Director of public affairs education requirements

Updated January 8, 2025

4 min read

There are several educational requirements to become a director of public affairs. Directors of public affairs usually study political science, communication, or business. 71% of directors of public affairs hold a bachelor's degree, and 17% hold an master's degree. We analyzed 3,255 real director of public affairs resumes to see exactly what director of public affairs education sections show.

The most common colleges for directors of public affairs are the New York University and the New York University.

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

There are certain director of public affairs certifications that you should consider. These director of public affairs certifications include Accreditation in Public Relations (PR) and Certified Manager Certification (CM).

What education do you need to become a director of public affairs?

What degree do you need to be a director of public affairs?

The most common degree for directors of public affairs is bachelor's degree, with 71% of directors of public affairs earning that degree. The second and third most common degree levels are master's degree degree at 17% and master's degree degree at 6%.

Bachelor's, 71%

Master's, 17%

Doctorate, 6%

Associate, 4%

Other Degrees, 2%

What should I major in to become a director of public affairs?

You should major in political science to become a director of public affairs. 23% of directors of public affairs major in political science. Other common majors for a director of public affairs include communication and business.

Political Science, 23%

Communication, 13%

Business, 11%

Journalism, 9%

Other Majors, 44%

Most common colleges for directors of public affairs

Directors of public affairs often get their degrees at New York University, University of Maryland - College Park, and George Washington University, The. Here are the most common colleges for directors of public affairs in the US based on their resumes.

Director of public affairs common college	Percentages
New York University	8.13%
University of Maryland - College Park	8.13%
George Washington University, The	7.39%
American University	6.90%
Georgetown University	6.16%

Show more common director of public affairs colleges

Best majors for directors of public affairs

Rank	Major	Percentages
1	Political Science	22.6%
2	Communication	12.5%
3	Business	11.4%
4	Journalism	9.0%
5	Law	6.4%

Show more common director of public affairs majors

Best colleges for directors of public affairs

The best colleges for directors of public affairs are Stanford University, Northwestern University, and University of Pennsylvania.

A director of public affairs 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 public affairs. 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 public affairs.

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. University of Southern California

Los Angeles, CA • Private

In-state tuition

$56,225

Enrollment

19,548

5. Villanova University

Villanova, PA • Private

In-state tuition

$53,308

Enrollment

6,819

6. Boston University

Boston, MA • Private

In-state tuition

$53,948

Enrollment

17,238

7. New York University

New York, NY • Private

In-state tuition

$51,828

Enrollment

26,339

8. University of Minnesota - Twin Cities

Minneapolis, MN • Private

In-state tuition

$14,760

Enrollment

31,451

9. Harvard University

Cambridge, MA • Private

In-state tuition

$50,420

Enrollment

7,582

10. Duke University

Durham, NC • Private

In-state tuition

$55,695

Enrollment

6,596

20 best online courses for directors of public affairs

Advertising disclosure

1. Introduction to Public Relations and the Media

This specialization is ideal for learners interested in how to practice public relations and branding communication. You will learn how to use different tools to manage your company’s reputation. You will learn about different forms of media, how to work with journalists, and how to plan strategic communication to enhance your company. And you will emerge from this specialization with several portfolio pieces, including a media contact list, press release, pitch, and crisis communication plan...

2. Communicating with the Public

Rooted in theater, journalism and humanities practices, this course presents tools and techniques that help you improve your public-facing communication skills, particularly when describing your work to a lay audience. Whether it’s a 30-second elevator pitch or speaking to a large organization, “Communicating with the Public” will boost your confidence in any speech-communication scenario...

3. Public Relations: Media Crisis Communications

4.6

(2,248)

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

4. Press Coverage, Publicity & Public Relations For Branding

4.3

(496)

Public relations to reach 100,000+ people with influencer marketing, publicity, and press coverage for personal branding...

