Academic Dean Jobs in USA with Visa Sponsorship
Academic Dean roles at U.S. colleges and universities regularly qualify for H-1B visa sponsorship as specialty occupations requiring at least a master's degree in a directly related field. Many institutions are cap-exempt, meaning your petition bypasses the annual lottery entirely and can be filed at any time of year.
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Get Access To All JobsTitle: Associate Dean for Academic Affairs
Division Name: Academic Affairs
Department: Mennonite College of Nursing
Campus Location: Normal, IL
Job Summary
The Associate Dean for Academic Affairs (ADA) provides strategic and operational leadership for the academic mission of MCN. Reporting to the dean of the college and working closely with program directors and lead coordinators, faculty, staff, and university partners, the ADA serves as the facilitator and coordinator for the program directors to ensure compliance with academic policies, manage program evaluation to ensure that Illinois State University (ISU) maintains high-quality academic programs, ensure compliance with all regulatory and accreditation requirements, and serve as a champion and leader for excellence in instruction and curriculum design across all modalities of instructional delivery. The ADA serves as the chair of the Departmental Faculty Status Committee (DFSC) and thus leads all evaluations of annual performance portfolios and tenure and promotion cases. Additionally, the ADA provides leadership and oversight to the Simulation Learning Center. The ADA serves as a key member of the college’s leadership team and acts on behalf of the dean on academic matters as assigned.
University Benefit Highlights
- Insurance benefits, including health, dental, vision, and life
- Retirement and supplemental retirement planning options
- Tuition waiver benefits available to staff as well as their eligible dependents
- Paid holiday/administrative closures during Thanksgiving and Winter Breaks
- Paid benefit time
Additional University Benefit information, including information regarding eligibility to participate in the State Universities Retirement System and the State of Illinois Group Insurance program, can be reviewed here: https://hr.illinoisstate.edu/benefits/
Salary Rate / Pay Rate
$160K - $165K annual salary
Required Qualifications
- Doctoral degree in nursing or related field (master’s degree in nursing required if doctorate is not in nursing)
- Collegiate administrative and academic experience relevant to the duties and responsibilities of the position
- Excellent oral and written communication skills
- Ability to work effectively with faculty, staff and administrators within the College and University
- Strong commitment to quality academic programming, student achievement, faculty development, and overall College and University success
- Proven potential for scholarly productivity and data analytical skills
- Rank of associate professor or professor required
- Licensed Registered Nurse, with license in Illinois (or eligible to be licensed in Illinois)
Preferred Qualifications
None
Work Hours
Monday - Friday, 8am - 4:30pm. Occasional evening and weekends as needed.
Functional Expectations
Must be able to complete the following with or without a reasonable accommodation:
- Effectively communicate on a daily basis.
- Remain at a workstation for extended periods.
- Move about in various locations on and off campus as needed to complete day-to-day work.
Proposed Starting Date
July 2027
Required Applicant Documents
- Resume
- Cover Letter
- Reference list of at least 3 professional references with contact information
Please Note: These documents are required to be submitted online in order to complete the application process. Please have these documents ready prior to clicking on "Apply"
Contact Information for Applicants
Linda Haddad,
lghadd1@ilstu.edu
Important Information for Applicants
This position is subject to a criminal background investigation and if applicable, an employment history review, based on University Policy 3.1.30 and any offer of employment is contingent upon you passing a satisfactory criminal background investigation and/or an employment history review. You may not begin work until the criminal background investigation results have been received and cleared by Human Resources.
Illinois State University is an Equal Opportunity Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, or status as a protected veteran.
If you are an individual with a disability and need a reasonable accommodation under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) or other state or federal law you may request an accommodation by contacting the Office of Equal Opportunity and Access at (309) 438-3383. The Office of Equal Opportunity and Access will hold any confidential information you provide in confidence.
If you are having difficulty accessing the system, please call Human Resources at (309) 438-8311.
