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Chief of planning education requirements

Updated January 8, 2025
4 min read

There are several educational requirements to become a chief of planning. Chiefs of planning usually study business, political science, or management. 60% of chiefs of planning hold a bachelor's degree, and 28% hold an master's degree. We analyzed 1,101 real chief of planning resumes to see exactly what chief of planning education sections show.

The most common colleges for chiefs of planning are the Webster University and the Webster University.

There are also many online chief of planning courses to help get the education required to be a chief of planning.

There are certain chief of planning certifications that you should consider. These chief of planning certifications include Project Management Professional (PMP) and Certified Planning Engineer (CPE).

What education do you need to become a chief of planning?

What degree do you need to be a chief of planning?

The most common degree for chiefs of planning is bachelor's degree, with 60% of chiefs of planning earning that degree. The second and third most common degree levels are master's degree degree at 28% and master's degree degree at 9%.
  • Bachelor's, 60%
  • Master's, 28%
  • Associate, 9%
  • Doctorate, 1%
  • Other Degrees, 2%

What should I major in to become a chief of planning?

You should major in business to become a chief of planning. 21% of chiefs of planning major in business. Other common majors for a chief of planning include political science and management.

Most common colleges for chiefs of planning

Chiefs of planning often get their degrees at Webster University, United States Air Force Academy, and Troy University. Here are the most common colleges for chiefs of planning in the US based on their resumes.
Chief of planning common collegePercentages
Webster University11.36%
United States Air Force Academy10.80%
Troy University6.82%
Texas A&M University5.68%
United States Military Academy5.68%

Best majors for chiefs of planning

RankMajorPercentages
1Business20.8%
2Political Science8.8%
3Management7.8%
4Criminal Justice6.1%
5History5.5%

Best colleges for chiefs of planning

The best colleges for chiefs of planning are Northwestern University, University of Pennsylvania, and University of Southern California.

A chief of planning with advanced education typically earns a higher salary and has access to better jobs. That's why Zippia looked into the best colleges for chiefs of planning. 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 chiefs of planning.

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. University of Texas at Austin

Austin, TX • Private

In-state tuition

$10,610

Enrollment

40,329

5. SUNY at Binghamton

Vestal, NY • Private

In-state tuition

$9,808

Enrollment

13,990

6. Northeastern University

Boston, MA • Private

In-state tuition

$51,522

Enrollment

13,760

7. Bentley University

Waltham, MA • Private

In-state tuition

$49,880

Enrollment

4,177

8. George Washington University, The

Washington, DC • Private

In-state tuition

$55,230

Enrollment

12,161

9. Lehigh University

Bethlehem, PA • Private

In-state tuition

$52,930

Enrollment

5,030

10. Pennsylvania State University

University Park, PA • Private

In-state tuition

$18,454

Enrollment

40,108

20 best online courses for chiefs of planning

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Top 10 most affordable universities for chiefs of planning

The most affordable schools for chiefs of planning are Baruch College of the City University of New York, university of florida, and brigham young university.

If the best universities for chiefs of planning 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 chiefs of planning.

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. Brigham Young University

Provo, UT • Private

In-state tuition

$5,620

Cost of attendance

18,136

4. USF Sarasota-Manatee

Sarasota, FL • Private

In-state tuition

$5,587

Cost of attendance

13,043

5. California State University - Fullerton

Fullerton, CA • Private

In-state tuition

$6,886

Cost of attendance

17,645

6. University of South Florida

Tampa, FL • Private

In-state tuition

$6,410

Cost of attendance

20,456

7. Florida State University

Tallahassee, FL • Private

In-state tuition

$5,656

Cost of attendance

21,623

8. USF St. Petersburg

St. Petersburg, FL • Private

In-state tuition

$5,821

Cost of attendance

19,849

9. SUNY Farmingdale

Farmingdale, NY • Private

In-state tuition

$8,306

Cost of attendance

16,091

10. University of Houston - Victoria

Victoria, TX • Private

In-state tuition

$6,491

Cost of attendance

19,075

Top 10 hardest universities to get into for chiefs of planning

The hardest universities for chiefs of planning to get into are Northwestern University, University of Pennsylvania, and University of Southern California.

Some great schools for chiefs of planning 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 chiefs of planning 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. Carnegie Mellon University

Pittsburgh, PA • Private

Admissions rate

17%

SAT average

1,507

5. Northeastern University

Boston, MA • Private

Admissions rate

19%

SAT average

1,466

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. Washington University in St Louis

Saint Louis, MO • Private

Admissions rate

15%

SAT average

1,506

9. Lehigh University

Bethlehem, PA • Private

Admissions rate

22%

SAT average

1,380

10. University of Miami

Coral Gables, FL • Private

Admissions rate

32%

SAT average

1,365

Top 10 easy-to-apply-to universities for chiefs of planning

The easiest schools for chiefs of planning 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 chief of planning 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 chiefs of planning.

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. Notre Dame College

Cleveland, OH • Private

Admissions rate

90%

SAT average

994

8. Waynesburg University

Waynesburg, PA • Private

Admissions rate

91%

SAT average

1,080

9. University of Baltimore

Baltimore, MD • Private

Admissions rate

78%

SAT average

1,020

10. La Roche College

Pittsburgh, PA • Private

Admissions rate

99%

SAT average

1,008

Average chief of planning salary by education level

Chiefs of planning with a Master's degree earn more than those without, at $140,834 annually. With a Doctorate degree, chiefs of planning earn a median annual income of $140,811 compared to $128,061 for chiefs of planning with an Bachelor's degree.
Chief of planning education levelChief of planning salary
Master's Degree$140,834
Bachelor's Degree$128,061
Doctorate Degree$140,811
Some College/ Associate Degree$96,651

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Updated January 8, 2025

Zippia Research Team
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.

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