What Jobs Can I Get With a Master’s Degree in Higher Education?

No years are quite like the ones spent at college. From the deep conversations in the dorms to the inspirational moments in class, the college experience can truly shape you. That is why many professionals choose to work in the field of higher education. If you have a passion for reaching college students, a master’s degree in higher education may be a great fit for you. There are multiple careers you can pursue with a master of higher education. Meet a few real-life professionals who are making an impact through their careers in higher education.

Resident Director – Jalen Williams

A resident director’s role is to facilitate dorm life. Resident directors (RDs) offer students opportunities to connect with others, ensure that community standards are upheld, guide student leaders in the dorms, and make personal connections with new students. For Jalen Williams, being a resident director is more than a job. In the role, he takes on several responsibilities to meet students’ needs in numerous ways.

“We wear so many different hats, you can really pull from so many different fields of what this role entails,” Williams said. A master’s degree in higher education provides a strong foundation for college impact.

A great RD is someone who enjoys building new relationships, has keen social awareness, and seeks wisdom when handling disciplinary situations.

“I love learning the uniqueness of people that makes them unique as individuals and finding ways to uplift and highlight that for other people to see and experience,” Williams said. 

A master of higher education can help you become a better RD because you’ll be able to maximize your impact. With education on the newest trends and strategies for resident directors, you’ll be able to use your strengths to the best of your abilities.

If you desire to be a guide, friend, and leader to students, then a role as a resident director could be perfect for you!

A master’s in higher education can help you become a better RD because you’ll be able to maximize your impact. With education on the newest trends and strategies for resident directors, you’ll be able to use your strengths to the best of your abilities.

If you desire to be a guide, friend, and leader to students, then a role as a resident director could be perfect for you!

Associate Dean of Mentoring and Cross-Cultural Engagement – Cokiesha Bailey Robinson

When looking into a master of higher education, an associate dean of mentoring and cross-cultural engagement is a unique career opportunity to consider! This career requires someone who deeply cares about all students and advocates for students in various walks of life. The individual should reflect a biblical lens as they build up leaders, establish goals, and communicate with campus departments to see campus life thrive. Cokiesha Bailey Robinson, Associate Dean of Mentoring and Cross-Cultural Engagement at Grace, knows her role is vital and makes sure to check in on her students every day.

“I have an awesome job,” Robinson shares. “I get a chance to love students every day and help them feel like they belong at Grace. I want my office and my heart to feel like home for them. I want to be a safe space to celebrate, to lament, to connect, to learn, to be loved, and to be challenged.”

Robinson’s mentoring role includes one-on-one appointments for spiritual, professional, personal, and leadership development. She also supervises the Together We Belong (TWB) team, leading and learning alongside student leaders who help the campus reflect the truth of Imago Dei, meaning that everyone is made in the image of God. 

“We want people to know, no matter your background, ethnicity, or disability, you have a place here because you have a place in the Kingdom,” she says. “We don’t believe you have to divorce theology to celebrate culture. Theology, heritage, and culture can all coexist, allowing you to bring your full self to Grace.”

Robinson loves to play the roles of Christian mentor, friend, and teacher. Her passions include seeing people discover the love of Jesus as they treat their neighbors with compassion. “I view working in higher education as work for the next generation,” she shares. “I want students to remember that I loved them, that I saw them, that I valued them. I know they will remember Jesus Christ in the people who partnered with them in college.”

To be successful in this role, an associate dean of mentoring and cross-cultural engagement should possess strong communication, leadership, organizational, and administrative skills. The work involves mentoring, programming, strategic planning, conflict resolution, budget management, and leading student teams, all while maintaining an inclusive mindset. If you are considering this field, you should be collaborative, possess strong cultural intelligence and sensitivity, and have a heart for marginalized and underrepresented students. 

“Our office is known as the happiest office on campus,” Robinson says, “but it’s more than just fun. We’re preparing students with life skills and great work experience.”

A master’s degree in higher education will help you prepare educationally and socially to be marketable in any field and will help you lead with a faith-based lens to promote becoming, belonging, and beholding. It can also provide a foundational understanding of student development, institutional management, inclusive environments, mentoring program development, and the diverse needs of today’s student populations.

If you want to see every student find a place on campus, this role could be a great fit for you!

Career Success Coordinator – Jaclyn Forshtay

Among the other careers in higher education, career success coordinator is a key supporter for students. In this role, Jaclyn Forshtay helps students make realistic decisions about their vocational goals through personalized career coaching and training. She meets with students to build and strengthen their resumes and cover letters, discuss job searching strategies, and practice their interview skills. She also serves as an employer liaison to help connect hiring organizations to job- and internship-seeking students. As a department, the Career Connections Center provides career-related guidance in senior seminars and plans various professional development events in order to help students have an informed and effective career launch.