5. The People, Power, and Pride of Public Health

The People, Power, and Pride of Public Health provides an engaging overview of the incredible accomplishments and promise of the public health field. The first module includes interviews with legendary public health figures whose work led to millions of lives saved with vaccines, air bags and car seats, and the federal Women Infants and Children (WIC) nutrition program. The second module brings key public health tools to life -- including use of data, communications, and policy - through...

6. Breastfeeding: Public Health Perspectives

Engaging in this course will provide you with the opportunity to think about breastfeeding and its public health implications. The Socio-Ecological Model will be the framework of the course as we think about how each level of the Model (individual, interpersonal, community, organizational, and public policy) impacts breastfeeding practices in the United States, and globally. Through short video lectures you will be introduced to relevant topics related to the public health perspectives of...

7. The Art of Public Speaking

4.7

(270)

Master Public Speaking: Deliver Unforgettable Speeches & Presentations With The World's Most Decorated Public Speaker...

8. Public Speaking for People Who Hate Public Speaking

4.3

(293)

Public Speaking for People Who Hate Public Speaking - Presentation Skills - Communication Skills and Storytelling...

9. Leadership for Public Health Crises

Leadership for Public Health Crises will enable current and prospective managers, directors, unit heads, and elected officials to effectively lead their organizational response to profound health-related emergencies and to build leadership capacity across multiple sectors, agencies, organizations, and divisions. This series of courses prepares graduate students (in, e.g., public administration, public health, social work, business, homeland security, education, and related fields) and...

10. Politics and Ethics of Data Analytics in the Public Sector

Deepen your understanding of the power and politics of data in the public sector, including how values — in addition to data and evidence — are always part of public sector decision-making. In this course, you will explore common ethical challenges associated with data, data analytics, and randomized controlled trials in the public sector. You will also navigate and understand the ethical issues related to data systems and data analysis by understanding frameworks, codes of ethics, and...

11. Pharmaceutical Industry Drug Regulatory Affairs (DRA)

4.5

(256)

Empowering Professionals in the Pharmaceutical Industry: A Comprehensive Online Course in Drug Regulatory Affairs...

12. Certificate Course in Drug Regulatory Affairs (DRA)

4.2

(1,430)

Pharma course (NDA, ANDA, CTD, DMF, USFDA, Regulatory strategy, GMP, Clinical Research, Orange Book, Pharmaceuticals)...

13. Engineering Life: Synbio, Bioethics & Public Policy

Synbio is a diverse field with diverse applications, and the different contexts (e.g., gain-of-function research, biofuels) raise different ethical and governance challenges. The objective of this course is to increase learners’ awareness and understanding of ethical and policy/governance issues that arise in the design, conduct and application of synthetic biology. The course will begin with a short history of recombinant DNA technology and how governance of that science developed and evolved,...

14. Systems Thinking In Public Health

This course provides an introduction to systems thinking and systems models in public health. Problems in public health and health policy tend to be complex with many actors, institutions and risk factors involved. If an outcome depends on many interacting and adaptive parts and actors the outcome cannot be analyzed or predicted with traditional statistical methods. Systems thinking is a core skill in public health and helps health policymakers build programs and policies that are aware of and...

15. Public Speaking: A tactical approach

4.5

(1,523)

This course will teach public speaking, communication skills and storytelling in an entirely new way...

16. Public Speaking for Beginners

4.6

(915)

Public Speaking Skills Developed From Scratch, in Little Time...

17. Public Speaking & Communicating: Skip Theory, Master the Art

4.6

(2,476)

Public Speaking,Presenting,Communicating. After years in the Making: The Spark Words method has been proven by Thousands...

18. Public Speaking Training & Facilitator Certification

4.6

(1,480)

World-class public speaking training: Learn presentation skills, engage your audience, develop confidence, facilitate...

19. Fear of Public Speaking: Never Fear Public Speaking Again

4.3

(623)

Public Speaking Fear. You will deliver presentations/speeches with confidence and ease. Never be nervous again...

