Job postings hit 2024’s slowest month yet. Administrative roles surpass coaching jobs again. Track, Basketball, Softball lead; Football declines.
Thanks to Intercollegiate’s extensive database that features every job posting in collegiate athletics, we’ve compiled a “by the numbers” report to showcase trends. Whether you’re a coach, administrator, or job seeker, understanding these trends can help you navigate your career path more effectively.
Job Postings Overview
1,792 jobs in collegiate athletics were posted in September. Coaching jobs accounted for 874 postings, while administrative positions totaled 918.
Last month, we wrote about August’s closing of the peak hiring window that the summer offseason brings. This month, we saw the amount of postings continue to decline, making September the job market’s slowest month to date in the 2024 calendar year.
As the chart depicts, job postings rise sharply from January and peak in June, which aligns with the offseason hiring surge. A steady decline follows in July through September, reflecting the stabilization of staffing ahead of the academic year.
These trends suggest that recruitment efforts should be concentrated in the spring and early summer when job availability is highest, while later months may require more targeted approaches.
From here, we’ll break down which sports and admin categories had the most openings in September.
Administrative Jobs Breakdown
918 job openings were posted this month across administrative job categories. This marks a 30% decrease from last month, and 33% less than the average monthly admin job posts in 2024. Departmental categories that posted the most jobs were:
- Facilities, Event Operations, and Equipment: 209 (-35% job postings from the month of August)
- Sports Medicine: 197 (-24%)
- Marketing, Communications, Content Creation: 163 (-41%)
- Student Services: 127 (-30%)
- Business/Finance/HR: 64 (-6%)
The order of the top five remained the same from August’s report. This marks only the second month in the history of our records that Sports Medicine was outpaced in the administrative job market, both times by Facilities, Event Operations, and Equipment jobs.
One trend worth noting is that there were more administrative jobs posted this month than coaching jobs. That’s only happened three months this year, and it hasn’t occurred since February.
Coaching Jobs Breakdown
874 job openings were posted for college athletics coaching: that’s 49% less than August and 56% less than the average monthly coaching job postings in 2024.
Sports with the most jobs posted this month were:
- Track and Field: 69 (-59% job postings from the month of August)
- Women’s Basketball: 62 (-37%)
- Softball: 58 (-49%)
- Men’s Basketball: 56 (-52%)
- Lacrosse: 53 (-29%)
- Baseball: 50 (-52%)
- Volleyball: 44 (-40%)
- Football: 42 (-90%)
- Cross Country: 37 (-83%)
- Tennis: 31 (-84%)
Top Job by Salary
Intercollegiate hosts two unique features that allow us to share this data. Salaries and pay details, when provided, are displayed on Intercollegiate’s site, allowing you to filter by pay to help you find a job that meets your needs. Open and expired job posts remain visible, allowing you to see key data such as the last time a search was conducted for the respective job.
In the month of September, here were the highest-paying jobs of postings that listed a salary range:
- $125,000 – $150,000/yr: Associate AD for Sports Brands and Communications – University of Southern California
- $90,000 – $150,000/yr: Coach/GM – Basketball – University of California, San Diego
- $85,000 – $156,800/yr: Associate Athletic Director, Facilities and Event Operations – University of California, Santa Barbara
It’s worth noting that all three jobs are located in the state of California. Intercollegiate allows you to browse jobs by state, so if California is calling, you can narrow your search results to the Golden State.
Get the Most out of Intercollegiate
While the job market slows as the school year is now in full swing, it’s easy to keep tabs on the entire market and plan your next move. Intercollegiate.co showcases every job from every school, giving job-seekers the peace of mind to find everything they need in one place.
Pro tips for navigating Intercollegiate:
- Explore the latest job openings by narrowing your search filters. For narrowed results, tailor the search to a specific state, conference, salary minimum, or even a specific school.
- Example: Enable “active and expired job posts” to view compensation trends from previously-posted positions.
- Use Intercollegiate Wire to its fullest potential by using filters and keyword searches to narrow the Wire to showcase personnel movements relevant to your niche.
- Create a free account to unlock the ability to bookmark job posts, create custom email alerts, view profiles of the 50,000+ personnel across college athletics, and more.
FAQs
How many job openings were posted in collegiate athletics in September 2024?
- A total of 1,792 jobs were posted, with 874 coaching positions and 918 administrative roles.
Why did job postings decline in September 2024?
- August typically marks the end of the summer hiring surge, and job postings tend to decline in September as schools finalize their staffing for the academic year. This month saw the slowest hiring pace in 2024.
How did coaching job postings compare to administrative job postings in September?
- For the third time in 2024, more administrative jobs (918) were posted than coaching jobs (874). This highlights a shift in hiring needs as the academic year begins.
Which sports had the most coaching job openings in September 2024?
- Track and Field led with 69 job openings, followed by Women’s Basketball (62), Softball (58), and Men’s Basketball (56). Notably, football saw a sharp decline with only 42 openings.
How can I get the most out of Intercollegiate during slower hiring months?
- Utilize Intercollegiate’s search filters to narrow your results by state, conference, salary, or school. You can also explore expired job postings to understand compensation trends and make informed career decisions. Be sure to use Intercollegiate Wire to track personnel movements within your niche.
How can I tailor my job search on Intercollegiate?
- Use search filters to customize your results by criteria like state, conference, and salary. You can also enable “active and expired job posts” to analyze compensation trends.
