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Apartment manager education requirements

Updated January 8, 2025
4 min read

There are several educational requirements to become an apartment manager. Apartment managers usually study business, accounting, or general studies. 37% of apartment managers hold a bachelor's degree, and 23% hold an associate degree. We analyzed 5,554 real apartment manager resumes to see exactly what apartment manager education sections show.

The most common colleges for apartment managers are the University of Phoenix and the University of Phoenix.

There are also many online apartment manager courses to help get the education required to be an apartment manager.

There are certain apartment manager certifications that you should consider. These apartment manager certifications include Certified Apartment Manager (CAM) and Certified Property Manager (CPM).

What education do you need to become an apartment manager?

What degree do you need to be an apartment manager?

The most common degree for apartment managers is bachelor's degree, with 37% of apartment managers earning that degree. The second and third most common degree levels are associate degree degree at 23% and associate degree degree at 23%.
  • Bachelor's, 37%
  • Associate, 23%
  • High School Diploma, 23%
  • Diploma, 7%
  • Other Degrees, 10%

What should I major in to become an apartment manager?

You should major in business to become an apartment manager. 30% of apartment managers major in business. Other common majors for an apartment manager include accounting and general studies.

Most common colleges for apartment managers

Apartment managers often get their degrees at University of Phoenix, Brigham Young University, and Arkansas State University. Here are the most common colleges for apartment managers in the US based on their resumes.
Apartment manager common collegePercentages
University of Phoenix23.31%
Brigham Young University12.71%
Arkansas State University4.66%
Utah State University4.66%
University of Iowa4.24%

Best majors for apartment managers

RankMajorPercentages
1Business29.6%
2Accounting9.1%
3General Studies7.6%
4Psychology7.6%
5Criminal Justice5.4%

Best colleges for apartment managers

The best colleges for apartment managers are Northwestern University, University of Pennsylvania, and Stanford University.

An apartment manager with advanced education typically earns a higher salary and has access to better jobs. That's why Zippia looked into the best colleges for apartment managers. We based this list on several metrics: admissions rate, retention rate, mean earnings of graduates, the ratio of working vs. non-working students ten years after admission, the average cost of attendance, and median debt for graduates who become apartment managers.

1. University of Southern California

Los Angeles, CA • Private

In-state tuition

$56,225

Enrollment

19,548

2. University of Pennsylvania

Philadelphia, PA • Private

In-state tuition

$55,584

Enrollment

10,764

3. Northwestern University

Evanston, IL • Private

In-state tuition

$54,568

Enrollment

8,451

4. Villanova University

Villanova, PA • Private

In-state tuition

$53,308

Enrollment

6,819

5. San Diego State University

San Diego, CA • Private

In-state tuition

$7,488

Enrollment

30,018

6. Stanford University

Stanford, CA • Private

In-state tuition

$51,354

Enrollment

7,083

7. Bentley University

Waltham, MA • Private

In-state tuition

$49,880

Enrollment

4,177

8. New York University

New York, NY • Private

In-state tuition

$51,828

Enrollment

26,339

9. Arizona State University

Tempe, AZ • Private

In-state tuition

$10,822

Enrollment

42,529

10. Harvard University

Cambridge, MA • Private

In-state tuition

$50,420

Enrollment

7,582

20 best online courses for apartment managers

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Top 10 most affordable universities for apartment managers

The most affordable schools for apartment managers are Baruch College of the City University of New York, suny farmingdale, and university of florida.

If the best universities for apartment managers are out of your price range, check out these affordable schools. After factoring in in-state tuition and fees, the average cost of attendance, admissions rate, average net price, and mean earnings after six years, we found that these are the most affordable schools for apartment managers.

