A Masters in Higher Education will lay the foundation you need to pursue a career with a university or other tertiary-level education provider. But pursuing a degree in higher education doesn’t have to lead to a teaching career – there are other jobs in administration and managing students that open up when you complete an advanced degree in higher education. The Masters in Higher Education Administration, Masters in Higher Education Counseling and Masters in Higher Education and Student Affairs are three examples of specialized higher education degrees that can lead to a role other than teaching.

The Best Masters in Higher Education Programs

Let’s focus in on two of the best Masters in Higher Education graduate programs offered around the country.

Harvard’s program easily fits into the top two. This program is primarily geared towards preparing you to go into a non-teaching career in higher education – as an administrator or a policy worker. It focuses on teaching theory, policy and philosophy as appeared to hands-on, applicable teaching techniques. This program is deliberately broad in scope to allow you the flexibility to move between jobs in what is a dynamic and ever-changing field.

Stanford offers a few different courses from someone interested in pursuing a higher education career. The Stanford Teacher Education Program is a rigorous and highly respected course for anyone looking to teach at any level in the education system. For non-teachers, Stanford offers the Policy, Organization and Leadership Studies course, which allows you to specialize in Higher Education.

Masters Degree in Higher Education and Student Affairs

A Masters Degree in Higher Education and Student Affairs will specifically equip you to work in jobs related to managing students at a higher education institution. This could mean something like running and administering a dorm, working in student services, or coordinating events and activities for students. These jobs all contribute to the culture of a university.

Steinhardt School at NYU offers an excellent Masters Degree in Higher Education and Student Affairs. This course will give you a broad understanding of the history of universities in general and the role of student affairs staff specifically. It will give you leadership skills and a knowledge of what’s needed to ensure students have a holistic and fulfilling college experience.

Masters in Higher Education Administration

A Masters in Higher Education Administration will prepare you for a career in running and administering a higher education institution. These courses tend to focus strongly on leadership and people skills, although exactly what you learn will depend on your goals and the electives you take. Within this degree you can focus on various specialties like financial aid, policy research or admissions processing.

The School of Education and Social Policy at Northwestern University has one of the leading higher education Masters programs in this field.

Masters in Higher Education Counseling

The Masters in Higher Education Counseling sets you up for roles helping higher education students work through psychological problems. You’ll play a fundamental role in helping students deal with minor issues that hinder their studies, as well as providing much needed help to students who may be a danger to themselves or others.

The Rossier School of Education at the University of Southern California a Masters of Education in Higher Education Counseling which is one of the better programs in the US.

Masters in Higher Education Jobs

As you can see, there’s a much wider range of jobs available in the field of higher education than you might have expected at first. Even if you’re not interested in teaching, you can make the most of the relaxed and intellectual atmosphere of a college by becoming a professional administrator, students affairs coordinator or counselor. Many job prospects are opening up in community colleges, and the pay can be very rewarding, with some top masters in higher education graduates pulling in more than $115,000 per year.