually waives tuition and pays a stipend
- Complete practicum in advising or student services
- Required for most senior advising and student affairs roles
Advisor into student affairs leadership
Duration
5-10 years
Cost
$0-$60,000
Credential
Master's, sometimes a doctorate
- Advise for several years and take on program coordination
- Move into assistant or associate director roles
- Add a doctorate for dean and executive positions
- Tuition remission makes advanced degrees unusually affordable in this field
What people love
- · University benefits, including tuition remission
- · Meaningful student relationships
- · Predictable weekday schedule
- · Path into student affairs administration
What wears people down
- · Caseloads of 300-600 students are common
- · Registration periods are relentless
- · Modest pay for a master's-preferred role
- · You absorb students' academic and personal crises