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Data processing manager education requirements

Updated January 8, 2025
4 min read

There are several educational requirements to become a data processing manager. Data processing managers usually study business, computer science, or accounting. 60% of data processing managers hold a bachelor's degree, and 23% hold an associate degree. We analyzed 1,779 real data processing manager resumes to see exactly what data processing manager education sections show.

The most common colleges for data processing managers are the University of Phoenix and the University of Phoenix.

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

There are certain data processing manager certifications that you should consider. These data processing manager certifications include Program Management Professional (PgMP) and Project Management Professional (PMP).

What education do you need to become a data processing manager?

What degree do you need to be a data processing manager?

The most common degree for data processing managers is bachelor's degree, with 60% of data processing managers earning that degree. The second and third most common degree levels are associate degree degree at 23% and associate degree degree at 8%.
  • Bachelor's, 60%
  • Associate, 23%
  • Master's, 8%
  • High School Diploma, 5%
  • Other Degrees, 4%

What should I major in to become a data processing manager?

You should major in business to become a data processing manager. 25% of data processing managers major in business. Other common majors for a data processing manager include computer science and accounting.

Most common colleges for data processing managers

Data processing managers often get their degrees at University of Phoenix, University of Wisconsin - Stevens Point, and Purdue University. Here are the most common colleges for data processing managers in the US based on their resumes.
Data processing manager common collegePercentages
University of Phoenix10.71%
University of Wisconsin - Stevens Point7.86%
Purdue University7.86%
Florida State University7.86%
University of Maryland - College Park5.71%

Best majors for data processing managers

Best colleges for data processing managers

The best colleges for data processing managers are Carnegie Mellon University, University of Pennsylvania, and Northwestern University.

A data processing 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 data processing 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 data processing managers.

1. Carnegie Mellon University

Pittsburgh, PA • Private

In-state tuition

$55,465

Enrollment

6,483

2. University of Pennsylvania

Philadelphia, PA • Private

In-state tuition

$55,584

Enrollment

10,764

3. Boston University

Boston, MA • Private

In-state tuition

$53,948

Enrollment

17,238

4. University of Washington

Seattle, WA • Private

In-state tuition

$11,207

Enrollment

30,905

5. New York University

New York, NY • Private

In-state tuition

$51,828

Enrollment

26,339

6. University of Southern California

Los Angeles, CA • Private

In-state tuition

$56,225

Enrollment

19,548

7. University of Minnesota - Twin Cities

Minneapolis, MN • Private

In-state tuition

$14,760

Enrollment

31,451

8. Northwestern University

Evanston, IL • Private

In-state tuition

$54,568

Enrollment

8,451

9. Northeastern University

Boston, MA • Private

In-state tuition

$51,522

Enrollment

13,760

10. Columbia University in the City of New York

New York, NY • Private

In-state tuition

$59,430

Enrollment

8,216

20 best online courses for data processing managers

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1. IBM COBOL Data and File Management

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2. Big Data Integration and Processing

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At the end of the course, you will be able to: *Retrieve data from example database and big data management systems *Describe the connections between data management operations and the big data processing patterns needed to utilize them in large-scale analytical applications *Identify when a big data problem needs data integration *Execute simple big data integration and processing on Hadoop and Spark platforms This course is for those new to data science. Completion of Intro to Big Data is...

3. Computer Hardware, Operating System and Networking

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5. Linux: Processes & System Resource Management for DevOps

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In this 1-hour long project-based course on Linux: Intro to process and system resource management for DevOps, you will be working entirely on the command line and using powerful Linux commands such as ps -ef, top, and pstree to learn how process and system resources work and are managed in Linux. You will be starting, stopping, searching and viewing running processes and seeing how they are all linked together in the process hierarchy. You will no longer be mystified by what these commands and...

6. Data Management with Databricks: Big Data with Delta Lakes

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8. Payroll Management

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9. Financial Accounting - Closing Process

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10. 4x1 Data Management/Governance/Security/Ethics Masterclass

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You'll learn about data literacy, Data Quality operations, Data Governance policies and Data Security/Privacy controls...

11. Process Mining with Celonis

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Learn and practice how to combine data science and process mapping techniques to visualize processes with real data...

12. Supply Chain Management: Inventory Management and Control

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Inventory Management in Supply Chain Management & Inventory Control in Warehouse Logistics & Supply chain Management...

13. Statistics / Data Analysis: Survey Data and Likert Scales

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How to Process Survey Data and Analyze Likert Scales In SPSS...

14. R Data Pre-Processing & Data Management - Shape your Data!

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Learn how to prepare your data for great analytics in R...