Title: Associate Dean for Academic Affairs
Division Name: Academic Affairs
Department: Mennonite College of Nursing
Campus Location: Normal, IL
Job Summary
The Associate Dean for Academic Affairs (ADA) provides strategic and operational leadership for the academic mission of MCN. Reporting to the dean of the college and working closely with program directors and lead coordinators, faculty, staff, and university partners, the ADA serves as the facilitator and coordinator for the program directors to ensure compliance with academic policies, manage program evaluation to ensure that Illinois State University (ISU) maintains high-quality academic programs, ensure compliance with all regulatory and accreditation requirements, and serve as a champion and leader for excellence in instruction and curriculum design across all modalities of instructional delivery. The ADA serves as the chair of the Departmental Faculty Status Committee (DFSC) and thus leads all evaluations of annual performance portfolios and tenure and promotion cases. Additionally, the ADA provides leadership and oversight to the Simulation Learning Center. The ADA serves as a key member of the college’s leadership team and acts on behalf of the dean on academic matters as assigned.
University Benefit Highlights
- Insurance benefits, including health, dental, vision, and life
- Retirement and supplemental retirement planning options
- Tuition waiver benefits available to staff as well as their eligible dependents
- Paid holiday/administrative closures during Thanksgiving and Winter Breaks
- Paid benefit time
Additional University Benefit information, including information regarding eligibility to participate in the State Universities Retirement System and the State of Illinois Group Insurance program, can be reviewed here: https://hr.illinoisstate.edu/benefits/
Salary Rate / Pay Rate
$160K - $165K annual salary
Required Qualifications
- Doctoral degree in nursing or related field (master’s degree in nursing required if doctorate is not in nursing)
- Collegiate administrative and academic experience relevant to the duties and responsibilities of the position
- Excellent oral and written communication skills
- Ability to work effectively with faculty, staff and administrators within the College and University
- Strong commitment to quality academic programming, student achievement, faculty development, and overall College and University success
- Proven potential for scholarly productivity and data analytical skills
- Rank of associate professor or professor required
- Licensed Registered Nurse, with license in Illinois (or eligible to be licensed in Illinois)
Preferred Qualifications
None
Work Hours
Monday - Friday, 8am - 4:30pm. Occasional evening and weekends as needed.
Functional Expectations
Must be able to complete the following with or without a reasonable accommodation:
- Effectively communicate on a daily basis.
- Remain at a workstation for extended periods.
- Move about in various locations on and off campus as needed to complete day-to-day work.
Proposed Starting Date
July 2027
Required Applicant Documents
- Resume
- Cover Letter
- Reference list of at least 3 professional references with contact information
Please Note: These documents are required to be submitted online in order to complete the application process. Please have these documents ready prior to clicking on "Apply"
Contact Information for Applicants
Linda Haddad,
lghadd1@ilstu.edu
Important Information for Applicants
This position is subject to a criminal background investigation and if applicable, an employment history review, based on University Policy 3.1.30 and any offer of employment is contingent upon you passing a satisfactory criminal background investigation and/or an employment history review. You may not begin work until the criminal background investigation results have been received and cleared by Human Resources.
Illinois State University is an Equal Opportunity Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, or status as a protected veteran.
If you are an individual with a disability and need a reasonable accommodation under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) or other state or federal law you may request an accommodation by contacting the Office of Equal Opportunity and Access at (309) 438-3383. The Office of Equal Opportunity and Access will hold any confidential information you provide in confidence.
If you are having difficulty accessing the system, please call Human Resources at (309) 438-8311.
See all Academic Dean Jobs
Sign up for free to unlock all listings, filter by visa type, and get alerts for new Academic Dean roles.
Get Access To All JobsTips for Finding Academic Dean Jobs
Verify your institution's cap-exempt status
Universities, affiliated research organizations, and nonprofit educational institutions are typically cap-exempt under USCIS rules. Confirm this before accepting an offer, cap-exempt filing means no lottery wait and year-round petition submission.
