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Case manager/program manager education requirements
Updated January 8, 2025
4 min read
There are several educational requirements to become a case manager/program manager. Case manager/program managers usually study psychology, social work, or criminal justice. 64% of case manager/program managers hold a bachelor's degree, and 18% hold an master's degree. We analyzed 2,517 real case manager/program manager resumes to see exactly what case manager/program manager education sections show.
The most common colleges for case manager/program managers are the University of Phoenix and the University of Phoenix.
There are also many online case manager/program manager courses to help get the education required to be a case manager/program manager.
There are certain case manager/program manager certifications that you should consider. These case manager/program manager certifications include Certified Case Manager (ACM) and Medical Assistant.
What education do you need to become a case manager/program manager?
What degree do you need to be a case manager/program manager?
- Bachelor's, 64%
- Master's, 18%
- Associate, 13%
- High School Diploma, 2%
- Other Degrees, 3%
What should I major in to become a case manager/program manager?
- Psychology, 22%
- Social Work, 17%
- Criminal Justice, 9%
- Business, 7%
- Other Majors, 45%
Most common colleges for case manager/program managers
| Case manager/program manager common college | Percentages |
|---|---|
| University of Phoenix | 14.16% |
| Florida International University | 7.31% |
| University of South Florida | 5.94% |
| Southern Illinois University Carbondale | 5.48% |
| Temple University | 5.48% |
Best majors for case manager/program managers
| Rank | Major | Percentages |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Psychology | 22.4% |
| 2 | Social Work | 17.5% |
| 3 | Criminal Justice | 8.6% |
| 4 | Business | 7.5% |
| 5 | Nursing | 7.0% |
Best colleges for case manager/program managers
The best colleges for case manager/program managers are Boston University, Columbia University in the City of New York, and Boston College.
A case manager/program 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 case manager/program 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 case manager/program managers.
1. California State University - Long Beach
Long Beach, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$6,798
Enrollment
31,503
2. SUNY at Binghamton
Vestal, NY • Private
In-state tuition
$9,808
Enrollment
13,990
3. California State University - Fullerton
Fullerton, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$6,886
Enrollment
34,637
4. University of Washington
Seattle, WA • Private
In-state tuition
$11,207
Enrollment
30,905
5. California State University - Dominguez Hills
Carson, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$6,942
Enrollment
13,871
6. University of South Florida
Tampa, FL • Private
In-state tuition
$6,410
Enrollment
31,321
7. University of Texas at Austin
Austin, TX • Private
In-state tuition
$10,610
Enrollment
40,329
8. California State University - Bakersfield
Bakersfield, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$7,309
Enrollment
9,142
9. Howard University
Washington, DC • Private
In-state tuition
$26,756
Enrollment
6,166
10. San Jose State University
San Jose, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$7,796
Enrollment
27,125
20 best online courses for case manager/program managers
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Top 10 most affordable universities for case manager/program managers
The most affordable schools for case manager/program managers are Hunter College of the City University of New York, california state university - bakersfield, and california state university - long beach.
If the best universities for case manager/program 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 case manager/program managers.
1. Hunter College of the City University of New York
New York, NY • Private
In-state tuition
$7,182
Cost of attendance
13,998
2. California State University - Bakersfield
Bakersfield, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$7,309
Cost of attendance
16,714
3. California State University - Long Beach
Long Beach, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$6,798
Cost of attendance
18,306
4. California State University - Fullerton
Fullerton, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$6,886
Cost of attendance
17,645
5. University of South Florida
Tampa, FL • Private
In-state tuition
$6,410
Cost of attendance
20,456
6. Florida State University
Tallahassee, FL • Private
In-state tuition
$5,656
Cost of attendance
21,623
7. Brigham Young University
Provo, UT • Private
In-state tuition
$5,620
Cost of attendance
18,136
8. California State University - Dominguez Hills
Carson, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$6,942
Cost of attendance
14,469
9. California State University - Los Angeles
Los Angeles, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$6,749
Cost of attendance
14,823
10. University of Florida
Gainesville, FL • Private
In-state tuition
$6,381
Cost of attendance
21,034
Top 10 hardest universities to get into for case manager/program managers
The hardest universities for case manager/program managers to get into are Boston University, Columbia University in the City of New York, and Boston College.
Some great schools for case manager/program 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 case manager/program 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. Boston University
Boston, MA • Private
Admissions rate
22%
SAT average
1,420
2. Columbia University in the City of New York
New York, NY • Private
Admissions rate
6%
SAT average
1,512
3. Boston College
Chestnut Hill, MA • Private
Admissions rate
28%
SAT average
1,429
4. Northeastern University
Boston, MA • Private
Admissions rate
19%
SAT average
1,466
5. Northwestern University
Evanston, IL • Private
Admissions rate
8%
SAT average
1,508
6. SUNY at Binghamton
Vestal, NY • Private
Admissions rate
40%
SAT average
1,376
7. New York University
New York, NY • Private
Admissions rate
20%
SAT average
1,419
8. University of Southern California
Los Angeles, CA • Private
Admissions rate
13%
SAT average
1,445
9. University of Texas at Austin
Austin, TX • Private
Admissions rate
39%
SAT average
1,367
10. Vanderbilt University
Nashville, TN • Private
Admissions rate
10%
SAT average
1,514
Top 10 easy-to-apply-to universities for case manager/program managers
The easiest schools for case manager/program managers to get into are Mount Saint Mary's University, wayland baptist university, and ottawa university.
Some schools are much easier to get into. If you want to start your career as a case manager/program 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 case manager/program managers.
1. Mount Saint Mary's University
Los Angeles, CA • Private
Admissions rate
84%
SAT average
1,031
2. Wayland Baptist University
Plainview, TX • Private
Admissions rate
98%
SAT average
1,003
3. Ottawa University
Ottawa, KS • Private
Admissions rate
78%
SAT average
1,024
4. Bluefield College
Bluefield, VA • Private
Admissions rate
95%
SAT average
980
5. University of North Texas at Dallas
Dallas, TX • Private
Admissions rate
83%
SAT average
992
6. Kean University
Union, NJ • Private
Admissions rate
86%
SAT average
991
7. The University of Texas Permian Basin
Odessa, TX • Private
Admissions rate
91%
SAT average
1,046
8. Gwynedd Mercy University
Gwynedd Valley, PA • Private
Admissions rate
92%
SAT average
1,031
9. Felician University
Lodi, NJ • Private
Admissions rate
81%
SAT average
999
10. Texas Woman's University
Denton, TX • Private
Admissions rate
87%
SAT average
1,059
Average case manager/program manager salary by education level
| Case manager/program manager education level | Case manager/program manager salary |
|---|---|
| Master's Degree | $43,953 |
| High School Diploma or Less | $38,520 |
| Bachelor's Degree | $41,557 |
| Some College/ Associate Degree | $38,679 |
Case manager/program manager education FAQs
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Updated January 8, 2025
Updated January 8, 2025