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Business intelligence director education requirements
Updated January 8, 2025
4 min read
There are several educational requirements to become a business intelligence director. Business intelligence directors usually study business, computer science, or marketing. 72% of business intelligence directors hold a bachelor's degree, and 21% hold an master's degree. We analyzed 73 real business intelligence director resumes to see exactly what business intelligence director education sections show.
The most common colleges for business intelligence directors are the University of Florida and the University of Florida.
There are also many online business intelligence director courses to help get the education required to be a business intelligence director.
What education do you need to become a business intelligence director?
What degree do you need to be a business intelligence director?
- Bachelor's, 72%
- Master's, 21%
- Associate, 7%
What should I major in to become a business intelligence director?
- Business, 24%
- Computer Science, 14%
- Marketing, 6%
- Other Majors, 50%
Most common colleges for business intelligence directors
| Business intelligence director common college | Percentages |
|---|---|
| University of Florida | 9.52% |
| University of Mobile | 4.76% |
| Eastern Michigan University | 4.76% |
| University of Connecticut | 4.76% |
| Norwich University | 4.76% |
Best majors for business intelligence directors
| Rank | Major | Percentages |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Business | 24.0% |
| 2 | Computer Science | 14.0% |
| 3 | Marketing | 6.0% |
| 4 | Computer Information Systems | 6.0% |
| 5 | Electrical Engineering | 6.0% |
Best colleges for business intelligence directors
The best colleges for business intelligence directors are Northwestern University, University of Pennsylvania, and Stanford University.
A business intelligence 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 business intelligence 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 business intelligence directors.
1. University of Pennsylvania
Philadelphia, PA • Private
In-state tuition
$55,584
Enrollment
10,764
2. Northwestern University
Evanston, IL • Private
In-state tuition
$54,568
Enrollment
8,451
3. University of Southern California
Los Angeles, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$56,225
Enrollment
19,548
4. SUNY at Binghamton
Vestal, NY • Private
In-state tuition
$9,808
Enrollment
13,990
5. Villanova University
Villanova, PA • Private
In-state tuition
$53,308
Enrollment
6,819
6. San Diego State University
San Diego, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$7,488
Enrollment
30,018
7. Bentley University
Waltham, MA • Private
In-state tuition
$49,880
Enrollment
4,177
8. Boston University
Boston, MA • Private
In-state tuition
$53,948
Enrollment
17,238
9. SUNY Stony Brook
Stony Brook, NY • Private
In-state tuition
$9,625
Enrollment
17,407
10. New York University
New York, NY • Private
In-state tuition
$51,828
Enrollment
26,339
20 best online courses for business intelligence directors
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1. Business Intelligence Analytics
Build confidence combining different data types and sources to create sophisticated data models for enterprises across all industries...
2. Data Visualization
Discover how data visualization can communicate insights far more effectively than text or tables. In this course, you’ll learn how to build data visualizations programmatically using Python, and how you can use visualization to both discover and convey trends in your data...
3. Data Warehousing with Oracle: Design a Database
This Guided Project Data Warehousing with Oracle: Design a Database for Business Intelligence is for learners who have database administration and data warehousing experience but want to learn more about designing databases and models for business intelligence. In this 1.5-hour long project-based course, you will learn how to evaluate the guiding principles of data warehousing, summarize data from multiple sources, and apply data warehouse business intelligence tools. To achieve this, we will...
4. Business intelligence and data warehousing
Welcome to the specialization course Business Intelligence and Data Warehousing. This course will be completed on six weeks, it will be supported with videos and various documents that will allow you to learn in a very simple way how to identify, design and develop analytical information systems, such as Business Intelligence with a descriptive analysis on data warehouses. You will be able to understand the problem of integration and predictive analysis of high volume of unstructured data (big...
5. SQL - MySQL for Data Analytics and Business Intelligence
SQL that will get you hired – SQL for Business Analysis, Marketing, and Data Management...
6. Data Warehouse ETL Testing & Data Quality Management A-Z
ETL Testing and Data Quality Management for beginners with practical exercises and certificate of completion...
7. Introduction to Data Analytics for Business
Learn to apply data & statistics specifically for business! In this course, you’ll go from data novice to spreadsheet wizard, calculating and forecasting key financial metrics, even making detailed projections off real-life financial data from the New York Stock Exchange...
8. Advanced Tableau for Business Intelligence & Data Analysis
Build expert-level Tableau skills with real-world business intelligence & data visualization projects (Tableau 2020.2+)...
9. Business Data Analytics & Intelligence with Python 2023
Become a Business Data Analyst. Learn Python, Statistics, and Data Analytics using the latest industry tools...
10. Python Foundations for Data Analysis & Business Intelligence
Master the building blocks of base Python for data analysis & BI, with hands-on demos & unique, real-world projects!...
