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College president education requirements
Updated January 8, 2025
4 min read
There are several educational requirements to become a college president. College presidents usually study business, political science, or psychology. 64% of college presidents hold a bachelor's degree, and 15% hold an associate degree. We analyzed 699 real college president resumes to see exactly what college president education sections show.
The most common colleges for college presidents are the College of William and Mary and the College of William and Mary.
There are also many online college president courses to help get the education required to be a college president.
What education do you need to become a college president?
What degree do you need to be a college president?
- Bachelor's, 64%
- Associate, 15%
- Master's, 9%
- High School Diploma, 6%
- Other Degrees, 6%
What should I major in to become a college president?
- Business, 18%
- Political Science, 10%
- Psychology, 9%
- Liberal Arts, 8%
- Other Majors, 55%
Most common colleges for college presidents
| College president common college | Percentages |
|---|---|
| College of William and Mary | 11.86% |
| Ithaca College | 6.78% |
| University of Nevada - Las Vegas | 6.78% |
| Texas A&M University | 5.08% |
| Iona College | 5.08% |
Best majors for college presidents
| Rank | Major | Percentages |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Business | 18.1% |
| 2 | Political Science | 10.1% |
| 3 | Psychology | 9.1% |
| 4 | Liberal Arts | 7.7% |
| 5 | Education | 5.9% |
Best colleges for college presidents
The best colleges for college presidents are Northwestern University, Johns Hopkins University, and University of Pennsylvania.
A college president with advanced education typically earns a higher salary and has access to better jobs. That's why Zippia looked into the best colleges for college presidents. 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 college presidents.
1. Northwestern University
Evanston, IL • Private
In-state tuition
$54,568
Enrollment
8,451
2. University of Pennsylvania
Philadelphia, PA • Private
In-state tuition
$55,584
Enrollment
10,764
3. University of Michigan - Ann Arbor
Ann Arbor, MI • Private
In-state tuition
$15,262
Enrollment
30,079
4. Stanford University
Stanford, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$51,354
Enrollment
7,083
5. SUNY Stony Brook
Stony Brook, NY • Private
In-state tuition
$9,625
Enrollment
17,407
6. New York University
New York, NY • Private
In-state tuition
$51,828
Enrollment
26,339
7. Johns Hopkins University
Baltimore, MD • Private
In-state tuition
$53,740
Enrollment
5,567
8. Columbia University in the City of New York
New York, NY • Private
In-state tuition
$59,430
Enrollment
8,216
9. Duke University
Durham, NC • Private
In-state tuition
$55,695
Enrollment
6,596
10. Harvard University
Cambridge, MA • Private
In-state tuition
$50,420
Enrollment
7,582
20 best online courses for college presidents
Advertising disclosure
1. Canva for college students
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Public speaking may be the single most important skill for long-term success and you are unlikely to learn it in college...
4. College Mandarin Chinese on Your Own Beginning Level
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By the end of this project, you will be able to use Buncee to unleash your students’ creativity. Buncee is “a creation and communication tool… to create interactive content, allowing those of all ages to visualize concepts and communicate creatively.” With Buncee, learning becomes more personalized as students are able to share through engaging multimedia projects using Buncee’s templates, stickers, and animations. Throughout this project, we will work together to ensure that you are confident...
6. Creating a Student Profile in Google Docs
By the end of this project, you will have created a Student Profile in Google Docs that will allow you identify student needs and differentiate instruction. We will work together to learn how to use Google Docs as we create a Student Profile template and complete it for a particular student you have in mind. You will be provided with additional resources that will help improve your teaching practice through identification of students needs and ensuring that the appropriate accommodations are...
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8. Complete Mathematics Masterclass: College & University Level
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9. Increase Student Buy in with Google Slides
By the end of this project, you will have created a student punchcard that will engage your students during virtual learning or as a more engaging way to encourage buy in during classroom learning. Teaching is constantly evolving. As we learn more about our students, we uncover new ways to ensure that they are not just learning - they are thriving. Using a punchcard will not only provide your students with more choice and independence, it will also provide your classroom with the procedures and...
10. Encouraging Student Collaboration with Padlet
By the end of this project, you be able to use Padlet to create a collaborative classroom fostering interactive student engagements, creating virtual lessons, and more. With Padlet, teachers and students can collaborate in real time on lessons, projects, and anything else you can imagine. Together, we will learn how to use Padlet to connect with students during virtual learning, for in class collaboration, and discover ways to improve our ability to differentiate instruction using Padlet. The...
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12. Better Virtual Meetings: How to Lead Effective Meetings
Learn the basics of facilitation and minute taking at meetings to save time, improve communication, and get things done...
