Explore jobs
Find specific jobs
Explore careers
Explore professions
Best companies
Explore companies
Business manager education requirements
Updated January 8, 2025
4 min read
There are several educational requirements to become a business manager. Business managers usually study business, accounting, or marketing. 65% of business managers hold a bachelor's degree, and 14% hold an associate degree. We analyzed 45,871 real business manager resumes to see exactly what business manager education sections show.
The most common colleges for business managers are the University of Phoenix and the University of Phoenix.
There are also many online business manager courses to help get the education required to be a business manager.
There are certain business manager certifications that you should consider. These business manager certifications include Certified Management Accountant (CMA) and Certified Professional - Human Resource (IPMA-CP).
What education do you need to become a business manager?
What degree do you need to be a business manager?
- Bachelor's, 65%
- Associate, 14%
- Master's, 12%
- High School Diploma, 4%
- Other Degrees, 5%
What should I major in to become a business manager?
- Business, 39%
- Accounting, 14%
- Marketing, 5%
- Finance, 5%
- Other Majors, 37%
Most common colleges for business managers
| Business manager common college | Percentages |
|---|---|
| University of Phoenix | 21.87% |
| Pennsylvania State University | 6.80% |
| University of Maryland - College Park | 5.03% |
| New York University | 4.96% |
| Michigan State University | 4.37% |
Best majors for business managers
| Rank | Major | Percentages |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Business | 39.4% |
| 2 | Accounting | 13.9% |
| 3 | Marketing | 5.4% |
| 4 | Finance | 5.4% |
| 5 | Management | 4.4% |
Best colleges for business managers
The best colleges for business managers are Northwestern University, University of Pennsylvania, and University of Southern California.
A business manager 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 managers. 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 managers.
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. New York University
New York, NY • Private
In-state tuition
$51,828
Enrollment
26,339
5. University of Texas at Austin
Austin, TX • Private
In-state tuition
$10,610
Enrollment
40,329
6. Pennsylvania State University
University Park, PA • Private
In-state tuition
$18,454
Enrollment
40,108
7. Northeastern University
Boston, MA • Private
In-state tuition
$51,522
Enrollment
13,760
8. SUNY at Binghamton
Vestal, NY • Private
In-state tuition
$9,808
Enrollment
13,990
9. Lehigh University
Bethlehem, PA • Private
In-state tuition
$52,930
Enrollment
5,030
10. Bentley University
Waltham, MA • Private
In-state tuition
$49,880
Enrollment
4,177
20 best online courses for business managers
Advertising disclosure
1. Financial Accounting - Subsidiary Ledgers & Special Journals
Mastering Special Journals and Subsidiary Ledgers: A Comprehensive Guide to Streamlined Accounting Practices...
2. Financial Accounting & Excel-Comprehensive Accounting Course
Comprehensive accounting course to learn the accounting cycle in a practical way and pick up critical Excel fundamentals...
3. Cost Accounting and Financial Management - A Complete Study
Learn theory and practical concepts in Cost Accounting and Financial Management with loads of video lectures...
4. Principles of Financial Accounting
Learn the complete accounting cycle -recording business transactions to presenting the Balance Sheet & Income Statement...
5. Financial Accounting: A Comprehensive Guide with E-book
Unlock Financial Accounting Mastery: Comprehensive Course for Students, Professionals, and Business Owners...
6. Financial Accounting-Debits & Credits-Accounting Transaction
Masterclass: Learn Accounting Principles, Financial Statements, Transactions & More in this Comprehensive Course...
7. Excel Accounting Problem
Learn How to Create an Accounting Worksheet Using Microsoft Excel from a Certified Public Accountant (CPA)...
8. Accounts Payable in SAP
Learn Accounts Payable sub-module of SAP FICO in this step-by-step training course. Become a successful SAP Consultant...
9. Cost Accounting: Introduction to Management Accounting
Learn Cost Accounting for Management. Includes Process Costing, ABC Systems, Variance Analysis, Cash Budgets and more...
10. Bank Reconciliations & Cash Internal Controls
Mastering Internal Controls and Cash Management: Safeguarding Business Assets and Ensuring Financial Accuracy...
11. Partnership Accounting - Financial Accounting
Unlocking the Power of Partnership Accounting: Strategies for Effective Management and Financial Decision Making...
12. Basics of Accounting
Accounting Concepts & Principles...
13. Accounting & Financial Statement Analysis: Complete Training
Accounting & Financial Ratio Analysis made easy. Learn important accounting skills that will get your foot in the door!...
14. Accounting for Corporations - Financial Accounting
Demystifying Corporate Accounting: An In-depth Exploration of Financial Transactions in Corporations...
