Business continuity planner education requirements

Updated January 8, 2025

4 min read

There are several educational requirements to become a business continuity planner. Business continuity planners usually study business, computer science, or criminal justice. 70% of business continuity planners hold a bachelor's degree, and 14% hold an master's degree. We analyzed 151 real business continuity planner resumes to see exactly what business continuity planner education sections show.

The most common colleges for business continuity planners are the University of Phoenix and the University of Phoenix.

There are also many online business continuity planner courses to help get the education required to be a business continuity planner.

There are certain business continuity planner certifications that you should consider. These business continuity planner certifications include Associate Business Continuity Planner (ABCP) and Master Business Continuity Professional (MBCP).

What education do you need to become a business continuity planner?

What degree do you need to be a business continuity planner?

The most common degree for business continuity planners is bachelor's degree, with 70% of business continuity planners earning that degree. The second and third most common degree levels are master's degree degree at 14% and master's degree degree at 12%.

Bachelor's, 70%

Master's, 14%

Associate, 12%

Diploma, 2%

Other Degrees, 2%

What should I major in to become a business continuity planner?

You should major in business to become a business continuity planner. 32% of business continuity planners major in business. Other common majors for a business continuity planner include computer science and criminal justice.

Business, 32%

Computer Science, 6%

Criminal Justice, 5%

Political Science, 5%

Other Majors, 52%

Most common colleges for business continuity planners

Business continuity planners often get their degrees at University of Phoenix, University of North Texas, and Strayer University. Here are the most common colleges for business continuity planners in the US based on their resumes.

Business continuity planner common college	Percentages
University of Phoenix	11.11%
University of North Texas	8.33%
Strayer University	8.33%
United States Air Force Academy	8.33%
The Citadel	5.56%

Show more common business continuity planner colleges

Best majors for business continuity planners

Rank	Major	Percentages
1	Business	31.8%
2	Computer Science	5.9%
3	Criminal Justice	4.7%
4	Political Science	4.7%
5	Marketing	4.7%

Show more common business continuity planner majors

Best colleges for business continuity planners

The best colleges for business continuity planners are Stanford University, Northwestern University, and Johns Hopkins University.

A business continuity planner with advanced education typically earns a higher salary and has access to better jobs. That's why Zippia looked into the best colleges for business continuity planners. 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 business continuity planners.

1. SUNY at Binghamton

Vestal, NY • Private

In-state tuition

$9,808

Enrollment

13,990

2. SUNY at Albany

Albany, NY • Private

In-state tuition

$10,011

Enrollment

13,434

3. George Washington University, The

Washington, DC • Private

In-state tuition

$55,230

Enrollment

12,161

4. Stanford University

Stanford, CA • Private

In-state tuition

$51,354

Enrollment

7,083

5. Pennsylvania State University

University Park, PA • Private

In-state tuition

$18,454

Enrollment

40,108

6. University of Pennsylvania

Philadelphia, PA • Private

In-state tuition

$55,584

Enrollment

10,764

7. Arizona State University at SkySong

Scottsdale, AZ • Private

In-state tuition

$10,317

Enrollment

29,636

8. Southwestern College

Winfield, KS • Private

In-state tuition

$30,150

Enrollment

1,314

9. Georgetown University

Washington, DC • Private

In-state tuition

$54,104

Enrollment

7,089

10. Northwestern University

Evanston, IL • Private

In-state tuition

$54,568

Enrollment

8,451

20 best online courses for business continuity planners

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1. Business Continuity Management & ISO 22301 - Complete Guide

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5. ISO 22301:2019. Business continuity management system

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6. ISO 22301-Business Continuity Management (BCM & BCP)

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Everything you need to know about ISO 22301—Business Continuity Management (BCM) and Business Continuity Planning (BCP)...

7. Lean BPM - Lean Business Process Management Change Skills

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Fundamentals of Business Analysis...

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Top 10 most affordable universities for business continuity planners

The most affordable schools for business continuity planners are SUNY Farmingdale, california state university - bakersfield, and florida international university.

