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Director, learning and development education requirements
Updated January 8, 2025
4 min read
There are several educational requirements to become a director, learning and development. Directors, learning and development usually study business, communication, or psychology. 69% of directors, learning and development hold a bachelor's degree, and 21% hold an master's degree. We analyzed 1,395 real director, learning and development resumes to see exactly what director, learning and development education sections show.
The most common colleges for directors, learning and development are the University of Phoenix and the University of Phoenix.
There are also many online director, learning and development courses to help get the education required to be a director, learning and development.
There are certain director, learning and development certifications that you should consider. These director, learning and development certifications include Certified Professional - Human Resource (IPMA-CP) and Certified Professional in Learning and Performance (CPLP).
What education do you need to become a director, learning and development?
What degree do you need to be a director, learning and development?
- Bachelor's, 69%
- Master's, 21%
- Associate, 4%
- Doctorate, 4%
- Other Degrees, 2%
What should I major in to become a director, learning and development?
- Business, 24%
- Communication, 8%
- Psychology, 8%
- Education, 7%
- Other Majors, 53%
Most common colleges for directors, learning and development
| Director, learning and development common college | Percentages |
|---|---|
| University of Phoenix | 12.57% |
| Florida State University | 6.56% |
| University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill | 6.56% |
| Arizona State University | 6.01% |
| Purdue University | 6.01% |
Best majors for directors, learning and development
| Rank | Major | Percentages |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Business | 24.1% |
| 2 | Communication | 8.3% |
| 3 | Psychology | 7.5% |
| 4 | Education | 7.0% |
| 5 | Human Resources Management | 5.9% |
Best colleges for directors, learning and development
The best colleges for directors, learning and development are Northwestern University, University of Pennsylvania, and University of Southern California.
A director, learning and development with advanced education typically earns a higher salary and has access to better jobs. That's why Zippia looked into the best colleges for directors, learning and development. 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 directors, learning and development.
1. Northwestern University
Evanston, IL • Private
In-state tuition
$54,568
Enrollment
8,451
2. University of Southern California
Los Angeles, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$56,225
Enrollment
19,548
3. University of Pennsylvania
Philadelphia, PA • Private
In-state tuition
$55,584
Enrollment
10,764
4. Boston University
Boston, MA • Private
In-state tuition
$53,948
Enrollment
17,238
5. University of Minnesota - Twin Cities
Minneapolis, MN • Private
In-state tuition
$14,760
Enrollment
31,451
6. San Diego State University
San Diego, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$7,488
Enrollment
30,018
7. George Washington University, The
Washington, DC • Private
In-state tuition
$55,230
Enrollment
12,161
8. Pennsylvania State University
University Park, PA • Private
In-state tuition
$18,454
Enrollment
40,108
9. University of Washington
Seattle, WA • Private
In-state tuition
$11,207
Enrollment
30,905
10. SUNY Stony Brook
Stony Brook, NY • Private
In-state tuition
$9,625
Enrollment
17,407
20 best online courses for directors, learning and development
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Top 10 most affordable universities for directors, learning and development
The most affordable schools for directors, learning and development are Baruch College of the City University of New York, university of florida, and brigham young university.
If the best universities for directors, learning and development 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 directors, learning and development.
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. University of Florida
Gainesville, FL • Private
In-state tuition
$6,381
Cost of attendance
21,034
3. Brigham Young University
Provo, UT • Private
In-state tuition
$5,620
Cost of attendance
18,136
4. Florida State University
Tallahassee, FL • Private
In-state tuition
$5,656
Cost of attendance
21,623
5. California State University - Dominguez Hills
Carson, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$6,942
Cost of attendance
14,469
6. California State University - Long Beach
Long Beach, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$6,798
Cost of attendance
18,306
7. SUNY Farmingdale
Farmingdale, NY • Private
In-state tuition
$8,306
Cost of attendance
16,091
8. University of Houston - Victoria
Victoria, TX • Private
In-state tuition
$6,491
Cost of attendance
19,075
9. Florida International University
Miami, FL • Private
In-state tuition
$6,556
Cost of attendance
19,434
10. Brooklyn College of the City University of New York
Brooklyn, NY • Private
In-state tuition
$7,240
Cost of attendance
13,991
Top 10 hardest universities to get into for directors, learning and development
The hardest universities for directors, learning and development to get into are Northwestern University, University of Pennsylvania, and University of Southern California.
Some great schools for directors, learning and development 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 directors, learning and development 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. University of Southern California
Los Angeles, CA • Private
Admissions rate
13%
SAT average
1,445
4. Johns Hopkins University
Baltimore, MD • Private
Admissions rate
11%
SAT average
1,513
5. Boston University
Boston, MA • Private
Admissions rate
22%
SAT average
1,420
6. New York University
New York, NY • Private
Admissions rate
20%
SAT average
1,419
7. Boston College
Chestnut Hill, MA • Private
Admissions rate
28%
SAT average
1,429
8. Northeastern University
Boston, MA • Private
Admissions rate
19%
SAT average
1,466
9. University of Miami
Coral Gables, FL • Private
Admissions rate
32%
SAT average
1,365
10. George Washington University, The
Washington, DC • Private
Admissions rate
42%
SAT average
1,380
Top 10 easy-to-apply-to universities for directors, learning and development
The easiest schools for directors, learning and development to get into are Barry University, wayland baptist university, and holy names university.
Some schools are much easier to get into. If you want to start your career as a director, learning and development 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 directors, learning and development.
1. Barry University
Miami, FL • Private
Admissions rate
91%
SAT average
1,006
2. Wayland Baptist University
Plainview, TX • Private
Admissions rate
98%
SAT average
1,003
3. Holy Names University
Oakland, CA • Private
Admissions rate
70%
SAT average
849
4. Notre Dame de Namur University
Belmont, CA • Private
Admissions rate
82%
SAT average
983
5. Notre Dame College
Cleveland, OH • Private
Admissions rate
90%
SAT average
994
6. Oklahoma Wesleyan University
Bartlesville, OK • Private
Admissions rate
68%
SAT average
964
7. University of North Texas at Dallas
Dallas, TX • Private
Admissions rate
83%
SAT average
992
8. Cardinal Stritch University
Milwaukee, WI • Private
Admissions rate
71%
SAT average
1,035
9. Our Lady of the Lake University
San Antonio, TX • Private
Admissions rate
93%
SAT average
1,002
10. Gwynedd Mercy University
Gwynedd Valley, PA • Private
Admissions rate
92%
SAT average
1,031
Average director, learning and development salary by education level
| Director, learning and development education level | Director, learning and development salary |
|---|---|
| Master's Degree | $97,213 |
| High School Diploma or Less | $81,193 |
| Bachelor's Degree | $97,188 |
| Some College/ Associate Degree | $88,153 |
Director, learning and development education FAQs
Have more questions? See all answers to common executive management questions.
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Updated January 8, 2025
Updated January 8, 2025