What Do Deans of Arts and Sciences Do?
Wondering what the job is really like for deans of arts and sciences?
You've come to the right place.
Keep reading to find detailed information about what deans of arts and sciences do, including the type of work they are tasked with on a daily basis, industries in which they work, and the specific skills needed for a successful career.
Deans of Arts and Sciences Overview & Description
Let's get started with the basics about deans of arts and sciences by taking a look at a simple description and popular job titles.
Deans of Arts and Sciences plan, direct, or coordinate student instruction, administration, and services, as well as other research and educational activities, at postsecondary institutions, including universities, colleges, and junior and community colleges.
Popular Job Titles For Deans of Arts and Sciences
Sample of Reported Job Titles
- Directors of Admissions
- Admissions Representatives
- Deans of Students
- Directors of Financial Aid
- Registration Specialists
- Registration Representatives
- Registrars
- Admissions Coordinators
- Admitting Representatives
- Directors of Alumni Engagement
- Education Coordinators
- Campus Directors
Read on for insight into the industries where the highest concentration of jobs for deans of arts and sciences can be found.
Best Industries for Deans of Arts and Sciences
Deans of Arts and Sciences Jobs By Industry
- Education and Hospitals (State Government): 44.3%
- Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools: 41.9%
- Education and Hospitals (Local Government): 9.7%
- Technical and Trade Schools: 1.6%
- Junior Colleges: 0.9%
- State Government, Excluding Education and Hospitals: 0.5%
- Other: 1.1%
When it comes to jobs in the United States, the largest single category of deans of arts and sciences can be found working in the Education and Hospitals (State Government) sector. In 2023, about 44.3% of all jobs for deans of arts and sciences were found there.
Other top industries by percentage include Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools (41.9%), Education and Hospitals (Local Government) (9.7%), Technical and Trade Schools (1.6%), Junior Colleges (0.9%) and State Government, Excluding Education and Hospitals (0.5%).
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 Deans of Arts and Sciences
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 Do Deans of Arts and Sciences Do on a Daily Basis?
So you have a high-level understanding of what deans of arts and sciences do and the types of industries in which they work - but what do they really do each day?
A great way to understand the type of work deans of arts and sciences do is to examine actual job postings and focus on the specific skills that employers are seeking. That will help paint a clearer picture of the tasks that deans of arts and sciences tackle each day.
Continue reading for a breakdown of specialized skills found in job postings for deans of arts and sciences, as well as common skills - interpersonal qualities and attributes - that can help you thrive in the workplace.
In-Demand Skills for Today's Deans of Arts and Sciences
Based on 90,149 job postings
Top 5 Specialized Skills for Deans of Arts and Sciences
| 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 Deans of Arts and Sciences
| 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 deans of arts and sciences, 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 deans of arts and sciences, 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% |
Most In-Demand Jobs for Deans of Arts and Sciences
Top 5 Posted Job Titles
| Job Title | Postings | % of Total Postings |
|---|---|---|
| Directors of Admissions | 11,551 | 22.8% |
| Admissions Representatives | 6,431 | 12.7% |
| Deans of Students | 4,229 | 8.4% |
| Directors of Financial Aid | 3,776 | 7.5% |
| Registration Specialists | 3,083 | 6.1% |
According to job postings that were published between September 2022 and August 2023, the top job sought by employers was directors of admissions, with 4,230 unique job postings. Admissions representatives were second, with 1,987 postings, followed by deans of students, directors of financial aid and registration specialists.
Expand the section below to see unique job postings for all occupations related to deans of arts and sciences.
| Job Title | Postings | % of Total Postings |
|---|---|---|
| Directors of Admissions | 11,551 | 22.8% |
| Admissions Representatives | 6,431 | 12.7% |
| Deans of Students | 4,229 | 8.4% |
| Directors of Financial Aid | 3,776 | 7.5% |
| Registration Specialists | 3,083 | 6.1% |
| Registration Representatives | 3,081 | 6.1% |
| Registrars | 2,194 | 4.3% |
| Admissions Coordinators | 1,924 | 3.8% |
| Admitting Representatives | 3,276 | 6.5% |
| Directors of Alumni Engagement | 1,441 | 2.8% |
| Education Coordinators | 1,286 | 2.5% |
| Campus Directors | 1,092 | 2.2% |
| Directors of Student Engagement | 988 | 2% |
| Directors of Student Success | 999 | 2% |
| Deans of Arts and Sciences | 1,030 | 2% |
| Admissions Associates | 1,033 | 2% |
| Admissions Assistants | 963 | 1.9% |
| Athletic Directors | 821 | 1.6% |
| Directors of Student Services | 761 | 1.5% |
| Admissions Managers | 640 | 1.3% |
Additional Links
Ready to dig deeper into career information for deans of arts and sciences? Visit our other pages focused on salary and education for deans of arts and sciences.
How much do deans of arts and sciences make?
Deans of Arts and Sciences: How do you become one?
All Occupations
The Best Adult Colleges and Careers Guide has compiled data for dozens of in-demand jobs. Explore our full catalog of occupation data by visiting the link below.