Direct sales manager education requirements

Updated January 8, 2025

4 min read

There are several educational requirements to become a direct sales manager. Direct sales managers usually study business, marketing, or communication. 60% of direct sales managers hold a bachelor's degree, and 15% hold an associate degree. We analyzed 1,760 real direct sales manager resumes to see exactly what direct sales manager education sections show.

The most common colleges for direct sales managers are the University of Phoenix and the University of Phoenix.

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

There are certain direct sales manager certifications that you should consider. These direct sales manager certifications include Certified Sales Professional (CSP) and Certified Professional, Life and Health Insurance Program (CPLHI).

What education do you need to become a direct sales manager?

What degree do you need to be a direct sales manager?

The most common degree for direct sales managers is bachelor's degree, with 60% of direct sales managers earning that degree. The second and third most common degree levels are associate degree degree at 15% and associate degree degree at 9%.

Bachelor's, 60%

Associate, 15%

High School Diploma, 9%

Master's, 7%

Other Degrees, 9%

What should I major in to become a direct sales manager?

You should major in business to become a direct sales manager. 33% of direct sales managers major in business. Other common majors for a direct sales manager include marketing and communication.

Business, 33%

Marketing, 10%

Communication, 7%

Psychology, 6%

Other Majors, 44%

Most common colleges for direct sales managers

Direct sales managers often get their degrees at University of Phoenix, California State University - San Bernardino, and Ashford University. Here are the most common colleges for direct sales managers in the US based on their resumes.

Direct sales manager common college	Percentages
University of Phoenix	19.01%
California State University - San Bernardino	9.09%
Ashford University	6.61%
University of Massachusetts Boston	4.96%
University of Iowa	4.96%

Show more common direct sales manager colleges

Best majors for direct sales managers

Rank	Major	Percentages
1	Business	32.9%
2	Marketing	9.6%
3	Communication	6.8%
4	Psychology	6.0%
5	Management	5.6%

Show more common direct sales manager majors

Best colleges for direct sales managers

The best colleges for direct sales managers are Northwestern University, University of Pennsylvania, and University of Southern California.

A direct sales 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 direct sales 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 direct sales managers.

1. University of Southern California

Los Angeles, CA • Private

In-state tuition

$56,225

Enrollment

19,548

2. University of Wisconsin - Madison

Madison, WI • Private

In-state tuition

$10,555

Enrollment

30,360

3. University of Pennsylvania

Philadelphia, PA • Private

In-state tuition

$55,584

Enrollment

10,764

4. University of Georgia

Athens, GA • Private

In-state tuition

$11,830

Enrollment

29,474

5. Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University

Blacksburg, VA • Private

In-state tuition

$13,620

Enrollment

27,730

6. Northwestern University

Evanston, IL • Private

In-state tuition

$54,568

Enrollment

8,451

7. Ohio State University

Columbus, OH • Private

In-state tuition

$10,726

Enrollment

45,769

8. University of Texas at Austin

Austin, TX • Private

In-state tuition

$10,610

Enrollment

40,329

9. University of Houston

Houston, TX • Private

In-state tuition

$8,913

Enrollment

37,291

10. SUNY at Binghamton

Vestal, NY • Private

In-state tuition

$9,808

Enrollment

13,990

20 best online courses for direct sales managers

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Top 10 most affordable universities for direct sales managers

The most affordable schools for direct sales managers are USF Sarasota-Manatee, university of florida, and university of south florida.

If the best universities for direct sales 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 direct sales managers.