13. Preparing for Graduate Study in the U.S.: A course for international students
Preparing for graduate school in the United States can be nerve-wracking. Many international students have questions about what the programs are like and what resources they can use to excel in their studies. This course allows potential and incoming international students to practice their communication skills, identify tools that support academic success, and gain confidence as they prepare for their advanced degrees. Alongside advancing your English skills, get the chance to hear from...
14. College Algebra with the Math Sorcerer
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15. Minute Taking at Meetings
Minute Taking: making the taking of notes/minutes at formal and informal meetings easier...
16. Basic Governance for Board Members
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17. Leading Effective Meetings: Beginner's Guide
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18. The Complete AP and College Physics Course
Master the College/AP physics from classical to modern physics, then test your knowledge with 300+ practice exercises!...
19. Business English for Meetings
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20. Managing Difficult Meeting Participants
Dealing with Negativism and Other Difficult Behaviors of Meeting Participants...
Top 10 most affordable universities for college presidents
The most affordable schools for college presidents are Baruch College of the City University of New York, hunter college of the city university of new york, and california state university - long beach.
If the best universities for college presidents 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 college presidents.
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. Hunter College of the City University of New York
New York, NY • Private
In-state tuition
$7,182
Cost of attendance
13,998
3. California State University - Long Beach
Long Beach, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$6,798
Cost of attendance
18,306
4. University of Florida
Gainesville, FL • Private
In-state tuition
$6,381
Cost of attendance
21,034
5. California State University - Bakersfield
Bakersfield, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$7,309
Cost of attendance
16,714
6. California State University - Dominguez Hills
Carson, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$6,942
Cost of attendance
14,469
7. University of South Florida
Tampa, FL • Private
In-state tuition
$6,410
Cost of attendance
20,456
8. California State University - Los Angeles
Los Angeles, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$6,749
Cost of attendance
14,823
9. Lehman College of the City University of New York
Bronx, NY • Private
In-state tuition
$7,210
Cost of attendance
14,359
10. Florida International University
Miami, FL • Private
In-state tuition
$6,556
Cost of attendance
19,434
Top 10 hardest universities to get into for college presidents
The hardest universities for college presidents to get into are Northwestern University, Johns Hopkins University, and University of Pennsylvania.
Some great schools for college presidents 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 college presidents 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. Johns Hopkins University
Baltimore, MD • Private
Admissions rate
11%
SAT average
1,513
3. University of Pennsylvania
Philadelphia, PA • Private
Admissions rate
8%
SAT average
1,492
4. Carnegie Mellon University
Pittsburgh, PA • Private
Admissions rate
17%
SAT average
1,507
5. Columbia University in the City of New York
New York, NY • Private
Admissions rate
6%
SAT average
1,512
6. Stanford University
Stanford, CA • Private
Admissions rate
4%
SAT average
1,497
7. Vanderbilt University
Nashville, TN • Private
Admissions rate
10%
SAT average
1,514
8. New York University
New York, NY • Private
Admissions rate
20%
SAT average
1,419
9. University of Southern California
Los Angeles, CA • Private
Admissions rate
13%
SAT average
1,445
10. Harvard University
Cambridge, MA • Private
Admissions rate
5%
SAT average
1,520
Top 10 easy-to-apply-to universities for college presidents
The easiest schools for college presidents to get into are Mount Saint Mary's University, barry university, and d'youville college.
Some schools are much easier to get into. If you want to start your career as a college president 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 college presidents.
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. D'Youville College
Buffalo, NY • Private
Admissions rate
100%
SAT average
1,072
4. Notre Dame de Namur University
Belmont, CA • Private
Admissions rate
82%
SAT average
983
5. Kean University
Union, NJ • Private
Admissions rate
86%
SAT average
991
6. Wayland Baptist University
Plainview, TX • Private
Admissions rate
98%
SAT average
1,003
7. Gwynedd Mercy University
Gwynedd Valley, PA • Private
Admissions rate
92%
SAT average
1,031
8. Holy Names University
Oakland, CA • Private
Admissions rate
70%
SAT average
849
9. University of the Incarnate Word
San Antonio, TX • Private
Admissions rate
88%
SAT average
1,044
10. Holy Family University
Philadelphia, PA • Private
Admissions rate
72%
SAT average
1,017
Average college president salary by education level
| College president education level | College president salary |
|---|---|
| Master's Degree | $236,611 |
| Bachelor's Degree | $183,445 |
| Doctorate Degree | $283,148 |
College president education FAQs
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Updated January 8, 2025
Updated January 8, 2025