Contract administration is an important part of many different fields. An online contract administration degree provides students with a solid educational background to pursue a lucrative career in many different areas. The programs provide instruction on the principles and practices of contract administration, contract language, amendments, and oral and written negotiation agreements. Students learn the necessary critical thinking, analytical, and administration skills to be successful contract administration professionals. Read more about online contract administration degree programs.
Some Stats
In 2006, administrative services managers (including contract administrators) held 247,000 jobs with about 65% working in industries that provide services such as healthcare, government, insurance, education, finance, and administrative and support services. Construction managers held 487,000 jobs in 2006 with 57% being self-employed (1).
Employment Outlook
Employment outlook for contract administration jobs varies greatly among field, degree, and position. Employment of administrative services managers is expected to grow about as fast as average for all professions from 2006 to 2016, increasing 12% and adding 29,000 new jobs. Construction managers are expected to experience faster than average employment growth, increasing 16% and adding 77,000 new jobs (1). Contract administrators with less than 1 year experience earned average annual salaries between $38,358 and $51,814 (2).
Specialties
Contract administration is a large field and students can choose a specific specialty to focus their education on and pursue a meaningful career. Contract administration specialties include contract management, commercial contracts, government contracts, construction contracts, logistics, procurement, cost control, supply chain management, business contracts, service contracts, acquisitions, engineering, and business analysis. Students that are interested in a specific specialty should choose a school that offers a strong program in that particular area.
What to Expect
Contract administration degree programs provide students with strong academic instruction to foster success in their career field. The programs provide students with a solid education on contract administration and oral and written negotiation agreements. Undergraduate contract administration programs require general education courses in English, mathematics, science, history, and electives. Core coursework varies by program and specialization but most programs require courses in contract administration methods, business law, contract law, contract language, contract negotiations, contract management, acquisitions, product analysis, and auditing. Graduate contract administration degree programs provide more extensive in-depth instruction and prepare students for leadership and research positions.
The End Result
Contract administration degrees open the door to a wide variety of career options in many different fields such as business, construction, healthcare, human resources, government, and non-profit organizations. Graduate degrees prepare students to transition into higher level positions in many different areas. Career opportunities for contract administration degree graduates include:
- Contract Administrator
- Contract Specialist
- Contract Officer
- Contract Engineer
- Procurement Specialist
- Procurement Manager
- Purchaser
- Logistics Analyst
- Logistics Manager
- Logistics Specialist
- Building Administrator
- Property Administrator
- Contract Supervisor
- Production Manager
A career in contract administration will be rewarding for individuals interested in contracts and apply their knowledge to many different fields. Contract administration professionals should have excellent communication, interpersonal, leadership, and negotiation skills and apply their knowledge and expertise and make good decisions.
(1) SOURCE: U.S. National Center for Education Statistics, Digest of Education Statistics
(2) SOURCE: Payscale.com, Salary Survey Report