20. The Ultimate Public Relations Masterclass

4.7

(2,558)

Everything you need to know to be successful at PR in a digital world...

Top 10 most affordable universities for directors of public affairs

The most affordable schools for directors of public affairs are Baruch College of the City University of New York, university of florida, and california state university - bakersfield.

If the best universities for directors of public affairs 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 public affairs.

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. California State University - Bakersfield

Bakersfield, CA • Private

In-state tuition

$7,309

Cost of attendance

16,714

4. SUNY Farmingdale

Farmingdale, NY • Private

In-state tuition

$8,306

Cost of attendance

16,091

5. Brigham Young University

Provo, UT • Private

In-state tuition

$5,620

Cost of attendance

18,136

6. Florida State University

Tallahassee, FL • Private

In-state tuition

$5,656

Cost of attendance

21,623

7. Florida International University

Miami, FL • Private

In-state tuition

$6,556

Cost of attendance

19,434

8. Brooklyn College of the City University of New York

Brooklyn, NY • Private

In-state tuition

$7,240

Cost of attendance

13,991

9. California State University - Dominguez Hills

Carson, CA • Private

In-state tuition

$6,942

Cost of attendance

14,469

10. University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

Chapel Hill, NC • Private

In-state tuition

$8,987

Cost of attendance

25,527

Top 10 hardest universities to get into for directors of public affairs

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

Some great schools for directors of public affairs 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 public affairs 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

SAT average

1,497

2. Northwestern University

Evanston, IL • Private

Admissions rate

SAT average

1,508

3. University of Pennsylvania

Philadelphia, PA • Private

Admissions rate

SAT average

1,492

4. Vanderbilt University

Nashville, TN • Private

Admissions rate

10%

SAT average

1,514

5. Harvard University

Cambridge, MA • Private

Admissions rate

SAT average

1,520

6. Yale University

New Haven, CT • Private

Admissions rate

SAT average

1,517

7. Duke University

Durham, NC • Private

Admissions rate

SAT average

1,516

8. University of Southern California

Los Angeles, CA • Private

Admissions rate

13%

SAT average

1,445

9. Washington University in St Louis

Saint Louis, MO • Private

Admissions rate

15%

SAT average

1,506

10. New York University

New York, NY • Private

Admissions rate

20%

SAT average

1,419

Top 10 easy-to-apply-to universities for directors of public affairs

The easiest schools for directors of public affairs to get into are Barry University, notre dame de namur university, and university of north texas at dallas.

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

1. Barry University

Miami, FL • Private

Admissions rate

91%

SAT average

1,006

2. Notre Dame de Namur University

Belmont, CA • Private

Admissions rate

82%

SAT average

983

3. University of North Texas at Dallas

Dallas, TX • Private

Admissions rate

83%

SAT average

992

4. Holy Names University

Oakland, CA • Private

Admissions rate

70%

SAT average

849

5. Notre Dame College

Cleveland, OH • Private

Admissions rate

90%

SAT average

994

6. Mount Saint Mary's University

Los Angeles, CA • Private

Admissions rate

84%

SAT average

1,031

7. Wayland Baptist University

Plainview, TX • Private

Admissions rate

98%

SAT average

1,003

8. University of Baltimore

Baltimore, MD • Private

Admissions rate

78%

SAT average

1,020

9. Oklahoma Wesleyan University

Bartlesville, OK • Private

Admissions rate

68%

SAT average

964

10. Holy Family University

Philadelphia, PA • Private

Admissions rate

72%

SAT average

1,017

Average director of public affairs salary by education level

According to our data, directors of public affairs with a Master's degree earn the highest average salary, at $137,264 annually. Directors of public affairs with a Bachelor's degree earn an average annual salary of $118,753.

Director of public affairs education level	Director of public affairs salary
Master's Degree	$137,264
Bachelor's Degree	$118,753

Director of public affairs education FAQs

What is the best college for Directors Of Public Affairs?

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

Search for director of public affairs jobs

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

Browse executive management jobs