All About Athletic Director Career Path – Degrees, Skills, Jobs

by Alex Morgan · November 24, 2023

An athletic director is someone who can find different places to fit in the sports industry. They can be team managers, coaches, sports organization chiefs, and plenty more. But what exactly is it that an athletic director does?
That’s what we’re here to find out today, as we take a deep dive into the career path, degrees, skills, and jobs for athletic directors. So, let’s dive in and understand things like an athletic director’s salary and more.

Who Is An Athletic Director?

An athletic director is someone who oversees day-to-day operations for a sports team, organization, or athlete. Unlike a sports coach or a manager, an athletic director is someone who manages schedules as well as events.
They are also responsible for finding coaches and other staff for a team or an athlete. They oversee things like:

Ensuring proper use of budgets;
Ensuring timely execution of important events;
Focusing on compliance with regulations;
And encouraging a positive work environment for athletes and staff.

Their primary role is to understand the athletic bases and promote practices that ensure top-tier performance from the team, organization, or a single athlete. Any athletic director certification will put these as the primary things an athletic director is required to do.

What Does An Athletic Director’s Job Description Like?

While it mainly depends on the industry or sports that the athletic director works in, the general principles of the workplace will remain the same. For instance, an athletic director for a football team’s job description would be:

Hiring and managing coaching staff;
Handling budgets and overseeing facilities;
Help the team or athletes stay in line with guidelines/rules;
Handle and manage teams’ goals and objectives;
And supervise the overall sports activities in an organization.

Now the high school athletic director’s responsibilities might differ from these. However, as mentioned before, the core of their responsibilities and job description would remain the same.

What is the Athletic Director’s Career Path Like?

The athletic director’s career path is a straightforward one with proper education and skill training. Now, the people who pursue careers as athletic directors need to have certain skills in thought leadership as well as taking command and managing situations.
It all begins with a basic set of training and understanding of the field. Nobody’s a born leader and that’s what the formal education and basic training on various jobs will help develop with time. That’s why, the basic career path of the athletic director includes:

A bachelor’s degree in sports management or similar;
Finding entry-level roles or side gigs in sports organizations;
Pursuing an advanced (master) level degree later;
Finding work with directors or people in the leadership of sports organizations;
And going through professional/skill development through workshops, conferences, etc.

Moreover, it’s important to understand that the biggest challenge is finding work as a director or manager in sports. It might be easier for someone with a bachelor’s degree in sports management to pursue a master’s. However, for someone who is still an undergraduate, they might only find jobs such as assistant, intern, etc.
But it’s also important to understand the career path of an athletic director. As they go through the bachelor’s education, they might find work in areas such as

Internships or apprenticeships;
Working as assistant or understudy of a director/manager;
Junior/Assistant or Secretary athletic director;
And finally, working as an athletic director.

The pay and compensation come down to the experience and overall prowess of the athletic director. They can be paid as low as $80,000 to around $120,000 per year. Bureau of Labor Statistics suggests salaries in school or college levels are usually in the $80k-$120k range.
Bearing that in mind, these are the salaries according to experience and years in the industry:

5 years – $80,000 – $85,000

10 years – $90,000 – $95,000

15 years – $105,000 – $110,000

20+ years – $110,000 – $120,000

It’s also important to understand that these are the salaries of athletic directors working at school or college levels. The highest-paid sports/athletic director was paid around $3.23 million last year.

How to Become an Athletic Director at a College?

The process and progression towards becoming an athletic director is simple in theory. But in real life, it requires a lot of hard work, sacrifices, and consistency. The basic requirement is a bachelor’s degree in sports management.
Any athletic director job description for college today would require experience or skills in:

Management or administration;
Coaching or teaching;
And general management of a team or athlete.

If an individual has these qualities, then they’ll have the right tools to be an athletic director in any school or college.

What are the Educational Requirements for an Athletic Director?

