Explore jobs
Find specific jobs
Explore careers
Explore professions
Best companies
Explore companies
Digital program manager education requirements
Updated January 8, 2025
4 min read
There are several educational requirements to become a digital program manager. Digital program managers usually study business, communication, or computer science. 71% of digital program managers hold a bachelor's degree, and 21% hold an master's degree. We analyzed 205 real digital program manager resumes to see exactly what digital program manager education sections show.
The most common colleges for digital program managers are the Georgia Institute of Technology and the Georgia Institute of Technology.
There are also many online digital program manager courses to help get the education required to be a digital program manager.
There are certain digital program manager certifications that you should consider. These digital program manager certifications include Certified Scrum Master (CSM) and Project Management Professional (PMP).
What education do you need to become a digital program manager?
What degree do you need to be a digital program manager?
- Bachelor's, 71%
- Master's, 21%
- Associate, 5%
- Diploma, 1%
- Other Degrees, 2%
What should I major in to become a digital program manager?
- Business, 23%
- Communication, 11%
- Computer Science, 8%
- Management, 8%
- Other Majors, 50%
Most common colleges for digital program managers
| Digital program manager common college | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Georgia Institute of Technology | 8.00% |
| University of Nebraska - Omaha | 8.00% |
| Western Washington University | 6.00% |
| The University of Findlay | 6.00% |
| Fordham University | 6.00% |
Best majors for digital program managers
| Rank | Major | Percentages |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Business | 23.3% |
| 2 | Communication | 10.5% |
| 3 | Computer Science | 8.3% |
| 4 | Management | 7.5% |
| 5 | Marketing | 6.0% |
Best colleges for digital program managers
The best colleges for digital program managers are Northwestern University, University of Southern California, and University of Pennsylvania.
A digital program 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 digital program 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 digital program managers.
1. University of Georgia
Athens, GA • Private
In-state tuition
$11,830
Enrollment
29,474
2. University of Wisconsin - Madison
Madison, WI • Private
In-state tuition
$10,555
Enrollment
30,360
3. University of Minnesota - Twin Cities
Minneapolis, MN • Private
In-state tuition
$14,760
Enrollment
31,451
4. Purdue University
West Lafayette, IN • Private
In-state tuition
$9,992
Enrollment
33,495
5. Howard University
Washington, DC • Private
In-state tuition
$26,756
Enrollment
6,166
6. University of Texas at Austin
Austin, TX • Private
In-state tuition
$10,610
Enrollment
40,329
7. University of Southern California
Los Angeles, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$56,225
Enrollment
19,548
8. Ohio State University
Columbus, OH • Private
In-state tuition
$10,726
Enrollment
45,769
9. University of Pennsylvania
Philadelphia, PA • Private
In-state tuition
$55,584
Enrollment
10,764
10. San Diego State University
San Diego, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$7,488
Enrollment
30,018
20 best online courses for digital program managers
Advertising disclosure
1. Product Management (Part Time)
Balance business viability, technical feasibility, and customer desire to lead products and features toward long-term success. Learn from a seasoned expert. This course is offered in person and live online, in a remote classroom setting...
2. Digital Marketing (Part Time)
Build confidence and capability to apply modern marketing strategies on the job. Drive growth with multichannel campaigns powered by data and customer insight. This course is offered in person and live online, in a remote classroom setting...
3. Predictive Analytics for Business
Learn to apply predictive analytics and business intelligence to solve real-world business problems...
4. Marketing Analytics
Gain an in-depth understanding of Google Analytics and marketing analytics. Analyze data and build models with Excel, Data Studio, and create informative data visualizations with Tableau...
5. Digital Content Planning and Management
The evolution of digital technology has vastly impacted the way we communicate, live and work. Whether you’re a content creator, a content manager or a brand account manager, digital content management plays a crucial role in an advertising campaign’s success. Learn what it takes to successfully inventory, create, analyze, and manage content for companies of any scale, as well as the process of implementing these systems across organizations. This practical course is designed for current...
6. Digital Product Management
This Specialization is intended for both current and new product managers working in digital who want to apply a portfolio of modern practices to developing their products and teams. Through five courses, you will cover applications of product design, hypothesis-driven development and agile, all at the heart of modern product management...
7. Digital Marketing B2B: Dekker's Ultimate Digital Marketing
Digital Marketing Course Udemy A-Z (Unofficial): Learn B2B Digital Marketing from a F100 Exec: Udemy Digital Marketing...
8. Professional Diploma in Digital Products Management
Program with business cases (Fintech, Retail Banking, Digital Business) & Interactive part...
9. Product Manager
Envision and lead the product strategy of industry-defining products, and learn to successfully bring them to market. Influence the execution of product development as a Product Manager, one of the most highly-coveted roles in technology...
10. Data Product Manager
Leverage data to build products that deliver the right experiences, to the right users, at the right time. Lead the development of data-driven products that position businesses to win in their market...
11. Defining a Digital Transformation Roadmap
Learn how to define and implement a phased digital transformation program to establish your company as a digital leader...
12. Digital Transformation - Strategy Masterclass
A complete masterclass on how to create and present executive level digital transformation strategies...
13. Digital Marketing
Gain real-world experience running live campaigns as you learn from top experts in the field. Launch your career with a 360-degree understanding of digital marketing...
