Explore jobs
Find specific jobs
Explore careers
Explore professions
Best companies
Explore companies
Community development specialist education requirements
Updated January 8, 2025
4 min read
There are several educational requirements to become a community development specialist. Community development specialists usually study business, communication, or psychology. 70% of community development specialists hold a bachelor's degree, and 17% hold an master's degree. We analyzed 1,070 real community development specialist resumes to see exactly what community development specialist education sections show.
The most common colleges for community development specialists are the University of Iowa and the University of Iowa.
There are also many online community development specialist courses to help get the education required to be a community development specialist.
What education do you need to become a community development specialist?
What degree do you need to be a community development specialist?
- Bachelor's, 70%
- Master's, 17%
- Associate, 10%
- High School Diploma, 1%
- Other Degrees, 2%
What should I major in to become a community development specialist?
- Business, 20%
- Communication, 9%
- Psychology, 8%
- Other Majors, 55%
Most common colleges for community development specialists
| Community development specialist common college | Percentages |
|---|---|
| University of Iowa | 8.87% |
| University of Kansas | 7.26% |
| Missouri State University | 6.45% |
| Arizona State University | 5.65% |
| University of California, Santa Barbara | 5.65% |
Best majors for community development specialists
| Rank | Major | Percentages |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Business | 20.2% |
| 2 | Communication | 9.2% |
| 3 | Psychology | 8.1% |
| 4 | Political Science | 7.9% |
| 5 | Sociology | 5.5% |
Best colleges for community development specialists
The best colleges for community development specialists are Northwestern University, University of Pennsylvania, and Boston University.
A community development specialist with advanced education typically earns a higher salary and has access to better jobs. That's why Zippia looked into the best colleges for community development specialists. 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 community development specialists.
1. University of Pennsylvania
Philadelphia, PA • Private
In-state tuition
$55,584
Enrollment
10,764
2. San Diego State University
San Diego, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$7,488
Enrollment
30,018
3. Northwestern University
Evanston, IL • Private
In-state tuition
$54,568
Enrollment
8,451
4. Boston University
Boston, MA • Private
In-state tuition
$53,948
Enrollment
17,238
5. University of Minnesota - Twin Cities
Minneapolis, MN • Private
In-state tuition
$14,760
Enrollment
31,451
6. Harvard University
Cambridge, MA • Private
In-state tuition
$50,420
Enrollment
7,582
7. University of Southern California
Los Angeles, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$56,225
Enrollment
19,548
8. George Washington University, The
Washington, DC • Private
In-state tuition
$55,230
Enrollment
12,161
9. University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
Chapel Hill, NC • Private
In-state tuition
$8,987
Enrollment
18,946
10. Stanford University
Stanford, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$51,354
Enrollment
7,083
20 best online courses for community development specialists
Advertising disclosure
1. Communication Skills Masterclass - Your Communication Guide
Communication Skill For Business Communication & Effective Communication In Workplace & Relationships...
2. CSR Development & Communications: Make a Difference Today!
Introduction to Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) Program Development & Communication...
3. The Ultimate Business Communication Course
Everything You Need to Master Business Communication in One Course!...
4. Business Communication Skills: Handling Clients & Customers
Soft Skills Training Social Skills Business Etiquette Business English Customer Service Training...
5. Communication Fundamentals: How To Communicate Better
Become an Effective Communicator And Learn How to Get Your Message Across By Learning Communication Fundamentals...
6. Business Communication Skills: Business Writing & Grammar
Professional communication skills: Business writing, English grammar, business English, email, and presentations skills...
7. Business Communication Skills: EQ Intelligent Interactions
Elevate Your Business Communication Skills for Success. Learn to Master the Art of Emotionally Intelligent Interactions...
8. ChatGPT for Better Business Communication
How to use AI to Increase Productivity and Communicate More Effectively [Improve Business Writing Skills with GPT 4]...
9. The Complete Business Communication Masterclass
Improve your productivity and relationships in the workplace through the hidden secrets of communication!...
10. Business Mind - Mastering Business Development
Master in Practice the Product, Sales and Marketing Perspective of Business Development...
11. Winning With Communication - Master Communication Skills
Communication Training Course - Develop True Communication Mastery!...
12. Communication Skills - 7 Communication Courses In 1
Master Communication Skills: Learn Persuasion, Negotiation, Body Language, Emotional Intelligence & More!...
13. Communication Skills for Beginners
Basic tips and techniques to develop the communication skills effectively - enhance your success in career...
14. Executive Communication Training
Being a great leader without being a great communicator is nearly impossible...
