The careers and backgrounds of female upper-level administrators of 25 North Carolina four-year colleges and universities are examined. Half of the group was employed by private colleges and half by institutions of the North Carolina system. The administrators reported to the highest or next-highest institutional management level. During two-hour structured interviews with each respondent, information was elicited about growing up; education; the influence of family, friends, and mentors; work history; perceptions of the field of higher education administration; the special skills and experience it requires; the climate in which they work; and the potential for women in the field as well as in their particular institution. This autobiographical information was supplemented by each respondent's curriculum vita and catalogs, job descriptions, and program brochures. With the exception of four respondents, all of the study group had earned doctorates; of the remainder two had honorary doctorates and the others had masters degrees. Nine administrative roles were represented. Common themes found in the investigation include: these women all had a history of meeting opportunity head-on and they had the credentials and experience required; although most of the women did not come to their current posts via a series of administrative roles, all had demonstrated managerial skills in other settings; all of the women had found ways to enhance their careers or further their own development; and the younger women (aged 35 to 45) tended to be much more aware of their career planning. (SW)