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Curriculum designer education requirements
Updated January 8, 2025
4 min read
There are several educational requirements to become a curriculum designer. Curriculum designers usually study elementary education, english, or education. 62% of curriculum designers hold a bachelor's degree, and 28% hold an master's degree. We analyzed 854 real curriculum designer resumes to see exactly what curriculum designer education sections show.
The most common colleges for curriculum designers are the Georgia State University and the Georgia State University.
There are also many online curriculum designer courses to help get the education required to be a curriculum designer.
There are certain curriculum designer certifications that you should consider. These curriculum designer certifications include Master Certified Web Professional - Designer (CWP) and Certified Program Evaluator (CPE).
What education do you need to become a curriculum designer?
What degree do you need to be a curriculum designer?
- Bachelor's, 62%
- Master's, 28%
- Associate, 5%
- Doctorate, 5%
- Other Degrees, 0%
What should I major in to become a curriculum designer?
- Elementary Education, 11%
- English, 11%
- Education, 10%
- Business, 9%
- Other Majors, 59%
Most common colleges for curriculum designers
| Curriculum designer common college | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Georgia State University | 12.04% |
| University of Phoenix | 8.33% |
| University of South Florida | 5.56% |
| Southern Illinois University Carbondale | 5.56% |
| Boston University | 5.56% |
Best majors for curriculum designers
| Rank | Major | Percentages |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Elementary Education | 10.6% |
| 2 | English | 10.6% |
| 3 | Education | 9.9% |
| 4 | Business | 8.5% |
| 5 | Psychology | 8.3% |
Best colleges for curriculum designers
The best colleges for curriculum designers are Northwestern University, University of Pennsylvania, and Vanderbilt University.
A curriculum designer with advanced education typically earns a higher salary and has access to better jobs. That's why Zippia looked into the best colleges for curriculum designers. 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 curriculum designers.
1. University of Pennsylvania
Philadelphia, PA • Private
In-state tuition
$55,584
Enrollment
10,764
2. Northwestern University
Evanston, IL • Private
In-state tuition
$54,568
Enrollment
8,451
3. University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
Chapel Hill, NC • Private
In-state tuition
$8,987
Enrollment
18,946
4. Harvard University
Cambridge, MA • Private
In-state tuition
$50,420
Enrollment
7,582
5. New York University
New York, NY • Private
In-state tuition
$51,828
Enrollment
26,339
6. University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
Champaign, IL • Private
In-state tuition
$15,094
Enrollment
32,974
7. Columbia University in the City of New York
New York, NY • Private
In-state tuition
$59,430
Enrollment
8,216
8. SUNY at Buffalo
Buffalo, NY • Private
In-state tuition
$10,099
Enrollment
21,404
9. University of California, Berkeley
Berkeley, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$14,184
Enrollment
30,845
10. Johns Hopkins University
Baltimore, MD • Private
In-state tuition
$53,740
Enrollment
5,567
20 best online courses for curriculum designers
Advertising disclosure
1. Intuitive Curriculum Development: Make it Easy to Understand
A Time-Tested and Research Based Approach To Making Difficult Concepts Easy To Understand...
2. Instructional Design Pro (Part 1): No Beginners Allowed!
Write Golden Training Curriculum that's Easier to Learn and More Enjoyable to Teach...
3. Instructional Design Pro (Part 3): No Beginners Allowed!
Write Golden Training Curriculum that's Easier to Learn and More Enjoyable to Teach...
4. Instructional Design Pro (Part 2): No Beginners Allowed!
Write Golden Training Curriculum that's Easier to Learn and More Enjoyable to Teach...
5. Complete CFA Level I - 2016 curriculum
Bring the 2016 Level I curriculum readings to life with expert prep provider, Fitch Learning...
6. Train the Trainer 101: For Beginners Only!
Quickly go from trainee to trainer using The Rule the Room training method: How to Train Anything to Anyone...
7. The Complete Train the Trainer Bootcamp - Beginners-Advanced
The Only Train the Trainer Course You Will Need: In-Person Training, Virtual Training, Beginner Intermediate & Advanced...
8. Instructional Design for Corporate Learning and Development
Giving you the tools to design and deliver on-point, effective corporate training programs...
9. Train the Trainer Virtual: Virtual Training Master Class
Lead Effective Online, Virtual Training Sessions that Create Excitement, Motivation, Attention and Retention...
10. Instructional Design for ELearning
Designing Successful ELearning Courses. Learn from a multi-award-winning instructional designer...
11. The Complete Train the Trainer Bootcamp (Part 3): All Levels
The Complete Classroom Training Mastery Certification Program That Doubles Learning Retention In Half The Time...
