School Business Careers

Who Becomes a School Business Professional?

School business professionals bring diverse educational and career backgrounds to the table. Some start from an operations or finance support position in a district and work their way up to become a business manager or treasurer over a period of years. Others join directly from public or private industries, possessing relevant experience tailor-made for the job.

Interestingly, there's no college degree specifically for school business management or finance. However, business and finance degrees, coupled with hands-on job-specific training from licensure associations like OASBO, prepare aspiring school business professionals for a flourishing career.

Licensure

Business managers and treasurer/CFO roles require both a college degree and a license from the Ohio Department of Education & Workforce. Other roles, such as transportation supervisor or food service director, require extensive field experience and can also require other specialized certification(s). Continuing education is expected in all of these roles.

Finance Roles

A well-functioning school district requires financial wizards who know their stuff. From accounting and budgeting to managing business affairs, forecasting, and HR, there's a whole lot on a treasurer/CFO and their finance office’s plate.

A solid financial strategy is only as effective as the people behind it. Any finance guru worth their salt should have excellent communication skills and leadership abilities, enabling them to coordinate with their department, staff, and board. They also need to understand the district's educational objectives and be able to seamlessly align resources with these goals!

Business & Facility Operations Roles

In a school district, the responsibilities of business and facility operations depend on its size and can either be consolidated under a director of business operations, a business manager licensed by the Ohio Department of Education, or distributed among multiple departments such as finance, HR, and IT led by the superintendent.

But what makes an effective school district business operations professional? They possess top-notch communication skills, strong leadership qualities, and a knack for management. It also helps to have experience in long-term planning, budgeting for capital projects, and overseeing multiple operations functions. If you're looking to succeed in this field, these are key qualities to focus on!

FAQ's

How can I gain exposure to these careers?

OASBO has Career Ambassadors in public school districts throughout the state who are eager to share their experiences. They also offer job-shadowing opportunities and coordinated internships. Get connected to a Career Ambassador in your part of the state by completing the information form below.
What are the salary ranges for Ohio school treasurer positions?

The information shared here is from the Experience Management Institute’s Ohio PK-12 Administrator Benchmark Pay Survey, 2022-2023.

Participation in the benchmark pay survey was open to all PK-12 education organizations in Ohio. A majority of the data was self-reported while the remaining data was gathered from publicly available sources such as organization websites and collective bargaining agreements.

Base pay for a school treasurer in the state of Ohio working in a public school district, education service center, or career technical education center ranges based on the region, location type, and/or student count. According to data from the 2022-2023 Ohio PK-12 Administrator Benchmark Pay Survey, the pay for a treasurer on a 260-day contract ranges from $80,399.90 to $174,096.00.
Where can I get help once I get my first treasurer or business manager job?
There are a variety of places to seek support as you learn the ropes your first years on the job, and well into the future to make meaningful connections and earn continuing education for licensure maintenance.
- Ohio Association of School Business Officials (OASBO) is a professional association providing support and services statewide to Ohio’s public school district finance and operations professionals. Offering a mentoring program for new school business professionals, continuing education, collaboration opportunities and more, it offers a multitude of programs for continued success.
- Information Technology Centers support school districts’ tools and platforms and offer software training and services.
- OASBO regional chapters and committees offer continuous learning and networking in your region of the state.
How does school treasurer licensure work?
To see the official requirements needed to apply for a School Treasurer license, visit the Ohio Department of Education & Workforce's website. Below is a summary of requirements.

To apply for a treasurer license, you must first meet these educational requirements:

A baccalaureate degree in business, plus:
- A three-semester hour course in school law, and
- A three-semester hour course in school finance
OR

A baccalaureate degree in a non-business area, plus:
- Three semester hours in accounting, and
- Six additional semester hours in accounting, business, or finance-related coursework (such as economics, statistics, information systems and operations management), and
- A three-semester hour course in school law and a three-semester hour course in school finance.
To satisfy field experience requirements, you must choose either option 1, 2 or 3 below:

Option 1: 300 Hour Supervised Internship (2.5 – 12 months to complete)

Complete a 300-hour internship under the supervision of a current licensed school district treasurer/CFO.

Option 2: Demonstrate & Document 2 Years of Related Work Experience

Use two years of significant, full-time global fiscal officer responsibility in an organizational setting in place of the supervised 300-hour internship.

Option 3: OASBO Pathway Program (4 – 12 months to complete)

Ohio Department of Education & Workforce approved program, consisting of 6 courses, 100 question assessment, and Five-Year Forecast Capstone Project. Click here for more information.

Upon completion of the above requirements, you can apply for your Treasurer License.
How does school business manager licensure work?
To see the official requirements needed to apply for a school business manager license, visit the Ohio Department of Education & Workforce’s website. Below is a summary of requirements.

To apply for a business manager license, you must first meet these educational requirements:
- A baccalaureate degree in business
OR
- A baccalaureate degree in a nonbusiness area with 15 semester hours selected from at least four (4) of the following areas:
  - Accounting
  - Collective bargaining and labor relations
  - Computer applications
  - Food service management
  - Office administration
  - Personnel management
  - Purchasing
  - School finance
  - School law
  - Risk management
  - Transportation management
  - School plant management and operations
To satisfy field experience requirements, you must choose either option 1 or 2 below:
- Option 1: 300 Hour Supervised Internship (2.5 – 12 months to complete)
  Complete a 300-hour internship in a school business manager’s office, under the direct supervision of a licensed school business manager.
- Option 2: Demonstrate & Document 2 Years of Related Work Experience
Use two years of experience as a business manager or as a supervisor or director of business services in an organizational setting in place of a supervised 300-hour school business manager internship.

Upon completion of the above requirements, you can apply for your Business Manager License.

Available Jobs

OASBO hosts a job board where Ohio public school districts can post openings. While we do not guarantee that all open Ohio school jobs are represented here, it should offer you a glimpse of the types of job roles that are available, and some of the duties required.

Become a Public School Business Professional

Advantages of School Business Careers