Five Reasons You Should Become an Athletic Director

There are few better ways to make an impact in today’s society than in education.

Molding the youth of the world into well-rounded citizens is a profession that pays far more rewarding dividends than just money. With nearly 70 percent of high school graduates heading off to college, there’s a significant opportunity to shape today’s children into tomorrow’s leaders.

One of the most popular fields for recent grads is in an athletic department.

If you’re sports inclined and wondering, 'should I get a Masters degree?' you'll come to learn those with a Masters can go far in the world of athletic administration. To work in this field you'll need to exemplify a businesslike attitude, have an educational background in leadership, and a heart for youth to earn the job.

Just take a look at the list of benefits below if you need more reasons for why you should break into the business.

Strict Requirements

This is good news for you. A Master’s in educational leadership will help you gain an edge over the competition. It’s important to emphasize that nearly 80 percent of college athletic directors have earned graduate degrees — so spending the extra time in school is well worth the investment.

You’ll be situated in a field that ranks high for job security simply because of the prerequisites that accompany the position. It’s not just the higher learning institutions that enforce such firm standards either. Your degree is a must-have for high schools and prep schools as well.

It’s no wonder that the educational bar for becoming an athletic director is so high. With an emphasis on young lives and the revenue of big time athletics comes a great deal of responsibility. Administrations want to know that the proper training and educational demands have been met. And, thanks to your degree, you’re a qualified candidate.

Shaping Young Professionals

You’ll touch every part of young people’s lives. From stressing the importance of education to the developing athletic skills, every aspect of this position is gratifying.

Sure, there are frustrating moments when dealing with young adults, but nothing is more satisfying than inspiring a student during their formative years. Influencing a life choice or counseling an adolescent on a personal, educational, or professional problem can be the difference between realized potential and wasted possibilities.

It shouldn’t surprise anyone that last year’s total amount of college enrollees was up nearly a full percentage point from 2014.

Universities are growing at an unprecedented rate, and that means that educational leadership positions are opening up faster than acceptance letters. What may be most exciting about this developing field is that there are prospects at every age group. Whether it’s mentoring middle school children or preparing college seniors for the work world, trained professionals are needed.

Job Growth and Excellent pay

This field is expected to grow by nearly 10 percent over the next 8 years.

There are over 350 Division-I college athletic departments and thousands of high schools in America. Every one of them needs directors and assistant directors. That’s not even including overseas jobs, lower-division college jobs, and middle school openings.

You can bet that there’s a handsome salary that accompanies each one of those positions as well. An athletic director with a master’s degree can top $95,000 per year.

Opportunity for Advancement

Moving up in a career as an athletic director is as simple as running a clean program, improving graduation rates and showing on-the-field results.

Keep in mind that you don’t have to be the winningest club in the area, you just need to boast a healthy organization. That means running both boys and girls sports, breaking into new athletic opportunities, and making strong hires. Complete these tasks and bigger programs can be under your purview in the years to come.