1. USF Sarasota-Manatee

Sarasota, FL • Private

In-state tuition

$5,587

Cost of attendance

13,043

2. University of Florida

Gainesville, FL • Private

In-state tuition

$6,381

Cost of attendance

21,034

3. University of South Florida

Tampa, FL • Private

In-state tuition

$6,410

Cost of attendance

20,456

4. Brigham Young University

Provo, UT • Private

In-state tuition

$5,620

Cost of attendance

18,136

5. University of Puerto Rico - Mayaguez

Mayaguez, PR • Private

In-state tuition

$4,094

Cost of attendance

14,302

6. University of Houston - Victoria

Victoria, TX • Private

In-state tuition

$6,491

Cost of attendance

19,075

7. SUNY Farmingdale

Farmingdale, NY • Private

In-state tuition

$8,306

Cost of attendance

16,091

8. Florida State University

Tallahassee, FL • Private

In-state tuition

$5,656

Cost of attendance

21,623

9. USF St. Petersburg

St. Petersburg, FL • Private

In-state tuition

$5,821

Cost of attendance

19,849

10. Purdue University

West Lafayette, IN • Private

In-state tuition

$9,992

Cost of attendance

22,430

Top 10 hardest universities to get into for direct sales managers

The hardest universities for direct sales managers to get into are Northwestern University, University of Pennsylvania, and University of Southern California.

Some great schools for direct sales 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 direct sales 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

SAT average

1,508

2. University of Pennsylvania

Philadelphia, PA • Private

Admissions rate

SAT average

1,492

3. University of Southern California

Los Angeles, CA • Private

Admissions rate

13%

SAT average

1,445

4. Northeastern University

Boston, MA • Private

Admissions rate

19%

SAT average

1,466

5. Johns Hopkins University

Baltimore, MD • Private

Admissions rate

11%

SAT average

1,513

6. Bentley University

Waltham, MA • Private

Admissions rate

43%

SAT average

1,338

7. George Washington University, The

Washington, DC • Private

Admissions rate

42%

SAT average

1,380

8. University of Texas at Austin

Austin, TX • Private

Admissions rate

39%

SAT average

1,367

9. SUNY at Binghamton

Vestal, NY • Private

Admissions rate

40%

SAT average

1,376

10. Boston University

Boston, MA • Private

Admissions rate

22%

SAT average

1,420

Top 10 easy-to-apply-to universities for direct sales managers

The easiest schools for direct sales managers to get into are Gwynedd Mercy University, mount saint mary's university, and oklahoma wesleyan university.

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

1. Gwynedd Mercy University

Gwynedd Valley, PA • Private

Admissions rate

92%

SAT average

1,031

2. Mount Saint Mary's University

Los Angeles, CA • Private

Admissions rate

84%

SAT average

1,031

3. Oklahoma Wesleyan University

Bartlesville, OK • Private

Admissions rate

68%

SAT average

964

4. Holy Names University

Oakland, CA • Private

Admissions rate

70%

SAT average

849

5. University of the Incarnate Word

San Antonio, TX • Private

Admissions rate

88%

SAT average

1,044

6. University of Baltimore

Baltimore, MD • Private

Admissions rate

78%

SAT average

1,020

7. D'Youville College

Buffalo, NY • Private

Admissions rate

100%

SAT average

1,072

8. Notre Dame College

Cleveland, OH • Private

Admissions rate

90%

SAT average

994

9. LIM College

New York, NY • Private

Admissions rate

83%

SAT average

1,061

10. Cardinal Stritch University

Milwaukee, WI • Private

Admissions rate

71%

SAT average

1,035

Average direct sales manager salary by education level

Direct sales managers with a Master's degree earn more than those without, at $149,127 annually. With a Doctorate degree, direct sales managers earn a median annual income of $141,858 compared to $133,864 for direct sales managers with an Bachelor's degree.

Direct sales manager education level	Direct sales manager salary
Master's Degree	$149,127
High School Diploma or Less	$105,629
Bachelor's Degree	$133,864
Doctorate Degree	$141,858
Some College/ Associate Degree	$105,557

Direct sales manager education FAQs

What is the best college for Direct Sales Managers?

Have more questions? See all answers to common executive management questions.

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Updated January 8, 2025

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.

Updated January 8, 2025

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