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Director of technical sales education requirements

Updated January 8, 2025
4 min read

There are several educational requirements to become a director of technical sales. Directors of technical sales usually study business, electrical engineering, or computer science. 64% of directors of technical sales hold a bachelor's degree, and 14% hold an master's degree. We analyzed 711 real director of technical sales resumes to see exactly what director of technical sales education sections show.

The most common colleges for directors of technical sales are the Pennsylvania State University and the Pennsylvania State University.

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

There are certain director of technical sales certifications that you should consider. These director of technical sales certifications include Certified Sales Professional (CSP) and Certified Manager Certification (CM).

What education do you need to become a director of technical sales?

What degree do you need to be a director of technical sales?

The most common degree for directors of technical sales is bachelor's degree, with 64% of directors of technical sales earning that degree. The second and third most common degree levels are master's degree degree at 14% and master's degree degree at 12%.
  • Bachelor's, 64%
  • Master's, 14%
  • Associate, 12%
  • High School Diploma, 4%
  • Other Degrees, 6%

What should I major in to become a director of technical sales?

You should major in business to become a director of technical sales. 29% of directors of technical sales major in business. Other common majors for a director of technical sales include electrical engineering and computer science.

Most common colleges for directors of technical sales

Directors of technical sales often get their degrees at Pennsylvania State University, University of Phoenix, and Arizona State University. Here are the most common colleges for directors of technical sales in the US based on their resumes.
Director of technical sales common collegePercentages
Pennsylvania State University9.64%
University of Phoenix9.64%
Arizona State University6.02%
Auburn University Main Campus6.02%
University of South Carolina - Columbia4.82%

Best majors for directors of technical sales

RankMajorPercentages
1Business28.6%
2Electrical Engineering11.6%
3Computer Science8.5%
4Marketing6.0%
5Finance5.7%

Best colleges for directors of technical sales

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

A director of technical sales 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 technical sales. 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 technical sales.

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 technical sales

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Top 10 most affordable universities for directors of technical sales

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

If the best universities for directors of technical sales 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 technical sales.

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 technical sales

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

Some great schools for directors of technical sales 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 technical sales 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. 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 technical sales

The easiest schools for directors of technical sales 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 technical sales 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 technical sales.

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 technical sales salary by education level

Directors of technical sales with a Master's degree earn more than those without, at $119,867 annually. With a Doctorate degree, directors of technical sales earn a median annual income of $113,973 compared to $107,494 for directors of technical sales with an Bachelor's degree.
Director of technical sales education levelDirector of technical sales salary
Master's Degree$119,867
High School Diploma or Less$84,643
Bachelor's Degree$107,494
Doctorate Degree$113,973
Some College/ Associate Degree$84,584

Director of technical sales education FAQs

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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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