Explore jobs
Find specific jobs
Explore careers
Explore professions
Best companies
Explore companies
Education director education requirements
Updated January 8, 2025
4 min read
There are several educational requirements to become an education director. Education directors usually study business, education, or nursing. 60% of education directors hold a bachelor's degree, and 24% hold an master's degree. We analyzed 9,751 real education director resumes to see exactly what education director education sections show.
The most common colleges for education directors are the University of Phoenix and the University of Phoenix.
There are also many online education director courses to help get the education required to be an education director.
There are certain education director certifications that you should consider. These education director certifications include Microsoft Certified Educator (MCE) and Certified Professional - Human Resource (IPMA-CP).
What education do you need to become an education director?
What degree do you need to be an education director?
- Bachelor's, 60%
- Master's, 24%
- Associate, 9%
- Doctorate, 4%
- Other Degrees, 3%
What should I major in to become an education director?
Most common colleges for education directors
| Education director common college | Percentages |
|---|---|
| University of Phoenix | 17.40% |
| University of Maryland - College Park | 6.25% |
| New York University | 6.13% |
| Pennsylvania State University | 5.64% |
| Ohio State University | 5.27% |
Best majors for education directors
| Rank | Major | Percentages |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Business | 12.8% |
| 2 | Education | 11.6% |
| 3 | Nursing | 10.1% |
| 4 | Elementary Education | 8.9% |
| 5 | Psychology | 7.6% |
Best colleges for education directors
The best colleges for education directors are University of Pennsylvania, Northwestern University, and Columbia University in the City of New York.
An education director with advanced education typically earns a higher salary and has access to better jobs. That's why Zippia looked into the best colleges for education directors. 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 education directors.
1. University of Pennsylvania
Philadelphia, PA • Private
In-state tuition
$55,584
Enrollment
10,764
2. University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
Chapel Hill, NC • Private
In-state tuition
$8,987
Enrollment
18,946
3. Northwestern University
Evanston, IL • Private
In-state tuition
$54,568
Enrollment
8,451
4. Columbia University in the City of New York
New York, NY • Private
In-state tuition
$59,430
Enrollment
8,216
5. New York University
New York, NY • Private
In-state tuition
$51,828
Enrollment
26,339
6. University of Southern California
Los Angeles, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$56,225
Enrollment
19,548
7. Johns Hopkins University
Baltimore, MD • Private
In-state tuition
$53,740
Enrollment
5,567
8. Vanderbilt University
Nashville, TN • Private
In-state tuition
$49,816
Enrollment
6,840
9. Harvard University
Cambridge, MA • Private
In-state tuition
$50,420
Enrollment
7,582
10. University of Minnesota - Twin Cities
Minneapolis, MN • Private
In-state tuition
$14,760
Enrollment
31,451
20 best online courses for education directors
Advertising disclosure
1. Music Education for Teachers
In the Music Education for Teachers specialization, you will explore ways of integrating popular music into your teaching. You'll begin by learning from two highly experienced teachers, Krystal Banfield, the Vice President of Educational Outreach for Berklee College of Music, and David Alexis a Berklee Professor and long-time instructor for the Berklee City Music Program. They will take you through their process of incorporating popular music, improvisation, arranging, and music technology into...
2. Online Learning Design for Educators
This specialization is for educators seeking to improve and expand their repertoire of online teaching skills related to the design, development and delivery of effective and engaging online courses and lessons for school age and adult learners.\n\nLearning in the 21st century no longer takes place exclusively between the four walls of a physical classroom. With advances in technology, learners now expect to be offered flexible study modes outside of the traditional face-to-face model. This...
3. Educational Psychology & Special Education (Certificate)
Informational content for educators and parents to learn about teaching and understanding exceptional children...
4. Introduction to Early Childhood Montessori Education
Learning Montessori Philosophy and Materials by visiting classrooms across the U.S...
5. Instructional Methods in Health Professions Education
This course provides those involved in educating members of the health professions an asynchronous, interdisciplinary, and interactive way to obtain, expand, and improve their teaching skills. These skills can then be applied within their own professional context, with a variety of learners, extending across many stages. After completing this course, learners will: 1. Understand educational theory as it relates to health professions education 2. Match instructional methods with desired...
