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Developer/consultant education requirements
Updated January 8, 2025
4 min read
There are several educational requirements to become a developer/consultant. Developer/consultants usually study business, computer science, or psychology. 67% of developer/consultants hold a bachelor's degree, and 22% hold an master's degree. We analyzed 9,047 real developer/consultant resumes to see exactly what developer/consultant education sections show.
The most common colleges for developer/consultants are the University of Phoenix and the University of Phoenix.
There are also many online developer/consultant courses to help get the education required to be a developer/consultant.
There are certain developer/consultant certifications that you should consider. These developer/consultant certifications include Certified Professional - Human Resource (IPMA-CP) and Project Management Professional (PMP).
What education do you need to become a developer/consultant?
What degree do you need to be a developer/consultant?
- Bachelor's, 67%
- Master's, 22%
- Associate, 5%
- Doctorate, 3%
- Other Degrees, 3%
What should I major in to become a developer/consultant?
- Business, 21%
- Computer Science, 12%
- Psychology, 8%
- Other Majors, 53%
Most common colleges for developer/consultants
| Developer/consultant common college | Percentages |
|---|---|
| University of Phoenix | 9.56% |
| New York University | 6.42% |
| George Washington University, The | 5.60% |
| University of California, Santa Barbara | 5.46% |
| Pennsylvania State University | 5.33% |
Best majors for developer/consultants
| Rank | Major | Percentages |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Business | 21.0% |
| 2 | Computer Science | 12.4% |
| 3 | Psychology | 8.2% |
| 4 | Political Science | 5.9% |
| 5 | Communication | 5.5% |
Best colleges for developer/consultants
The best colleges for developer/consultants are Stanford University, Northwestern University, and University of Pennsylvania.
A developer/consultant with advanced education typically earns a higher salary and has access to better jobs. That's why Zippia looked into the best colleges for developer/consultants. 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 developer/consultants.
1. Stanford University
Stanford, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$51,354
Enrollment
7,083
2. University of Pennsylvania
Philadelphia, PA • Private
In-state tuition
$55,584
Enrollment
10,764
3. Northwestern University
Evanston, IL • Private
In-state tuition
$54,568
Enrollment
8,451
4. Maine Maritime Academy
Castine, ME • Private
In-state tuition
$13,478
Enrollment
979
5. University of Southern California
Los Angeles, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$56,225
Enrollment
19,548
6. California State University - Bakersfield
Bakersfield, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$7,309
Enrollment
9,142
7. SUNY at Binghamton
Vestal, NY • Private
In-state tuition
$9,808
Enrollment
13,990
8. Villanova University
Villanova, PA • Private
In-state tuition
$53,308
Enrollment
6,819
9. San Diego State University
San Diego, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$7,488
Enrollment
30,018
10. Bentley University
Waltham, MA • Private
In-state tuition
$49,880
Enrollment
4,177
20 best online courses for developer/consultants
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3. Programming for Data Science with R
Prepare for a data science career by learning the fundamental data programming tools: R, SQL, command line, and git...
4. Full Stack Web Developer
Design and develop modern web applications.Students will also learn how to deploy a Flask-based web application to the cloud using Docker and Kubernetes...
5. Full Stack Web Development with C# OOP, MS SQL & ASP.NET MVC
Web development with C#, ASP.NET MVC, MS SQL, C# OOP. All gathered for full stack web development in one course!...
6. C# Console and Windows Forms Development w/ Entity Framework
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7. Data Science (Part Time)
Create robust predictive models with statistics and Python programming. Build confidence and credibility to tackle complex machine learning problems on the job. This course is offered in person and live online, in a remote classroom setting...
8. Python Programming (Part Time)
Gain fluency in Python — the world's fastest-growing major programming language — and start leveraging its versatile capabilities to build web and data science applications. This course is offered in person and live online, in a remote classroom setting...
9. Android Kotlin Developer
Master Android app development with Kotlin, a modern programming language that enables developers to be more concise and productive. Build professional apps for the world's most popular mobile platform using Android Studio and Kotlin...
10. Artificial Intelligence for Trading
Complete real-world projects designed by industry experts, covering topics from asset management to trading signal generation. Master AI algorithms for trading, and build your career-ready portfolio...
11. PL/SQL by Example - Beginner to Advanced PL/SQL
Using PL/SQL learn how to combine the efficiency of SQL & Procedural Language(PL) to build a powerful PL/SQL Application...
12. The Complete PL/SQL Bootcamp: Beginner to Advanced PL/SQL
A Comprehensive Guide to Make You a Job-Ready PL/SQL Developer.Also Covers Oracle 1Z0-144 and 1Z0-149 PL SQL Exam Topics...
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Start building responsive websites with HTML, CSS, and JavaScript — a versatile skill set with powerful applications in a variety of design, marketing, and other tech-adjacent roles. This course is offered in person and live online, in a remote classroom setting...
