In the fourth quarter, higher education posted its largest jobs increase in three years, regardless of quarter, according to the higher education employment report from job search site HigherEdJobs. The number of jobs in higher education rose 1.25% compared to the same period a year ago, gaining about 24,100 jobs, the report found.

Higher education jobs rose 0.55% for the full year 2015, nearly identical to the 0.58% growth in 2014.

The gain in overall higher education jobs was fueled by an increase in employment at four-year colleges and universities, which gained 29,400 jobs, or 1.6%, compared to the fourth quarter of 2014. However, community colleges lost 5,300 jobs, or 4.0% of their workforce.

The report also found that ads for all types of jobs in academia increased 19.9% in the fourth quarter, the largest fourth-quarter increase in at least four years. In addition, the number of full-time faculty job postings grew 6.1%, while job postings for full-time administrative and executive positions increased 25.4%.

“After several years of declining job growth followed by a stagnant period, it appears that academia — at least at four-year institutions — is beginning to add both faculty as well as administrative and executive positions,” said John Ikenberry, president of HigherEdJobs.  

The report analyzes job-posting data from more than 850 colleges and universities that have continuously subscribed to the company’s unlimited posting plan for four years, as well as data from US Bureau of Labor Statistics.