Director of sales, marketing and operations education requirements

Updated January 8, 2025

5 min read

There are several educational requirements to become a director of sales, marketing and operations. Directors of sales, marketing and operations usually study business, marketing, or management. 72% of directors of sales, marketing and operations hold a bachelor's degree, and 17% hold an master's degree. We analyzed 490 real director of sales, marketing and operations resumes to see exactly what director of sales, marketing and operations education sections show.

The most common colleges for directors of sales, marketing and operations are the Northeastern University and the Northeastern University.

There are also many online director of sales, marketing and operations courses to help get the education required to be a director of sales, marketing and operations.

What education do you need to become a director of sales, marketing and operations?

What degree do you need to be a director of sales, marketing and operations?

The most common degree for directors of sales, marketing and operations is bachelor's degree, with 72% of directors of sales, marketing and operations earning that degree. The second and third most common degree levels are master's degree degree at 17% and master's degree degree at 8%.

Bachelor's, 72%

Master's, 17%

Associate, 8%

Diploma, 1%

Other Degrees, 2%

What should I major in to become a director of sales, marketing and operations?

You should major in business to become a director of sales, marketing and operations. 39% of directors of sales, marketing and operations major in business. Other common majors for a director of sales, marketing and operations include marketing and management.

Business, 39%

Marketing, 13%

Management, 7%

Political Science, 4%

Other Majors, 37%

Most common colleges for directors of sales, marketing and operations

Directors of sales, marketing and operations often get their degrees at Northeastern University, Rollins College, and University of Florida. Here are the most common colleges for directors of sales, marketing and operations in the US based on their resumes.

Director of sales, marketing and operations common college	Percentages
Northeastern University	9.09%
Rollins College	7.58%
University of Florida	6.06%
Ohio State University	6.06%
University of California, Berkeley	6.06%

Show more common director of sales, marketing and operations colleges

Best majors for directors of sales, marketing and operations

Rank	Major	Percentages
1	Business	39.4%
2	Marketing	12.7%
3	Management	6.5%
4	Political Science	4.5%
5	Communication	4.5%

Show more common director of sales, marketing and operations majors

Best colleges for directors of sales, marketing and operations

The best colleges for directors of sales, marketing and operations are Northwestern University, University of Pennsylvania, and University of Southern California.

A director of sales, marketing and operations 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 sales, marketing and operations. 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 sales, marketing and operations.

1. University of Southern California

Los Angeles, CA • Private

In-state tuition

$56,225

Enrollment

19,548

2. University of Wisconsin - Madison

Madison, WI • Private

In-state tuition

$10,555

Enrollment

30,360

3. University of Pennsylvania

Philadelphia, PA • Private

In-state tuition

$55,584

Enrollment

10,764

4. University of Georgia

Athens, GA • Private

In-state tuition

$11,830

Enrollment

29,474

5. Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University

Blacksburg, VA • Private

In-state tuition

$13,620

Enrollment

27,730

6. Northwestern University

Evanston, IL • Private

In-state tuition

$54,568

Enrollment

8,451

7. Ohio State University

Columbus, OH • Private

In-state tuition

$10,726

Enrollment

45,769

8. University of Texas at Austin

Austin, TX • Private

In-state tuition

$10,610

Enrollment

40,329

9. University of Houston

Houston, TX • Private

In-state tuition

$8,913

Enrollment

37,291

10. SUNY at Binghamton

Vestal, NY • Private

In-state tuition

$9,808

Enrollment

13,990

20 best online courses for directors of sales, marketing and operations

Advertising disclosure

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2. Sales Operations/Management

Sales jobs span nearly every industry, from agribusiness and pharmaceuticals, to telecommunications and property management. And essential to sales is the management of the sales force. This course provides the knowledge and know how required for careers in sales management. Students are exposed to all facets of sales management, including organizing, selecting, training, motivating, supervising and compensating the sales force, territory management and administration and sales and expense...

3. Sales Fire: B2B Sales & Business Development for Startups

4.6

(584)

The Ultimate Sales Methodology for Business Development & B2B Sales to Learn Sales Strategy, Sales Skills & Deal Closing...

