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Director of strategic business development education requirements

Updated January 8, 2025
4 min read

There are several educational requirements to become a director of strategic business development. Directors of strategic business development usually study business, marketing, or finance. 70% of directors of strategic business development hold a bachelor's degree, and 24% hold an master's degree. We analyzed 571 real director of strategic business development resumes to see exactly what director of strategic business development education sections show.

The most common colleges for directors of strategic business development are the California State University - San Bernardino and the California State University - San Bernardino.

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

What education do you need to become a director of strategic business development?

What degree do you need to be a director of strategic business development?

The most common degree for directors of strategic business development is bachelor's degree, with 70% of directors of strategic business development earning that degree. The second and third most common degree levels are master's degree degree at 24% and master's degree degree at 3%.
  • Bachelor's, 70%
  • Master's, 24%
  • Associate, 3%
  • Doctorate, 1%
  • Other Degrees, 2%

What should I major in to become a director of strategic business development?

You should major in business to become a director of strategic business development. 27% of directors of strategic business development major in business. Other common majors for a director of strategic business development include marketing and finance.

Most common colleges for directors of strategic business development

Directors of strategic business development often get their degrees at California State University - San Bernardino, University of Wisconsin Colleges, and New York University. Here are the most common colleges for directors of strategic business development in the US based on their resumes.
Director of strategic business development common collegePercentages
California State University - San Bernardino8.16%
University of Wisconsin Colleges7.14%
New York University7.14%
Arizona State University6.12%
University of Pennsylvania6.12%

Best majors for directors of strategic business development

RankMajorPercentages
1Business27.4%
2Marketing15.0%
3Finance7.5%
4Management5.0%
5Electrical Engineering5.0%

Best colleges for directors of strategic business development

The best colleges for directors of strategic business development are Northwestern University, University of Southern California, and University of Pennsylvania.

A director of strategic business development 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 strategic business development. 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 strategic business development.

1. University of Georgia

Athens, GA • Private

In-state tuition

$11,830

Enrollment

29,474

2. University of Wisconsin - Madison

Madison, WI • Private

In-state tuition

$10,555

Enrollment

30,360

3. University of Minnesota - Twin Cities

Minneapolis, MN • Private

In-state tuition

$14,760

Enrollment

31,451

4. Purdue University

West Lafayette, IN • Private

In-state tuition

$9,992

Enrollment

33,495

5. Howard University

Washington, DC • Private

In-state tuition

$26,756

Enrollment

6,166

6. Ohio State University

Columbus, OH • Private

In-state tuition

$10,726

Enrollment

45,769

7. University of Texas at Austin

Austin, TX • Private

In-state tuition

$10,610

Enrollment

40,329

8. University of Southern California

Los Angeles, CA • Private

In-state tuition

$56,225

Enrollment

19,548

9. University of Pennsylvania

Philadelphia, PA • Private

In-state tuition

$55,584

Enrollment

10,764

10. SUNY at Binghamton

Vestal, NY • Private

In-state tuition

$9,808

Enrollment

13,990

20 best online courses for directors of strategic business development

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Learn to apply predictive analytics and business intelligence to solve real-world business problems...

4. Marketing Analytics

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Gain an in-depth understanding of Google Analytics and marketing analytics. Analyze data and build models with Excel, Data Studio, and create informative data visualizations with Tableau...

5. Business Strategy

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This Specialization covers both the dynamics and the global aspects of strategic management. You'll learn how to evaluate industry evolution, build and sustain competitive advantage, formulate and assess business strategies, and align efforts to organizational strategy. In the final Capstone Project, you’ll apply your skills by creating a comprehensive Strategic Analysis for an existing business or a venture of your own...

6. Strategic Analysis with Financial Competitive Profile Matrix

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By the end of this guided project, you will be able to use the Financial Competitive Profile Matrix (FCPM) to analyze your industry and identify your competitive advantage with key financial indicators. FCPM is a strategic management tool that enables you to benchmark your company in relation to competition and then identify the relative strengths and weaknesses of all the competitors based on some Financial Critical Success Factors (FCSFs) analysis. The FCSFs are assigned weight based on their...

7. Business Strategy Development: The Art of Differentiation

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Learn 3 key business strategy tools. Improve your business innovation skills and drive profitable business development...

8. Business Mind - Mastering Business Development

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Master in Practice the Product, Sales and Marketing Perspective of Business Development...

9. Product Manager

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10. Data Product Manager

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Strategic Planning Skills...

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14. AI for Business Leaders

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Master the foundations of artificial intelligence so you can strategically implement AI in your company. Leverage machine learning technologies to power corporate growth, increase efficiency, and enhance customer experiences...