“I really enjoy getting to know our students on an individual basis and love to watch their vocational journey from uncertain freshmen to confident and career-ready graduates!” Forshtay says. “I often hear feedback from our students and alumni that the career-coaching meetings and professional development events they attended were helpful in their vocational preparation.”

In order to be successful as a career coach, it is important for you to be organized and detail-oriented. It is helpful if you can easily connect with others and practice good listening and communication skills. An added benefit is the skill of planning large-scale events and social media marketing!

Having a master’s in higher education provides the knowledge to connect with and understand students’ needs as they identify the next steps in their vocational journey.

“Someone working in higher education leads by example every single day!” shares Forshtay. “As with so many careers in higher education, we are lifelong learners! We want to see this lifelong learning in our students!”

Admissions Representative – Brooklyn Long

An admissions counselor walks alongside prospective students throughout their journey to enrollment. From meeting with students one-on-one to communicating regularly by email, text, and phone to guide them through next steps, to traveling to events to introduce students to the college experience, Long approaches her role with energy and dedication.

As an online admissions counselor, Long specifically supports students interested in pursuing a master’s in higher education. She is there to guide you through each step of the admissions process and help make your transition into graduate study as seamless as possible.

“I love the opportunity to serve students across a variety of backgrounds and educational experiences,” Long shares. “I work with students fresh out of high school, working parents coming back to finish a degree they started years ago, experienced adults who are continuing their education to sharpen and hone their skills, and everything in between. Having the privilege to assist and walk along each of these students is a gift and a deep honor as they take brave leaps to continue their education.” 

This job always entails learning new skills, including clear and honest communication, transparency about expectations and realities about Grace’s programs, a servant’s heart while serving students with the best information about Grace’s online programs. “Conveying a warm and welcoming presence can be tricky to do online at times; however, taking the extra steps to come towards our prospective students and help take something off their plate is one of the biggest ways we can exemplify Christ-like behavior,” Long said.

Working in higher education has given Long an appreciation for Grace’s master’s degree in higher education. “The program does an excellent job educating students on the more technical and logistical side of working within the realm of higher education,” Long shares. “However, Grace also values equipping its students for the more relational sides of careers in higher education as well. Our faculty is exceptional at cultivating and fostering community amongst students- even in an online setting. Grace College thrives off of community, and our master’s in higher education program is no exception!” 

Dean of Students – Aaron Crabtree

If you are energized by leadership, collaboration, and walking alongside students during pivotal years of growth, you may be drawn to serving as a dean of students. The role requires strong decision-making skills, supervision and team development, strategic thinking, and the ability to navigate complex situations with wisdom and care.

What many people don’t realize is that a dean of students also oversees budgets, policy development, crisis response, student conduct processes, and parent communication — all while helping shape the culture and student experience of an entire campus.

Aaron Crabtree, Vice President and Dean of Student Affairs at Grace College, embraces the wide-ranging nature of the role while always keeping the mission in mind.

“It’s amazing to see the transformation that can take place in just three to five years,” Crabtree shares. “College is a formative season. I love working closely with students, employees, and parents as we help students grow academically, spiritually, and personally.”

Crabtree especially values collaboration across campus. From faculty partnerships to student leadership development, teamwork is essential.

“No one does this work alone,” he explains. “Student affairs is deeply collaborative. We’re constantly working together to help students experience belonging, deepen their faith, and prepare for meaningful lives and leadership.”

Although Crabtree earned a seminary degree that he draws on daily and later earned his doctorate, he recognizes the value of specialized preparation in higher education.

“A master’s degree in higher education provides the foundation in student development theory, higher education law, finance, research methods, and shared governance that every student affairs leader needs. Much of what I learned over a decade on the job is intentionally covered in those programs.”

Above all, Crabtree remains committed to staying teachable and investing in the next generation.

“If you have a heart for students, a willingness to learn, and a desire to bring people together, a career in student affairs — including serving as a dean of students — can be incredibly meaningful work.”

Master of Higher Education

Do you see yourself in one of these careers in higher education? Do you want to partner with students as they transform throughout their college years? Now is a better time than ever to get started. 

Our master’s degree in higher education is fully online, giving working professionals the flexibility and affordability that they need. Learn about Grace College’s completely online master’s degree in higher education today!