15. Financial Accounting-Adjusting Entries & Financial Statement
Master Adjusting Entries & Financial Statements: A Comprehensive Guide for Accurate Accounting and Reporting...
16. Payroll Accounting: Laws, Calculations, and Journal Entries
Master the complex world of payroll with practical examples, legislation insights, and comprehensive problems...
17. Accounting, Bookkeeping & Financial Analysis (Accounting)
Accounting & Bookkeeping Basics. Accounting & Financial Analysis Concepts. Learn Accounting & Bookkeeping...
18. Financial Accounting - Closing Process
Conquering the Closing Process: A Thorough Exploration of the Final Step in Accounting...
19. KAM - Key Account Management - made simple
How to master KAM - Key Account Management process...
20. Financial Accounting-Depreciation Calculation & Fixed Assets
Optimizing Asset Management: Comprehensive Guide to Property, Plant, and Equipment Accounting...
Top 10 most affordable universities for business managers
The most affordable schools for business managers are Baruch College of the City University of New York, university of florida, and florida state university.
If the best universities for business managers 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 managers.
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. University of Florida
Gainesville, FL • Private
In-state tuition
$6,381
Cost of attendance
21,034
3. Florida State University
Tallahassee, FL • Private
In-state tuition
$5,656
Cost of attendance
21,623
4. Brigham Young University
Provo, UT • Private
In-state tuition
$5,620
Cost of attendance
18,136
5. USF Sarasota-Manatee
Sarasota, FL • Private
In-state tuition
$5,587
Cost of attendance
13,043
6. University of South Florida
Tampa, FL • Private
In-state tuition
$6,410
Cost of attendance
20,456
7. California State University - Fullerton
Fullerton, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$6,886
Cost of attendance
17,645
8. Florida International University
Miami, FL • Private
In-state tuition
$6,556
Cost of attendance
19,434
9. USF St. Petersburg
St. Petersburg, FL • Private
In-state tuition
$5,821
Cost of attendance
19,849
10. SUNY Farmingdale
Farmingdale, NY • Private
In-state tuition
$8,306
Cost of attendance
16,091
Top 10 hardest universities to get into for business managers
The hardest universities for business managers to get into are Northwestern University, University of Pennsylvania, and University of Southern California.
Some great schools for business managers 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 managers 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. University of Southern California
Los Angeles, CA • Private
Admissions rate
13%
SAT average
1,445
4. Northeastern University
Boston, MA • Private
Admissions rate
19%
SAT average
1,466
5. Carnegie Mellon University
Pittsburgh, PA • Private
Admissions rate
17%
SAT average
1,507
6. New York University
New York, NY • Private
Admissions rate
20%
SAT average
1,419
7. Boston University
Boston, MA • Private
Admissions rate
22%
SAT average
1,420
8. University of Miami
Coral Gables, FL • Private
Admissions rate
32%
SAT average
1,365
9. Lehigh University
Bethlehem, PA • Private
Admissions rate
22%
SAT average
1,380
10. Washington University in St Louis
Saint Louis, MO • Private
Admissions rate
15%
SAT average
1,506
Top 10 easy-to-apply-to universities for business managers
The easiest schools for business managers to get into are Mount Saint Mary's University, barry university, and oklahoma wesleyan university.
Some schools are much easier to get into. If you want to start your career as a business manager 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 managers.
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. Oklahoma Wesleyan University
Bartlesville, OK • Private
Admissions rate
68%
SAT average
964
4. University of North Texas at Dallas
Dallas, TX • Private
Admissions rate
83%
SAT average
992
5. Holy Names University
Oakland, CA • Private
Admissions rate
70%
SAT average
849
6. Notre Dame de Namur University
Belmont, CA • Private
Admissions rate
82%
SAT average
983
7. University of the Incarnate Word
San Antonio, TX • Private
Admissions rate
88%
SAT average
1,044
8. Notre Dame College
Cleveland, OH • Private
Admissions rate
90%
SAT average
994
9. Kean University
Union, NJ • Private
Admissions rate
86%
SAT average
991
10. Midwestern State University
Wichita Falls, TX • Private
Admissions rate
71%
SAT average
1,033
Average business manager salary by education level
| Business manager education level | Business manager salary |
|---|---|
| Master's Degree | $116,734 |
| High School Diploma or Less | $73,434 |
| Bachelor's Degree | $95,957 |
| Doctorate Degree | $111,112 |
| Some College/ Associate Degree | $76,423 |
Business manager education FAQs
Have more questions? See all answers to common executive management questions.
Search for business manager jobs
Updated January 8, 2025
Updated January 8, 2025