14. AI for Business Leaders
Master the foundations of artificial intelligence so you can strategically implement AI in your company. Leverage machine learning technologies to power corporate growth, increase efficiency, and enhance customer experiences...
15. Digital Marketing Strategist. Unlock your career growth
Become a digital marketing expert. Learn proven digital marketing strategies with my roadmap and 24/7 expert support...
16. Professional Diploma in Digitalization of Retail Banking
Digital at sales, cross-sale, loyalty increase and costs, risks decrease. Practical cases and profitability assessment...
17. Business Analytics
In this program, you will learn foundational data skills that apply across functions and industries. You will learn to analyze data and build models with Excel, query databases using SQL, and create informative data visualizations with Tableau...
18. AI Product Manager
Learn to develop AI products that deliver business value. Build skills that help you compete in the new AI-powered world...
19. Digital Marketing Course 2023: Be a Digital Marketing Nomad
Learn Digital Marketing, Copywriting, Ads, SEO, Video Creation. Become a Digital Marketing Nomad. Freelance and Travel...
20. Best of Digital Marketing: #1 Digital Marketing Course 2023
Best of SEO, Digital Marketing & Social Media 2023: Ultimate Pro Edition. Be a Digital Marketing Consultant. Have Fun...
Top 10 most affordable universities for digital program managers
The most affordable schools for digital program managers are University of Florida, suny farmingdale, and fashion institute of technology.
If the best universities for digital program 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 digital program managers.
1. University of Florida
Gainesville, FL • Private
In-state tuition
$6,381
Cost of attendance
21,034
2. SUNY Farmingdale
Farmingdale, NY • Private
In-state tuition
$8,306
Cost of attendance
16,091
3. Fashion Institute of Technology
New York, NY • Private
In-state tuition
$5,740
Cost of attendance
17,864
4. Florida State University
Tallahassee, FL • Private
In-state tuition
$5,656
Cost of attendance
21,623
5. Baruch College of the City University of New York
New York, NY • Private
In-state tuition
$7,262
Cost of attendance
14,046
6. University of South Florida
Tampa, FL • Private
In-state tuition
$6,410
Cost of attendance
20,456
7. California State University - Dominguez Hills
Carson, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$6,942
Cost of attendance
14,469
8. California State University - Bakersfield
Bakersfield, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$7,309
Cost of attendance
16,714
9. Purdue University
West Lafayette, IN • Private
In-state tuition
$9,992
Cost of attendance
22,430
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 digital program managers
The hardest universities for digital program managers to get into are Northwestern University, University of Southern California, and University of Pennsylvania.
Some great schools for digital program 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 digital program 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. Northwestern University
Evanston, IL • Private
Admissions rate
8%
SAT average
1,508
2. University of Southern California
Los Angeles, CA • Private
Admissions rate
13%
SAT average
1,445
3. University of Pennsylvania
Philadelphia, PA • Private
Admissions rate
8%
SAT average
1,492
4. Northeastern University
Boston, MA • Private
Admissions rate
19%
SAT average
1,466
5. Boston University
Boston, MA • Private
Admissions rate
22%
SAT average
1,420
6. Stanford University
Stanford, CA • Private
Admissions rate
4%
SAT average
1,497
7. University of Texas at Austin
Austin, TX • Private
Admissions rate
39%
SAT average
1,367
8. Villanova University
Villanova, PA • Private
Admissions rate
29%
SAT average
1,407
9. Vanderbilt University
Nashville, TN • Private
Admissions rate
10%
SAT average
1,514
10. University of Maryland - College Park
College Park, MD • Private
Admissions rate
47%
SAT average
1,390
Top 10 easy-to-apply-to universities for digital program managers
The easiest schools for digital program managers to get into are Oklahoma Wesleyan University, university of the incarnate word, and gwynedd mercy university.
Some schools are much easier to get into. If you want to start your career as a digital program 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 digital program managers.
1. Oklahoma Wesleyan University
Bartlesville, OK • Private
Admissions rate
68%
SAT average
964
2. University of the Incarnate Word
San Antonio, TX • Private
Admissions rate
88%
SAT average
1,044
3. Gwynedd Mercy University
Gwynedd Valley, PA • Private
Admissions rate
92%
SAT average
1,031
4. Holy Names University
Oakland, CA • Private
Admissions rate
70%
SAT average
849
5. Barry University
Miami, FL • Private
Admissions rate
91%
SAT average
1,006
6. Felician University
Lodi, NJ • Private
Admissions rate
81%
SAT average
999
7. Notre Dame College
Cleveland, OH • Private
Admissions rate
90%
SAT average
994
8. LIM College
New York, NY • Private
Admissions rate
83%
SAT average
1,061
9. Oregon Institute of Technology
Klamath Falls, OR • Private
Admissions rate
96%
SAT average
1,139
10. La Roche College
Pittsburgh, PA • Private
Admissions rate
99%
SAT average
1,008
Average digital program manager salary by education level
| Digital program manager education level | Digital program manager salary |
|---|---|
| Master's Degree | $116,512 |
| Bachelor's Degree | $104,208 |
| Doctorate Degree | $121,195 |
Digital program manager education FAQs
Have more questions? See all answers to common executive management questions.
Search for digital program manager jobs
Updated January 8, 2025
Updated January 8, 2025