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Curriculum director education requirements
Updated January 8, 2025
4 min read
There are several educational requirements to become a curriculum director. Curriculum directors usually study education, elementary education, or educational leadership. 55% of curriculum directors hold a bachelor's degree, and 28% hold an master's degree. We analyzed 839 real curriculum director resumes to see exactly what curriculum director education sections show.
The most common colleges for curriculum directors are the University of Phoenix and the University of Phoenix.
There are also many online curriculum director courses to help get the education required to be a curriculum director.
What education do you need to become a curriculum director?
What degree do you need to be a curriculum director?
- Bachelor's, 55%
- Master's, 28%
- Associate, 8%
- Doctorate, 6%
- Other Degrees, 3%
What should I major in to become a curriculum director?
- Education, 18%
- Elementary Education, 15%
- Other Majors, 49%
Most common colleges for curriculum directors
| Curriculum director common college | Percentages |
|---|---|
| University of Phoenix | 13.46% |
| University of Florida | 6.73% |
| Brigham Young University | 6.73% |
| Eastern Michigan University | 5.77% |
| Michigan State University | 4.81% |
Best majors for curriculum directors
| Rank | Major | Percentages |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Education | 18.1% |
| 2 | Elementary Education | 15.4% |
| 3 | Educational Leadership | 10.3% |
| 4 | Early Childhood Education | 8.5% |
| 5 | Business | 7.5% |
Best colleges for curriculum directors
The best colleges for curriculum directors are Northwestern University, University of Pennsylvania, and Vanderbilt University.
A curriculum director 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 directors. 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 directors.
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. New York University
New York, NY • Private
In-state tuition
$51,828
Enrollment
26,339
5. Harvard University
Cambridge, MA • Private
In-state tuition
$50,420
Enrollment
7,582
6. University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
Champaign, IL • Private
In-state tuition
$15,094
Enrollment
32,974
7. SUNY at Buffalo
Buffalo, NY • Private
In-state tuition
$10,099
Enrollment
21,404
8. University of Southern California
Los Angeles, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$56,225
Enrollment
19,548
9. San Diego State University
San Diego, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$7,488
Enrollment
30,018
10. University of California, Berkeley
Berkeley, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$14,184
Enrollment
30,845
20 best online courses for curriculum directors
Advertising disclosure
1. ICT in Primary Education: Transforming children's learning across the curriculum
Why and how are teachers integrating ICT (Information and Communication Technology) into primary education? In this course we analyse examples from schools in different parts of the world, and bring professional teachers, headteachers and policymakers together to share their best ideas and inspiring stories. The materials in the course are based on studies carried out for the UNESCO Institute of IT in Education, Moscow. Learning Outcomes: to be aware of the range of reasons for using ICT to...
2. Music Education for Teachers
In the Music Education for Teachers specialization, you will explore ways of integrating popular music into your teaching. You'll begin by learning from two highly experienced teachers, Krystal Banfield, the Vice President of Educational Outreach for Berklee College of Music, and David Alexis a Berklee Professor and long-time instructor for the Berklee City Music Program. They will take you through their process of incorporating popular music, improvisation, arranging, and music technology into...
3. Intuitive Curriculum Development: Make it Easy to Understand
A Time-Tested and Research Based Approach To Making Difficult Concepts Easy To Understand...
4. Complete CFA Level I - 2016 curriculum
Bring the 2016 Level I curriculum readings to life with expert prep provider, Fitch Learning...
5. The Teacher and Social and Emotional Learning (SEL)
Social and emotional learning, or SEL, programs have flourished in schools during the last decade. These programs vary widely but most share a concern for five individual, student competencies: self awareness; self-management; social awareness; relationship skills; and finally responsible decision making. It is important for teachers and parents to know about and understand these programs. While lots of SEL programs emphasize K-12 student social and emotional learning, only a very few programs...
6. TESOL Teacher Training: Second Language Acquisition (SLA)
Putting Theory Into Practice in the ESL/EFL Classroom...
7. Master the FTCE Reading K-12
Instruction and Practice on the 44 Skills Needed to Pass the FTCE Reading K-12 Exam...
8. Instructional Design Pro (Part 1): No Beginners Allowed!
Write Golden Training Curriculum that's Easier to Learn and More Enjoyable to Teach...