14. JavaScript Development (Part Time)
Gain fluency in JavaScript — the world's most popular programming language — and start leveraging its versatile capabilities to build rich, interactive websites and applications. This course is offered in person and live online, in a remote classroom setting...
15. Data Engineer
Learn to design data models, build data warehouses and data lakes, automate data pipelines, and work with massive datasets...
16. iOS Developer
Master the Swift programming language, and create a portfolio of iOS apps for iPhone and iPad to showcase your skills!...
17. Ultimate ASP.NET Core Web API Development Guide
Learn how to create a maintainable Web API using ASP.NET Core, Entity Framework and Enterprise Level Design Patterns...
18. Complete ASP NET MVC Web Development - Newbie to Ninja!
Quickly Learn Web Development with ASP NET MVC and C#. From absolute basics to ninja! Learn C# and MVC like a Pro...
19. React Development (Part Time)
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20. Intro to Coding
Discover if coding is a career fit for you In this free, two-hour livestream, explore the building blocks of the web — HTML and CSS — and learn how you can apply these programming languages to develop your own simple sites. All in real time, taught by an industry professional. Come learn the basics and gain the skills you need to write your first line of code!...
Top 10 most affordable universities for developer/consultants
The most affordable schools for developer/consultants are SUNY Farmingdale, california state university - bakersfield, and baruch college of the city university of new york.
If the best universities for developer/consultants 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 developer/consultants.
1. SUNY Farmingdale
Farmingdale, NY • Private
In-state tuition
$8,306
Cost of attendance
16,091
2. California State University - Bakersfield
Bakersfield, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$7,309
Cost of attendance
16,714
3. Baruch College of the City University of New York
New York, NY • Private
In-state tuition
$7,262
Cost of attendance
14,046
4. California State University - Dominguez Hills
Carson, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$6,942
Cost of attendance
14,469
5. Brooklyn College of the City University of New York
Brooklyn, NY • Private
In-state tuition
$7,240
Cost of attendance
13,991
6. Brigham Young University
Provo, UT • Private
In-state tuition
$5,620
Cost of attendance
18,136
7. SUNY Polytechnic Institute
Utica, NY • Private
In-state tuition
$8,238
Cost of attendance
21,567
8. USF Sarasota-Manatee
Sarasota, FL • Private
In-state tuition
$5,587
Cost of attendance
13,043
9. San Diego State University
San Diego, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$7,488
Cost of attendance
22,990
10. Clayton State University
Morrow, GA • Private
In-state tuition
$5,419
Cost of attendance
17,697
Top 10 hardest universities to get into for developer/consultants
The hardest universities for developer/consultants to get into are Stanford University, Northwestern University, and University of Pennsylvania.
Some great schools for developer/consultants 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 developer/consultants 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. Stanford University
Stanford, CA • Private
Admissions rate
4%
SAT average
1,497
2. Northwestern University
Evanston, IL • Private
Admissions rate
8%
SAT average
1,508
3. University of Pennsylvania
Philadelphia, PA • Private
Admissions rate
8%
SAT average
1,492
4. Boston University
Boston, MA • Private
Admissions rate
22%
SAT average
1,420
5. New York University
New York, NY • Private
Admissions rate
20%
SAT average
1,419
6. University of Southern California
Los Angeles, CA • Private
Admissions rate
13%
SAT average
1,445
7. Villanova University
Villanova, PA • Private
Admissions rate
29%
SAT average
1,407
8. Bentley University
Waltham, MA • Private
Admissions rate
43%
SAT average
1,338
9. SUNY at Binghamton
Vestal, NY • Private
Admissions rate
40%
SAT average
1,376
10. Brandeis University
Waltham, MA • Private
Admissions rate
31%
SAT average
1,398
Top 10 easy-to-apply-to universities for developer/consultants
The easiest schools for developer/consultants to get into are Oklahoma Wesleyan University, notre dame de namur university, and holy names university.
Some schools are much easier to get into. If you want to start your career as a developer/consultant 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 developer/consultants.
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. Holy Names University
Oakland, CA • Private
Admissions rate
70%
SAT average
849
4. Notre Dame College
Cleveland, OH • Private
Admissions rate
90%
SAT average
994
5. LIM College
New York, NY • Private
Admissions rate
83%
SAT average
1,061
6. Nyack College
New York, NY • Private
Admissions rate
98%
SAT average
999
7. Life University
Marietta, GA • Private
Admissions rate
94%
SAT average
979
8. D'Youville College
Buffalo, NY • Private
Admissions rate
100%
SAT average
1,072
9. Presentation College
Aberdeen, SD • Private
Admissions rate
97%
SAT average
1,050
10. Oregon Institute of Technology
Klamath Falls, OR • Private
Admissions rate
96%
SAT average
1,139
Average developer/consultant salary by education level
| Developer/consultant education level | Developer/consultant salary |
|---|---|
| Master's Degree | $105,497 |
| Bachelor's Degree | $96,485 |
| Doctorate Degree | $114,656 |
Developer/consultant education FAQs
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Updated January 8, 2025
Updated January 8, 2025