Generalist education requirements

Q: Is a degree in general studies worth it?

Yes, a degree in general studies is worth it. There are many applicable skills that a degree in general studies can provide. General studies provide many different skills that can then be used in a variety of careers. People who hold degrees in general studies tend to make more money than someone without a degree, so it is worth it.

Updated January 8, 2025

4 min read

There are several educational requirements to become a generalist. Generalists usually study business, clinical/medical laboratory science, or psychology. 55% of generalists hold a bachelor's degree, and 18% hold an associate degree. We analyzed 10,958 real generalist resumes to see exactly what generalist education sections show.

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

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

What education do you need to become a generalist?

What degree do you need to be a generalist?

The most common degree for generalists is bachelor's degree, with 55% of generalists earning that degree. The second and third most common degree levels are associate degree degree at 18% and associate degree degree at 12%.

Bachelor's, 55%

Associate, 18%

High School Diploma, 12%

Master's, 8%

Other Degrees, 7%

What should I major in to become a generalist?

You should major in business to become a generalist. 23% of generalists major in business. Other common majors for a generalist include clinical/medical laboratory science and psychology.

Business, 23%

Clinical/Medical Laboratory Science, 8%

Psychology, 8%

Medical Technician, 6%

Other Majors, 55%

Most common colleges for generalists

Generalists often get their degrees at University of Phoenix, Ohio State University, and DeVry University. Here are the most common colleges for generalists in the US based on their resumes.

Generalist common college	Percentages
University of Phoenix	17.16%
Ohio State University	6.09%
DeVry University	5.54%
Pennsylvania State University	5.35%
Full Sail University	5.35%

Show more common generalist colleges

Best majors for generalists

Rank	Major	Percentages
1	Business	22.8%
2	Clinical/Medical Laboratory Science	8.4%
3	Psychology	8.0%
4	Medical Technician	6.0%
5	Accounting	5.2%

Show more common generalist majors

Best colleges for generalists

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

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

1. Northwestern University

Evanston, IL • Private

In-state tuition

$54,568

Enrollment

8,451

2. University of Southern California

Los Angeles, CA • Private

In-state tuition

$56,225

Enrollment

19,548

3. San Diego State University

San Diego, CA • Private

In-state tuition

$7,488

Enrollment

30,018

4. University of Pennsylvania

Philadelphia, PA • Private

In-state tuition

$55,584

Enrollment

10,764

5. Boston University

Boston, MA • Private

In-state tuition

$53,948

Enrollment

17,238

6. SUNY Stony Brook

Stony Brook, NY • Private

In-state tuition

$9,625

Enrollment

17,407

7. University of Minnesota - Twin Cities

Minneapolis, MN • Private

In-state tuition

$14,760

Enrollment

31,451

8. University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

Champaign, IL • Private

In-state tuition

$15,094

Enrollment

32,974

9. George Washington University, The

Washington, DC • Private

In-state tuition

$55,230

Enrollment

12,161

10. SUNY College at Oswego

Oswego, NY • Private

In-state tuition

$8,440

Enrollment

7,039

20 best online courses for generalists

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8. Customer Service, Customer Support, And Customer Experience

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Top 10 most affordable universities for generalists

The most affordable schools for generalists are Baruch College of the City University of New York, suny farmingdale, and university of florida.

If the best universities for generalists 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 generalists.

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. SUNY Farmingdale

Farmingdale, NY • Private

In-state tuition

$8,306

Cost of attendance

16,091

3. University of Florida

Gainesville, FL • Private

In-state tuition

$6,381

Cost of attendance

21,034

4. Brigham Young University

Provo, UT • Private

In-state tuition

$5,620

Cost of attendance

18,136

5. California State University - Dominguez Hills

Carson, CA • Private

In-state tuition

$6,942

Cost of attendance

14,469

6. California State University - Bakersfield

Bakersfield, CA • Private

In-state tuition

$7,309

Cost of attendance

16,714

7. California State University - Long Beach

Long Beach, CA • Private

In-state tuition

$6,798

Cost of attendance

18,306

8. Florida International University

Miami, FL • Private

In-state tuition

$6,556

Cost of attendance

19,434

9. University of Houston - Victoria

Victoria, TX • Private

In-state tuition

$6,491

Cost of attendance

19,075

10. Florida State University

Tallahassee, FL • Private

In-state tuition

$5,656

Cost of attendance

21,623

Top 10 hardest universities to get into for generalists

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

Some great schools for generalists 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 generalists 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 Southern California

Los Angeles, CA • Private

Admissions rate

13%

SAT average

1,445

3. University of Pennsylvania

Philadelphia, PA • Private

Admissions rate

SAT average

1,492

4. Washington University in St Louis

Saint Louis, MO • Private

Admissions rate

15%

SAT average

1,506

5. Boston University

Boston, MA • Private

Admissions rate

22%

SAT average

1,420

6. Northeastern University

Boston, MA • Private

Admissions rate

19%

SAT average

1,466

7. Stanford University

Stanford, CA • Private

Admissions rate

SAT average

1,497

8. New York University

New York, NY • Private

Admissions rate

20%

SAT average

1,419

9. George Washington University, The

Washington, DC • Private

Admissions rate

42%

SAT average

1,380

10. Vanderbilt University

Nashville, TN • Private

Admissions rate

10%

SAT average

1,514

Top 10 easy-to-apply-to universities for generalists

The easiest schools for generalists to get into are Barry University, oklahoma wesleyan university, and holy names university.

Some schools are much easier to get into. If you want to start your career as a generalist 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 generalists.

1. Barry University

Miami, FL • Private

Admissions rate

91%

SAT average

1,006

2. Oklahoma Wesleyan University

Bartlesville, OK • Private

Admissions rate

68%

SAT average

964

3. Holy Names University

Oakland, CA • Private

Admissions rate

70%

SAT average

849

4. Notre Dame College

Cleveland, OH • Private

Admissions rate

90%

SAT average

994

5. University of North Texas at Dallas

Dallas, TX • Private

Admissions rate

83%

SAT average

992

6. Cardinal Stritch University

Milwaukee, WI • Private

Admissions rate

71%

SAT average

1,035

7. Notre Dame de Namur University

Belmont, CA • Private

Admissions rate

82%

SAT average

983

8. Our Lady of the Lake University

San Antonio, TX • Private

Admissions rate

93%

SAT average

1,002

9. University of Baltimore

Baltimore, MD • Private

Admissions rate

78%

SAT average

1,020

10. Ottawa University

Ottawa, KS • Private

Admissions rate

78%

SAT average

1,024

Average generalist salary by education level

Generalists with a Doctorate degree earn more than those without, at $60,965 annually. With a Master's degree, generalists earn a median annual income of $58,218 compared to $51,204 for generalists with an Bachelor's degree.

Generalist education level	Generalist salary
Master's Degree	$58,218
Bachelor's Degree	$51,204
Doctorate Degree	$60,965
Some College/ Associate Degree	$42,098

Generalist education FAQs

Is a degree in general studies worth it?

What is the best college for Generalists?

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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