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General manager of business development education requirements
Updated January 8, 2025
5 min read
There are several educational requirements to become a general manager of business development. General managers of business development usually study business, marketing, or mechanical engineering. 67% of general managers of business development hold a bachelor's degree, and 19% hold an master's degree. We analyzed 679 real general manager of business development resumes to see exactly what general manager of business development education sections show.
The most common colleges for general managers of business development are the Texas A&M; University and the Texas A&M; University.
There are also many online general manager of business development courses to help get the education required to be a general manager of business development.
There are certain general manager of business development certifications that you should consider. These general manager of business development certifications include Certified Sales Professional (CSP) and Certified Energy Manager (CEM).
What education do you need to become a general manager of business development?
What degree do you need to be a general manager of business development?
- Bachelor's, 67%
- Master's, 19%
- Associate, 9%
- Diploma, 2%
- Other Degrees, 3%
What should I major in to become a general manager of business development?
- Business, 37%
- Marketing, 10%
- Management, 5%
- Other Majors, 42%
Most common colleges for general managers of business development
| General manager of business development common college | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Texas A&M University | 7.79% |
| University of Phoenix | 7.79% |
| The University of Alabama | 6.49% |
| Central State University | 6.49% |
| University of Dayton | 6.49% |
Best majors for general managers of business development
| Rank | Major | Percentages |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Business | 36.5% |
| 2 | Marketing | 9.6% |
| 3 | Mechanical Engineering | 5.7% |
| 4 | Management | 5.4% |
| 5 | Communication | 5.4% |
Best colleges for general managers of business development
The best colleges for general managers of business development are Northwestern University, University of Pennsylvania, and University of Southern California.
A general manager of 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 general managers of 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 general managers of business development.
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 of business development
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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. Relationship Management and Business Development
Welcome to the "Relationship Management and Business Development" course! Building and managing relationships is a crucial skill set for driving business growth and development. In this course, you will learn effective strategies to identify, cultivate, and nurture relationships with clients, stakeholders, and business partners. Throughout the course, we will explore essential topics such as networking, rapport building, and effective communication in a business context. You will develop the...
6. Sales Fire: B2B Sales & Business Development for Startups
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8. Product Manager
Envision and lead the product strategy of industry-defining products, and learn to successfully bring them to market. Influence the execution of product development as a Product Manager, one of the most highly-coveted roles in technology...
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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...
17. AI Product Manager
Learn to develop AI products that deliver business value. Build skills that help you compete in the new AI-powered world...
18. LinkedIn Marketing, Lead Generation & B2B Sales for LinkedIn
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19. New Manager's Guide: Business Skills & ChatGPT Data Analysis
A Day in Modern Business: Exploring Essential Skills and Data Science Using Chat GPT Advanced Data Analysis...
20. Growth Product Manager
Hone specialized Product Management skills in growth strategy. Lead experimentation and data-driven decision-making in your organization to drive products to reach the next level of scale, impact, and profitability...
Top 10 most affordable universities for general managers of business development
The most affordable schools for general managers of business development are Baruch College of the City University of New York, university of florida, and florida state university.
If the best universities for general managers of 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 general managers of business development.
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 of business development
The hardest universities for general managers of business development to get into are Northwestern University, University of Pennsylvania, and University of Southern California.
Some great schools for general managers of 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 general managers of 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 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. 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 of business development
The easiest schools for general managers of business development 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 of 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 general managers of business development.
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 of business development salary by education level
| General manager of business development education level | General manager of business development salary |
|---|---|
| Master's Degree | $144,138 |
| Bachelor's Degree | $122,266 |
| Doctorate Degree | $152,763 |
General manager of business development education FAQs
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Updated January 8, 2025
Updated January 8, 2025