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College of Business
Copeland Hall
1 Ohio University
Athens OH 45701-2979

Online Athletic Administration Master's Degree Career Outlook

Become a Certified Athletic Administrator

NIAAA Partnership | COSMA Accredited

Ohio University's online Master of Athletic Administration will prepare you to lead interscholastic athletic departments in K–12 institutions of any size.

What Makes Us Unique?

  • With five decades of experience in sports education, OHIO delivers the field-specific coursework and valuable industry connections students need for success.
  • The MAA prepares students to pursue NIAAA certification after program completion.

Interscholastic Athletic Administration Career

  • Athletic Director

    $68,934

    per year1

Launch Your Career as a K–12 Athletic Director

Athletic directors and other interscholastic athletic administrators play an essential role in institutions of all sizes, ensuring student-athletes, coaches and staff have the support and resources they need to achieve at a high level. OHIO's online MAA program is designed specifically for teachers, coaches and athletics professionals who want to take on administrative and leadership roles in middle and high school athletics departments.

When you finish this 20-month program, you can earn credit towards certification through the National Interscholastic Athletic Administrators Association (NIAAA) Leadership Training Institute.*

  • Registered Athletic Administrator
  • Certified Athletic Administrator
  • Certified Master Athletic Administrator

Enhancing your MAA degree with these industry-recognized credentials will help you stand out in the job market and signal to employers that you are ready to lead any athletics apartment to success.

  • Nearly 8 million students currently participate in high school athletics in the US.2
  • 22% growth is projected for sports and entertainment occupations through 2030.3

Program Outcomes and Skills Acquired

What You'll Learn

When you complete OHIO's online MAA degree, you will be able to:

  • Address legal issues and challenges facing interscholastic athletic administrators.
  • Develop a plan to manage risks associated with sport facilities and events.
  • Develop a plan to market and publicize an interscholastic athletic program and a major interscholastic sport event.
  • Analyze an interscholastic sport budget and propose a plan to increase the revenue side of the budget.
  • Construct an appropriate process for hiring and evaluating a diverse interscholastic athletic coaching staff.
  • Identify all appropriate governing bodies associated with interscholastic sport and outline major policies with those organizations.
  • Demonstrate professional skills and abilities relevant to the sports business profession.
  • Articulate your personal leadership style and philosophy and how that style correlates to leading a successful interscholastic athletic program.
  • Develop and deliver multi-mode communications that convey a clear understanding of the unique needs of different audiences.

Skills You'll Gain

  • Leadership 
  • Communication 
  • Organization 
  • Strategic planning 
  • Budgeting and financial administration 
  • Event management and planning 
  • Marketing 
  • Policy development

Career Services

Ohio University's Business Academic Advising & Career Services offers a variety of expert, personalized career services specifically for business students and alumni. With OHIO's Career Acceleration Team (GradCAT), you will also have access to four months of support from a dedicated team that includes a personal career coach, a branding expert and a career concierge. Our alumni benefit from a proprietary technology platform and one free coaching session each year – for life.

Learn about Career Support

Personalized Career Coaching

We offer convenient, live coaching via video conference or by phone to help you prepare for career success and maximize your professional potential. We help you determine your career goals, then ensure you have the resources you need to achieve them.

Job Search Resources

Put your best foot forward and stand out to employers with helpful templates, detailed best-practice guidelines and more. We also offer job search tools like personal assessments, professional development webinars and online resources that can be accessed anywhere, anytime through our industry-leading technology platform.

Professional Development Sessions

OHIO students can also participate in free professional development sessions led by industry experts. These live, virtual sessions cover topics like career self-concept, basic job search skills, and how to qualify for promotions and prepare for leadership opportunities.

Sources

  1. Payscale.com. Average Athletic Director Salary. Retrieved October 10, 2024, from https://www.payscale.com/research/US/Job=Athletic_Director/Salary.
  2. National Collegiate Athletic Association. Research. Probability of Competing Beyond High School. Retrieved October 10, 2024, from https://www.ncaa.org/sports/2013/12/17/probability-of-competing-beyond-high-school.aspx.
  3. Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor. Occupational Outlook handbook. Entertainment and Sports Occupations. Retrieved October 10, 2024, from https://www.bls.gov/ooh/entertainment-and-sports/home.htm. 

*Requirements for NIAAA certification include the completion of Leadership Training Courses and proof of minimum professional experience.

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