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Associate buyer education requirements
Updated January 8, 2025
4 min read
There are several educational requirements to become an associate buyer. Associate buyers usually study business, specialized sales and merchandising, or marketing. 75% of associate buyers hold a bachelor's degree, and 15% hold an associate degree. We analyzed 4,621 real associate buyer resumes to see exactly what associate buyer education sections show.
The most common colleges for associate buyers are the Fashion Institute of Technology and the Fashion Institute of Technology.
There are also many online associate buyer courses to help get the education required to be an associate buyer.
What education do you need to become an associate buyer?
What degree do you need to be an associate buyer?
- Bachelor's, 75%
- Associate, 15%
- Master's, 5%
- High School Diploma, 4%
- Other Degrees, 1%
What should I major in to become an associate buyer?
- Business, 32%
- Marketing, 12%
- Management, 5%
- Other Majors, 37%
Most common colleges for associate buyers
| Associate buyer common college | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Fashion Institute of Technology | 23.08% |
| University of Phoenix | 5.68% |
| Syracuse University | 5.49% |
| Ohio State University | 5.31% |
| Florida State University | 4.95% |
Best majors for associate buyers
| Rank | Major | Percentages |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Business | 31.9% |
| 2 | Specialized Sales And Merchandising | 13.9% |
| 3 | Marketing | 11.8% |
| 4 | Management | 4.7% |
| 5 | Communication | 4.7% |
Best colleges for associate buyers
The best colleges for associate buyers are University of Pennsylvania, Northwestern University, and Boston University.
An associate buyer with advanced education typically earns a higher salary and has access to better jobs. That's why Zippia looked into the best colleges for associate buyers. 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 associate buyers.
1. University of Pennsylvania
Philadelphia, PA • Private
In-state tuition
$55,584
Enrollment
10,764
2. University of Akron
Akron, OH • Private
In-state tuition
$11,463
Enrollment
13,676
3. University of Minnesota - Twin Cities
Minneapolis, MN • Private
In-state tuition
$14,760
Enrollment
31,451
4. Ball State University
Muncie, IN • Private
In-state tuition
$9,896
Enrollment
15,529
5. University of Texas at Austin
Austin, TX • Private
In-state tuition
$10,610
Enrollment
40,329
6. Fashion Institute of Technology
New York, NY • Private
In-state tuition
$5,740
Enrollment
7,938
7. Cornell University
Ithaca, NY • Private
In-state tuition
$55,188
Enrollment
15,105
8. University of Wisconsin - Madison
Madison, WI • Private
In-state tuition
$10,555
Enrollment
30,360
9. Stanford University
Stanford, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$51,354
Enrollment
7,083
10. Bentley University
Waltham, MA • Private
In-state tuition
$49,880
Enrollment
4,177
20 best online courses for associate buyers
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20. MBA: Supply Chain and Operation management
Tactics, Tools, and Techniques required to become a Supply chain and operation manager...
Top 10 most affordable universities for associate buyers
The most affordable schools for associate buyers are Fashion Institute of Technology, suny farmingdale, and baruch college of the city university of new york.
If the best universities for associate buyers 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 associate buyers.
1. Fashion Institute of Technology
New York, NY • Private
In-state tuition
$5,740
Cost of attendance
17,864
2. SUNY Farmingdale
Farmingdale, NY • Private
In-state tuition
$8,306
Cost of attendance
16,091
3. Baruch College of the City University of New York
New York, NY • Private
In-state tuition
$7,262
Cost of attendance
14,046
4. USF Sarasota-Manatee
Sarasota, FL • Private
In-state tuition
$5,587
Cost of attendance
13,043
5. Florida State University
Tallahassee, FL • Private
In-state tuition
$5,656
Cost of attendance
21,623
6. California State University - Dominguez Hills
Carson, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$6,942
Cost of attendance
14,469
7. Purdue University
West Lafayette, IN • Private
In-state tuition
$9,992
Cost of attendance
22,430
8. California State University - Fresno
Fresno, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$6,587
Cost of attendance
16,915
9. Brigham Young University
Provo, UT • Private
In-state tuition
$5,620
Cost of attendance
18,136
10. University of Florida
Gainesville, FL • Private
In-state tuition
$6,381
Cost of attendance
21,034
Top 10 hardest universities to get into for associate buyers
The hardest universities for associate buyers to get into are University of Pennsylvania, Northwestern University, and Boston University.
Some great schools for associate buyers 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 associate buyers 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. University of Pennsylvania
Philadelphia, PA • Private
Admissions rate
8%
SAT average
1,492
2. Northwestern University
Evanston, IL • Private
Admissions rate
8%
SAT average
1,508
3. Boston University
Boston, MA • Private
Admissions rate
22%
SAT average
1,420
4. Washington University in St Louis
Saint Louis, MO • Private
Admissions rate
15%
SAT average
1,506
5. Bentley University
Waltham, MA • Private
Admissions rate
43%
SAT average
1,338
6. University of Texas at Austin
Austin, TX • Private
Admissions rate
39%
SAT average
1,367
7. Cornell University
Ithaca, NY • Private
Admissions rate
11%
SAT average
1,471
8. Fordham University
Bronx, NY • Private
Admissions rate
46%
SAT average
1,354
9. New York University
New York, NY • Private
Admissions rate
20%
SAT average
1,419
10. University of Southern California
Los Angeles, CA • Private
Admissions rate
13%
SAT average
1,445
Top 10 easy-to-apply-to universities for associate buyers
The easiest schools for associate buyers to get into are Barry University, oklahoma wesleyan university, and university of the incarnate word.
Some schools are much easier to get into. If you want to start your career as an associate buyer 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 associate buyers.
1. Barry University
Miami, FL • Private
Admissions rate
91%
SAT average
1,006
2. Oklahoma Wesleyan University
Bartlesville, OK • Private
Admissions rate
68%
SAT average
964
3. University of the Incarnate Word
San Antonio, TX • Private
Admissions rate
88%
SAT average
1,044
4. Texas Woman's University
Denton, TX • Private
Admissions rate
87%
SAT average
1,059
5. LIM College
New York, NY • Private
Admissions rate
83%
SAT average
1,061
6. Holy Names University
Oakland, CA • Private
Admissions rate
70%
SAT average
849
7. Notre Dame College
Cleveland, OH • Private
Admissions rate
90%
SAT average
994
8. Gwynedd Mercy University
Gwynedd Valley, PA • Private
Admissions rate
92%
SAT average
1,031
9. Mount Saint Mary's University
Los Angeles, CA • Private
Admissions rate
84%
SAT average
1,031
10. Felician University
Lodi, NJ • Private
Admissions rate
81%
SAT average
999
Average associate buyer salary by education level
| Associate buyer education level | Associate buyer salary |
|---|---|
| Master's Degree | $55,008 |
| High School Diploma or Less | $47,453 |
| Bachelor's Degree | $54,813 |
| Some College/ Associate Degree | $47,549 |
Associate buyer education FAQs
Have more questions? See all answers to common business and financial questions.
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Updated January 8, 2025
Updated January 8, 2025