Post job

Director of intelligence education requirements

Updated January 8, 2025
4 min read

There are several educational requirements to become a director of intelligence. Directors of intelligence usually study business, computer science, or accounting. 66% of directors of intelligence hold a bachelor's degree, and 24% hold an master's degree. We analyzed 1,148 real director of intelligence resumes to see exactly what director of intelligence education sections show.

The most common colleges for directors of intelligence are the University of Phoenix and the University of Phoenix.

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

There are certain director of intelligence certifications that you should consider. These director of intelligence certifications include Project Management Professional (PMP) and The Open Group Architecture Framework (TOGAF).

What education do you need to become a director of intelligence?

What degree do you need to be a director of intelligence?

The most common degree for directors of intelligence is bachelor's degree, with 66% of directors of intelligence earning that degree. The second and third most common degree levels are master's degree degree at 24% and master's degree degree at 5%.
  • Bachelor's, 66%
  • Master's, 24%
  • Associate, 5%
  • Doctorate, 3%
  • Other Degrees, 2%

What should I major in to become a director of intelligence?

You should major in business to become a director of intelligence. 25% of directors of intelligence major in business. Other common majors for a director of intelligence include computer science and accounting.

Most common colleges for directors of intelligence

Directors of intelligence often get their degrees at University of Phoenix, American University, and Pennsylvania State University. Here are the most common colleges for directors of intelligence in the US based on their resumes.
Director of intelligence common collegePercentages
University of Phoenix9.21%
American University8.55%
Pennsylvania State University7.24%
University of Maryland - College Park6.58%
George Washington University, The5.92%

Best majors for directors of intelligence

RankMajorPercentages
1Business24.7%
2Computer Science8.6%
3Accounting6.9%
4Finance6.6%
5Political Science6.6%

Best colleges for directors of intelligence

The best colleges for directors of intelligence are Carnegie Mellon University, University of Pennsylvania, and Northwestern University.

A director of intelligence 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 intelligence. 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 intelligence.

1. Carnegie Mellon University

Pittsburgh, PA • Private

In-state tuition

$55,465

Enrollment

6,483

2. University of Pennsylvania

Philadelphia, PA • Private

In-state tuition

$55,584

Enrollment

10,764

3. Boston University

Boston, MA • Private

In-state tuition

$53,948

Enrollment

17,238

4. University of Washington

Seattle, WA • Private

In-state tuition

$11,207

Enrollment

30,905

5. New York University

New York, NY • Private

In-state tuition

$51,828

Enrollment

26,339

6. University of Southern California

Los Angeles, CA • Private

In-state tuition

$56,225

Enrollment

19,548

7. University of Minnesota - Twin Cities

Minneapolis, MN • Private

In-state tuition

$14,760

Enrollment

31,451

8. Northwestern University

Evanston, IL • Private

In-state tuition

$54,568

Enrollment

8,451

9. Northeastern University

Boston, MA • Private

In-state tuition

$51,522

Enrollment

13,760

10. Columbia University in the City of New York

New York, NY • Private

In-state tuition

$59,430

Enrollment

8,216

20 best online courses for directors of intelligence

Advertising disclosure

1. Business intelligence and data warehousing

coursera

Welcome to the specialization course Business Intelligence and Data Warehousing. This course will be completed on six weeks, it will be supported with videos and various documents that will allow you to learn in a very simple way how to identify, design and develop analytical information systems, such as Business Intelligence with a descriptive analysis on data warehouses. You will be able to understand the problem of integration and predictive analysis of high volume of unstructured data (big...

2. Google Business Intelligence

coursera

Get professional training designed by Google and take the next step in your career with advanced skills in the high-growth field of business intelligence. There are over 166,000 open jobs in business intelligence and the median salary for entry-level roles is $96,000.¹\n\nBusiness intelligence professionals collect, organize, interpret, and report on data to help organizations make informed business decisions. Some responsibilities include measuring performance, tracking revenue or spending,...

3. SQL - MySQL for Data Analytics and Business Intelligence

udemy
4.6
(53,305)

SQL that will get you hired – SQL for Business Analysis, Marketing, and Data Management...

