Post job

Correspondent education requirements

Updated January 8, 2025
4 min read

There are several educational requirements to become a correspondent. Correspondents usually study journalism, communication, or english. 74% of correspondents hold a bachelor's degree, and 11% hold an master's degree. We analyzed 4,591 real correspondent resumes to see exactly what correspondent education sections show.

The most common colleges for correspondents are the Boston University and the Boston University.

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

What education do you need to become a correspondent?

What degree do you need to be a correspondent?

The most common degree for correspondents is bachelor's degree, with 74% of correspondents earning that degree. The second and third most common degree levels are master's degree degree at 11% and master's degree degree at 8%.
  • Bachelor's, 74%
  • Master's, 11%
  • Associate, 8%
  • High School Diploma, 4%
  • Other Degrees, 3%

What should I major in to become a correspondent?

You should major in journalism to become a correspondent. 24% of correspondents major in journalism. Other common majors for a correspondent include communication and english.

Most common colleges for correspondents

Correspondents often get their degrees at Boston University, University of Connecticut, and Emerson College. Here are the most common colleges for correspondents in the US based on their resumes.
Correspondent common collegePercentages
Boston University7.87%
University of Connecticut6.29%
Emerson College6.07%
New York University5.39%
Michigan State University5.39%

Best majors for correspondents

RankMajorPercentages
1Journalism24.0%
2Communication15.6%
3English10.9%
4Business9.6%
5Political Science6.9%

Best colleges for correspondents

The best colleges for correspondents are Northwestern University, Stanford University, and University of Southern California.

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

1. Northwestern University

Evanston, IL • Private

In-state tuition

$54,568

Enrollment

8,451

2. University of Southern California

Los Angeles, CA • Private

In-state tuition

$56,225

Enrollment

19,548

3. San Diego State University

San Diego, CA • Private

In-state tuition

$7,488

Enrollment

30,018

4. Stanford University

Stanford, CA • Private

In-state tuition

$51,354

Enrollment

7,083

5. Boston University

Boston, MA • Private

In-state tuition

$53,948

Enrollment

17,238

6. New York University

New York, NY • Private

In-state tuition

$51,828

Enrollment

26,339

7. University of Minnesota - Twin Cities

Minneapolis, MN • Private

In-state tuition

$14,760

Enrollment

31,451

8. Harvard University

Cambridge, MA • Private

In-state tuition

$50,420

Enrollment

7,582

9. University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

Champaign, IL • Private

In-state tuition

$15,094

Enrollment

32,974

10. Howard University

Washington, DC • Private

In-state tuition

$26,756

Enrollment

6,166

20 best online courses for correspondents

Advertising disclosure

1. Audit - Financial Statement

udemy
4.4
(2,545)

Master the Art of Auditing Financial Statements: In-Depth Analysis, Techniques, and Real-World Case Studies...

2. Financial Accounting-Adjusting Entries & Financial Statement

udemy
4.6
(930)

Master Adjusting Entries & Financial Statements: A Comprehensive Guide for Accurate Accounting and Reporting...

3. Accounting basics, create financial statements easily

udemy
4.5
(280)

Discover, develop, practice your financial information and explore the world of accounting...

4. Financial Statement Auditing Cycles

udemy
4.3
(251)

In this course, we learn how public accountants plan and execute an audit...

5. How to Read Financial Statements: Build Financial Literacy.

udemy
4.5
(811)

Read financial statements and speak the language of business without the drudgery of a traditional accounting course...

6. Accounting & Financial Statement Analysis: Complete Training

udemy
4.6
(16,804)

Accounting & Financial Ratio Analysis made easy. Learn important accounting skills that will get your foot in the door!...

7. Financial Accounting & Excel-Comprehensive Accounting Course

udemy
4.3
(736)

Comprehensive accounting course to learn the accounting cycle in a practical way and pick up critical Excel fundamentals...

8. Financial Statement Analysis

udemy
4.7
(255)

Learn how to make understanding financial statements your superpower!...

9. Financial Accounting: The Complete Introductory Crash Course

udemy
4.5
(1,604)

Learn the Basics of Financial Accounting: Financial Statements, Debits and Credits, The Accounting Cycle and More!...

10. Successful Events: Event Planning, Marketing & Management

udemy
4.7
(2,141)

Create a single successful event or event-series with effective event promotion, planning, management, and monetization...

11. Accounting & Bookkeeping Masterclass - Beginner to Advanced

udemy
4.5
(4,371)

Accounting, Bookkeeping Introduction, Accounting, Bookkeeping Entries, Accounting, Bookkeeping Adjustments & Reports...

12. Financial Accounting - Subsidiary Ledgers & Special Journals

udemy
4.5
(580)

Mastering Special Journals and Subsidiary Ledgers: A Comprehensive Guide to Streamlined Accounting Practices...

13. How to Throw Events and Attract Corporate Sponsors

udemy
4.8
(334)

48 Industry Secrets that Make You More Money and Get More People to Your Events...

14. Financial Accounting-Debits & Credits-Accounting Transaction

udemy
4.5
(781)

Masterclass: Learn Accounting Principles, Financial Statements, Transactions & More in this Comprehensive Course...

