Train for a Problem-Solving Career as a Higher Education Consultant

As colleges and universities struggle to cope with shrinking budgets and online competition, they're increasingly tapping experts like Joi Hayes, 27, for advice on keeping costs down.

Hayes is a Washington, D.C.-based analyst in the education strategy and operations group of Huron Consulting, a 13-year-old company headquartered in Chicago that boasts one of the largest higher education practices in the country with some 335 employees. Her current project: helping a Midwestern university evaluate different budget models and decide on which one to implement.

"I get to solve the problem," she says. "I'm just really passionate about learning how to make things better." The job, says Hayes, who studied mechanical engineering as an undergrad at the University of Virginia, is "a perfect marriage" of two things she enjoys: education and the problem-solving aspect of her undergraduate major.

Explore the [2016 Best Graduate Schools rankings.]

She grew disenchanted with engineering toward the end of college. "It was intense," she says. And after graduating in 2010, she struggled in the limping job market.

Recalling what had made her happiest in college -- working as a resident adviser and hosting visiting students for the admissions office -- Hayes chose Vanderbilt University for her master's in higher education administration, ultimately deciding that, at least in the short term, she preferred the business world to a university career, and being able to address higher education issues at a variety of schools.

With her engineering and education degrees and other evidence of communication, analytical and problem-solving skills, Hayes was "a perfect fit," says Huron Education Executive Vice President Laura Yaeger.

The job listing site Glassdoor shows the average salary for the role Hayes fills as $65,795. The Department of Labor has put consulting services overall among the fastest-growing industries.

Consider [researching these hot education careers.]

Though it doesn't look specifically at education services, observers note that demand for strategic assistance in the field is indeed strong after the recent years of economic upheaval and because of a push for innovation in education. Huron has had an education practice since its founding; boutique and big consulting firms alike have lately been entering the business.

Here are several other in-demand jobs in higher education and related fields.

Policy analyst: People who help create and implement policy at think tanks, nonprofits and in government are particularly hot in states receiving money from the Obama administration's $4 billion Race to the Top initiative, intended to spur innovation and student achievement. These pros typically support a research agenda, providing statistical analysis and distilling findings.

Dayle Savage, who directs career services at Vanderbilt University's Peabody College, says a master's degree and a couple years of experience might now command $54,000 to $74,000, while Ph.D.s could get $85,000 to $110,000.

See how [standards are driving education schools to raise the admissions bar.]

Online course product manager : With enrollment in online courses at well over 5 million -- more than a quarter of the higher ed student body -- jobs abound in all things online-course related. Those with an education master's often act as managers, aiding in course design for universities and also for firms creating massive open online courses, or MOOCs, free to anyone. Average pay, according to job search engine Indeed.com, is around $50,000.

Teacher : More rigorous standards, changing school demographics and the rise of charter schools are fueling demand for teachers with master's degrees. Robert Orndorff, senior director of career services at Pennsylvania State University, says multidimensional backgrounds -- a special education degree and a math education, say -- are especially prized.

The latest government data show that first-year public school teachers with a master's made an average of $45,200 in 2011-2012 while those with a bachelor's commanded $38,500.

This story is excerpted from the U.S. News "Best Graduate Schools 2016" guidebook, which features in-depth articles, rankings and data.