5.9
Average number of years college and university presidents have been in their current jobs, compared with 6.5 years in 2016 and 8.5 years in 2006. Data are from the American Council on Education’s latest survey, mailed to presidents at 3,091 colleges and universities, with 1,075 responding.
55%
Percentage of college and university presidents who didn’t think they would still be in their current role in 5 years, with 25% saying they planned to leave in the next year or two. In 2018, 22% of presidents said they planned to leave in a year or two and 32% said they planned to leave in three to five years.
33%
Percentage of college presidents who plan to retire once they leave their current role. Others said they planned to move on to another presidency (24.1%), become a consultant (39.9%), do nonprofit or philanthropic work (15.8%), or move to a faculty role at their current or another institution (13%).
67%
Percentage of college presidents who are men, and 72% who are White, with an average age of 60. That’s much less diverse than the overall student body, which is 53% White and 58% female. Psychologists, though, are taking on these roles in greater numbers: Between 2003 and 2015, those in top college and university leadership positions increased by 73%.
