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Director of program services education requirements
Updated January 8, 2025
4 min read
There are several educational requirements to become a director of program services. Directors of program services usually study psychology, social work, or business. 62% of directors of program services hold a bachelor's degree, and 26% hold an master's degree. We analyzed 1,745 real director of program services resumes to see exactly what director of program services education sections show.
The most common colleges for directors of program services are the University of Phoenix and the University of Phoenix.
There are also many online director of program services courses to help get the education required to be a director of program services.
There are certain director of program services certifications that you should consider. These director of program services certifications include Activity Director Certified (ADC) and Certified Professional - Human Resource (IPMA-CP).
What education do you need to become a director of program services?
What degree do you need to be a director of program services?
- Bachelor's, 62%
- Master's, 26%
- Associate, 7%
- Doctorate, 2%
- Other Degrees, 3%
What should I major in to become a director of program services?
- Psychology, 19%
- Social Work, 15%
- Business, 14%
- Criminal Justice, 6%
- Other Majors, 46%
Most common colleges for directors of program services
| Director of program services common college | Percentages |
|---|---|
| University of Phoenix | 13.71% |
| Florida State University | 7.61% |
| New York University | 6.60% |
| University of Maryland - College Park | 6.09% |
| Temple University | 6.09% |
Best majors for directors of program services
| Rank | Major | Percentages |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Psychology | 19.1% |
| 2 | Social Work | 14.9% |
| 3 | Business | 14.4% |
| 4 | Criminal Justice | 5.5% |
| 5 | Sociology | 5.2% |
Best colleges for directors of program services
The best colleges for directors of program services are Northwestern University, University of Pennsylvania, and Columbia University in the City of New York.
A director of program services 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 program services. 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 program services.
1. University of Pennsylvania
Philadelphia, PA • Private
In-state tuition
$55,584
Enrollment
10,764
2. University of Michigan - Ann Arbor
Ann Arbor, MI • Private
In-state tuition
$15,262
Enrollment
30,079
3. University of Washington
Seattle, WA • Private
In-state tuition
$11,207
Enrollment
30,905
4. New York University
New York, NY • Private
In-state tuition
$51,828
Enrollment
26,339
5. Northwestern University
Evanston, IL • Private
In-state tuition
$54,568
Enrollment
8,451
6. Pennsylvania State University
University Park, PA • Private
In-state tuition
$18,454
Enrollment
40,108
7. California State University - Dominguez Hills
Carson, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$6,942
Enrollment
13,871
8. Columbia University in the City of New York
New York, NY • Private
In-state tuition
$59,430
Enrollment
8,216
9. Johns Hopkins University
Baltimore, MD • Private
In-state tuition
$53,740
Enrollment
5,567
10. University of Southern California
Los Angeles, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$56,225
Enrollment
19,548
20 best online courses for directors of program services
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Top 10 most affordable universities for directors of program services
The most affordable schools for directors of program services are Hunter College of the City University of New York, california state university - bakersfield, and california state university - long beach.
If the best universities for directors of program services 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 program services.
1. Hunter College of the City University of New York
New York, NY • Private
In-state tuition
$7,182
Cost of attendance
13,998
2. California State University - Bakersfield
Bakersfield, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$7,309
Cost of attendance
16,714
3. California State University - Long Beach
Long Beach, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$6,798
Cost of attendance
18,306
4. California State University - Fullerton
Fullerton, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$6,886
Cost of attendance
17,645
5. University of South Florida
Tampa, FL • Private
In-state tuition
$6,410
Cost of attendance
20,456
6. California State University - Dominguez Hills
Carson, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$6,942
Cost of attendance
14,469
7. Brigham Young University
Provo, UT • Private
In-state tuition
$5,620
Cost of attendance
18,136
8. Florida State University
Tallahassee, FL • Private
In-state tuition
$5,656
Cost of attendance
21,623
9. Baruch College of the City University of New York
New York, NY • Private
In-state tuition
$7,262
Cost of attendance
14,046
10. California State University - Los Angeles
Los Angeles, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$6,749
Cost of attendance
14,823
Top 10 hardest universities to get into for directors of program services
The hardest universities for directors of program services to get into are Northwestern University, University of Pennsylvania, and Columbia University in the City of New York.
Some great schools for directors of program services 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 program services 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. Columbia University in the City of New York
New York, NY • Private
Admissions rate
6%
SAT average
1,512
4. Johns Hopkins University
Baltimore, MD • Private
Admissions rate
11%
SAT average
1,513
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. University of Michigan - Ann Arbor
Ann Arbor, MI • Private
Admissions rate
23%
SAT average
1,434
8. Northeastern University
Boston, MA • Private
Admissions rate
19%
SAT average
1,466
9. Harvard University
Cambridge, MA • Private
Admissions rate
5%
SAT average
1,520
10. George Washington University, The
Washington, DC • Private
Admissions rate
42%
SAT average
1,380
Top 10 easy-to-apply-to universities for directors of program services
The easiest schools for directors of program services to get into are Mount Saint Mary's University, bluefield college, and wayland baptist university.
Some schools are much easier to get into. If you want to start your career as a director of program services 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 program services.
1. Mount Saint Mary's University
Los Angeles, CA • Private
Admissions rate
84%
SAT average
1,031
2. Bluefield College
Bluefield, VA • Private
Admissions rate
95%
SAT average
980
3. Wayland Baptist University
Plainview, TX • Private
Admissions rate
98%
SAT average
1,003
4. Gwynedd Mercy University
Gwynedd Valley, PA • Private
Admissions rate
92%
SAT average
1,031
5. Barry University
Miami, FL • Private
Admissions rate
91%
SAT average
1,006
6. Holy Names University
Oakland, CA • Private
Admissions rate
70%
SAT average
849
7. Notre Dame de Namur University
Belmont, CA • Private
Admissions rate
82%
SAT average
983
8. Oklahoma Wesleyan University
Bartlesville, OK • Private
Admissions rate
68%
SAT average
964
9. Kean University
Union, NJ • Private
Admissions rate
86%
SAT average
991
10. University of North Texas at Dallas
Dallas, TX • Private
Admissions rate
83%
SAT average
992
Average director of program services salary by education level
| Director of program services education level | Director of program services salary |
|---|---|
| Master's Degree | $87,931 |
| Bachelor's Degree | $74,307 |
| Doctorate Degree | $94,211 |
Director of program services education FAQs
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Updated January 8, 2025
Updated January 8, 2025