If the best universities for business continuity planners 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 business continuity planners.

1. SUNY Farmingdale

Farmingdale, NY • Private

In-state tuition

$8,306

Cost of attendance

16,091

2. California State University - Bakersfield

Bakersfield, CA • Private

In-state tuition

$7,309

Cost of attendance

16,714

3. Florida International University

Miami, FL • Private

In-state tuition

$6,556

Cost of attendance

19,434

4. Baruch College of the City University of New York

New York, NY • Private

In-state tuition

$7,262

Cost of attendance

14,046

5. California State University - Dominguez Hills

Carson, CA • Private

In-state tuition

$6,942

Cost of attendance

14,469

6. University of South Florida

Tampa, FL • Private

In-state tuition

$6,410

Cost of attendance

20,456

7. Brooklyn College of the City University of New York

Brooklyn, NY • Private

In-state tuition

$7,240

Cost of attendance

13,991

8. Trident University International

Cypress, CA • Private

In-state tuition

$9,240

Cost of attendance

17,912

9. SUNY Polytechnic Institute

Utica, NY • Private

In-state tuition

$8,238

Cost of attendance

21,567

10. USF Sarasota-Manatee

Sarasota, FL • Private

In-state tuition

$5,587

Cost of attendance

13,043

Top 10 hardest universities to get into for business continuity planners

The hardest universities for business continuity planners to get into are Stanford University, Northwestern University, and Johns Hopkins University.

Some great schools for business continuity planners 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 business continuity planners 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. Stanford University

Stanford, CA • Private

Admissions rate

SAT average

1,497

2. Northwestern University

Evanston, IL • Private

Admissions rate

SAT average

1,508

3. Johns Hopkins University

Baltimore, MD • Private

Admissions rate

11%

SAT average

1,513

4. University of Pennsylvania

Philadelphia, PA • Private

Admissions rate

SAT average

1,492

5. Northeastern University

Boston, MA • Private

Admissions rate

19%

SAT average

1,466

6. George Washington University, The

Washington, DC • Private

Admissions rate

42%

SAT average

1,380

7. Boston University

Boston, MA • Private

Admissions rate

22%

SAT average

1,420

8. Georgetown University

Washington, DC • Private

Admissions rate

15%

SAT average

1,456

9. New York University

New York, NY • Private

Admissions rate

20%

SAT average

1,419

10. SUNY at Binghamton

Vestal, NY • Private

Admissions rate

40%

SAT average

1,376

Top 10 easy-to-apply-to universities for business continuity planners

The easiest schools for business continuity planners to get into are Barry University, oklahoma wesleyan university, and notre dame college.

Some schools are much easier to get into. If you want to start your career as a business continuity planner 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 business continuity planners.

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. Notre Dame College

Cleveland, OH • Private

Admissions rate

90%

SAT average

994

4. Notre Dame de Namur University

Belmont, CA • Private

Admissions rate

82%

SAT average

983

5. Holy Names University

Oakland, CA • Private

Admissions rate

70%

SAT average

849

6. LIM College

New York, NY • Private

Admissions rate

83%

SAT average

1,061

7. Oregon Institute of Technology

Klamath Falls, OR • Private

Admissions rate

96%

SAT average

1,139

8. Presentation College

Aberdeen, SD • Private

Admissions rate

97%

SAT average

1,050

9. D'Youville College

Buffalo, NY • Private

Admissions rate

100%

SAT average

1,072

10. Nyack College

New York, NY • Private

Admissions rate

98%

SAT average

999

Average business continuity planner salary by education level

Business continuity planners with a Doctorate degree earn more than those without, at $98,718 annually. With a Master's degree, business continuity planners earn a median annual income of $96,009 compared to $84,867 for business continuity planners with an Bachelor's degree.

Business continuity planner education level	Business continuity planner salary
Master's Degree	$96,009
Bachelor's Degree	$84,867
Doctorate Degree	$98,718
Some College/ Associate Degree	$70,847

Business continuity planner education FAQs

What is the best college for Business Continuity Planners?

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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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