4. Advanced Tableau for Business Intelligence & Data Analysis

udemy
4.6
(940)

Build expert-level Tableau skills with real-world business intelligence & data visualization projects (Tableau 2020.2+)...

5. Google Business Intelligence

coursera

Get professional training designed by Google and take the next step in your career with advanced skills in the high-growth field of business intelligence. There are over 166,000 open jobs in business intelligence and the median salary for entry-level roles is $96,000.¹\n\nBusiness intelligence professionals collect, organize, interpret, and report on data to help organizations make informed business decisions. Some responsibilities include measuring performance, tracking revenue or spending,...

6. Python Foundations for Data Analysis & Business Intelligence

udemy
4.6
(879)

Master the building blocks of base Python for data analysis & BI, with hands-on demos & unique, real-world projects!...

7. Business Data Analytics & Intelligence with Python 2023

udemy
4.7
(292)

Become a Business Data Analyst. Learn Python, Statistics, and Data Analytics using the latest industry tools...

8. SQL for Data Analysis: Beginner MySQL Business Intelligence

udemy
4.7
(8,345)

Learn SQL database querying w/ My SQL Workbench. Perfect for SQL beginners and first-time coders...

9. Business Communication Skills: EQ Intelligent Interactions

udemy
4.8
(273)

Elevate Your Business Communication Skills for Success. Learn to Master the Art of Emotionally Intelligent Interactions...

10. MicroStrategy for Business Intelligence

udemy
4.2
(343)

Comprehensive course on Micro Strategy Desktop and Web Dashboards...

11. Tableau Prep for Business Intelligence

udemy
4.7
(804)

Learn how to use Tableau Prep & Tableau Prep Builder to clean, shape and prepare data for analysis & visualization...

12. Data Analysis And Business Intelligence With Microsoft Excel

udemy
4.6
(338)

Use Power Query, Power Pivot, DAX, & Excel's data visualization tools to build powerful Business Intelligence solutions...

13. Artificial Intelligence & Machine Learning for Business

udemy
4.5
(4,802)

The Ultimate Artificial Intelligence & Machine Learning course for Cx Os, Managers, Team Leaders and Entrepreneurs...

14. Complete Business Intelligence with SSIS, SSAS and SSRS

udemy
4.2
(362)

Master Microsoft BI by solving Real-Life Problems. Learn ETL, Integration, Analytics, Reporting and Visualization!...

15. Microsoft Power BI Desktop for Business Intelligence (2023)

udemy
4.7
(105,380)

Master Power BI Desktop for data analysis with hands-on assignments & projects from top-rated Power BI instructors...

16. MicroStrategy for Business Intelligence- The Complete Course

udemy
4.5
(642)

Learn Business Intelligence using the latest 2021 Micro Strategy Desktop application. Develop amazing reporting solutions...

17. An Introduction to Emotional Intelligence

udemy
4.3
(4,206)

Discovering Emotional Intelligence The Secrets of Emotional Intelligence Manage Emotions Enhancing Relationships...

18. The Business Intelligence Analyst Course 2023

udemy
4.6
(43,085)

The skills you need to become a BI Analyst - Statistics, Database theory, SQL, Tableau – Everything is included...

19. Advanced SQL: MySQL for Ecommerce & Web Analytics

udemy
4.6
(4,988)

Learn data analytics & business intelligence with SQL + My SQL Workbench, and apply your skills to real-world projects!...

20. Communication Skills: Emotional Intelligence Coaching

udemy
4.4
(627)

Coaching Communication with Emotional Intelligence: Enhancing Skills Developing Strong Relationships Build Success...

Top 10 most affordable universities for directors of intelligence

The most affordable schools for directors of intelligence are Baruch College of the City University of New York, brooklyn college of the city university of new york, and brigham young university.

If the best universities for directors of intelligence 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 intelligence.