Educational requirements to become an athletic director are spelled out quite a few times throughout this article. You just have to know the type of degree that you need to get on the path to become an athletic director.
There three common degrees that people would opt for-associate, bachelor’s or masters. Here’s which one to opt for:

Associate degree: Rarely any good option that provides the right base for an athletic director career.
Bachelor’s degree: Sports management or administration to grasp the basics.
Master’s degree: To advance on the bachelor’s or simply switch from other fields to sports.

It also comes down to preferences of the institutions or schools nearby that require people for athletic directorship positions. Some might deem a bachelor’s with no skills enough to handle their smaller sports venture.
A university or college with a large sports setup and multiple teams won’t only require someone with a master’s, but also preferably lots of experience under their belt. That’s why it’s necessary to go through the right sort of education.
An athletic director needs to be well-versed in a few things such as:

Sports ethics;
Administration or management;
Budgetary and finance management;
Sports marketing and promotions;
Athletic and team management;
Practical experience in coaching or athletic background;
And history of coursework that dictates the prowess required for the job.

It’s also important to note that not all of the skills are required right off the bat. However, it’s necessary to get a proper degree. Here are three of the top options in the United States:

1. Florida State University – Bachelor in Sports Management

Florida State University’s Bachelor in Sports Management is one of the best options for sports management and administration in the United States. This degree offers many core classes and electives that fit just right for anyone looking to become an athletic director.
For example, the courses in this degree focus on various areas, such as

Careers in Professional Sport

Sports Finance

Sport: Conscience Meets Commerce

Sport, Service, and Social Change

Introduction to Sports Analytics

And it’s clear to see that the focus of this program is teaching the student how to handle upper management areas of sports. Then, the university tops it off with a Master of Science degree in Sports Management.

2. Liberty University – BS In Sports Management

Liberty University’s BS In Sports Management is another great option for many reasons. First off, it’s one of the only programs that’s available both on-campus and online. So it’s up to the student which path they wish to choose.
And they can practically sign up for the degree from anywhere. The courses in both online and on-campus degrees include

Concepts and Practices in Sports Outreach

Mentoring in Sport

Global Sports Outreach

Sports Methodology, Methods, and Practices

Sports Chaplaincy

Then the university also offers a Master of Science in Sports Management program for graduate students.

3. Georgetown University – Online Master’s in Sports Industry Management

Georgetown University’s Online Master’s in Sports Industry Management is on this list simply because it’s the best graduate program for those who wish to take this degree from anywhere in the United States. This at-your-pace program is ideal for various reasons.
First off, it’s one of the most prestigious accredited universities in the US. Second, the program offers an outstanding curriculum that includes:

Sports Communications and Public Relations

Sports Sales, Sponsorship, and Revenue Development

Sports Digital Media and Consumer Engagement

Sports Law, Contracts, and Negotiations

Sports Event Planning and Facility Management

Sports Economics and Global Brand Management

For someone with background in business management or finance, this is the ideal next step towards becoming an athletic director.

4. Monroe College – Associate Degree in Sports Management

Monroe College in New York City is one of the go-to options for students looking for great associate programs. The associate degrees offered in this college aren’t only affordable but also all-inclusive and one of them is the Associate Degree in Sports Management.
This incredible associate degree has great courses that prepare you for the challenges as an athletic director, and that includes:

Legal Aspects of Sports

Business Ethics in Sports

Macroeconomics

Fundamentals of Communication

Quantitative Reasoning

All of these skills and qualities will come in handy working towards a career as an athletic director.

5. Waldorf University – Associate of Arts in Sports Management

Waldorf University in Forest City Iowa won’t only put you near scenic locations, but also bring you closer to some of the best associate programs. One of them is the sports program called Associate of Arts in Sports Management.
This degree is yet another good option for those looking to become athletic directors, without wanted to go through a bachelor or master degree. The curriculum for this university includes:

Sociology of Sport

Sport Public Relations and Promotions

Sport Facilities

Sport Administration

Sport Legal Liability and Risk Management

Thus, adding yet another great option to your list of considerations for a degree.

Conclusion

These are some of the top programs and the pathway toward becoming an athletic director. Focusing on these aspects of the degree should get you started in the right direction. So, focus on the skills and coursework required to become an athletic director. And then hone your craft by earning on-field skills.