Skip to main content
Add as a preferred source on Google

Employment in Higher Education Contracts as Job Postings Increase

  • 08/26/14

STATE COLLEGE, PA — The number of jobs in higher education decreased in Q2 2014 for the fourth consecutive quarter and the largest decline since the current downward trend began. During the same period, the number of advertisements for job openings in higher education continued to grow, according to a new report from HigherEdJobs, the leading source for jobs and career information in academia. The full report can be viewed at higheredjobs.com.

An analysis of U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) data by HigherEdJobs found the total number of jobs in higher education was down 1.14 percent in Q2 2014, or about 20,100 jobs, compared to the same period last year. Community colleges, in particular, noticed a sharp drop in employment decreasing by 9.7 percent, or about 7,500 jobs.

Counter to the downward trend in higher education employment, the number of advertisements for job postings in academia continued to increase in Q2 2014 and, although at a greater pace than a year ago, not as fast as observed in prior periods. Some major developments in Q2 2014 include increased hiring for administrative and executive positions compared to faculty as well as growth in job postings for part-time positions.

The recent declines in overall higher education jobs and the increase of part-time job postings could be related to colleges and universities being pressed to make spending cuts despite instituting tuition hikes. A recent report from Washington-based Center on Budget and Policy Priorities found higher education funding “remains well below pre-recession levels in almost all states.”

The report analyzes data from BLS and HigherEdJobs’ posting data from colleges and universities that have continuously subscribed to the company's unlimited posting plan for four years, a group of more than 850 schools that have no financial deterrent not to post any openings.

About HigherEdJobs
HigherEdJobs® is the leading source for jobs and career information in academia. During 2013, over 5,300 colleges and universities posted more than 136,000 faculty, administrative and executive job postings to the company’s website, which receives more than 1,000,000 unique visitors a month. HigherEdJobs is published by Internet Employment Linkage, Inc. and is headquartered in State College, PA.

Featured

  • Harvard Announces Replacement Facility for Native American Program

    Harvard University in Cambridge, Mass., recently announced that construction will begin this spring on a new home for its Native American Program, according to university news. The 6,500-square-foot, all-electric building will stand three stories and serve as the central hub for the Harvard University Native American Program (HUNAP).

  • University of Tennessee at Chattanooga Launches New Emergency Communications System

    The University of Tennessee at Chattanooga (UTC) recently deployed a new emergency notification and incident management system for its campus, according to a news release. The university partnered with 911Cellular to launch Safe@UTC, a smartphone app allowing university officials to communicate and respond during emergency situations.

  • Stanford Completes Construction on Graduate School of Education Facility

    Stanford University in Stanford, Calif., recently announced the end of construction on a new home for its Graduate School of Education, according to a news release. The university partnered with McCarthy Building Companies on the 160,000-square-foot project, which involved two major renovations and one new construction effort.

  • University of Arizona Approves New Residence Hall

    The Arizona Board of Regents recently approved plans for a new residence hall at the University of Arizona in Tucson, Ariz., according to a news release. The new facility is scheduled to open in fall 2028 and have the capacity for more than 1,200 students, enforcing a new university expectation that all first-year students live on campus.