Athletic Directors: How to Become One
If you were to ask a group of athletic directors about how they arrived at their current job, there's a good chance you would get several different answers about the paths and steps that each person took.
That said, there are still ways that you can develop a baseline understanding of the preparation that is necessary to become one.
The Best Adult Colleges and Careers Guide has gathered data to provide you with insight into the type of education that's commonly required for athletic directors to land a job. This page contains information, sourced from real job postings, that describes the experience levels and specific skills that employers of athletic directors expect candidates to have. In the end, this information will help you create an education or professional development plan that aligns with your career aspirations.
Keep reading to learn more about career steps for athletic directors.
What Education & Experience is Needed for Athletic Directors?
Do athletic directors need a degree? What kind of experience do athletic directors typically need? Thanks to data sourced from Lightcast™ from real job postings, we can get some clarity on those questions, as well as the level of education that is commonly required for athletic directors to secure jobs.
Education Level Required in Job Postings for Athletic Directors
Jobs Postings for Athletic Directors By Education
- Bachelor's degree: 43,668 (37%)
- Master's degree: 31,715 (27%)
- No Education Listed: 17,848 (15%)
- High School or GED: 16,046 (13%)
- Ph.D. or professional degree: 10,288 (9%)
A bachelor's degree is the level of education sought the most by employers of athletic directors. According to job data, a bachelor's degree was required for 37% of positions. In 27% of job listings a master's degree was required and in 15% of postings no education level was listed.
Experience Level Required in Job Postings for Athletic Directors
Jobs Postings for Athletic Directors By Experience
- 0-1 Years: 9,453 (18%)
- 2-3 Years: 24,589 (46%)
- 4-6 Years: 15,063 (28%)
- 7-9 Years: 2,957 (6%)
- 10+ Years: 1,593 (3%)
While the amount of required experience will vary based on the responsibility and seniority of the position, an aggregate view of job posting data can help paint a picture of the experience level sought for most job openings for athletic directors. In 46% of job postings for Athletic Directors, employers were looking for candidates with 2-3 years of experience. In 28% of listings employers were looking for candidates with 4-6 years of experience, while 0-1 years of experience was sought in 18% of job postings for athletic directors.
What Kind of Degree Do Athletic Directors Need?
So far this page has provided detail into the level of education and the amount of experience required in job openings for athletic directors, but what type of education or degree will help prepare you for a career in the field?
According to occupational data obtained through Lightcast,™ there are 11 key academic programs that can help prepare prospective athletic directors, and in 2023 a total of 43,804 of those programs were completed at institutions in the United States.
Check out the information below to learn more about the specific programs that should be considered by prospective athletic directors.
Top Degree Programs for Athletic Directors
Top 5 Degree Programs for Athletic Directors (2023)
| Program | Completions |
|---|---|
| Educational Leadership and Administration, General. | 31,028 |
| Higher Education/Higher Education Administration. | 4,653 |
| Health/Medical Preparatory Programs, Other. | 3,822 |
| Educational, Instructional, and Curriculum Supervision. | 1,612 |
| Social and Philosophical Foundations of Education. | 959 |
| Program | Completions |
|---|---|
| Educational Leadership and Administration, General. | 31,028 |
| Higher Education/Higher Education Administration. | 4,653 |
| Health/Medical Preparatory Programs, Other. | 3,822 |
| Educational, Instructional, and Curriculum Supervision. | 1,612 |
| Social and Philosophical Foundations of Education. | 959 |
| Educational Evaluation and Research. | 610 |
| Community College Administration. | 375 |
| Adult and Continuing Education Administration. | 337 |
| International and Comparative Education. | 317 |
| Health Professions Education. | 73 |
| International School Administration/Leadership. | 18 |
Top Online College For Working Adults
Franklin University is a top choice for adults who need to balance school with busy lives. Founded in 1902 in Columbus, Ohio, Franklin's main focus has been serving adult students and tailoring education to fit their needs. Nonprofit and accredited by the Higher Learning Commission (hlcommission.org/800.621.7440), Franklin offers more than 50 affordable bachelor's, master's, and doctoral programs — all available 100% online.
Degree Options for Athletic Directors
Focus your online doctorate in educational technology at Franklin University and earn an Ed.D. Instructional Technology degree (Doctor of Education in Instructional Design Leadership).
- Years To Complete: 3
Become a stronger and more confident and conscious leader with Franklin’s 3-year Ed.D. doctorate with a focus on Higher Education. In this 100% online program, you’ll learn and apply theoretical frameworks and data-informed leadership skills across different organizational contexts within the college and university setting.
