Head of merchandise buying education requirements

Updated January 8, 2025

4 min read

There are several educational requirements to become a head of merchandise buying. Heads of merchandise buying usually study business, specialized sales and merchandising, or marketing. 62% of heads of merchandise buying hold a bachelor's degree, and 15% hold an associate degree. We analyzed 441 real head of merchandise buying resumes to see exactly what head of merchandise buying education sections show.

The most common colleges for heads of merchandise buying are the Fashion Institute of Technology and the Fashion Institute of Technology.

There are also many online head of merchandise buying courses to help get the education required to be a head of merchandise buying.

What education do you need to become a head of merchandise buying?

What degree do you need to be a head of merchandise buying?

The most common degree for heads of merchandise buying is bachelor's degree, with 62% of heads of merchandise buying earning that degree. The second and third most common degree levels are associate degree degree at 15% and associate degree degree at 9%.

Bachelor's, 62%

Associate, 15%

High School Diploma, 9%

Master's, 7%

Other Degrees, 7%

What should I major in to become a head of merchandise buying?

You should major in business to become a head of merchandise buying. 26% of heads of merchandise buying major in business. Other common majors for a head of merchandise buying include specialized sales and merchandising and marketing.

Business, 26%

Specialized Sales And Merchandising, 9%

Marketing, 8%

Graphic Design, 7%

Other Majors, 50%

Most common colleges for heads of merchandise buying

Heads of merchandise buying often get their degrees at Fashion Institute of Technology, University of Phoenix, and Syracuse University. Here are the most common colleges for heads of merchandise buying in the US based on their resumes.

Head of merchandise buying common college	Percentages
Fashion Institute of Technology	9.80%
University of Phoenix	7.84%
Syracuse University	5.88%
University of Florida	5.88%
Michigan State University	5.88%

Show more common head of merchandise buying colleges

Best majors for heads of merchandise buying

Rank	Major	Percentages
1	Business	25.9%
2	Specialized Sales And Merchandising	9.0%
3	Marketing	8.5%
4	Graphic Design	6.9%
5	Psychology	6.9%

Show more common head of merchandise buying majors

Best colleges for heads of merchandise buying

The best colleges for heads of merchandise buying are University of Pennsylvania, Northwestern University, and Washington University in St Louis.

A head of merchandise buying with advanced education typically earns a higher salary and has access to better jobs. That's why Zippia looked into the best colleges for heads of merchandise buying. 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 heads of merchandise buying.

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. University of Minnesota - Twin Cities

Minneapolis, MN • Private

In-state tuition

$14,760

Enrollment

31,451

4. SUNY College at Plattsburgh

Plattsburgh, NY • Private

In-state tuition

$8,369

Enrollment

5,229

5. Northwestern University

Evanston, IL • Private

In-state tuition

$54,568

Enrollment

8,451

6. Baylor University

Waco, TX • Private

In-state tuition

$45,542

Enrollment

14,159

7. Syracuse University

Syracuse, NY • Private

In-state tuition

$51,853

Enrollment

14,759

8. Ball State University

Muncie, IN • Private

In-state tuition

$9,896

Enrollment

15,529

9. Fordham University

Bronx, NY • Private

In-state tuition

$52,687

Enrollment

9,392

10. Washington University in St Louis

Saint Louis, MO • Private

In-state tuition

$53,399

Enrollment

7,356

20 best online courses for heads of merchandise buying

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Build and grow your own retail business and e-commerce...

6. Visual Merchandising Course For Retailers and Students

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Learn the key principles of great Visual Merchandising & Window Dressing...

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Top 10 most affordable universities for heads of merchandise buying

The most affordable schools for heads of merchandise buying are Baruch College of the City University of New York, suny farmingdale, and fashion institute of technology.

If the best universities for heads of merchandise buying 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 heads of merchandise buying.

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. Fashion Institute of Technology

New York, NY • Private

In-state tuition

$5,740

Cost of attendance

17,864

4. USF Sarasota-Manatee

Sarasota, FL • Private

In-state tuition

$5,587

Cost of attendance

13,043

5. California State University - Dominguez Hills

Carson, CA • Private

In-state tuition

$6,942

Cost of attendance

14,469

6. Brigham Young University

Provo, UT • Private

In-state tuition

$5,620

Cost of attendance

18,136

7. Purdue University

West Lafayette, IN • Private

In-state tuition

$9,992

Cost of attendance

22,430

8. California State University - Bakersfield

Bakersfield, CA • Private

In-state tuition

$7,309

Cost of attendance

16,714

9. University of Florida

Gainesville, FL • Private

In-state tuition

$6,381

Cost of attendance

21,034

10. Florida International University

Miami, FL • Private

In-state tuition

$6,556

Cost of attendance

19,434

Top 10 hardest universities to get into for heads of merchandise buying

The hardest universities for heads of merchandise buying to get into are University of Pennsylvania, Northwestern University, and Washington University in St Louis.

Some great schools for heads of merchandise buying 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 heads of merchandise buying 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. Washington University in St Louis

Saint Louis, MO • Private

Admissions rate

15%

SAT average

1,506

4. Boston University

Boston, MA • Private

Admissions rate

22%

SAT average

1,420

5. Bentley University

Waltham, MA • Private

Admissions rate

43%

SAT average

1,338

6. New York University

New York, NY • Private

Admissions rate

20%

SAT average

1,419

7. Stanford University

Stanford, CA • Private

Admissions rate

SAT average

1,497

8. University of Southern California

Los Angeles, CA • Private

Admissions rate

13%

SAT average

1,445

9. Villanova University

Villanova, PA • Private

Admissions rate

29%

SAT average

1,407

10. Fordham University

Bronx, NY • Private

Admissions rate

46%

SAT average

1,354

Top 10 easy-to-apply-to universities for heads of merchandise buying

The easiest schools for heads of merchandise buying to get into are Barry University, oklahoma wesleyan university, and university of the incarnate word.

Some schools are much easier to get into. If you want to start your career as a head of merchandise buying 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 heads of merchandise buying.

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. University of the Incarnate Word

San Antonio, TX • Private

Admissions rate

88%

SAT average

1,044

4. Holy Names University

Oakland, CA • Private

Admissions rate

70%

SAT average

849

5. Notre Dame College

Cleveland, OH • Private

Admissions rate

90%

SAT average

994

6. Gwynedd Mercy University

Gwynedd Valley, PA • Private

Admissions rate

92%

SAT average

1,031

7. LIM College

New York, NY • Private

Admissions rate

83%

SAT average

1,061

8. Mount Saint Mary's University

Los Angeles, CA • Private

Admissions rate

84%

SAT average

1,031

9. Felician University

Lodi, NJ • Private

Admissions rate

81%

SAT average

999

10. William Paterson University of New Jersey

Wayne, NJ • Private

Admissions rate

93%

SAT average

994

Average head of merchandise buying salary by education level

Heads of merchandise buying with a Master's degree earn more than those without, at $198,709 annually. With a Bachelor's degree, heads of merchandise buying earn a median annual income of $161,642 compared to $119,471 for heads of merchandise buying with an High School Diploma degree.

Head of merchandise buying education level	Head of merchandise buying salary
Master's Degree	$198,709
High School Diploma or Less	$119,471
Bachelor's Degree	$161,642
Some College/ Associate Degree	$113,534

Head of merchandise buying education FAQs

What is the best college for Heads Of Merchandise Buying?

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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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