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Associate director education requirements
Updated January 8, 2025
4 min read
There are several educational requirements to become an associate director. Associate directors usually study business, psychology, or finance. 66% of associate directors hold a bachelor's degree, and 22% hold an master's degree. We analyzed 22,821 real associate director resumes to see exactly what associate director education sections show.
The most common colleges for associate directors are the New York University and the New York University.
There are also many online associate director courses to help get the education required to be an associate director.
There are certain associate director certifications that you should consider. These associate director certifications include Project Management Professional (PMP) and Certified Professional - Human Resource (IPMA-CP).
What education do you need to become an associate director?
What degree do you need to be an associate director?
- Bachelor's, 66%
- Master's, 22%
- Doctorate, 5%
- Associate, 5%
- Other Degrees, 2%
What should I major in to become an associate director?
- Business, 23%
- Psychology, 7%
- Finance, 7%
- Accounting, 6%
- Other Majors, 57%
Most common colleges for associate directors
| Associate director common college | Percentages |
|---|---|
| New York University | 11.00% |
| University of Phoenix | 10.01% |
| Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey | 6.34% |
| Pennsylvania State University | 5.77% |
| Boston University | 5.60% |
Best majors for associate directors
| Rank | Major | Percentages |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Business | 23.4% |
| 2 | Psychology | 7.3% |
| 3 | Finance | 6.9% |
| 4 | Accounting | 6.1% |
| 5 | Communication | 6.0% |
Best colleges for associate directors
The best colleges for associate directors are University of Pennsylvania, Northwestern University, and Harvard University.
An associate director 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 directors. 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 directors.
1. University of Pennsylvania
Philadelphia, PA • Private
In-state tuition
$55,584
Enrollment
10,764
2. University of Southern California
Los Angeles, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$56,225
Enrollment
19,548
3. Northwestern University
Evanston, IL • Private
In-state tuition
$54,568
Enrollment
8,451
4. Boston University
Boston, MA • Private
In-state tuition
$53,948
Enrollment
17,238
5. Pennsylvania State University
University Park, PA • Private
In-state tuition
$18,454
Enrollment
40,108
6. Harvard University
Cambridge, MA • Private
In-state tuition
$50,420
Enrollment
7,582
7. University of Washington
Seattle, WA • Private
In-state tuition
$11,207
Enrollment
30,905
8. University of Texas at Austin
Austin, TX • Private
In-state tuition
$10,610
Enrollment
40,329
9. New York University
New York, NY • Private
In-state tuition
$51,828
Enrollment
26,339
10. University of Maryland - College Park
College Park, MD • Private
In-state tuition
$10,595
Enrollment
30,184
20 best online courses for associate directors
Advertising disclosure
1. Digital Project Management
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8. Ultimate HR Generalist and Human Resource Management Course
Hands-on HR Certification: All HRM topics. Master Employee Life Cycle, Payroll, Recruitment, Engagement, EXDesign and AI...
9. Human Resources (HR) as a Business Partner
This course provides valuable information on how Human Resource Business Partnering (HRBP) operates in practice...
10. Certified Associate in Project Management (CAPM)
Certified Associate in Project Management Exam Preparatory Course...
11. Lean BPM - Lean Business Process Management Change Skills
Lean BPM - learn how to use lean business management techniques to reduce waste and improve your business efficiency...
12. Diploma Course in Human Resource Management (HRM)
Become top-notch HRM Practitioner - Get Live Projects, Ready-to-use Templates, Demos, Quizzes, Articles, Case studies...
13. Strategic Planning Skills
Strategic Planning Skills...
14. Human Resources For Beginners
A guide to learning the fundamentals of human resource management...
15. Introduction to Human Resource Management
HRM is an important function of any organization. It includes managing people in a structured and thorough manner...
16. Financial Statement Auditing Cycles
In this course, we learn how public accountants plan and execute an audit...
17. Business Continuity Management BCMS & ISO 22301 Masterclass
How to plan and prepare for unforeseen business disruption events through an effective, dynamic Business Continuity Plan...
18. Plan the Project as a Business Analyst - IIBA Endorsed
Increase your value as a Business Analyst by learning how to plan projects successfully without a Project Manager...
