Foot in the Door. Salary: $30,000

You're here. After three years of working in the registrar's office, you're now the Assistant Dean of Students at Kornfhed University in Small Town, Nebraska, and you're already making a difference. The big rally that you helped organize to help keep Benny the Bison as the school mascot was a huge success. Can full dean-dom be far off?

So Close and Yet so Far Away. Salary: $50,000 

You've been working as the assistant dean for two years and you thought for sure that you had a shot at dean when the big guy announced that he was leaving the following year. No dice; Herman "Double Degree" Higgins got the job. An assistant dean's got to do what an assistant dean's got to do—go back to school while continuing to work. At least Top Ramen won't be part of the deal this time.

Success is in Hand. Salary: $62,000 

With master's degree in hand, you set your salary sight a little higher. Bidding adieu to your beloved Nebraska, and Benny the Bison, you strike out for Boston. You land and full dean-dom finally becomes a reality. The campus is great and your colleagues welcome you with open arms. You're sure that you're going to have a positive connection with the students. If only you could understand what they're saying. Is there a Rosetta Stone for the Boston accent?

You're Fluent. Salary: $84,000 

Not only are you fluent in Boston-ese, you're flowing smoothly in your role of dean. After five years on campus, you've earned the reputation with students as the "go to" administrator. And they go to you with anything. You're still pondering how to present the Associated Students of Liberty's proposal to boycott finals to show solidarity with migrant workers in Istanbul, though. All in a day's work.

If I Can Make it There... Salary: $100,000 

Yep, this is a good landing spot—The Big Apple. After adding another set of letters after your name, you decided to make one more move. Now, you and your family are settled in New York City and you're the new Dean of Students at a well-regarded university. The students affectionately call you "Doc Dean" and you just got a new assistant fresh from Nebraska.