6. Critical Issues in Urban Education
Urban school reform in the United States is characterized by contentious, politicized debate. This course explores a set of critical issues in the education and educational reform space, with a focus on aspects of the field that have sparked controversy and polarized views. We will dig into these debates, situating them within the larger history of public education and school reform, and considering the viewpoints, the evidence, and translation of issues into educational policy. We will...
7. Google Certified Educator Level 1 Technical Training
Google Apps for Education...
8. Train the Trainer Foundation: Adult Education Mastery Course
Deploy a repeatable system for employee learning to ensure you reach every learner…every time...
9. Health, Housing, and Educational Services
Course 5 discusses policies in four areas: housing, education, healthcare, and immigration, with an optional fifth module in child protection. This course addresses issues of power, oppression, and white supremacy. -First we’ll look at housing policy, with its contrasting supports for homeowners and renters. -Then we’ll interpret the structure that provides education and examine debates about its future. -The third module will differentiate the issues in the U.S. healthcare system and develop...
10. Diversity and Inclusion in Education
Student diversity is becoming the rule rather than the exception in education systems across the world. Students bring to classroom different characteristics such as ability and disability, socio-economic background, race, ethnicity, and cultural background, beliefs and religion, and gender characteristics. The United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goal 4 aims to ensure inclusive and equitable quality education and promote lifelong learning opportunities for all (United Nations, 2015)...
11. Seth Godin on learning and education
Build the future of community, culture and possibility...
12. Complete Google Certified Educator Level 1 and 2 Masterclass
Google Certified Educator Level 1 and 2 Training - Mastering Google Classroom - G Suite - Teaching Online - Google Drive...
13. What future for education?
Through this course you will start to critically examine your own ideas about education, teaching and learning. The critique will be developed through engagement with theories and ideas developed through educational research. You will be encouraged to use these ideas to challenge or support your own ideas about education. Each week we will focus on one key question, using video lectures, key readings and challenges to explore some commonplace notions about education. With the guidance of the...
14. Aboriginal Worldviews and Education
Intended for both Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal learners, this course will explore indigenous ways of knowing and how they can benefit all students. Topics include historical, social, and political issues in Aboriginal education; terminology; cultural, spiritual and philosophical themes in Aboriginal worldviews; and how Aboriginal worldviews can inform professional programs and practices, including but not limited to the field of education...
15. Outcome Based Education (OBE) & Academic Quality Assurance
Master Course for Teachers' Development: Grow Your Teaching-Learning Expertise to World-Class Level...
16. ICT in Primary Education: Transforming children's learning across the curriculum
Why and how are teachers integrating ICT (Information and Communication Technology) into primary education? In this course we analyse examples from schools in different parts of the world, and bring professional teachers, headteachers and policymakers together to share their best ideas and inspiring stories. The materials in the course are based on studies carried out for the UNESCO Institute of IT in Education, Moscow. Learning Outcomes: to be aware of the range of reasons for using ICT to...
17. Computational Thinking & Block Programming in K-12 Education
In the 21st century, computational thinking is a skill critical for all the world's citizens. Computing and technology is impacting all our lives and everyone needs to know how to formulate problems and express their solutions such that a computer can carry it out.\n\nIn this Specialization you will both learn several block-based languages, but using novel approaches designed to make learning programming easier.\n\nCovers most CSTA Algorithms & Programming Standards for Algorithms, Variables,...
18. Computational Thinking for K-12 Educators: Sequences and Loops
How do we give instructions to a computer? Isn't programming hard? Not really! Whether it's giving someone directions to a nearby store or writing out some dance moves we frequently exhibit aspects of computational thinking in our everyday lives! This class teaches the first key concepts of programming -- sequences of instructions and basic counted repetition of instructions. For each concept, we'll start by helping you connect real-world experiences you are already familiar with to the...
19. Teaching Impacts of Technology in K-12 Education
2% That’s the estimate of how many high school students in all of California took a Computer Science class in 2015. And yet, computers and data are everywhere. Just consider a typical 24 hours in your life … how many different computer devices do you use? We all live in multiple digital worlds that are changing rapidly with new apps, devices, and data analyses offering a constant stream of innovations and technology integrations for our lives.\n\nAs it's an integral part of our lives, we’re...