15. Financial Statement Analysis - Ratio Analysis

udemy
4.3
(1,189)

Master the Art of Financial Statement Analysis: Unlocking Insights through Vertical, Horizontal, and Ratio Analysis...

16. Advanced Financial Accounting: Acquisitions & Consolidations

udemy
4.1
(703)

Acquisitions, Consolidations, and Reporting. Master complex concepts and applications...

17. Principles of Financial Accounting

udemy
4.5
(875)

Learn the complete accounting cycle -recording business transactions to presenting the Balance Sheet & Income Statement...

18. Become an External Auditor - External Audit Process Level 1

udemy
4.5
(362)

External Audit Process : Financial Statement Accounting : Business Valuation Methods : Certified Public Accountant (CPA)...

19. Data Entry Skills: A Complete Data Entry Course from Scratch

udemy
4.7
(533)

A Complete Guide to Data Entry Skills: Learn Data Entry Skills and become a Data Entry Pro & Get a Online Data Entry Job...

20. Financial Statements: Balance Sheet, Income Stmt, Cash Flow

udemy
4.5
(574)

How To Quickly Read & Understand The Big 3 Financial Statements: Balance Sheet, Income Statement, Cash Flow Statement...

Top 10 most affordable universities for correspondents

The most affordable schools for correspondents are Baruch College of the City University of New York, suny farmingdale, and university of florida.

If the best universities for correspondents 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 correspondents.

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. SUNY Farmingdale

Farmingdale, NY • Private

In-state tuition

$8,306

Cost of attendance

16,091

3. University of Florida

Gainesville, FL • Private

In-state tuition

$6,381

Cost of attendance

21,034

4. Brooklyn College of the City University of New York

Brooklyn, NY • Private

In-state tuition

$7,240

Cost of attendance

13,991

5. California State University - Bakersfield

Bakersfield, CA • Private

In-state tuition

$7,309

Cost of attendance

16,714

6. California State University - Long Beach

Long Beach, CA • Private

In-state tuition

$6,798

Cost of attendance

18,306

7. California State University - Los Angeles

Los Angeles, CA • Private

In-state tuition

$6,749

Cost of attendance

14,823

8. California State University - Dominguez Hills

Carson, CA • Private

In-state tuition

$6,942

Cost of attendance

14,469

9. Brigham Young University

Provo, UT • Private

In-state tuition

$5,620

Cost of attendance

18,136

10. Lehman College of the City University of New York

Bronx, NY • Private

In-state tuition

$7,210

Cost of attendance

14,359

Top 10 hardest universities to get into for correspondents

The hardest universities for correspondents to get into are Northwestern University, Stanford University, and University of Southern California.

Some great schools for correspondents 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 correspondents 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. Stanford University

Stanford, CA • Private

Admissions rate

4%

SAT average

1,497

3. University of Southern California

Los Angeles, CA • Private

Admissions rate

13%

SAT average

1,445

4. New York University

New York, NY • Private

Admissions rate

20%

SAT average

1,419

5. Boston University

Boston, MA • Private

Admissions rate

22%

SAT average

1,420

6. Harvard University

Cambridge, MA • Private

Admissions rate

5%

SAT average

1,520

7. Northeastern University

Boston, MA • Private

Admissions rate

19%

SAT average

1,466

8. University of Pennsylvania

Philadelphia, PA • Private

Admissions rate

8%

SAT average

1,492

9. George Washington University, The

Washington, DC • Private

Admissions rate

42%

SAT average

1,380

10. Columbia University in the City of New York

New York, NY • Private

Admissions rate

6%

SAT average

1,512

Top 10 easy-to-apply-to universities for correspondents

The easiest schools for correspondents to get into are Oklahoma Wesleyan University, notre dame de namur university, and university of the incarnate word.

Some schools are much easier to get into. If you want to start your career as a correspondent 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 correspondents.

1. Oklahoma Wesleyan University

Bartlesville, OK • Private

Admissions rate

68%

SAT average

964

2. Notre Dame de Namur University

Belmont, CA • Private

Admissions rate

82%

SAT average

983

3. University of the Incarnate Word

San Antonio, TX • Private

Admissions rate

88%

SAT average

1,044

4. Notre Dame College

Cleveland, OH • Private

Admissions rate

90%

SAT average

994

5. Holy Names University

Oakland, CA • Private

Admissions rate

70%

SAT average

849

6. Rochester University

Rochester Hills, MI • Private

Admissions rate

100%

SAT average

1,002

7. Wayland Baptist University

Plainview, TX • Private

Admissions rate

98%

SAT average

1,003

8. Gwynedd Mercy University

Gwynedd Valley, PA • Private

Admissions rate

92%

SAT average

1,031

9. Curry College

Milton, MA • Private

Admissions rate

93%

SAT average

1,026

10. Mount Saint Mary's University

Los Angeles, CA • Private

Admissions rate

84%

SAT average

1,031

Average correspondent salary by education level

According to our data, correspondents with a Master's degree earn the highest average salary, at $89,356 annually. Correspondents with a Bachelor's degree earn an average annual salary of $85,157.
Correspondent education levelCorrespondent salary
Master's Degree$89,356
Bachelor's Degree$85,157

Correspondent education FAQs

Search for correspondent jobs

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.

Browse arts, entertainment, sports, and media jobs