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Director of alumni relations education requirements

Updated January 8, 2025
4 min read

There are several educational requirements to become a director of alumni relations. Directors of alumni relations usually study business, communication, or english. 74% of directors of alumni relations hold a bachelor's degree, and 17% hold an master's degree. We analyzed 1,654 real director of alumni relations resumes to see exactly what director of alumni relations education sections show.

The most common colleges for directors of alumni relations are the Pennsylvania State University and the Pennsylvania State University.

There are also many online director of alumni relations courses to help get the education required to be a director of alumni relations.

There are certain director of alumni relations certifications that you should consider. These director of alumni relations certifications include Certified Fund Raising Executive (CFRE) and Certified Medical Interpreter - Spanish (CMI).

What education do you need to become a director of alumni relations?

What degree do you need to be a director of alumni relations?

The most common degree for directors of alumni relations is bachelor's degree, with 74% of directors of alumni relations earning that degree. The second and third most common degree levels are master's degree degree at 17% and master's degree degree at 5%.
  • Bachelor's, 74%
  • Master's, 17%
  • Associate, 5%
  • Doctorate, 2%
  • Other Degrees, 2%

What should I major in to become a director of alumni relations?

You should major in business to become a director of alumni relations. 19% of directors of alumni relations major in business. Other common majors for a director of alumni relations include communication and english.

Most common colleges for directors of alumni relations

Directors of alumni relations often get their degrees at Pennsylvania State University, Syracuse University, and New York University. Here are the most common colleges for directors of alumni relations in the US based on their resumes.
Director of alumni relations common collegePercentages
Pennsylvania State University9.72%
Syracuse University6.94%
New York University6.94%
University of California, Santa Barbara6.25%
Cornell University5.56%

Best majors for directors of alumni relations

RankMajorPercentages
1Business18.9%
2Communication11.8%
3English9.4%
4Psychology7.3%
5Political Science5.7%

Best colleges for directors of alumni relations

The best colleges for directors of alumni relations are Stanford University, Northwestern University, and University of Pennsylvania.

A director of alumni relations 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 of alumni relations. 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 of alumni relations.

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 directors of alumni relations

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1. Relational Database Support for Data Warehouses

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Relational Database Support for Data Warehouses is the third course in the Data Warehousing for Business Intelligence specialization. In this course, you'll use analytical elements of SQL for answering business intelligence questions. You'll learn features of relational database management systems for managing summary data commonly used in business intelligence reporting. Because of the importance and difficulty of managing implementations of data warehouses, we'll also delve into storage...

2. Relational Databases for Beginners

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In Relational Databases for Beginners, you will learn invaluable information about how data is stored with the MySQL database. This guided project provides hands-on lessons with an Integrated Development Environment (IDE) and relational databases to give you the skills to process data. In this guided project, you will learn how to explore the IDE interface, create a Python program using the IDE, create, populate, backup, and restore a database, how to create and populate a table, and how to use...

3. Relational Database Design

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Learn how to create an effective relational database design to use in your IT career or even a personal project...

4. Investment Funds in Canada (IFC /IFIC) Tutorials

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The IFC certification from CSI prepares you to advise clients about their mutual funds investments...

5. Relational Database Design

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Have you ever wanted to build a database but don't know where to start? This course will provide you a step-by-step guidance. We are going to start from a raw idea to an implementable relational database. Getting on the path, practicing the real-life mini cases, you will be confident and comfortable with Relational Database Design. Let's get started! Relational Database Design can be taken for academic credit as part of CU Boulder’s Master of Science in Data Science (MS-DS) degree offered on...

6. Introduction to Relational Database and SQL

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In this guided project, you will get hands-on experience working with a relational database using MySQL Workbench from Oracle. The basic knowledge you learn will allow you to work with any other relational database. At the end of this project, you will be able to create a billing report and a club member roster...

7. Accessing Relational Databases with Quarkus

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Map and query your entities from relational databases using JPA and Panache ORM...

8. Create Your Own Hedge Fund: Trade Stocks Like A Fund Manager

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Learn How To Trade Mean-Reversion Setups And Properly Leverage Your Account For Big Returns...

9. Introduction to Relational Databases (RDBMS)

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Are you ready to dive into the world of data engineering? In this beginner level course, you will gain a solid understanding of how data is stored, processed, and accessed in relational databases (RDBMSes). You will work with different types of databases that are appropriate for various data processing requirements. You will begin this course by being introduced to relational database concepts, as well as several industry standard relational databases, including IBM DB2, MySQL, and PostgreSQL...

10. The Factors that Influence the Effectiveness of Boards and the Governance Process

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The third course in this Specialization introduces you to the factors that influence how effective boards of directors will be in carrying out their roles and responsibilities and hence the impact they have in shaping the success of the organization they govern. While this course has been developed with North American culture in mind, we do appreciate that, in other parts of the world, the nature of the factors that influence the effectiveness of nonprofit boards of directors may vary...

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Succeed as a Stock Picker or Financial Analyst by an Award Winning MBA Prof., worked @ Goldman, Hedge Funds & in VC...

13. Build a Database from a Relational Model

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In this course you will interpret the components of a relational data model, convert that model into a relational database, and then test the database design. The process of database design begins with requirements analysis to determine who will use the new database and how it will be used. The results of the detailed analysis are recorded in an Entity Relationship Diagram (ERD), which documents entities and their attributes, along with the relationships between entities. The ERD (logical...

14. What Finance Job is for You? Explanation of 14 Finance Roles

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15. Strategic Planning Skills

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16. Successful Events: Event Planning, Marketing & Management

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17. Introduction to International Relations

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International Relations for beginners: history, theories, states, sovereignty, war, peace, int. organisations, economy...

18. Basic Governance for Board Members

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Know your rights, duties & stay out of trouble...

19. Strategic Workforce Planning: A Fundamental Beginner's Guide

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Everything You Need to Know to Get Started...

20. Public Relations: Media Crisis Communications

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Public Relations: You Can Shape and Control Your Media Messages at The Worst Possible Times...

Top 10 most affordable universities for directors of alumni relations

The most affordable schools for directors of alumni relations are SUNY Farmingdale, california state university - bakersfield, and baruch college of the city university of new york.

If the best universities for directors of alumni relations 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 of alumni relations.

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 directors of alumni relations

The hardest universities for directors of alumni relations to get into are Stanford University, Northwestern University, and University of Pennsylvania.

Some great schools for directors of alumni relations 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 of alumni relations 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 directors of alumni relations

The easiest schools for directors of alumni relations 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 director of alumni relations 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 of alumni relations.

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 director of alumni relations salary by education level

According to our data, directors of alumni relations with a Master's degree earn the highest average salary, at $124,977 annually. Directors of alumni relations with a Bachelor's degree earn an average annual salary of $109,749.
Director of alumni relations education levelDirector of alumni relations salary
Master's Degree$124,977
Bachelor's Degree$109,749

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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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