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Creative services manager education requirements

Updated January 8, 2025
4 min read

There are several educational requirements to become a creative services manager. Creative services managers usually study graphic design, communication, or fine arts. 79% of creative services managers hold a bachelor's degree, and 12% hold an associate degree. We analyzed 1,976 real creative services manager resumes to see exactly what creative services manager education sections show.

The most common colleges for creative services managers are the Syracuse University and the Syracuse University.

There are also many online creative services manager courses to help get the education required to be a creative services manager.

There are certain creative services manager certifications that you should consider. These creative services manager certifications include Project Management Professional (PMP) and Professional Certified Marketer (PCM).

What education do you need to become a creative services manager?

What degree do you need to be a creative services manager?

The most common degree for creative services managers is bachelor's degree, with 79% of creative services managers earning that degree. The second and third most common degree levels are associate degree degree at 12% and associate degree degree at 6%.
  • Bachelor's, 79%
  • Associate, 12%
  • Master's, 6%
  • High School Diploma, 1%
  • Other Degrees, 2%

What should I major in to become a creative services manager?

You should major in graphic design to become a creative services manager. 29% of creative services managers major in graphic design. Other common majors for a creative services manager include communication and fine arts.

Most common colleges for creative services managers

Creative services managers often get their degrees at Syracuse University, New York University, and School of Visual Arts. Here are the most common colleges for creative services managers in the US based on their resumes.
Creative services manager common collegePercentages
Syracuse University10.09%
New York University6.42%
School of Visual Arts6.42%
Northern Illinois University6.42%
Savannah College of Art and Design5.96%

Best majors for creative services managers

RankMajorPercentages
1Graphic Design29.5%
2Communication11.0%
3Fine Arts8.4%
4Marketing7.7%
5Business6.7%

Best colleges for creative services managers

The best colleges for creative services managers are Northeastern University, University of Southern California, and Northwestern University.

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

1. University of Wisconsin - Madison

Madison, WI • Private

In-state tuition

$10,555

Enrollment

30,360

2. University of Georgia

Athens, GA • Private

In-state tuition

$11,830

Enrollment

29,474

3. Purdue University

West Lafayette, IN • Private

In-state tuition

$9,992

Enrollment

33,495

4. Ohio State University

Columbus, OH • Private

In-state tuition

$10,726

Enrollment

45,769

5. University of Texas at Austin

Austin, TX • Private

In-state tuition

$10,610

Enrollment

40,329

6. University of Maryland - College Park

College Park, MD • Private

In-state tuition

$10,595

Enrollment

30,184

7. University of Washington

Seattle, WA • Private

In-state tuition

$11,207

Enrollment

30,905

8. University of Minnesota - Twin Cities

Minneapolis, MN • Private

In-state tuition

$14,760

Enrollment

31,451

9. Lipscomb University

Nashville, TN • Private

In-state tuition

$32,144

Enrollment

2,914

10. Howard University

Washington, DC • Private

In-state tuition

$26,756

Enrollment

6,166

20 best online courses for creative services managers

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20. Unleash Your Creative Mind

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Top 10 most affordable universities for creative services managers

The most affordable schools for creative services managers are University of Florida, fashion institute of technology, and florida state university.

If the best universities for creative services managers 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 creative services managers.

1. University of Florida

Gainesville, FL • Private

In-state tuition

$6,381

Cost of attendance

21,034

2. Fashion Institute of Technology

New York, NY • Private

In-state tuition

$5,740

Cost of attendance

17,864

3. Florida State University

Tallahassee, FL • Private

In-state tuition

$5,656

Cost of attendance

21,623

4. University of South Florida

Tampa, FL • Private

In-state tuition

$6,410

Cost of attendance

20,456

5. Purdue University

West Lafayette, IN • Private

In-state tuition

$9,992

Cost of attendance

22,430

6. Brigham Young University

Provo, UT • Private

In-state tuition

$5,620

Cost of attendance

18,136

7. California State University - Fresno

Fresno, CA • Private

In-state tuition

$6,587

Cost of attendance

16,915

8. California State University - Long Beach

Long Beach, CA • Private

In-state tuition

$6,798

Cost of attendance

18,306

9. University of Washington

Seattle, WA • Private

In-state tuition

$11,207

Cost of attendance

25,275

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 creative services managers

The hardest universities for creative services managers to get into are Northeastern University, University of Southern California, and Northwestern University.

Some great schools for creative services managers 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 creative services managers 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. Northeastern University

Boston, MA • Private

Admissions rate

19%

SAT average

1,466

2. University of Southern California

Los Angeles, CA • Private

Admissions rate

13%

SAT average

1,445

3. Northwestern University

Evanston, IL • Private

Admissions rate

8%

SAT average

1,508

4. University of Texas at Austin

Austin, TX • Private

Admissions rate

39%

SAT average

1,367

5. University of Maryland - College Park

College Park, MD • Private

Admissions rate

47%

SAT average

1,390

6. University of Wisconsin - Madison

Madison, WI • Private

Admissions rate

52%

SAT average

1,365

7. University of Washington

Seattle, WA • Private

Admissions rate

49%

SAT average

1,347

8. Carnegie Mellon University

Pittsburgh, PA • Private

Admissions rate

17%

SAT average

1,507

9. Washington University in St Louis

Saint Louis, MO • Private

Admissions rate

15%

SAT average

1,506

10. Boston University

Boston, MA • Private

Admissions rate

22%

SAT average

1,420

Top 10 easy-to-apply-to universities for creative services managers

The easiest schools for creative services managers to get into are University of the Incarnate Word, mount saint mary's university, and lim college.

Some schools are much easier to get into. If you want to start your career as a creative services manager 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 creative services managers.

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. LIM College

New York, NY • Private

Admissions rate

83%

SAT average

1,061

4. Texas Woman's University

Denton, TX • Private

Admissions rate

87%

SAT average

1,059

5. Oklahoma Wesleyan University

Bartlesville, OK • Private

Admissions rate

68%

SAT average

964

6. La Roche College

Pittsburgh, PA • Private

Admissions rate

99%

SAT average

1,008

7. Notre Dame College

Cleveland, OH • Private

Admissions rate

90%

SAT average

994

8. Centenary University

Hackettstown, NJ • Private

Admissions rate

67%

SAT average

987

9. Kean University

Union, NJ • Private

Admissions rate

86%

SAT average

991

10. Ursuline College

Pepper Pike, OH • Private

Admissions rate

90%

SAT average

1,102

Average creative services manager salary by education level

Creative services managers with a Doctorate degree earn more than those without, at $96,558 annually. With a Master's degree, creative services managers earn a median annual income of $92,380 compared to $81,506 for creative services managers with an Bachelor's degree.
Creative services manager education levelCreative services manager salary
Master's Degree$92,380
Bachelor's Degree$81,506
Doctorate Degree$96,558

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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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