The path to becoming an athletic director is a leadership journey rooted in education and coaching. A successful educator with a proven track record, field coaching experience, and a deep understanding of how athletics fit into a school’s mission is well-positioned to follow this leadership path.
This guide provides a comprehensive overview of the role, responsibilities, salary expectations, and the career path to becoming an athletic director at the secondary or higher education level.
What Does an Athletic Director Do?
The responsibilities of an athletic director vary significantly depending on the size and level of the institution.
- High School Level: At smaller high schools, the athletic director is often also a head coach, for example, the head football or basketball coach. At larger districts, a dedicated athletic director may oversee the entire program with the help of one or two assistants. This role can range from managing a small “one A” school with a handful of sports to a multi-million-dollar program in the largest school districts.
- Higher Education Level: At smaller colleges, the athletic director is also typically a head coach, managing both a team and the department. At large, multi-million-dollar collegiate powerhouses, the athletic director manages complex programs with television deals, corporate sponsorships, and thousands of fans in attendance.
Common Responsibilities of an Athletic Director
Despite the wide range in program sizes, an athletic director’s core responsibilities remain similar and are essential to a successful program.
- Financial and Budget Management: Athletic directors are responsible for managing budgets, which can be limited. They must find a way to be fair with funding while still being compliant with regulations like Title IX.
- Compliance and Title IX: Title IX requires that women and men be provided equitable opportunities to participate in sports. The athletic director must ensure that the school’s athletic programs meet these federal requirements.
- Program and Player Development: A critical responsibility is to consistently develop student-athletes from the time they begin playing to their graduation. At the college level, this includes recruiting, developing players, and ensuring students graduate with a degree, which is often the most important part of the program.
- Logistics and Operations: This includes managing income from games, paying referees, overseeing concession stands, ordering new uniforms, and securing funds.
- Stakeholder Management: The athletic director serves as a key liaison between students, parents, coaches, and administrators (superintendents, principals, or university presidents).
Athletic Director Salary: High School vs. Higher Education
The salary for an athletic director varies significantly based on school level and program size.
- High School Athletic Director Salary: The average salary for secondary/high school athletic directors is approximately $61,000. This average is based on a wide range of schools, from very small (around 100 students) to very large (close to 2,000 students). For the largest districts, this salary can be noticeably higher. For most, the athletic director is also a head coach, and having a master’s degree can often result in a bonus.
- College Athletic Director Salary: The average salary for athletic directors in higher education is noticeably higher, with many websites reporting averages ranging from $111,000 to $129,000. This national average is often inflated by the largest colleges, where the athletic director manages multi-million-dollar programs, television deals, and media issues. At smaller colleges, the athletic director may also coach a team.
How to Become an Athletic Director
In most cases, there is a fairly predictable route to becoming an athletic director. This path is built on a foundation of practical experience and leadership development.
- Gain Coaching Experience: A few years of successfully running a classroom and demonstrating success on the field as a coach are the first steps. Head coaching experience is especially preferred, as it prepares you to guide other head coaches on issues with budgets, parents, and other common challenges.
- Develop Leadership and Management Skills: Show the ability to lead and manage people, understand how to manage a budget, and build successful programs. A strong candidate understands how athletics fit into the educational purpose of the institution.
- Build a Professional Network: Athletic directors must be able to work with a wide range of stakeholders, including superintendents, principals, parents, and trainers. In higher education, this extends to working with university presidents and provosts. The ability to communicate your vision and work effectively with others often separates a good athletic director from a great one.
While the route to becoming an athletic director is typically through education and coaching, there are rare situations where a person with a strong business background will take on the role, particularly at larger schools.
Regardless of the path, a strong athletic director has the ability to add value to student-athletes and schools at every level, understanding how athletics can help students grow and how they are a central piece of a school and district.