11. Data Engineering - ETL, Web Scraping ,Big Data,SQL,Power BI
Hands on Data Interaction using - ETL, Web Scraping ,Big Data,SQL,Power BI...
12. Fundamentals of Data Analysis for Big Data
This course prepares participants to begin running data analysis on databases...
13. Data Warehousing & Visualization in Microsoft BI & Power BI
Learn ETL, Data Analysis and Visualization using Microsoft Excel, Microsoft Business Intelligence tools and Power BI...
14. Data Warehouse - The Ultimate Guide
Master Data Warehousing, Dimensional Modeling & ETL process...
15. SAP BI /SAP Business Objects Web Intelligence
SAP BO 4.1 Web Intelligence course gives you the comprehensive reporting knowledge and real-project perspective !...
16. Data Warehouse Development Process
Specific aspects of Data Warehouse Development Process...
17. SQL for Data Analysis: Beginner MySQL Business Intelligence
Learn SQL database querying w/ My SQL Workbench. Perfect for SQL beginners and first-time coders...
18. Data Quality Fundamentals
Understand key concepts, principles and terminology related to Data Quality...
19. Tableau Prep for Business Intelligence
Learn how to use Tableau Prep & Tableau Prep Builder to clean, shape and prepare data for analysis & visualization...
20. Machine Learning for Data Analysis: Data Profiling & QA
Machine Learning made simple with Excel! Learn data profiling for advanced analysis & business intelligence (no coding!)...
Top 10 most affordable universities for business intelligence directors
The most affordable schools for business intelligence directors are Baruch College of the City University of New York, suny farmingdale, and usf sarasota-manatee.
If the best universities for business intelligence 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 business intelligence directors.
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. USF Sarasota-Manatee
Sarasota, FL • Private
In-state tuition
$5,587
Cost of attendance
13,043
4. Brooklyn College of the City University of New York
Brooklyn, NY • Private
In-state tuition
$7,240
Cost of attendance
13,991
5. California State University - Dominguez Hills
Carson, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$6,942
Cost of attendance
14,469
6. Brigham Young University
Provo, UT • Private
In-state tuition
$5,620
Cost of attendance
18,136
7. California State University - Bakersfield
Bakersfield, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$7,309
Cost of attendance
16,714
8. University of Florida
Gainesville, FL • Private
In-state tuition
$6,381
Cost of attendance
21,034
9. Florida International University
Miami, FL • Private
In-state tuition
$6,556
Cost of attendance
19,434
10. University of Puerto Rico - Mayaguez
Mayaguez, PR • Private
In-state tuition
$4,094
Cost of attendance
14,302
Top 10 hardest universities to get into for business intelligence directors
The hardest universities for business intelligence directors to get into are Northwestern University, University of Pennsylvania, and Stanford University.
Some great schools for business intelligence 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 business intelligence 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. 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. Boston University
Boston, MA • Private
Admissions rate
22%
SAT average
1,420
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. Vanderbilt University
Nashville, TN • Private
Admissions rate
10%
SAT average
1,514
9. Bentley University
Waltham, MA • Private
Admissions rate
43%
SAT average
1,338
10. George Washington University, The
Washington, DC • Private
Admissions rate
42%
SAT average
1,380
Top 10 easy-to-apply-to universities for business intelligence directors
The easiest schools for business intelligence directors to get into are Oklahoma Wesleyan University, holy names university, and barry university.
Some schools are much easier to get into. If you want to start your career as a business intelligence 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 business intelligence directors.
1. Oklahoma Wesleyan University
Bartlesville, OK • Private
Admissions rate
68%
SAT average
964
2. Holy Names University
Oakland, CA • Private
Admissions rate
70%
SAT average
849
3. Barry University
Miami, FL • Private
Admissions rate
91%
SAT average
1,006
4. Notre Dame College
Cleveland, OH • Private
Admissions rate
90%
SAT average
994
5. University of North Texas at Dallas
Dallas, TX • Private
Admissions rate
83%
SAT average
992
6. La Roche College
Pittsburgh, PA • Private
Admissions rate
99%
SAT average
1,008
7. Holy Family University
Philadelphia, PA • Private
Admissions rate
72%
SAT average
1,017
8. Saint Joseph's College of Maine
Standish, ME • Private
Admissions rate
84%
SAT average
1,069
9. Ottawa University
Ottawa, KS • Private
Admissions rate
78%
SAT average
1,024
10. LIM College
New York, NY • Private
Admissions rate
83%
SAT average
1,061
Average business intelligence director salary by education level
| Business intelligence director education level | Business intelligence director salary |
|---|---|
| Master's Degree | $126,340 |
| Bachelor's Degree | $114,738 |
| Doctorate Degree | $126,957 |
| Some College/ Associate Degree | $98,043 |
Business intelligence director education FAQs
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Updated January 8, 2025
Updated January 8, 2025