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This study is an examination of the hiring practices of topranked higher education administration graduate programs in the United States. A total of 39 program coordinators, department heads, and/or deans were asked using qualitative methods to address the phenomenon of faculty hiring, including why a majority of topranked programs preferred hiring faculty who have doctorates from other top programs. One of the findings indicates that top-programs indeed hire them for very practical reason as identified in the study. Findings from this study should inform the decision-making of higher education program coordinators, department heads, and deans as they conduct faculty searches.