15. HR as a Strategic Business Partner

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Better understand your value and role as a strategic business partner...

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

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17. Business Analytics

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In this program, you will learn foundational data skills that apply across functions and industries. You will learn to analyze data and build models with Excel, query databases using SQL, and create informative data visualizations with Tableau...

18. AI Product Manager

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19. Strategic Planning Basics for Human Resources

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Learn to collaborate with your organizational leaders on the development and implementation of a strategic plan...

20. Business Analysis: Developing Irresistible Business Cases

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Building the business acumen you need to promote your projects to management...

Top 10 most affordable universities for directors of strategic business development

The most affordable schools for directors of strategic business development are University of Florida, fashion institute of technology, and suny farmingdale.

If the best universities for directors of strategic business development 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 strategic business development.

1. University of Florida

Gainesville, FL • Private

In-state tuition

$6,381

Cost of attendance

21,034

2. Fashion Institute of Technology

New York, NY • Private

In-state tuition

$5,740

Cost of attendance

17,864

3. SUNY Farmingdale

Farmingdale, NY • Private

In-state tuition

$8,306

Cost of attendance

16,091

4. USF Sarasota-Manatee

Sarasota, FL • Private

In-state tuition

$5,587

Cost of attendance

13,043

5. Florida State University

Tallahassee, FL • Private

In-state tuition

$5,656

Cost of attendance

21,623

6. University of South Florida

Tampa, FL • Private

In-state tuition

$6,410

Cost of attendance

20,456

7. California State University - Dominguez Hills

Carson, CA • Private

In-state tuition

$6,942

Cost of attendance

14,469

8. Purdue University

West Lafayette, IN • Private

In-state tuition

$9,992

Cost of attendance

22,430

9. California State University - Fresno

Fresno, CA • Private

In-state tuition

$6,587

Cost of attendance

16,915

10. Brigham Young University

Provo, UT • Private

In-state tuition

$5,620

Cost of attendance

18,136

Top 10 hardest universities to get into for directors of strategic business development

The hardest universities for directors of strategic business development to get into are Northwestern University, University of Southern California, and University of Pennsylvania.

Some great schools for directors of strategic business development 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 strategic business development 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 Southern California

Los Angeles, CA • Private

Admissions rate

13%

SAT average

1,445

3. University of Pennsylvania

Philadelphia, PA • Private

Admissions rate

8%

SAT average

1,492

4. Northeastern University

Boston, MA • Private

Admissions rate

19%

SAT average

1,466

5. Boston University

Boston, MA • Private

Admissions rate

22%

SAT average

1,420

6. University of Texas at Austin

Austin, TX • Private

Admissions rate

39%

SAT average

1,367

7. Stanford University

Stanford, CA • Private

Admissions rate

4%

SAT average

1,497

8. SUNY at Binghamton

Vestal, NY • Private

Admissions rate

40%

SAT average

1,376

9. Villanova University

Villanova, PA • Private

Admissions rate

29%

SAT average

1,407

10. University of Maryland - College Park

College Park, MD • Private

Admissions rate

47%

SAT average

1,390

Top 10 easy-to-apply-to universities for directors of strategic business development

The easiest schools for directors of strategic business development to get into are Oklahoma Wesleyan University, university of the incarnate word, and d'youville college.

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

1. Oklahoma Wesleyan University

Bartlesville, OK • Private

Admissions rate

68%

SAT average

964

2. University of the Incarnate Word

San Antonio, TX • Private

Admissions rate

88%

SAT average

1,044

3. D'Youville College

Buffalo, NY • Private

Admissions rate

100%

SAT average

1,072

4. LIM College

New York, NY • Private

Admissions rate

83%

SAT average

1,061

5. Holy Names University

Oakland, CA • Private

Admissions rate

70%

SAT average

849

6. Notre Dame College

Cleveland, OH • Private

Admissions rate

90%

SAT average

994

7. Gwynedd Mercy University

Gwynedd Valley, PA • Private

Admissions rate

92%

SAT average

1,031

8. Mount Saint Mary's University

Los Angeles, CA • Private

Admissions rate

84%

SAT average

1,031

9. Barry University

Miami, FL • Private

Admissions rate

91%

SAT average

1,006

10. Felician University

Lodi, NJ • Private

Admissions rate

81%

SAT average

999

Average director of strategic business development salary by education level

Directors of strategic business development with a Doctorate degree earn more than those without, at $153,469 annually. With a Master's degree, directors of strategic business development earn a median annual income of $145,975 compared to $126,679 for directors of strategic business development with an Bachelor's degree.
Director of strategic business development education levelDirector of strategic business development salary
Master's Degree$145,975
Bachelor's Degree$126,679
Doctorate Degree$153,469

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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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