4. The Complete Sales Skills Master Class - Sales Marketing B2B

4.5

(741)

Master Sales Skills, Marketing Strategy, B2B Sales, Business Development, Lead Generation Using Top Social Skills...

5. The Complete B2B Sales Masterclass: 6 Courses in 1

(413)

1. Generate Leads, 2. Pitch, 3. Close & Handle Any Objection: Get Certified in Cutting Edge, Non-Pushy B2B Sales System...

6. Sales and Marketing For Online Businesses

(1,581)

A Beginners Guide To Sales & Marketing For Your Online Business And Ventures...

7. Sales Analysis for Management Consultants

4.6

(251)

A practical guide on how to improve sales and marketing of your customers during consulting projects like Mc Kinsey, BCG,...

8. Sales Skills: 9 Sales Training Courses In 1

4.4

(994)

Develop Extraordinary Sales Skills With The Ultimate Sales Training (Taught By 5 Top Sales Experts)...

9. B2B Sales Skills: LinkedIn Lead Generation, Cold Email Sales

4.5

(327)

High-ticket B2B sales and marketing. Generate leads, sell to big companies, and win large deals. Learn sales skills!...

10. Business Development & B2B Sales for Startups- Sales Valley

4.5

(6,788)

The Complete Startup Playbook for Business Development & B2B Sales to learn Lead Generation, Pitching, & Closing Deals...

11. Sales Funnels Masterclass: Increase Sales With Sales Funnels

4.5

(599)

Learn to create highly converting sales, conduct professional email marketing & 10X your sales with sales funnel fast!...

12. Sales Training: Practical Sales Techniques

4.6

(23,968)

Sales Hacking: Essential sales skills, sales strategies and sales techniques to sell just about anything!...

13. Sales Machine: The Sales Training B2B Master Course

4.6

(4,040)

Learn Sales Strategies & Sales Techniques to Sell ANYTHING for Entrepreneurs, Startup, B2B Sales, & Business Development...

14. Digital Marketing Strategy - Profitable Sales Funnel Mastery

4.7

(548)

Learn to build a profitable sales funnel through captivating free offers, sales pages and email marketing sequences...

15. Sales Training Pro: The Complete Sales Presentation Course

4.6

(346)

Practical, Hands-on Sales Techniques and Tools to Effortlessly Engage your Customers In Your Sales Presentations...

16. Digital Marketing: How to Generate Sales Leads

4.4

(897)

Learn How To Generate Leads With A Step-By-Step Workbook & Action Plan To Boost Your Sales in 2019...

17. Sales Training: How To Close More Sales

4.5

(1,734)

Closing Sales: Sales Training Course: Sales Skills; Selling Techniques; Sales Strategies for B2B, B2C Direct Sales...

18. Sales Training: Become A Sales Superstar

4.7

(262)

Develop Advanced Sales Skills To Sell Anything Like A Champ (Taught By A World-class Salesman)...

19. The Ultimate Marketing Training 2020 - Sales Copy Academy

4.5

(499)

10X Your Sales Using The Secrets of the Most Successful Companies in History...

20. Email Marketing. Increase Sales With Email Marketing!

4.5

(647)

A Hands-on Guide to Email Marketing for Beginners. Learn How to Boost Your Business With Email Marketing Strategy...

Top 10 most affordable universities for directors of sales, marketing and operations

The most affordable schools for directors of sales, marketing and operations are USF Sarasota-Manatee, university of florida, and university of south florida.

If the best universities for directors of sales, marketing and operations 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 sales, marketing and operations.

