General Manager Education Requirements

Q: What degree do you need to be a general manager?

You need a bachelor's degree in business management to be a general manager. The minimum requirement to be a general manager is a high school diploma. However, it is a lot easier to obtain employment if you have formal education, as most companies only hire those with at least a bachelor's degree. Some companies even require master's degrees. There are many different majors to choose from that will help you on your journey toward becoming a general manager. You can major in something business-related like finance, marketing, or economics, but the best choice would be to major in business management or business. Along with earning a formal degree, you can also choose to obtain different management certifications. While certifications are not typically required to work as a general manager, they can make you more competitive in the industry and even help you acquire higher-paying jobs.

Updated January 8, 2025

4 min read

There are several educational requirements to become a general manager. General managers usually study business, management, or accounting. 56% of general managers hold a bachelor's degree, and 19% hold an associate degree. We analyzed 327,520 real general manager resumes to see exactly what general manager education sections show.

The most common colleges for general managers are the University of Phoenix and the University of Phoenix.

There are also many online general manager courses to help get the education required to be a general manager.

There are certain general manager certifications that you should consider. These general manager certifications include Food Safety Manager Certification and Certified Food Manager (CFM).

What education do you need to become a general manager?

What degree do you need to be a general manager?

The most common degree for general managers is bachelor's degree, with 56% of general managers earning that degree. The second and third most common degree levels are associate degree degree at 19% and associate degree degree at 12%.

Bachelor's, 56%

Associate, 19%

High School Diploma, 12%

Master's, 7%

Other Degrees, 6%

What should I major in to become a general manager?

You should major in business to become a general manager. 39% of general managers major in business. Other common majors for a general manager include management and accounting.

Business, 39%

Management, 6%

Accounting, 5%

Marketing, 5%

Other Majors, 45%

Most common colleges for general managers

General managers often get their degrees at University of Phoenix, Johnson & Wales University, and Pennsylvania State University. Here are the most common colleges for general managers in the US based on their resumes.

General Manager Common College	Percentages
University of Phoenix	19.07%
Johnson & Wales University	7.67%
Pennsylvania State University	5.98%
Michigan State University	5.62%
Ohio State University	5.40%

Show more common general manager colleges

Best majors for general managers

Rank	Major	Percentages
1	Business	38.7%
2	Management	6.0%
3	Accounting	5.1%
4	Marketing	5.0%
5	Hospitality Management	4.6%

Show more common general manager majors

Best colleges for general managers

The best colleges for general managers are Northwestern University, University of Pennsylvania, and University of Southern California.

A general manager with advanced education typically earns a higher salary and has access to better jobs. That's why Zippia looked into the best colleges for general managers. 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 general managers.

1. University of Pennsylvania

Philadelphia, PA • Private

In-State Tuition

$55,584

Enrollment

10,764

2. Northwestern University

Evanston, IL • Private

In-State Tuition

$54,568

Enrollment

8,451

3. University of Southern California

Los Angeles, CA • Private

In-State Tuition

$56,225

Enrollment

19,548

4. New York University

New York, NY • Private

In-State Tuition

$51,828

Enrollment

26,339

5. Pennsylvania State University

University Park, PA • Private

In-State Tuition

$18,454

Enrollment

40,108

6. University of Texas at Austin

Austin, TX • Private

In-State Tuition

$10,610

Enrollment

40,329

7. SUNY at Binghamton

Vestal, NY • Private

In-State Tuition

$9,808

Enrollment

13,990

8. Northeastern University

Boston, MA • Private

In-State Tuition

$51,522

Enrollment

13,760

9. Bentley University

Waltham, MA • Private

In-State Tuition

$49,880

Enrollment

4,177

10. Lehigh University

Bethlehem, PA • Private

In-State Tuition

$52,930

Enrollment

5,030

20 best online courses for general managers

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Learn theory and practical concepts in Cost Accounting and Financial Management with loads of video lectures...

6. Management - Leadership, Negotiating, Assertiveness, Sales

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Top 10 most affordable universities for general managers

The most affordable schools for general managers are Baruch College of the City University of New York, university of florida, and florida state university.

If the best universities for general managers 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 general managers.

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. Florida State University

Tallahassee, FL • Private

In-State Tuition

$5,656

Cost of Attendance

21,623

4. Brigham Young University

Provo, UT • Private

In-State Tuition

$5,620

Cost of Attendance

18,136

5. USF Sarasota-Manatee

Sarasota, FL • Private

In-State Tuition

$5,587

Cost of Attendance

13,043

6. University of South Florida

Tampa, FL • Private

In-State Tuition

$6,410

Cost of Attendance

20,456

7. California State University - Fullerton

Fullerton, CA • Private

In-State Tuition

$6,886

Cost of Attendance

17,645

8. Florida International University

Miami, FL • Private

In-State Tuition

$6,556

Cost of Attendance

19,434

9. USF St. Petersburg

St. Petersburg, FL • Private

In-State Tuition

$5,821

Cost of Attendance

19,849

10. SUNY Farmingdale

Farmingdale, NY • Private

In-State Tuition

$8,306

Cost of Attendance

16,091

Top 10 hardest universities to get into for general managers

The hardest universities for general managers to get into are Northwestern University, University of Pennsylvania, and University of Southern California.

Some great schools for general managers 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 general managers 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. Carnegie Mellon University

Pittsburgh, PA • Private

Admissions Rate

17%

SAT Average

1,507

6. New York University

New York, NY • Private

Admissions Rate

20%

SAT Average

1,419

7. Boston University

Boston, MA • Private

Admissions Rate

22%

SAT Average

1,420

8. University of Miami

Coral Gables, FL • Private

Admissions Rate

32%

SAT Average

1,365

9. Lehigh University

Bethlehem, PA • Private

Admissions Rate

22%

SAT Average

1,380

10. George Washington University, The

Washington, DC • Private

Admissions Rate

42%

SAT Average

1,380

Top 10 easy-to-apply-to universities for general managers

The easiest schools for general managers to get into are Mount Saint Mary's University, barry university, and oklahoma wesleyan university.

Some schools are much easier to get into. If you want to start your career as a general manager 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 general managers.

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. Oklahoma Wesleyan University

Bartlesville, OK • Private

Admissions Rate

68%

SAT Average

964

4. University of North Texas at Dallas

Dallas, TX • Private

Admissions Rate

83%

SAT Average

992

5. Holy Names University

Oakland, CA • Private

Admissions Rate

70%

SAT Average

849

6. University of the Incarnate Word

San Antonio, TX • Private

Admissions Rate

88%

SAT Average

1,044

7. Notre Dame de Namur University

Belmont, CA • Private

Admissions Rate

82%

SAT Average

983

8. Notre Dame College

Cleveland, OH • Private

Admissions Rate

90%

SAT Average

994

9. Kean University

Union, NJ • Private

Admissions Rate

86%

SAT Average

991

10. Wayland Baptist University

Plainview, TX • Private

Admissions Rate

98%

SAT Average

1,003

Average general manager salary by education level

According to our data, general managers with a Master's degree earn the highest average salary, at $101,212 annually. General managers with a Doctorate degree earn an average annual salary of $96,229.

General Manager education level	General Manager salary
Master's Degree	$101,212
High School Diploma or Less	$63,000
Bachelor's Degree	$82,827
Doctorate Degree	$96,229
Some College/ Associate Degree	$65,624

General Manager Education FAQs

What degree do you need to be a general manager?

What is the best college for General Managers?

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

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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.

Updated January 8, 2025

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