NBOA's “Demographics of the Independent School Business Office Report: Key Research Findings 2025” provides insights into workforce trends of the independent school business office, particularly since 2020. 

The report includes analysis of the demographic, educational and professional backgrounds of business office staff; career history and career satisfaction among business office professionals; and trends impacting the independent school business office. The report also includes extensive data on salaries by position and school type. 

KEY INSIGHTS

• The business office is becoming more racially diverse.

In 2024, 25% of respondents indicated they do not identify as a white, non-Hispanic/Latinx, which is an increase from 18% in 2020. New questions, such as whether one is part of the LGBTQIA+ community or has a disability or impairment, have been added this year to further understand diversity within the business office.
 

• The gender pay gap grew.

While the annual gross salary for both men and women increased from 2022-2023 to 2023-2024, the pay gap between men and women also increased from $44,742 to $45,426, or by more than 1%. From 2018-2019 to 2023-2024, the gender pay gap more than doubled from $20,167 to $45,426. Salaries of female respondents increased, but not at the rate male respondent salaries increased. Additionally, in 2023-2024, women made on average $136,642, which is about what men made in 2019-2020 (4 years ago). In all the roles examined in this survey apart from human resources director, women were making less in 2023-2024 than what men did in 2022-2023.
 

• Schools are modernizing the business office by leveraging artificial intelligence (AI) for business needs, being open to remote/hybrid work and conducting data analysis as part of their role.

More than one-third of respondents reported that their school is currently using or will use AI or business automation for ACH payment and acceptance for accounts receivable (35%). Another 20% are exploring the possibility of using AI for these purposes. More than one-third of respondents indicated their school uses AI for annual benefits enrollment processing (35%) with 21% having already implemented AI for benefits enrollment. While most respondents are working in-person (86%), 12% work in a hybrid position and 2% work fully remote. Nearly two-thirds (64%) of respondents conduct data analysis and data reporting as part of their job responsibilities.
 

• Younger business office professionals are coming back to school and are loving it.

33% of respondents in the 35-year-old or younger group first engaged with an independent school as a student, more than twice as many as those ages 46-55 or 56-65. Additionally, most younger respondents (96%) would choose to work in their current role at an independent school again (compared to 86% of the oldest respondents).
 

• Joy and meaning are the driving forces behind independent school careers, while departures also loom.

Overall, 96% of respondents are satisfied with their current job. Joy and meaning in their careers is the primary reason respondents work at their schools (69%). 31% of respondents are planning to stay at their current job at their current level, but another 31% reported planning to leave the field, with 26% retiring and 5% seeking work outside independent schools. 45% plan to leave the profession within the next three years.

NBOA Published January 2025

Download Full Report