NBOA's “Demographics of the Independent School Business Office Report" 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. 

Excerpt: Trends Impacting Independent School Business Officers

Respondents generally agreed that the top three trends that will impact independent schools in the next 3 to 5 years included offering competitive pay and benefits (79%), recruiting and retaining high-quality faculty/staff (77%), and tuition pricing and discounting practices (71%). Additionally, just over half of respondents agreed managing finances and operations in an uncertain economic climate (57%) and leveraging AI for operations and navigating AI challenges (56%) would be top trends making an impact on independent schools. Respondents were also asked what the most important trend would be out of those selected. Respondents reported recruiting/retaining high quality staff to be most important (22%) and managing finances and operations to be the second most important trend (16%).

Analysis revealed the top three challenges consistent across current jobs, though in a different order. Chief business officers and directors of HR were most likely to consider offering competitive pay to be a top trend, while controllers and other departmental directors consider tuition pricing to be a top trend. Chief operating officers considered managing physical campus security needs to be in the top three trends or challenges (61%). Departmental directors were more likely to consider leveraging AI to be a top trend than respondents in other job positions.

Top Trends Impacting Independent School Business Officers, by Current Position

The level of joy and meaning that careers at independent schools brought to respondents was the most important reason they are at their current place of employment (69%). The mission of the organization (61%) and the level of responsibility involved in the role (59%) were also key factors for respondents to be at their current job.

Download the full report here: NBOA Research Reports