19. Financial Statement Analysis
Learn how to make understanding financial statements your superpower!...
20. Internal Audit: a Guide for Management
Internal Audit, Risk Management, Compliance, Governance, Internal Controls, CIA, Audit Report, Audit Charter, IIA...
Top 10 most affordable universities for associate directors
The most affordable schools for associate directors are University of Florida, baruch college of the city university of new york, and hunter college of the city university of new york.
If the best universities for associate directors 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 directors.
1. University of Florida
Gainesville, FL • Private
In-state tuition
$6,381
Cost of attendance
21,034
2. Baruch College of the City University of New York
New York, NY • Private
In-state tuition
$7,262
Cost of attendance
14,046
3. Hunter College of the City University of New York
New York, NY • Private
In-state tuition
$7,182
Cost of attendance
13,998
4. California State University - Long Beach
Long Beach, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$6,798
Cost of attendance
18,306
5. California State University - Bakersfield
Bakersfield, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$7,309
Cost of attendance
16,714
6. University of South Florida
Tampa, FL • Private
In-state tuition
$6,410
Cost of attendance
20,456
7. California State University - Los Angeles
Los Angeles, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$6,749
Cost of attendance
14,823
8. Florida State University
Tallahassee, FL • Private
In-state tuition
$5,656
Cost of attendance
21,623
9. Brigham Young University
Provo, UT • Private
In-state tuition
$5,620
Cost of attendance
18,136
10. Florida International University
Miami, FL • Private
In-state tuition
$6,556
Cost of attendance
19,434
Top 10 hardest universities to get into for associate directors
The hardest universities for associate directors to get into are University of Pennsylvania, Northwestern University, and Harvard University.
Some great schools for associate directors 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 directors 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. Harvard University
Cambridge, MA • Private
Admissions rate
5%
SAT average
1,520
4. Johns Hopkins University
Baltimore, MD • Private
Admissions rate
11%
SAT average
1,513
5. Carnegie Mellon University
Pittsburgh, PA • Private
Admissions rate
17%
SAT average
1,507
6. Washington University in St Louis
Saint Louis, MO • Private
Admissions rate
15%
SAT average
1,506
7. Columbia University in the City of New York
New York, NY • Private
Admissions rate
6%
SAT average
1,512
8. University of Southern California
Los Angeles, CA • Private
Admissions rate
13%
SAT average
1,445
9. Northeastern University
Boston, MA • Private
Admissions rate
19%
SAT average
1,466
10. Duke University
Durham, NC • Private
Admissions rate
9%
SAT average
1,516
Top 10 easy-to-apply-to universities for associate directors
The easiest schools for associate directors to get into are Mount Saint Mary's University, barry 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 director 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 directors.
1. Mount Saint Mary's University
Los Angeles, CA • Private
Admissions rate
84%
SAT average
1,031
2. Barry University
Miami, FL • Private
Admissions rate
91%
SAT average
1,006
3. University of the Incarnate Word
San Antonio, TX • Private
Admissions rate
88%
SAT average
1,044
4. University of Baltimore
Baltimore, MD • Private
Admissions rate
78%
SAT average
1,020
5. University of North Texas at Dallas
Dallas, TX • Private
Admissions rate
83%
SAT average
992
6. Holy Names University
Oakland, CA • Private
Admissions rate
70%
SAT average
849
7. Wayland Baptist University
Plainview, TX • Private
Admissions rate
98%
SAT average
1,003
8. Oklahoma Wesleyan University
Bartlesville, OK • Private
Admissions rate
68%
SAT average
964
9. California University of Pennsylvania
California, PA • Private
Admissions rate
97%
SAT average
1,007
10. San Francisco State University
San Francisco, CA • Private
Admissions rate
72%
SAT average
1,054
Average associate director salary by education level
| Associate director education level | Associate director salary |
|---|---|
| Master's Degree | $138,114 |
| High School Diploma or Less | $99,563 |
| Bachelor's Degree | $124,234 |
| Doctorate Degree | $145,362 |
| Some College/ Associate Degree | $104,261 |
Associate director education FAQs
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Updated January 8, 2025
Updated January 8, 2025