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. Brooklyn College of the City University of New York

Brooklyn, NY • Private

In-state tuition

$7,240

Cost of attendance

13,991

3. Brigham Young University

Provo, UT • Private

In-state tuition

$5,620

Cost of attendance

18,136

4. California State University - Los Angeles

Los Angeles, CA • Private

In-state tuition

$6,749

Cost of attendance

14,823

5. Minot State University

Minot, ND • Private

In-state tuition

$7,064

Cost of attendance

15,576

6. University of South Florida

Tampa, FL • Private

In-state tuition

$6,410

Cost of attendance

20,456

7. SUNY Farmingdale

Farmingdale, NY • Private

In-state tuition

$8,306

Cost of attendance

16,091

8. University of Washington

Seattle, WA • Private

In-state tuition

$11,207

Cost of attendance

25,275

9. Purdue University

West Lafayette, IN • Private

In-state tuition

$9,992

Cost of attendance

22,430

10. New Mexico Institute of Mining and Technology

Socorro, NM • Private

In-state tuition

$7,770

Cost of attendance

21,244

Top 10 hardest universities to get into for directors of intelligence

The hardest universities for directors of intelligence to get into are Carnegie Mellon University, University of Pennsylvania, and Northwestern University.

Some great schools for directors of intelligence 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 intelligence 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. Carnegie Mellon University

Pittsburgh, PA • Private

Admissions rate

17%

SAT average

1,507

2. University of Pennsylvania

Philadelphia, PA • Private

Admissions rate

8%

SAT average

1,492

3. Northwestern University

Evanston, IL • Private

Admissions rate

8%

SAT average

1,508

4. Columbia University in the City of New York

New York, NY • Private

Admissions rate

6%

SAT average

1,512

5. Northeastern University

Boston, MA • Private

Admissions rate

19%

SAT average

1,466

6. University of Southern California

Los Angeles, CA • Private

Admissions rate

13%

SAT average

1,445

7. New York University

New York, NY • Private

Admissions rate

20%

SAT average

1,419

8. Boston University

Boston, MA • Private

Admissions rate

22%

SAT average

1,420

9. Johns Hopkins University

Baltimore, MD • Private

Admissions rate

11%

SAT average

1,513

10. Washington University in St Louis

Saint Louis, MO • Private

Admissions rate

15%

SAT average

1,506

Top 10 easy-to-apply-to universities for directors of intelligence

The easiest schools for directors of intelligence to get into are Barry University, capitol technology university, and ottawa university.

Some schools are much easier to get into. If you want to start your career as a director of intelligence 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 intelligence.

1. Barry University

Miami, FL • Private

Admissions rate

91%

SAT average

1,006

2. Capitol Technology University

Laurel, MD • Private

Admissions rate

69%

SAT average

1,070

3. Ottawa University

Ottawa, KS • Private

Admissions rate

78%

SAT average

1,024

4. University of Baltimore

Baltimore, MD • Private

Admissions rate

78%

SAT average

1,020

5. Oklahoma Wesleyan University

Bartlesville, OK • Private

Admissions rate

68%

SAT average

964

6. Gwynedd Mercy University

Gwynedd Valley, PA • Private

Admissions rate

92%

SAT average

1,031

7. Thomas More University

Crestview Hills, KY • Private

Admissions rate

90%

SAT average

1,099

8. Chestnut Hill College

Philadelphia, PA • Private

Admissions rate

96%

SAT average

1,026

9. Felician University

Lodi, NJ • Private

Admissions rate

81%

SAT average

999

10. Washington Adventist Hospital

Takoma Park, MD • Private

Admissions rate

52%

SAT average

958

Average director of intelligence salary by education level

Directors of intelligence with a Doctorate degree earn more than those without, at $163,220 annually. With a Master's degree, directors of intelligence earn a median annual income of $160,064 compared to $150,486 for directors of intelligence with an Bachelor's degree.
Director of intelligence education levelDirector of intelligence salary
Master's Degree$160,064
Bachelor's Degree$150,486
Doctorate Degree$163,220
Some College/ Associate Degree$126,718

Director of intelligence education FAQs

Search for director of intelligence jobs

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.

Browse executive management jobs