15. Payroll Accounting With Visually Effective Excel Dashboards

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Payroll Data Analysis with Excel Pivot Tables,hr payroll, payroll management, payroll certification, Payroll, Excel...

16. Data Warehouse Development Process

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Specific aspects of Data Warehouse Development Process...

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

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18. Operations Management A-Z: Business Processes and Systems

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19. Complete Payroll Management in Excel &TALLY ERP9 &TallyPrime

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20. Cost Accounting and Financial Management - A Complete Study

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Learn theory and practical concepts in Cost Accounting and Financial Management with loads of video lectures...

Top 10 most affordable universities for data processing managers

The most affordable schools for data processing managers are Baruch College of the City University of New York, brooklyn college of the city university of new york, and brigham young university.

If the best universities for data processing 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 data processing managers.

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. Brooklyn College of the City University of New York

Brooklyn, NY • Private

In-state tuition

$7,240

Cost of attendance

13,991

3. Brigham Young University

Provo, UT • Private

In-state tuition

$5,620

Cost of attendance

18,136

4. California State University - Los Angeles

Los Angeles, CA • Private

In-state tuition

$6,749

Cost of attendance

14,823

5. Minot State University

Minot, ND • Private

In-state tuition

$7,064

Cost of attendance

15,576

6. University of South Florida

Tampa, FL • Private

In-state tuition

$6,410

Cost of attendance

20,456

7. SUNY Farmingdale

Farmingdale, NY • Private

In-state tuition

$8,306

Cost of attendance

16,091

8. University of Washington

Seattle, WA • Private

In-state tuition

$11,207

Cost of attendance

25,275

9. Purdue University

West Lafayette, IN • Private

In-state tuition

$9,992

Cost of attendance

22,430

10. New Mexico Institute of Mining and Technology

Socorro, NM • Private

In-state tuition

$7,770

Cost of attendance

21,244

Top 10 hardest universities to get into for data processing managers

The hardest universities for data processing managers to get into are Carnegie Mellon University, University of Pennsylvania, and Northwestern University.

Some great schools for data processing 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 data processing 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. Carnegie Mellon University

Pittsburgh, PA • Private

Admissions rate

17%

SAT average

1,507

2. University of Pennsylvania

Philadelphia, PA • Private

Admissions rate

8%

SAT average

1,492

3. Northwestern University

Evanston, IL • Private

Admissions rate

8%

SAT average

1,508

4. Columbia University in the City of New York

New York, NY • Private

Admissions rate

6%

SAT average

1,512

5. Northeastern University

Boston, MA • Private

Admissions rate

19%

SAT average

1,466

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. Boston University

Boston, MA • Private

Admissions rate

22%

SAT average

1,420

9. Johns Hopkins University

Baltimore, MD • Private

Admissions rate

11%

SAT average

1,513

10. Washington University in St Louis

Saint Louis, MO • Private

Admissions rate

15%

SAT average

1,506

Top 10 easy-to-apply-to universities for data processing managers

The easiest schools for data processing managers to get into are Barry University, capitol technology university, and ottawa university.

Some schools are much easier to get into. If you want to start your career as a data processing 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 data processing managers.

1. Barry University

Miami, FL • Private

Admissions rate

91%

SAT average

1,006

2. Capitol Technology University

Laurel, MD • Private

Admissions rate

69%

SAT average

1,070

3. Ottawa University

Ottawa, KS • Private

Admissions rate

78%

SAT average

1,024

4. University of Baltimore

Baltimore, MD • Private

Admissions rate

78%

SAT average

1,020

5. Oklahoma Wesleyan University

Bartlesville, OK • Private

Admissions rate

68%

SAT average

964

6. Gwynedd Mercy University

Gwynedd Valley, PA • Private

Admissions rate

92%

SAT average

1,031

7. Thomas More University

Crestview Hills, KY • Private

Admissions rate

90%

SAT average

1,099

8. Chestnut Hill College

Philadelphia, PA • Private

Admissions rate

96%

SAT average

1,026

9. Felician University

Lodi, NJ • Private

Admissions rate

81%

SAT average

999

10. Washington Adventist Hospital

Takoma Park, MD • Private

Admissions rate

52%

SAT average

958

Average data processing manager salary by education level

Data processing managers with a Doctorate degree earn more than those without, at $104,669 annually. With a Master's degree, data processing managers earn a median annual income of $102,052 compared to $94,204 for data processing managers with an Bachelor's degree.
Data processing manager education levelData processing manager salary
Master's Degree$102,052
Bachelor's Degree$94,204
Doctorate Degree$104,669
Some College/ Associate Degree$75,379

Data processing manager education FAQs

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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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