Associate programmer education requirements

Updated January 8, 2025

4 min read

There are several educational requirements to become an associate programmer. Associate programmers usually study computer science, business, or computer engineering. 72% of associate programmers hold a bachelor's degree, and 14% hold an master's degree. We analyzed 592 real associate programmer resumes to see exactly what associate programmer education sections show.

The most common colleges for associate programmers are the Prairie View A & M University and the Prairie View A & M University.

There are also many online associate programmer courses to help get the education required to be an associate programmer.

What education do you need to become an associate programmer?

What degree do you need to be an associate programmer?

The most common degree for associate programmers is bachelor's degree, with 72% of associate programmers earning that degree. The second and third most common degree levels are master's degree degree at 14% and master's degree degree at 10%.

Bachelor's, 72%

Master's, 14%

Associate, 10%

Diploma, 2%

Other Degrees, 2%

What should I major in to become an associate programmer?

You should major in computer science to become an associate programmer. 38% of associate programmers major in computer science. Other common majors for an associate programmer include business and computer engineering.

Computer Science, 38%

Business, 7%

Computer Engineering, 6%

Electrical Engineering, 6%

Other Majors, 43%

Most common colleges for associate programmers

Associate programmers often get their degrees at Prairie View A & M University, New York University, and University of North Carolina at Greensboro. Here are the most common colleges for associate programmers in the US based on their resumes.

Associate programmer common college	Percentages
Prairie View A & M University	16.46%
New York University	7.59%
University of North Carolina at Greensboro	6.33%
Northern Illinois University	6.33%
The University of Texas at El Paso	5.06%

Show more common associate programmer colleges

Best majors for associate programmers

Rank	Major	Percentages
1	Computer Science	37.6%
2	Business	7.3%
3	Computer Engineering	6.5%
4	Electrical Engineering	5.9%
5	Mathematics	5.4%

Show more common associate programmer majors

Best colleges for associate programmers

The best colleges for associate programmers are Northwestern University, Vanderbilt University, and Harvard University.

An associate programmer 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 programmers. 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 programmers.

1. Harvard University

Cambridge, MA • Private

In-state tuition

$50,420

Enrollment

7,582

2. Duke University

Durham, NC • Private

In-state tuition

$55,695

Enrollment

6,596

3. University of Pennsylvania

Philadelphia, PA • Private

In-state tuition

$55,584

Enrollment

10,764

4. Georgia Institute of Technology

Atlanta, GA • Private

In-state tuition

$12,424

Enrollment

15,201

5. Northwestern University

Evanston, IL • Private

In-state tuition

$54,568

Enrollment

8,451

6. Columbia University in the City of New York

New York, NY • Private

In-state tuition

$59,430

Enrollment

8,216

7. University of California - Los Angeles

Los Angeles, CA • Private

In-state tuition

$13,226

Enrollment

31,568

8. Lehigh University

Bethlehem, PA • Private

In-state tuition

$52,930

Enrollment

5,030

9. Vanderbilt University

Nashville, TN • Private

In-state tuition

$49,816

Enrollment

6,840

10. Carnegie Mellon University

Pittsburgh, PA • Private

In-state tuition

$55,465

Enrollment

6,483

20 best online courses for associate programmers

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Top 10 most affordable universities for associate programmers

The most affordable schools for associate programmers are California State University - Bakersfield, california state university - long beach, and brigham young university.

If the best universities for associate programmers 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 programmers.

1. California State University - Bakersfield

Bakersfield, CA • Private

In-state tuition

$7,309

Cost of attendance

16,714

2. California State University - Long Beach

Long Beach, CA • Private

In-state tuition

$6,798

Cost of attendance

18,306

3. Brigham Young University

Provo, UT • Private

In-state tuition

$5,620

Cost of attendance

18,136

4. California State University - Fullerton

Fullerton, CA • Private

In-state tuition

$6,886

Cost of attendance

17,645

5. University of Puerto Rico - Mayaguez

Mayaguez, PR • Private

In-state tuition

$4,094

Cost of attendance

14,302

6. University of South Florida

Tampa, FL • Private

In-state tuition

$6,410

Cost of attendance

20,456

7. Purdue University

West Lafayette, IN • Private

In-state tuition

$9,992

Cost of attendance

22,430

8. California State University - Northridge

Northridge, CA • Private

In-state tuition

$6,893

Cost of attendance

18,870

9. City College of New York of the City University of New York, The

New York, NY • Private

In-state tuition

$7,140

Cost of attendance

14,430

10. California State University - Fresno

Fresno, CA • Private

In-state tuition

$6,587

Cost of attendance

16,915

Top 10 hardest universities to get into for associate programmers

The hardest universities for associate programmers to get into are Northwestern University, Vanderbilt University, and Harvard University.

Some great schools for associate programmers 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 programmers 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

SAT average

1,508

2. Vanderbilt University

Nashville, TN • Private

Admissions rate

10%

SAT average

1,514

3. Harvard University

Cambridge, MA • Private

Admissions rate

SAT average

1,520

4. Duke University

Durham, NC • Private

Admissions rate

SAT average

1,516

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. University of Pennsylvania

Philadelphia, PA • Private

Admissions rate

SAT average

1,492

8. Tufts University

Medford, MA • Private

Admissions rate

15%

SAT average

1,461

9. Columbia University in the City of New York

New York, NY • Private

Admissions rate

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 associate programmers

The easiest schools for associate programmers to get into are Linfield College, san francisco state university, and saint mary's university of minnesota.

Some schools are much easier to get into. If you want to start your career as an associate programmer 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 programmers.

1. Linfield College

McMinnville, OR • Private

Admissions rate

81%

SAT average

1,117

2. San Francisco State University

San Francisco, CA • Private

Admissions rate

72%

SAT average

1,054

3. Saint Mary's University of Minnesota

Winona, MN • Private

Admissions rate

91%

SAT average

1,148

4. Nyack College

New York, NY • Private

Admissions rate

98%

SAT average

999

5. Saint Cloud State University

Saint Cloud, MN • Private

Admissions rate

86%

SAT average

1,086

6. Saint Martin's University

Lacey, WA • Private

Admissions rate

96%

SAT average

1,111

7. Barry University

Miami, FL • Private

Admissions rate

91%

SAT average

1,006

8. Oklahoma Wesleyan University

Bartlesville, OK • Private

Admissions rate

68%

SAT average

964

9. Portland State University

Portland, OR • Private

Admissions rate

90%

SAT average

1,111

10. The University of Texas at El Paso

El Paso, TX • Private

Admissions rate

100%

SAT average

1,035

Average associate programmer salary by education level

Associate programmers with a Doctorate degree earn more than those without, at $77,311 annually. With a Master's degree, associate programmers earn a median annual income of $75,829 compared to $73,462 for associate programmers with an Bachelor's degree.

Associate programmer education level	Associate programmer salary
Master's Degree	$75,829
Bachelor's Degree	$73,462
Doctorate Degree	$77,311
Some College/ Associate Degree	$66,630

Associate programmer education FAQs

What is the best college for Associate Programmers?

Have more questions? See all answers to common computer and mathematical questions.

Search for associate programmer jobs

Updated January 8, 2025

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.

Updated January 8, 2025

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