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House parent education requirements
Updated January 8, 2025
4 min read
There are several educational requirements to become a house parent. House parents usually study psychology, criminal justice, or business. 49% of house parents hold a bachelor's degree, and 17% hold an high school diploma. We analyzed 1,856 real house parent resumes to see exactly what house parent education sections show.
The most common colleges for house parents are the University of Phoenix and the University of Phoenix.
There are also many online house parent courses to help get the education required to be a house parent.
What education do you need to become a house parent?
What degree do you need to be a house parent?
- Bachelor's, 49%
- High School Diploma, 17%
- Associate, 16%
- Diploma, 7%
- Other Degrees, 11%
What should I major in to become a house parent?
- Psychology, 16%
- Criminal Justice, 11%
- Business, 11%
- Social Work, 11%
- Other Majors, 51%
Most common colleges for house parents
| House parent common college | Percentages |
|---|---|
| University of Phoenix | 9.82% |
| Liberty University | 9.82% |
| University of Central Arkansas | 7.14% |
| Troy University | 6.25% |
| Central State University | 6.25% |
Best majors for house parents
| Rank | Major | Percentages |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Psychology | 16.4% |
| 2 | Criminal Justice | 10.9% |
| 3 | Business | 10.8% |
| 4 | Social Work | 10.6% |
| 5 | Education | 5.8% |
Best colleges for house parents
The best colleges for house parents are University of Pennsylvania, New York University, and Boston College.
A house parent with advanced education typically earns a higher salary and has access to better jobs. That's why Zippia looked into the best colleges for house parents. 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 house parents.
1. University of Pennsylvania
Philadelphia, PA • Private
In-state tuition
$55,584
Enrollment
10,764
2. California State University - Bakersfield
Bakersfield, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$7,309
Enrollment
9,142
3. California State University - Long Beach
Long Beach, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$6,798
Enrollment
31,503
4. Howard University
Washington, DC • Private
In-state tuition
$26,756
Enrollment
6,166
5. SUNY at Binghamton
Vestal, NY • Private
In-state tuition
$9,808
Enrollment
13,990
6. University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
Chapel Hill, NC • Private
In-state tuition
$8,987
Enrollment
18,946
7. San Diego State University
San Diego, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$7,488
Enrollment
30,018
8. Pennsylvania State University
University Park, PA • Private
In-state tuition
$18,454
Enrollment
40,108
9. New York University
New York, NY • Private
In-state tuition
$51,828
Enrollment
26,339
10. California State University - Dominguez Hills
Carson, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$6,942
Enrollment
13,871
20 best online courses for house parents
Advertising disclosure
1. Health After Cancer: Cancer Survivorship for Primary Care
This course presents basic principles of cancer survivorship to primary-care physicians. Developed by a team of experts in caring for cancer survivors, and narrated by a primary-care physician, this course provides practical tips and tools that can be easily integrated into medical practice. You will learn about the complex physical and psychosocial needs and concerns of the growing number of cancer survivors, along with the key role that primary care physicians have in guiding these patients...
2. Kids with Cancer Still Need School: The Providers Role
This course will help you understand and address the challenges parents and families face regarding schooling after a cancer diagnosis. When a child is diagnosed with cancer, families can be overwhelmed learning about and managing this new and frightening reality. As they adjust to the new normal of ongoing treatment, school may be the farthest thing from their mind. However, as their oncology health care provider, you have a critical role in starting conversations about schooling. Even for...
3. Parenting Teens with Confidence: Certified Practitioner
The Ultimate Parenting Teens Course: Accredited Certification and Practical Strategies for Navigating Adolescence...
4. Cat Behavior Rectification & Cat Health Care: 2 courses in 1
1. Common Cat Behavior Issues and training methods to rectify them 2. Tips for better healthcare of your cat...
5. Health for All Through Primary Health Care
This course explores why primary health care is central for achieving Health for All. It provides examples of how primary health care has been instrumental in approaching this goal in selected populations and how the principles of primary health care can guide future policies and actions. Two of the most inspiring, least understood, and most often derided terms in global health discourse are “Health for All” and “Primary Health Care.” In this course, we will explore these terms in the context...
6. Palliative Care: It's Not Just Hospice Anymore
People living with serious, life-limiting, chronic illness experience significant suffering. Fortunately there are new and developing treatments which may cure some and improve survival for many people living with serious illness. However, seriously ill people and their loved ones still experience many distressing physical symptoms as well as spiritual, social and psychological distress. There is much we can do to support people to live well with serious and life-limiting illness by...
7. The Key to Happiness: Self Care
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8. Ableton Live - Tech House Tutorial 2017
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9. Social Policy for Social Services & Health Practitioners
In the U.S., social policy accounts for two-thirds of government spending. Knowing how policies are constructed, what values underlie them, and how they succeed or fail makes everyone more effective at work or in their civic role. This specialization includes an HONORS track in which learners will complete a professional social policy analysis.\n\nTeachers, health care workers, police, and social workers interact with policy daily, but all of us should care about the impact and effectiveness of...
10. Newborn Baby Care
A newborn baby is an amazing beautiful life filled with hope. Unfortunately, many babies die or experience preventable harm even in 21st century. It is imperative that babies who are born healthy get off to a healthy start in the first month of life. There are some easy tenets of care to implement that help ensure that babies and families get off to a healthy start no matter where they are in the world. In this specialization learners will acquire the skills necessary for newborn baby care to...
11. Providing Trauma-Informed Care
Exploring psychological trauma and how to provide care and compassion to trauma survivors...
12. Parenting Skills to Raise Responsible, Mature Children
Positive Parenting Parenting Skills Loving Home Parenting Techniques Positive Discipline Family Communication...