- Years To Complete: 3
Educational and business settings need effective and ethical leaders. Franklin’s 3-year Ed.D. with a focus on Organization Leadership equips you to become a transformative leader. With this 100% online doctor of education, you’ll develop expertise in educational technology, data-driven decision making and real-world change management.
- Years To Complete: 3
- Class Type: 100% online
- Years To Complete: 3
Rise to meet the unique challenges of a higher education leader with Franklin’s 12-month online M.Ed. in Educational Leadership with a focus in Higher Education Leadership. The broad-based, theory-to-practice program will prepare you to manage systems and processes that contribute to student achievement.
- Placement Tests: GMAT/GRE not required for admission
Design, develop and implement effective solutions to develop knowledge and improve performance for learners in a variety of settings.
- Class Type: 100% online
- Months To Complete: 16
- Placement Tests: GMAT/GRE not required for admission
What Skills Do Athletic Directors Need?
Education and experience have been covered, so what are the specific skills and traits needed by athletic directors to secure a job?
A good way to understand this is to examine actual job postings for skills commonly sought by employers. Continue reading for a breakdown of specialized skills found in job postings for athletic directors, as well as common skills that can help you thrive in the workplace.
In-Demand Skills for Today's Athletic Directors
Based on 90,149 job postings
Top 5 Specialized Skills for Athletic Directors
| Skills | Postings | % of Total Postings |
|---|---|---|
| Student Services | 19,803 | 22% |
| Marketing | 15,048 | 17% |
| Project Management | 7,156 | 8% |
| Higher Education | 7,062 | 8% |
| Academic Affairs | 6,751 | 7% |
Top 5 Common Skills for Athletic Directors
| Skills | Postings | % of Total Postings |
|---|---|---|
| Communication | 46,444 | 52% |
| Leadership | 34,658 | 38% |
| Management | 29,974 | 33% |
| Planning | 23,940 | 27% |
| Customer Service | 23,280 | 26% |
Based on 90,149 job postings related to athletic directors, student services was the top specialized skill sought by employers, with 22% of all postings looking for that skillset. Skills for marketing, project management, higher education, academic affairs and enrollment management were also highly sought.
As for common skills, communication was the most desired skill found in job postings for athletic directors, followed by leadership, management, planning, customer service and operations.
| Skill | Postings | % of Total Postings |
|---|---|---|
| Student Services | 19,803 | 22% |
| Marketing | 15,048 | 17% |
| Project Management | 7,156 | 8% |
| Higher Education | 7,062 | 8% |
| Academic Affairs | 6,751 | 7% |
| Enrollment Management | 6,050 | 7% |
| Administrative Support | 5,626 | 6% |
| Registration | 5,603 | 6% |
| Customer Relationship Management | 5,532 | 6% |
| Auditing | 5,425 | 6% |
| Fundraising | 5,193 | 6% |
| Curriculum Development | 5,028 | 6% |
| Student Information Systems | 4,825 | 5% |
| Student Engagement | 4,766 | 5% |
| Data Analysis | 4,555 | 5% |
| Data Entry | 4,518 | 5% |
| Student Recruitment | 4,504 | 5% |
| Billing | 4,411 | 5% |
| Statistics | 4,394 | 5% |
| Finance | 4,229 | 5% |
| Skill | Postings | % of Total Postings |
|---|---|---|
| Communication | 46,444 | 52% |
| Leadership | 34,658 | 38% |
| Management | 29,974 | 33% |
| Planning | 23,940 | 27% |
| Customer Service | 23,280 | 26% |
| Operations | 21,156 | 23% |
| Coordinating | 20,061 | 22% |
| Writing | 19,590 | 22% |
| Research | 15,966 | 18% |
| Interpersonal Communications | 15,333 | 17% |
| Teaching | 14,472 | 16% |
| Detail Oriented | 14,090 | 16% |
| Microsoft Office | 13,053 | 14% |
| Problem Solving | 12,928 | 14% |
| Scheduling | 11,940 | 13% |
| Organizational Skills | 11,925 | 13% |
| Strategic Planning | 11,870 | 13% |
| Presentations | 11,234 | 12% |
| Advising | 10,343 | 11% |
| Verbal Communication Skills | 9,967 | 11% |
Additional Links
Ready to dig deeper into career information about athletic directors? Visit our other pages focused on salary and education for athletic directors.
What do athletic directors do?
How much do athletic directors make?
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