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Content strategist education requirements

Updated January 8, 2025
4 min read

There are several educational requirements to become a content strategist. Content strategists usually study english, journalism, or communication. 79% of content strategists hold a bachelor's degree, and 15% hold an master's degree. We analyzed 1,659 real content strategist resumes to see exactly what content strategist education sections show.

The most common colleges for content strategists are the New York University and the New York University.

There are also many online content strategist courses to help get the education required to be a content strategist.

There are certain content strategist certifications that you should consider. These content strategist certifications include Google Data Analytics Professional Certificate and Adobe Digital Publishing.

What education do you need to become a content strategist?

What degree do you need to be a content strategist?

The most common degree for content strategists is bachelor's degree, with 79% of content strategists earning that degree. The second and third most common degree levels are master's degree degree at 15% and master's degree degree at 3%.
  • Bachelor's, 79%
  • Master's, 15%
  • Associate, 3%
  • Doctorate, 1%
  • Other Degrees, 2%

What should I major in to become a content strategist?

You should major in english to become a content strategist. 20% of content strategists major in english. Other common majors for a content strategist include journalism and communication.

Most common colleges for content strategists

Content strategists often get their degrees at New York University, Northwestern University, and Michigan State University. Here are the most common colleges for content strategists in the US based on their resumes.
Content strategist common collegePercentages
New York University12.93%
Northwestern University6.90%
Michigan State University6.47%
San Francisco State University5.60%
Brigham Young University5.17%

Best majors for content strategists

RankMajorPercentages
1English20.3%
2Journalism15.2%
3Communication13.2%
4Business6.9%
5Writing6.9%

Best colleges for content strategists

The best colleges for content strategists are Northwestern University, Columbia University in the City of New York, and Northeastern University.

A content strategist with advanced education typically earns a higher salary and has access to better jobs. That's why Zippia looked into the best colleges for content strategists. 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 content strategists.

1. Northwestern University

Evanston, IL • Private

In-state tuition

$54,568

Enrollment

8,451

2. Columbia University in the City of New York

New York, NY • Private

In-state tuition

$59,430

Enrollment

8,216

3. Massachusetts Institute of Technology

Cambridge, MA • Private

In-state tuition

$51,832

Enrollment

4,550

4. University of Southern California

Los Angeles, CA • Private

In-state tuition

$56,225

Enrollment

19,548

5. University of Texas at Austin

Austin, TX • Private

In-state tuition

$10,610

Enrollment

40,329

6. Harvard University

Cambridge, MA • Private

In-state tuition

$50,420

Enrollment

7,582

7. University of Florida

Gainesville, FL • Private

In-state tuition

$6,381

Enrollment

34,564

8. Northeastern University

Boston, MA • Private

In-state tuition

$51,522

Enrollment

13,760

9. California State University - Long Beach

Long Beach, CA • Private

In-state tuition

$6,798

Enrollment

31,503

10. University of Pennsylvania

Philadelphia, PA • Private

In-state tuition

$55,584

Enrollment

10,764

20 best online courses for content strategists

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1. Software Engineering Immersive (Full-time)

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Meet the global demand for technical problem-solvers by developing your coding skills to create full-stack web applications across multiple frameworks, incorporating functionality from third-party APIs, executing software engineering projects in an Agile development workflow, and more...

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Start building responsive websites with HTML, CSS, and JavaScript — a versatile skill set with powerful applications in a variety of design, marketing, and other tech-adjacent roles. This course is offered in person and live online, in a remote classroom setting...

3. Full Stack Web Developer

udacity

Design and develop modern web applications.Students will also learn how to deploy a Flask-based web application to the cloud using Docker and Kubernetes...

4. Agile Software Development

udacity

Learn best practices for using the Agile methodology to build better products faster and more efficiently...

5. Digital Content Planning and Management

coursera

The evolution of digital technology has vastly impacted the way we communicate, live and work. Whether you’re a content creator, a content manager or a brand account manager, digital content management plays a crucial role in an advertising campaign’s success. Learn what it takes to successfully inventory, create, analyze, and manage content for companies of any scale, as well as the process of implementing these systems across organizations. This practical course is designed for current...

6. Manage and schedule content in Facebook Creator Studio

coursera

In this project, learners will learn how to manage and schedule your content in Facebook Creator Studio. Facebook Creator Studio has all of the tools that you need together, for you to be able to publish your content, manage it, monetize it and measure your content. You can do all of that for all of your Facebook pages and Instagram accounts. Facebook Creator Studio is the perfect tool to manage your social media presence completely free and in a platform that lets you do it all. In this...

7. Content Marketing Masterclass: Create Content That Sells

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4.5
(4,803)

Master content marketing to grow your business: content creation, promotion, copywriting, SEO, email marketing, & more!...

8. Content Marketing. Content that Sells!

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4.4
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Unlock the Power of Content Marketing: Strategies, Tactics, and Tools for Success. Learn how to create content that sell...

9. JavaScript Development (Part Time)

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Gain fluency in JavaScript — the world's most popular programming language — and start leveraging its versatile capabilities to build rich, interactive websites and applications. This course is offered in person and live online, in a remote classroom setting...

10. React Development (Part Time)

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Expand your JavaScript programming skills, and boost your profile at work — and on the job market. Learn to build sophisticated, scalable web applications. This course is offered in person and live online, in a remote classroom setting...

11. Full Stack JavaScript Developer

udacity

Meet the growing demand for full stack developers and learn to build rich web experiences using a modern architecture and technology stack...