15. Effective Communication in the Workplace
Business Communication Training...
16. Business Development For Startups and Tech Companies
Unlock massive growth using the business development channel. Learn pitching, BD strategy, cold emailing, & deal closing...
17. Communication Skills for Professionals
Learn the Top 5 essential communication skills that every professional should put into practice...
18. Communication Mastery for Managers: How to Talk Like a CEO
Learn the secrets used by the world's most powerful communicators to deliver even difficult messages with tact & finesse...
19. Assertive Communication Skills Masterclass
Assertive Communication Skills for Business & Social Life. Speak Confidently. Set Boundaries. Difficult conversations...
20. Communication Skills for Beginners
Start Building Your Communication Skills Now...
Top 10 most affordable universities for community development specialists
The most affordable schools for community development specialists are Baruch College of the City University of New York, california state university - long beach, and brigham young university.
If the best universities for community development specialists 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 community development specialists.
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. California State University - Long Beach
Long Beach, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$6,798
Cost of attendance
18,306
3. Brigham Young University
Provo, UT • Private
In-state tuition
$5,620
Cost of attendance
18,136
4. California State University - Dominguez Hills
Carson, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$6,942
Cost of attendance
14,469
5. University of Florida
Gainesville, FL • Private
In-state tuition
$6,381
Cost of attendance
21,034
6. University of Houston - Victoria
Victoria, TX • Private
In-state tuition
$6,491
Cost of attendance
19,075
7. Florida State University
Tallahassee, FL • Private
In-state tuition
$5,656
Cost of attendance
21,623
8. California State University - Bakersfield
Bakersfield, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$7,309
Cost of attendance
16,714
9. Queens College of the City University of New York
Queens, NY • Private
In-state tuition
$7,338
Cost of attendance
14,281
10. SUNY Farmingdale
Farmingdale, NY • Private
In-state tuition
$8,306
Cost of attendance
16,091
Top 10 hardest universities to get into for community development specialists
The hardest universities for community development specialists to get into are Northwestern University, University of Pennsylvania, and Boston University.
Some great schools for community development specialists 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 community development specialists 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. Boston University
Boston, MA • Private
Admissions rate
22%
SAT average
1,420
4. University of Southern California
Los Angeles, CA • Private
Admissions rate
13%
SAT average
1,445
5. Johns Hopkins University
Baltimore, MD • Private
Admissions rate
11%
SAT average
1,513
6. Harvard University
Cambridge, MA • Private
Admissions rate
5%
SAT average
1,520
7. New York University
New York, NY • Private
Admissions rate
20%
SAT average
1,419
8. Washington University in St Louis
Saint Louis, MO • Private
Admissions rate
15%
SAT average
1,506
9. George Washington University, The
Washington, DC • Private
Admissions rate
42%
SAT average
1,380
10. Northeastern University
Boston, MA • Private
Admissions rate
19%
SAT average
1,466
Top 10 easy-to-apply-to universities for community development specialists
The easiest schools for community development specialists to get into are Barry University, oklahoma wesleyan university, and ottawa university.
Some schools are much easier to get into. If you want to start your career as a community development specialist 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 community development specialists.
1. Barry University
Miami, FL • Private
Admissions rate
91%
SAT average
1,006
2. Oklahoma Wesleyan University
Bartlesville, OK • Private
Admissions rate
68%
SAT average
964
3. Ottawa University
Ottawa, KS • Private
Admissions rate
78%
SAT average
1,024
4. Holy Names University
Oakland, CA • Private
Admissions rate
70%
SAT average
849
5. Cardinal Stritch University
Milwaukee, WI • Private
Admissions rate
71%
SAT average
1,035
6. Notre Dame College
Cleveland, OH • Private
Admissions rate
90%
SAT average
994
7. Kean University
Union, NJ • Private
Admissions rate
86%
SAT average
991
8. Notre Dame de Namur University
Belmont, CA • Private
Admissions rate
82%
SAT average
983
9. William Paterson University of New Jersey
Wayne, NJ • Private
Admissions rate
93%
SAT average
994
10. Our Lady of the Lake University
San Antonio, TX • Private
Admissions rate
93%
SAT average
1,002
Average community development specialist salary by education level
| Community development specialist education level | Community development specialist salary |
|---|---|
| Master's Degree | $46,987 |
| High School Diploma or Less | $35,015 |
| Bachelor's Degree | $42,700 |
| Some College/ Associate Degree | $37,969 |
Community development specialist education FAQs
Have more questions? See all answers to common business and financial questions.
Search for community development specialist jobs
Updated January 8, 2025
Updated January 8, 2025