12. The Complete Train the Trainer Bootcamp (Part 1): All Levels
The Complete Classroom Training Mastery Certification Program That Doubles Learning Retention In Half The Time...
13. The Complete Train the Trainer Bootcamp (Part 2): All Levels
The Complete Classroom Training Mastery Certification Program That Doubles Learning Retention In Half The Time...
14. Train the Trainer - PRACTICAL Training & Facilitation Skills
PRACTICAL Training & Facilitation Skills for Trainers, Facilitators and Facilitative Trainers...
15. Train the Trainer Foundation: Adult Education Mastery Course
Deploy a repeatable system for employee learning to ensure you reach every learner…every time...
16. Train the Trainer Pro: No Beginners Allowed!
Leverage elite training techniques that set you apart and that every trainee wants to take again and again...
17. Personal Development Life Coach Certification1 Training
Personal Development Life Coach Training Course Graduates Prepared Professionals in Personal Development Life Coaching...
18. Instructional Design for Classroom Training
Design effective and engaging in-person classroom training sessions and learning experiences from scratch...
19. The complete Instructional Designer course
Learn the skills to become an e Learning Instructional Designer for Corporate Learning and Development...
20. [2023] Customer Service 2.0: Learn Digital Customer Service
Used by Chase®, Intel®, & more! Learn soft skills, social media customer service, diagnosing user problems, & more...
Top 10 most affordable universities for curriculum designers
The most affordable schools for curriculum designers are Baruch College of the City University of New York, california state university - long beach, and usf sarasota-manatee.
If the best universities for curriculum designers 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 curriculum designers.
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. USF Sarasota-Manatee
Sarasota, FL • Private
In-state tuition
$5,587
Cost of attendance
13,043
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 - Dominguez Hills
Carson, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$6,942
Cost of attendance
14,469
6. University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
Chapel Hill, NC • Private
In-state tuition
$8,987
Cost of attendance
25,527
7. Florida Atlantic University
Boca Raton, FL • Private
In-state tuition
$4,831
Cost of attendance
19,559
8. California State University - Fresno
Fresno, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$6,587
Cost of attendance
16,915
9. California State University - Bakersfield
Bakersfield, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$7,309
Cost of attendance
16,714
10. California State University - Northridge
Northridge, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$6,893
Cost of attendance
18,870
Top 10 hardest universities to get into for curriculum designers
The hardest universities for curriculum designers to get into are Northwestern University, University of Pennsylvania, and Vanderbilt University.
Some great schools for curriculum designers 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 curriculum designers 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. Vanderbilt University
Nashville, TN • Private
Admissions rate
10%
SAT average
1,514
4. Johns Hopkins University
Baltimore, MD • Private
Admissions rate
11%
SAT average
1,513
5. Harvard University
Cambridge, MA • Private
Admissions rate
5%
SAT average
1,520
6. New York University
New York, NY • Private
Admissions rate
20%
SAT average
1,419
7. Columbia University in the City of New York
New York, NY • Private
Admissions rate
6%
SAT average
1,512
8. University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
Chapel Hill, NC • Private
Admissions rate
23%
SAT average
1,398
9. Boston University
Boston, MA • Private
Admissions rate
22%
SAT average
1,420
10. University of Rochester
Rochester, NY • Private
Admissions rate
29%
SAT average
1,422
Top 10 easy-to-apply-to universities for curriculum designers
The easiest schools for curriculum designers to get into are Mount Saint Mary's University, barry university, and gwynedd mercy university.
Some schools are much easier to get into. If you want to start your career as a curriculum designer 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 curriculum designers.
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. Gwynedd Mercy University
Gwynedd Valley, PA • Private
Admissions rate
92%
SAT average
1,031
4. Curry College
Milton, MA • Private
Admissions rate
93%
SAT average
1,026
5. Notre Dame College
Cleveland, OH • Private
Admissions rate
90%
SAT average
994
6. Felician University
Lodi, NJ • Private
Admissions rate
81%
SAT average
999
7. Oklahoma Wesleyan University
Bartlesville, OK • Private
Admissions rate
68%
SAT average
964
8. Saint Martin's University
Lacey, WA • Private
Admissions rate
96%
SAT average
1,111
9. Ottawa University
Ottawa, KS • Private
Admissions rate
78%
SAT average
1,024
10. Fresno Pacific University
Fresno, CA • Private
Admissions rate
85%
SAT average
1,053
Average curriculum designer salary by education level
| Curriculum designer education level | Curriculum designer salary |
|---|---|
| Master's Degree | $60,095 |
| Bachelor's Degree | $53,600 |
| Doctorate Degree | $62,359 |
Curriculum designer education FAQs
Have more questions? See all answers to common education, training, and library questions.
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Updated January 8, 2025
Updated January 8, 2025