13. The Business of Health Care
This Specialization was designed to help you keep pace with the rapidly changing world of health and health care. Through partnership with Wharton and Penn Medicine, you’ll learn from experts in business acumen, health care management, and health care policy to develop the skills you’ll need to successfully navigate the quickly evolving landscape of this fast-growing field.* By the end of this specialization, you will have a strong foundational understanding of the American health care system,...
14. Health Care Delivery in Healthcare Organizations
Have you ever needed health care and thought that there must be better ways to get or deliver health care? For example, have you found yourself thinking that there should be a way to get a diagnostic test or treatment at home? Or do you work in a healthcare organization and find yourself thinking that there must be better ways to deliver health care? If you have, this course is for you. Course content includes an overview of health care delivery including healthcare consumerism, the patient's...
15. Mindful Parenting Diploma Happy Positive Children
Earn Your Certification in Mindful Parenting and Positive Psychology and Improve Your Family's Well-being...
16. Mindfulness for Mental Health, Personal Growth & Inner Peace
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17. Thinking About Care
Although all humans require care to develop and thrive, it is rarely the focus of academic studies. This course enriches learner’s understanding of this critical yet underappreciated facet of their lives by addressing such questions as: What is care? Who has traditionally provided it? How valued is care work? Does money take the care out of care work? In addition to advancing learner’s knowledge of the place of care in modern society and controversies surrounding it, Thinking About Care will...
18. Self-Care Life Coach Certification (Boundary Setting)
Empower Your Life Coach Your Clients to Develop Self-Care, Self-Love, Boundary Setting and How to Say No...
19. Coping Skills and Self-Care for Mental Health
Essential skills to manage intense emotions and develop a self-care practice to promote mental health...
20. Mental Health First Aid Skills -
This course is designed to provide the tools and knowledge for learners to help and support those experiencing MH issues...
Top 10 most affordable universities for house parents
The most affordable schools for house parents are California State University - Bakersfield, california state university - long beach, and hunter college of the city university of new york.
If the best universities for house parents 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 house parents.
1. California State University - Bakersfield
Bakersfield, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$7,309
Cost of attendance
16,714
2. California State University - Long Beach
Long Beach, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$6,798
Cost of attendance
18,306
3. Hunter College of the City University of New York
New York, NY • Private
In-state tuition
$7,182
Cost of attendance
13,998
4. California State University - Los Angeles
Los Angeles, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$6,749
Cost of attendance
14,823
5. University of South Florida
Tampa, FL • Private
In-state tuition
$6,410
Cost of attendance
20,456
6. California State University - Dominguez Hills
Carson, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$6,942
Cost of attendance
14,469
7. Brigham Young University
Provo, UT • Private
In-state tuition
$5,620
Cost of attendance
18,136
8. California State University - Fullerton
Fullerton, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$6,886
Cost of attendance
17,645
9. Florida International University
Miami, FL • Private
In-state tuition
$6,556
Cost of attendance
19,434
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 house parents
The hardest universities for house parents to get into are University of Pennsylvania, New York University, and Boston College.
Some great schools for house parents 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 house parents 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
8%
SAT average
1,492
2. New York University
New York, NY • Private
Admissions rate
20%
SAT average
1,419
3. Boston College
Chestnut Hill, MA • Private
Admissions rate
28%
SAT average
1,429
4. Boston University
Boston, MA • Private
Admissions rate
22%
SAT average
1,420
5. University of Southern California
Los Angeles, CA • Private
Admissions rate
13%
SAT average
1,445
6. Johns Hopkins University
Baltimore, MD • Private
Admissions rate
11%
SAT average
1,513
7. Columbia University in the City of New York
New York, NY • Private
Admissions rate
6%
SAT average
1,512
8. SUNY at Binghamton
Vestal, NY • Private
Admissions rate
40%
SAT average
1,376
9. University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
Chapel Hill, NC • Private
Admissions rate
23%
SAT average
1,398
10. Northeastern University
Boston, MA • Private
Admissions rate
19%
SAT average
1,466
Top 10 easy-to-apply-to universities for house parents
The easiest schools for house parents to get into are Gwynedd Mercy University, the university of texas permian basin, and kean university.
Some schools are much easier to get into. If you want to start your career as a house parent 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 house parents.
1. Gwynedd Mercy University
Gwynedd Valley, PA • Private
Admissions rate
92%
SAT average
1,031
2. The University of Texas Permian Basin
Odessa, TX • Private
Admissions rate
91%
SAT average
1,046
3. Kean University
Union, NJ • Private
Admissions rate
86%
SAT average
991
4. Nyack College
New York, NY • Private
Admissions rate
98%
SAT average
999
5. Holy Family University
Philadelphia, PA • Private
Admissions rate
72%
SAT average
1,017
6. Saint Martin's University
Lacey, WA • Private
Admissions rate
96%
SAT average
1,111
7. Our Lady of the Lake University
San Antonio, TX • Private
Admissions rate
93%
SAT average
1,002
8. Bluefield College
Bluefield, VA • Private
Admissions rate
95%
SAT average
980
9. Mount Saint Mary's University
Los Angeles, CA • Private
Admissions rate
84%
SAT average
1,031
10. Fresno Pacific University
Fresno, CA • Private
Admissions rate
85%
SAT average
1,053
Average house parent salary by education level
| House parent education level | House parent salary |
|---|---|
| High School Diploma or Less | $33,368 |
| Bachelor's Degree | $36,659 |
| Some College/ Associate Degree | $37,049 |
House parent education FAQs
Have more questions? See all answers to common personal care and attendants questions.
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Updated January 8, 2025
Updated January 8, 2025