Presented analyses regarding academic-advisor job satisfaction are based on data from a survey administered to NACADA members in July 2005. Advisor job satisfaction in various environments and differences in satisfaction across personal demographics were studied. Academic advisors report high satisfaction overall as well as with student and supervision aspects of the job. Advisors are most satisfied with work variety, job benefits, and teamwork, and they are least satisfied with salary, recognition, and support for career opportunity. Environment variables most strongly related to job satisfaction were variety, empowerment, and teamwork. Advisors were least happy with the environment element of salary. Of the advisor variables, years of experience and advising style showed the strongest relationship with satisfaction.

Relative Emphasis: practice, research, theory

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Author notes

Ned Donnelly ([email protected]) has worked for 15 years in residence life, student affairs, academic advising, advising administration, and adjunct teaching. He has been a conference presenter on alcohol abuse prevention, customer service in higher education, student retention programs, academic-advisor job satisfaction, curriculum infusion, on-line advising, and first-year programs. He has conducted research in the areas of student advising needs and curriculum infusion. At the University of Cincinnati, he provides central support, such as professional development and online tools, for all academic advising centers.