Academic Advisor job description.
An Academic Advisor guides students through course selection, degree planning, and academic policy questions to help them stay on track toward graduation. They monitor academic progress, connect students with campus resources, and provide support during academic challenges or major and career decisions.
The Academic Advisor job description · $29
The full editable .docx — role summary, 8 worked responsibilities, qualifications, and skills, formatted for your letterhead. Delivered to your inbox within 24 hours — usually instantly.
Role: Academic Advisor Reports to: Director of Academic Advising or Dean of Students
An Academic Advisor guides students through course selection, degree planning, and academic policy questions to help them stay on track toward graduation. They monitor academic progress, connect students with campus resources, and provide support during academic challenges or major and career decisions.
- Advise students on course selection and degree requirements
- Monitor academic progress and flag students at risk of falling behind
- Help students navigate academic policies and registration processes
What's inside the document.
One-paragraph plain-English explanation of the role's outcome and scope.
8 responsibilities phrased the way the work is actually done.
4 qualifications a candidate must have to perform on day 30.
3 qualifications that would make a candidate excellent in year two.
5 skill chips you can copy directly into your ATS.
Director of Academic Advising or Dean of Students
A complete document set.
- Word document (.docx) — fully editable
- PDF — signature-ready
- Google Docs — one-click copy to your Drive
- 12 months of updates to this document
- Commercial-use licence for internal and client work
The work, not the title.
- Advise students on course selection and degree requirements
- Monitor academic progress and flag students at risk of falling behind
- Help students navigate academic policies and registration processes
- Refer students to tutoring, counseling, or other campus resources
- Assist with major and career exploration discussions
- Maintain accurate advising records in the student information system
- Support students on academic probation with improvement plans
- Participate in orientation and registration events
Required — and what would make a candidate excellent.
- Bachelor's degree required; master's degree often preferred
- Experience in higher education, advising, or counseling
- Strong knowledge of degree requirements and academic policy
- Excellent interpersonal and organizational skills
- Master's degree in higher education, counseling, or related field
- Experience with student information systems
- Experience advising a specific student population (first-generation, transfer, etc.)
Eight steps from download to publish.
- 01Open the Academic Advisor job description in Word or your one-click Google Docs copy.
- 02Replace placeholders for company name, reporting line, and location with your specifics.
- 03Tighten the summary to one paragraph that names the team's outcome, not just the role.
- 04Edit the responsibilities to match the actual scope of the seat — aim for 6 to 8 items, not 12.
- 05Separate required qualifications from preferred. Required is what a candidate must have to do the work on day 30; preferred is what would make them excellent in year two.
- 06Add salary range guidance using BLS, Payscale, or your own band data — do not copy generic figures.
- 07Have the hiring manager and one peer read it. Cut anything that wouldn't survive a candidate question.
- 08Publish to your ATS, intranet, and external careers page.
The right document at the right moment.
Use this Academic Advisor job description any time you are opening or reopening a seat at this level. The mid band sets the calibration — copy the document, tighten it to your specific scope, and circulate to the hiring panel before the first interview.
The reporting line (Director of Academic Advising or Dean of Students) and skills list are starting points. Override either if your org structure or stack differs from the norm — the template is a draft, not a contract.
Honest answers before you download.
- Is a master's degree required to become an Academic Advisor?
- Not always, but many colleges and universities prefer or require a master's degree, especially for advising specialized programs.
- What is the difference between an Academic Advisor and a Guidance Counselor?
- Academic Advisors typically work in higher education on degree planning, while Guidance Counselors work in K-12 settings covering academic, social, and career guidance.
Other documents in this neighbourhood.
Guidance Counselor
A Guidance Counselor supports students' academic, social, and emotional development within a school setting.
Dean of Students
A Dean of Students oversees student affairs, conduct, and campus life at a school, college, or university, working to support student well-being and enforce institutional policy.
School Counselor
A School Counselor supports students' academic, social, and emotional development through individual and group counseling.
This Academic Advisor job description is a professionally drafted starting point for your hiring process and is not legal advice. Hiring practice varies by jurisdiction (e.g. pay-transparency laws differ across US states and AU jurisdictions). Adapt this document for your specific location and have employment counsel review any clauses you add before publishing. Salary varies by region, employer type, and experience. Reference BLS or current industry surveys for ranges. Full disclaimer.