1. USF Sarasota-Manatee

Sarasota, FL • Private

In-state tuition

$5,587

Cost of attendance

13,043

2. University of Florida

Gainesville, FL • Private

In-state tuition

$6,381

Cost of attendance

21,034

3. University of South Florida

Tampa, FL • Private

In-state tuition

$6,410

Cost of attendance

20,456

4. Brigham Young University

Provo, UT • Private

In-state tuition

$5,620

Cost of attendance

18,136

5. University of Puerto Rico - Mayaguez

Mayaguez, PR • Private

In-state tuition

$4,094

Cost of attendance

14,302

6. University of Houston - Victoria

Victoria, TX • Private

In-state tuition

$6,491

Cost of attendance

19,075

7. SUNY Farmingdale

Farmingdale, NY • Private

In-state tuition

$8,306

Cost of attendance

16,091

8. Florida State University

Tallahassee, FL • Private

In-state tuition

$5,656

Cost of attendance

21,623

9. USF St. Petersburg

St. Petersburg, FL • Private

In-state tuition

$5,821

Cost of attendance

19,849

10. Purdue University

West Lafayette, IN • Private

In-state tuition

$9,992

Cost of attendance

22,430

Top 10 hardest universities to get into for directors of sales, marketing and operations

The hardest universities for directors of sales, marketing and operations to get into are Northwestern University, University of Pennsylvania, and University of Southern California.

Some great schools for directors of sales, marketing and operations 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 sales, marketing and operations 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

SAT average

1,508

2. University of Pennsylvania

Philadelphia, PA • Private

Admissions rate

SAT average

1,492

3. University of Southern California

Los Angeles, CA • Private

Admissions rate

13%

SAT average

1,445

4. Northeastern University

Boston, MA • Private

Admissions rate

19%

SAT average

1,466

5. Johns Hopkins University

Baltimore, MD • Private

Admissions rate

11%

SAT average

1,513

6. Bentley University

Waltham, MA • Private

Admissions rate

43%

SAT average

1,338

7. George Washington University, The

Washington, DC • Private

Admissions rate

42%

SAT average

1,380

8. University of Texas at Austin

Austin, TX • Private

Admissions rate

39%

SAT average

1,367

9. SUNY at Binghamton

Vestal, NY • Private

Admissions rate

40%

SAT average

1,376

10. Boston University

Boston, MA • Private

Admissions rate

22%

SAT average

1,420

Top 10 easy-to-apply-to universities for directors of sales, marketing and operations

The easiest schools for directors of sales, marketing and operations to get into are Gwynedd Mercy University, mount saint mary's university, and oklahoma wesleyan university.

Some schools are much easier to get into. If you want to start your career as a director of sales, marketing and operations 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 sales, marketing and operations.

1. Gwynedd Mercy University

Gwynedd Valley, PA • Private

Admissions rate

92%

SAT average

1,031

2. Mount Saint Mary's University

Los Angeles, CA • Private

Admissions rate

84%

SAT average

1,031

3. Oklahoma Wesleyan University

Bartlesville, OK • Private

Admissions rate

68%

SAT average

964

4. Holy Names University

Oakland, CA • Private

Admissions rate

70%

SAT average

849

5. University of the Incarnate Word

San Antonio, TX • Private

Admissions rate

88%

SAT average

1,044

6. University of Baltimore

Baltimore, MD • Private

Admissions rate

78%

SAT average

1,020

7. D'Youville College

Buffalo, NY • Private

Admissions rate

100%

SAT average

1,072

8. Notre Dame College

Cleveland, OH • Private

Admissions rate

90%

SAT average

994

9. LIM College

New York, NY • Private

Admissions rate

83%

SAT average

1,061

10. Cardinal Stritch University

Milwaukee, WI • Private

Admissions rate

71%

SAT average

1,035

Average director of sales, marketing and operations salary by education level

Directors of sales, marketing and operations with a Master's degree earn more than those without, at $192,776 annually. With a Doctorate degree, directors of sales, marketing and operations earn a median annual income of $183,656 compared to $173,610 for directors of sales, marketing and operations with an Bachelor's degree.

Director of sales, marketing and operations education level	Director of sales, marketing and operations salary
Master's Degree	$192,776
High School Diploma or Less	$137,976
Bachelor's Degree	$173,610
Doctorate Degree	$183,656
Some College/ Associate Degree	$137,884

Director of sales, marketing and operations education FAQs

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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.

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