Document your terminal degree field carefully
Academic Dean positions require a directly related degree, not just any advanced credential. A PhD in Higher Education Administration or Education Policy maps cleanly; a master's in an unrelated discipline may trigger an RFE from USCIS. Gather official transcripts and degree evaluations early.
Use OFLC Wage Search to benchmark your offer
Your employer must pay at least the prevailing wage for an Academic Dean in your metro area. Run the OFLC Wage Search using your work location before negotiating, if the offer falls below Level II or III, your LCA certification is at risk.
Target institutions with active PERM history
If you're planning a path to permanent residence, search for universities that have filed PERM labor certifications for administrative and academic roles. Schools with established immigration counsel process EB-2 cases faster and understand the documentation burden for Dean-level positions.
Find sponsoring employers on Migrate Mate
Academic Dean openings at visa-sponsoring institutions are concentrated at research universities and large private colleges. Use Migrate Mate to identify employers with verified LCA filing history for education leadership roles, searchable by location and role type.
Prepare governance and leadership evidence before interviews
Institutions filing H-1B petitions for a Dean must demonstrate the role requires a specialized degree. Compile evidence of your faculty governance work, budget authority, and accreditation responsibilities, these details directly support the specialty occupation argument in the I-129 petition.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does an Academic Dean role qualify as a specialty occupation for H-1B purposes?
Yes, Academic Dean positions typically qualify because they require at least a master's degree in a directly related field such as higher education, educational leadership, or the academic discipline the dean oversees. USCIS evaluates both the job duties and the employer's hiring history. If the role routinely accepts candidates without an advanced degree, the specialty occupation argument weakens, so confirming the institution's minimum requirements in writing before filing matters.
Do most universities sponsoring an Academic Dean avoid the H-1B lottery?
Most four-year colleges, universities, and affiliated nonprofit research institutions qualify as cap-exempt employers under USCIS rules. This means petitions for Academic Dean roles at these institutions bypass the annual 85,000-slot cap and lottery entirely. You and your employer can file Form I-129 at any point in the year, and USCIS begins adjudicating immediately rather than waiting for a selection result.
Which visa types realistically apply to foreign nationals pursuing Academic Dean positions?
H-1B is the primary path for most nationalities, with the cap-exemption benefit making it especially practical for university roles. Australian citizens can use the E-3 visa instead, which also requires a specialty occupation and an LCA but has a separate annual cap that has never been exhausted. TN visa status is available to Canadian and Mexican nationals only if the specific role maps to a qualifying USMCA profession, which is uncommon for Dean-level administrative positions. EB-2 and EB-3 green card paths are also standard at institutions with established immigration programs.
What degree background does USCIS expect for an Academic Dean H-1B petition?
USCIS looks for a direct relationship between the degree field and the dean's functional area. A Dean of Graduate Studies with a PhD in Education or a subject-matter discipline fits cleanly. A Dean of Engineering School supported by a master's in Engineering or Engineering Education is similarly strong. Degrees in unrelated fields, even at a high level, often generate Requests for Evidence. If your credential is from outside the U.S., a credential evaluation from a NACES-member service helps establish equivalency.
Where can I find Academic Dean positions at institutions that sponsor visas?
Migrate Mate lists Academic Dean and senior education leadership roles at U.S. employers with verified sponsorship history, so you can focus your search on institutions that have already demonstrated willingness to file. You can search by location and role type to find openings that match your academic background and leadership experience.
What is the prevailing wage requirement for sponsored Academic Dean jobs?
U.S. employers sponsoring a visa must pay at least the prevailing wage, which is what workers in the same role, area, and experience level typically earn. The Department of Labor sets this rate to make sure companies aren't hiring foreign workers simply because they'd accept lower pay than a U.S. worker. It varies by job title, location, and experience. You can look up current prevailing wage rates for any occupation and location using the OFLC Wage Search page.