Grants administrator education requirements

Updated January 8, 2025

4 min read

There are several educational requirements to become a grants administrator. Grants administrators usually study business, accounting, or political science. 65% of grants administrators hold a bachelor's degree, and 21% hold an master's degree. We analyzed 1,724 real grants administrator resumes to see exactly what grants administrator education sections show.

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

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

There are certain grants administrator certifications that you should consider. These grants administrator certifications include Certified Manager Certification (CM) and Certified Research Administrator (CRA).

What education do you need to become a grants administrator?

What degree do you need to be a grants administrator?

The most common degree for grants administrators is bachelor's degree, with 65% of grants administrators earning that degree. The second and third most common degree levels are master's degree degree at 21% and master's degree degree at 8%.

Bachelor's, 65%

Master's, 21%

Associate, 8%

Doctorate, 2%

Other Degrees, 4%

What should I major in to become a grants administrator?

You should major in business to become a grants administrator. 29% of grants administrators major in business. Other common majors for a grants administrator include accounting and political science.

Business, 29%

Accounting, 12%

Political Science, 7%

Psychology, 6%

Other Majors, 46%

Most common colleges for grants administrators

Grants administrators often get their degrees at University of Phoenix, University of Maryland - College Park, and Florida State University. Here are the most common colleges for grants administrators in the US based on their resumes.

Grants administrator common college	Percentages
University of Phoenix	9.18%
University of Maryland - College Park	8.67%
Florida State University	7.65%
Virginia Commonwealth University	6.12%
Pennsylvania State University	5.61%

Show more common grants administrator colleges

Best majors for grants administrators

Rank	Major	Percentages
1	Business	29.3%
2	Accounting	12.2%
3	Political Science	7.2%
4	Psychology	6.2%
5	Sociology	4.8%

Show more common grants administrator majors

Best colleges for grants administrators

The best colleges for grants administrators are University of Pennsylvania, Northwestern University, and New York University.

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

1. University of Pennsylvania

Philadelphia, PA • Private

In-state tuition

$55,584

Enrollment

10,764

2. Bentley University

Waltham, MA • Private

In-state tuition

$49,880

Enrollment

4,177

3. SUNY Farmingdale

Farmingdale, NY • Private

In-state tuition

$8,306

Enrollment

9,394

4. New York University

New York, NY • Private

In-state tuition

$51,828

Enrollment

26,339

5. University of Minnesota - Twin Cities

Minneapolis, MN • Private

In-state tuition

$14,760

Enrollment

31,451

6. SUNY College at Plattsburgh

Plattsburgh, NY • Private

In-state tuition

$8,369

Enrollment

5,229

7. Northwestern University

Evanston, IL • Private

In-state tuition

$54,568

Enrollment

8,451

8. Baylor University

Waco, TX • Private

In-state tuition

$45,542

Enrollment

14,159

9. SUNY College of Technology at Alfred

Alfred, NY • Private

In-state tuition

$8,570

Enrollment

3,721

10. Syracuse University

Syracuse, NY • Private

In-state tuition

$51,853

Enrollment

14,759

20 best online courses for grants administrators

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Top 10 most affordable universities for grants administrators

The most affordable schools for grants administrators are Baruch College of the City University of New York, suny farmingdale, and brooklyn college of the city university of new york.

If the best universities for grants administrators 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 grants administrators.

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. Brooklyn College of the City University of New York

Brooklyn, NY • Private

In-state tuition

$7,240

Cost of attendance

13,991

4. California State University - Dominguez Hills

In-state tuition

$6,556

Cost of attendance

19,434

Top 10 hardest universities to get into for grants administrators

The hardest universities for grants administrators to get into are University of Pennsylvania, Northwestern University, and New York University.

Some great schools for grants administrators 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 grants administrators 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

SAT average

1,492

2. Northwestern University

Evanston, IL • Private

Admissions rate

SAT average

1,508

3. New York University

New York, NY • Private

Admissions rate

20%

SAT average

1,419

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. Bentley University

Waltham, MA • Private

Admissions rate

43%

SAT average

1,338

7. University of Southern California

Los Angeles, CA • Private

Admissions rate

13%

SAT average

1,445

8. Fordham University

Bronx, NY • Private

Admissions rate

46%

SAT average

1,354

9. Villanova University

Villanova, PA • Private

Admissions rate

29%

SAT average

1,407

10. Stanford University

Stanford, CA • Private

Admissions rate

Gwynedd Valley, PA • Private

Admissions rate

92%

SAT average

1,031

Average grants administrator salary by education level

Grants administrators with a Master's degree earn more than those without, at $58,404 annually. With a Bachelor's degree, grants administrators earn a median annual income of $53,409 compared to $46,856 for grants administrators with an High School Diploma degree.

Grants administrator education level	Grants administrator salary
Master's Degree	$58,404
High School Diploma or Less	$46,856
Bachelor's Degree	$53,409
Some College/ Associate Degree	$45,833

Grants administrator education FAQs

What is the best college for Grants Administrators?

Have more questions? See all answers to common business and financial questions.

Search for grants administrator jobs

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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