9. Instructional Design Pro (Part 3): No Beginners Allowed!
Write Golden Training Curriculum that's Easier to Learn and More Enjoyable to Teach...
10. Preparation for CELTA Teacher Training
Learn the skills required to succeed in your CELTA training - gain practice in lesson planning and writing assignments!!...
11. 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...
12. Public Speaking Training & Facilitator Certification
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13. Personal Development Life Coach Certification1 Training
Personal Development Life Coach Training Course Graduates Prepared Professionals in Personal Development Life Coaching...
14. Outcome Based Education (OBE) & Academic Quality Assurance
Master Course for Teachers' Development: Grow Your Teaching-Learning Expertise to World-Class Level...
15. Implementing Positive Behaviour Management in the Classroom
Practical Strategies to Address Behaviour Issues in any Classroom...
16. Instructional Design Pro (Part 2): No Beginners Allowed!
Write Golden Training Curriculum that's Easier to Learn and More Enjoyable to Teach...
17. Algebra 2 & Trigonometry: A Complete High School Curriculum
Includes videos and over 300 pages of quizzes/worksheets (answer keys provided!)...
18. Instructional Design for Classroom Training
Design effective and engaging in-person classroom training sessions and learning experiences from scratch...
19. Educational Psychology & Special Education (Certificate)
Informational content for educators and parents to learn about teaching and understanding exceptional children...
20. Advanced C++ Programming Training Course
Take your C++ Programming Training Course Will Take Your Skills To The Next Level...
Top 10 most affordable universities for curriculum directors
The most affordable schools for curriculum directors are Baruch College of the City University of New York, usf sarasota-manatee, and california state university - long beach.
If the best universities for curriculum directors 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 directors.
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. USF Sarasota-Manatee
Sarasota, FL • Private
In-state tuition
$5,587
Cost of attendance
13,043
3. California State University - Long Beach
Long Beach, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$6,798
Cost of attendance
18,306
4. California State University - Bakersfield
Bakersfield, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$7,309
Cost of attendance
16,714
5. Brooklyn College of the City University of New York
Brooklyn, NY • Private
In-state tuition
$7,240
Cost of attendance
13,991
6. California State University - Dominguez Hills
Carson, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$6,942
Cost of attendance
14,469
7. California State University - Los Angeles
Los Angeles, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$6,749
Cost of attendance
14,823
8. Florida Atlantic University
Boca Raton, FL • Private
In-state tuition
$4,831
Cost of attendance
19,559
9. Brigham Young University
Provo, UT • Private
In-state tuition
$5,620
Cost of attendance
18,136
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 curriculum directors
The hardest universities for curriculum directors to get into are Northwestern University, University of Pennsylvania, and Vanderbilt University.
Some great schools for curriculum directors 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 directors 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. University of Southern California
Los Angeles, CA • Private
Admissions rate
13%
SAT average
1,445
7. New York University
New York, NY • Private
Admissions rate
20%
SAT average
1,419
8. Columbia University in the City of New York
New York, NY • Private
Admissions rate
6%
SAT average
1,512
9. Boston University
Boston, MA • Private
Admissions rate
22%
SAT average
1,420
10. Stanford University
Stanford, CA • Private
Admissions rate
4%
SAT average
1,497
Top 10 easy-to-apply-to universities for curriculum directors
The easiest schools for curriculum directors 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 director 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 directors.
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. Felician University
Lodi, NJ • Private
Admissions rate
81%
SAT average
999
6. Holy Names University
Oakland, CA • Private
Admissions rate
70%
SAT average
849
7. Notre Dame College
Cleveland, OH • Private
Admissions rate
90%
SAT average
994
8. Oklahoma Wesleyan University
Bartlesville, OK • Private
Admissions rate
68%
SAT average
964
9. Notre Dame de Namur University
Belmont, CA • Private
Admissions rate
82%
SAT average
983
10. D'Youville College
Buffalo, NY • Private
Admissions rate
100%
SAT average
1,072
Average curriculum director salary by education level
| Curriculum director education level | Curriculum director salary |
|---|---|
| Master's Degree | $73,141 |
| Bachelor's Degree | $63,516 |
| Doctorate Degree | $80,751 |
Curriculum director education FAQs
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Updated January 8, 2025
Updated January 8, 2025