12. Cloud Developer using Microsoft Azure

udacity

The Developer for Microsoft Azure Nanodegree program teaches students how to deploy, build, migrate, and monitor applications on Azure, thereby preparing learners for success on Microsoft’s AZ-204 Azure Developer Associate Expert certification...

13. Content is King: Writing Killer Content for Web & Marketing

udemy
4.1
(1,391)

Master the Art of Writing Online Content for e Books, Websites, Blogs and Marketing. Develop Content Ideas for Marketing...

14. Content Marketing: Business Growth w/Content Marketing + AI

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4.6
(4,010)

Modern Content Marketing & Content Creation to Grow your Business Marketing Funnels Chat GPT Content Marketing...

15. Intro to Coding

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Discover if coding is a career fit for you In this free, two-hour livestream, explore the building blocks of the web — HTML and CSS — and learn how you can apply these programming languages to develop your own simple sites. All in real time, taught by an industry professional. Come learn the basics and gain the skills you need to write your first line of code!...

16. Intermediate Python

udacity

Gain practitioner-level skills with Python and learn the language powering transformation in Data Science, Machine Learning, and beyond...

17. C++

udacity

Learn C++, a high-performance programming language used in the world's most exciting engineering jobs -- from self-driving cars and robotics, to web browsers, media platforms, servers, and even video games...

18. Best of Content Marketing, SEO & Copywriting + 23 Templates

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4.4
(291)

Content Marketing, SEO & Copywriting Course filled With Animated Videos, Quizzes, Assignments & 23 Copywriting Templates...

19. Content Writing Secrets: Complete Guide to Content Marketing

udemy
4.5
(513)

Develop your content writing skills and learn content marketing today. Build your content strategy and get more traffic...

20. Java Web Developer

udacity

Learn back-end development with the Java programming language, one of the most popular programming languages in the world and one a majority of large enterprises rely on for their infrastructure...

Top 10 most affordable universities for content strategists

The most affordable schools for content strategists are Baruch College of the City University of New York, university of florida, and california state university - long beach.

If the best universities for content strategists 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 content strategists.

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. California State University - Long Beach

Long Beach, CA • Private

In-state tuition

$6,798

Cost of attendance

18,306

4. Brigham Young University

Provo, UT • Private

In-state tuition

$5,620

Cost of attendance

18,136

5. USF St. Petersburg

St. Petersburg, FL • Private

In-state tuition

$5,821

Cost of attendance

19,849

6. University of South Florida

Tampa, FL • Private

In-state tuition

$6,410

Cost of attendance

20,456

7. Brooklyn College of the City University of New York

Brooklyn, NY • Private

In-state tuition

$7,240

Cost of attendance

13,991

8. California State University - Dominguez Hills

Carson, CA • Private

In-state tuition

$6,942

Cost of attendance

14,469

9. California State University - Northridge

Northridge, CA • Private

In-state tuition

$6,893

Cost of attendance

18,870

10. California State University - Fresno

Fresno, CA • Private

In-state tuition

$6,587

Cost of attendance

16,915

Top 10 hardest universities to get into for content strategists

The hardest universities for content strategists to get into are Northwestern University, Columbia University in the City of New York, and Northeastern University.

Some great schools for content strategists 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 content strategists 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. Columbia University in the City of New York

New York, NY • Private

Admissions rate

6%

SAT average

1,512

3. Northeastern University

Boston, MA • Private

Admissions rate

19%

SAT average

1,466

4. Boston University

Boston, MA • Private

Admissions rate

22%

SAT average

1,420

5. University of Southern California

Los Angeles, CA • Private

Admissions rate

13%

SAT average

1,445

6. Vanderbilt University

Nashville, TN • Private

Admissions rate

10%

SAT average

1,514

7. Southern Methodist University

Dallas, TX • Private

Admissions rate

51%

SAT average

1,395

8. University of Tulsa

Tulsa, OK • Private

Admissions rate

41%

SAT average

1,321

9. Johns Hopkins University

Baltimore, MD • Private

Admissions rate

11%

SAT average

1,513

10. University of Miami

Coral Gables, FL • Private

Admissions rate

32%

SAT average

1,365

Top 10 easy-to-apply-to universities for content strategists

The easiest schools for content strategists to get into are University of the Incarnate Word, mount saint mary's university, and gwynedd mercy university.

Some schools are much easier to get into. If you want to start your career as a content strategist 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 content strategists.

1. University of the Incarnate Word

San Antonio, TX • Private

Admissions rate

88%

SAT average

1,044

2. Mount Saint Mary's University

Los Angeles, CA • Private

Admissions rate

84%

SAT average

1,031

3. Gwynedd Mercy University

Gwynedd Valley, PA • Private

Admissions rate

92%

SAT average

1,031

4. Felician University

Lodi, NJ • Private

Admissions rate

81%

SAT average

999

5. Barry University

Miami, FL • Private

Admissions rate

91%

SAT average

1,006

6. Oklahoma Wesleyan University

Bartlesville, OK • Private

Admissions rate

68%

SAT average

964

7. Grand View University

Des Moines, IA • Private

Admissions rate

92%

SAT average

1,060

8. Centenary University

Hackettstown, NJ • Private

Admissions rate

67%

SAT average

987

9. Notre Dame de Namur University

Belmont, CA • Private

Admissions rate

82%

SAT average

983

10. Ottawa University

Ottawa, KS • Private

Admissions rate

78%

SAT average

1,024

Average content strategist salary by education level

According to our data, content strategists with a Master's degree earn the highest average salary, at $101,596 annually. Content strategists with a Bachelor's degree earn an average annual salary of $95,601.
Content strategist education levelContent strategist salary
Master's Degree$101,596
Bachelor's Degree$95,601
Some College/ Associate Degree$90,730

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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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