1. Baruch College of the City University of New York

New York, NY • Private

In-state tuition

$7,262

Cost of attendance

14,046

2. SUNY Farmingdale

Farmingdale, NY • Private

In-state tuition

$8,306

Cost of attendance

16,091

3. University of Florida

Gainesville, FL • Private

In-state tuition

$6,381

Cost of attendance

21,034

4. California State University - Bakersfield

Bakersfield, CA • Private

In-state tuition

$7,309

Cost of attendance

16,714

5. Florida International University

Miami, FL • Private

In-state tuition

$6,556

Cost of attendance

19,434

6. Florida State University

Tallahassee, FL • Private

In-state tuition

$5,656

Cost of attendance

21,623

7. California State University - Dominguez Hills

Carson, CA • Private

In-state tuition

$6,942

Cost of attendance

14,469

8. University of South Florida

Tampa, FL • Private

In-state tuition

$6,410

Cost of attendance

20,456

9. Florida Atlantic University

Boca Raton, FL • Private

In-state tuition

$4,831

Cost of attendance

19,559

10. Brooklyn College of the City University of New York

Brooklyn, NY • Private

In-state tuition

$7,240

Cost of attendance

13,991

Top 10 hardest universities to get into for apartment managers

The hardest universities for apartment managers to get into are Northwestern University, University of Pennsylvania, and Stanford University.

Some great schools for apartment managers are hard to get into, but they also set your career up for greater success. The list below shows the most challenging universities to get into for apartment managers based on an institution's admissions rates, average SAT scores accepted, median ACT scores accepted, and mean earnings of students six years after admission.

1. Northwestern University

Evanston, IL • Private

Admissions rate

8%

SAT average

1,508

2. University of Pennsylvania

Philadelphia, PA • Private

Admissions rate

8%

SAT average

1,492

3. Stanford University

Stanford, CA • Private

Admissions rate

4%

SAT average

1,497

4. University of Southern California

Los Angeles, CA • Private

Admissions rate

13%

SAT average

1,445

5. Johns Hopkins University

Baltimore, MD • Private

Admissions rate

11%

SAT average

1,513

6. New York University

New York, NY • Private

Admissions rate

20%

SAT average

1,419

7. Villanova University

Villanova, PA • Private

Admissions rate

29%

SAT average

1,407

8. Harvard University

Cambridge, MA • Private

Admissions rate

5%

SAT average

1,520

9. Columbia University in the City of New York

New York, NY • Private

Admissions rate

6%

SAT average

1,512

10. Boston University

Boston, MA • Private

Admissions rate

22%

SAT average

1,420

Top 10 easy-to-apply-to universities for apartment managers

The easiest schools for apartment managers to get into are Oklahoma Wesleyan University, notre dame de namur university, and la roche college.

Some schools are much easier to get into. If you want to start your career as an apartment manager without much hassle, check out the list of schools where you will be accepted in no time. We compiled admissions rates, average SAT scores, average ACT scores, and average salary of students six years after graduation to uncover which were the easiest schools to get into for apartment managers.

1. Oklahoma Wesleyan University

Bartlesville, OK • Private

Admissions rate

68%

SAT average

964

2. Notre Dame de Namur University

Belmont, CA • Private

Admissions rate

82%

SAT average

983

3. La Roche College

Pittsburgh, PA • Private

Admissions rate

99%

SAT average

1,008

4. Holy Names University

Oakland, CA • Private

Admissions rate

70%

SAT average

849

5. Notre Dame College

Cleveland, OH • Private

Admissions rate

90%

SAT average

994

6. LIM College

New York, NY • Private

Admissions rate

83%

SAT average

1,061

7. University of Baltimore

Baltimore, MD • Private

Admissions rate

78%

SAT average

1,020

8. D'Youville College

Buffalo, NY • Private

Admissions rate

100%

SAT average

1,072

9. Presentation College

Aberdeen, SD • Private

Admissions rate

97%

SAT average

1,050

10. Nyack College

New York, NY • Private

Admissions rate

98%

SAT average

999

Average apartment manager salary by education level

Apartment managers with a Doctorate degree earn more than those without, at $58,349 annually. With a Master's degree, apartment managers earn a median annual income of $57,450 compared to $48,559 for apartment managers with an Bachelor's degree.
Apartment manager education levelApartment manager salary
Master's Degree$57,450
High School Diploma or Less$38,382
Bachelor's Degree$48,559
Doctorate Degree$58,349
Some College/ Associate Degree$40,251

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Updated January 8, 2025

Zippia Research Team
Zippia Team

Editorial Staff

The Zippia Research Team has spent countless hours reviewing resumes, job postings, and government data to determine what goes into getting a job in each phase of life. Professional writers and data scientists comprise the Zippia Research Team.

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