20. Climate change education
This specialization offers tools and resources developed as part of the "Rise up" initiative by the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) to combat climate change and improve the sustainability of the planet. Through the three courses that make up this specialization, you will learn what we can do individually, as a school, and as a community to lead a more sustainable and healthier life. You'll also delve into the primary ethical and social issues related to climate change, how to use games to...
Top 10 most affordable universities for education directors
The most affordable schools for education directors are Baruch College of the City University of New York, california state university - long beach, and california state university - bakersfield.
If the best universities for education directors 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 education directors.
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. California State University - Long Beach
Long Beach, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$6,798
Cost of attendance
18,306
3. California State University - Bakersfield
Bakersfield, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$7,309
Cost of attendance
16,714
4. California State University - Los Angeles
Los Angeles, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$6,749
Cost of attendance
14,823
5. California State University - Dominguez Hills
Carson, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$6,942
Cost of attendance
14,469
6. Lehman College of the City University of New York
Bronx, NY • Private
In-state tuition
$7,210
Cost of attendance
14,359
7. University of Florida
Gainesville, FL • Private
In-state tuition
$6,381
Cost of attendance
21,034
8. Florida Atlantic University
Boca Raton, FL • Private
In-state tuition
$4,831
Cost of attendance
19,559
9. California State University - Northridge
Northridge, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$6,893
Cost of attendance
18,870
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 education directors
The hardest universities for education directors to get into are University of Pennsylvania, Northwestern University, and Columbia University in the City of New York.
Some great schools for education directors 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 education directors 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. University of Pennsylvania
Philadelphia, PA • Private
Admissions rate
8%
SAT average
1,492
2. Northwestern University
Evanston, IL • Private
Admissions rate
8%
SAT average
1,508
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. Vanderbilt University
Nashville, TN • Private
Admissions rate
10%
SAT average
1,514
6. University of Southern California
Los Angeles, CA • Private
Admissions rate
13%
SAT average
1,445
7. New York University
New York, NY • Private
Admissions rate
20%
SAT average
1,419
8. Harvard University
Cambridge, MA • Private
Admissions rate
5%
SAT average
1,520
9. Boston University
Boston, MA • Private
Admissions rate
22%
SAT average
1,420
10. University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
Chapel Hill, NC • Private
Admissions rate
23%
SAT average
1,398
Top 10 easy-to-apply-to universities for education directors
The easiest schools for education directors to get into are Mount Saint Mary's University, barry university, and gwynedd mercy university.
Some schools are much easier to get into. If you want to start your career as an education director 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 education directors.
1. Mount Saint Mary's University
Los Angeles, CA • Private
Admissions rate
84%
SAT average
1,031
2. Barry University
Miami, FL • Private
Admissions rate
91%
SAT average
1,006
3. Gwynedd Mercy University
Gwynedd Valley, PA • Private
Admissions rate
92%
SAT average
1,031
4. Felician University
Lodi, NJ • Private
Admissions rate
81%
SAT average
999
5. D'Youville College
Buffalo, NY • Private
Admissions rate
100%
SAT average
1,072
6. Curry College
Milton, MA • Private
Admissions rate
93%
SAT average
1,026
7. Notre Dame College
Cleveland, OH • Private
Admissions rate
90%
SAT average
994
8. Holy Names University
Oakland, CA • Private
Admissions rate
70%
SAT average
849
9. Ottawa University
Ottawa, KS • Private
Admissions rate
78%
SAT average
1,024
10. University of the Incarnate Word
San Antonio, TX • Private
Admissions rate
88%
SAT average
1,044
Average education director salary by education level
| Education director education level | Education director salary |
|---|---|
| Master's Degree | $72,033 |
| Bachelor's Degree | $61,084 |
| Doctorate Degree | $80,918 |
Education director education FAQs
Have more questions? See all answers to common executive management questions.
Search for education director jobs
Updated January 8, 2025
Updated January 8, 2025