Explore jobs
Find specific jobs
Explore careers
Explore professions
Best companies
Explore companies
Housing director education requirements
Updated January 8, 2025
4 min read
There are several educational requirements to become a housing director. Housing directors usually study business, psychology, or social work. 61% of housing directors hold a bachelor's degree, and 19% hold an master's degree. We analyzed 2,103 real housing director resumes to see exactly what housing director education sections show.
The most common colleges for housing directors are the University of Phoenix and the University of Phoenix.
There are also many online housing director courses to help get the education required to be a housing director.
There are certain housing director certifications that you should consider. These housing director certifications include Certified Nurse Assistant (CNA) and Certified Specialist - Public Housing Manager (CS-PHM).
What education do you need to become a housing director?
What degree do you need to be a housing director?
- Bachelor's, 61%
- Master's, 19%
- Associate, 12%
- High School Diploma, 2%
- Other Degrees, 6%
What should I major in to become a housing director?
- Business, 23%
- Psychology, 11%
- Social Work, 7%
- Sociology, 6%
- Other Majors, 53%
Most common colleges for housing directors
| Housing director common college | Percentages |
|---|---|
| University of Phoenix | 13.75% |
| New York University | 5.63% |
| The University of Alabama | 5.63% |
| University of Wisconsin Colleges | 5.63% |
| Western Washington University | 5.00% |
Best majors for housing directors
| Rank | Major | Percentages |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Business | 23.1% |
| 2 | Psychology | 11.5% |
| 3 | Social Work | 7.3% |
| 4 | Sociology | 5.6% |
| 5 | Communication | 5.1% |
Best colleges for housing directors
The best colleges for housing directors are Northwestern University, University of Pennsylvania, and New York University.
A housing director with advanced education typically earns a higher salary and has access to better jobs. That's why Zippia looked into the best colleges for housing directors. 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 housing directors.
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. Pennsylvania State University
University Park, PA • Private
In-state tuition
$18,454
Enrollment
40,108
4. California State University - Dominguez Hills
Carson, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$6,942
Enrollment
13,871
5. University of Washington
Seattle, WA • Private
In-state tuition
$11,207
Enrollment
30,905
6. New York University
New York, NY • Private
In-state tuition
$51,828
Enrollment
26,339
7. Harvard University
Cambridge, MA • Private
In-state tuition
$50,420
Enrollment
7,582
8. University of Southern California
Los Angeles, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$56,225
Enrollment
19,548
9. University of North Texas
Denton, TX • Private
In-state tuition
$10,852
Enrollment
31,375
10. University of Michigan - Ann Arbor
Ann Arbor, MI • Private
In-state tuition
$15,262
Enrollment
30,079
20 best online courses for housing directors
Advertising disclosure
1. Strategies for Senior Housing Communities during COVID-19
SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19, poses a high risk for senior housing communities and the people who live and work there. The COVID-19 response has largely focused on nursing homes, leaving independent living communities serving older adults in the United States with fragmented guidance on how to respond to COVID-19 challenges. This course provides comprehensive instruction and resources for property owners and managers, senior housing staff, service coordinators and providers,...
2. Health, Housing, and Educational Services
Course 5 discusses policies in four areas: housing, education, healthcare, and immigration, with an optional fifth module in child protection. This course addresses issues of power, oppression, and white supremacy. -First we’ll look at housing policy, with its contrasting supports for homeowners and renters. -Then we’ll interpret the structure that provides education and examine debates about its future. -The third module will differentiate the issues in the U.S. healthcare system and develop...
3. Crisis Intervention Seminar
The emphasis is on the development of fundamental clinical skills in the area of crisis intervention...
4. Learn how to buy a house subject to the existing financing
The absolute easiest technique to buy and sell houses without using your money or credit...
5. Housing Justice: A View from Indian Cities
This course will introduce learners to different approaches to thinking about housing justice, bringing together material, ecological, social and spatial approaches to thinking about housing. Rooting itself in Indian cities, but speaking more broadly to struggles for housing justice more globally, it will offer a diagnosis of what housing justice looks like as well as the modes and practices that can move us towards it ranging from activism and direct action to public policy and participatory...
6. Cultural impact of housing displacement gentrification
This course provides an introduction to gentrification and to the cultural impacts of housing displacement for people in cities and neighbourhoods across the world. Gentrification is a term which has been used to describe the process by which wealthier people move into an area leading to the displacement of poorer groups who are priced out of the area by increases in rents and housing prices. It is usually associated with physical improvements to the housing stock and to changes in local shops...
7. Operations Management: Facilities Planning and Management
Operations Management Training Program (Course 8 of 8)...
8. Public Relations: Media Crisis Communications
Public Relations: You Can Shape and Control Your Media Messages at The Worst Possible Times...
9. Crisis Communications
Crisis Communications is designed to empower professionals with the knowledge and skills to effectively navigate and respond to crisis situations through interviews...
10. Creative Real Estate Investing & Flipping Houses
What most people will never know about investing in real estate creatively (without cash or credit) and flipping houses...
11. Business Communication Skills: Handling Clients & Customers
Soft Skills Training Social Skills Business Etiquette Business English Customer Service Training...
12. Managing mental health issues in the workplace
Learn how to support your own mental health and wellbeing and that of your staff...
13. Mental Health Ambassador Certificate
Be a leader in improving society's mental health and learn to provide mental health first aid...
14. Audit - Financial Statement
Master the Art of Auditing Financial Statements: In-Depth Analysis, Techniques, and Real-World Case Studies...
15. Workplace Mental Health: A Manager's Ultimate Guide
How to manage mental health in the workplace to boost productivity and be the best boss!...
16. Addiction & Mental Health (Dual Diagnosis) Integrative 12hrs
Substance Abuse & Mental Health Interventions: Drug & Alcohol Addiction & Mental Health - Integrative Holistic Approach...
17. Addiction & Mental Health - Chemically Speaking Two (2hrs)
Substance Abuse & Mental Health Interventions - Understand Drug & Alcohol Addiction & Mental Health. How to help people...
18. Financial Statement Analysis
Learn how to make understanding financial statements your superpower!...
19. SAP Customer Service (CS/SM) - Service Management module
Real World SAP CS and SD, Repair Orders, Service Orders, Service Contracts...
20. Tiny House Design Part 1 - Codes and Foundation Selection
A Comprehensive 101...
Top 10 most affordable universities for housing directors
The most affordable schools for housing directors are Hunter College of the City University of New York, california state university - bakersfield, and california state university - fullerton.
If the best universities for housing directors 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 housing directors.
1. Hunter College of the City University of New York
New York, NY • Private
In-state tuition
$7,182
Cost of attendance
13,998
2. California State University - Bakersfield
Bakersfield, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$7,309
Cost of attendance
16,714
3. California State University - Fullerton
Fullerton, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$6,886
Cost of attendance
17,645
4. California State University - Dominguez Hills
Carson, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$6,942
Cost of attendance
14,469
5. Baruch College of the City University of New York
New York, NY • Private
In-state tuition
$7,262
Cost of attendance
14,046
6. University of South Florida
Tampa, FL • Private
In-state tuition
$6,410
Cost of attendance
20,456
7. Brigham Young University
Provo, UT • Private
In-state tuition
$5,620
Cost of attendance
18,136
8. Florida State University
Tallahassee, FL • Private
In-state tuition
$5,656
Cost of attendance
21,623
9. California State University - Long Beach
Long Beach, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$6,798
Cost of attendance
18,306
10. California State University - Los Angeles
Los Angeles, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$6,749
Cost of attendance
14,823
Top 10 hardest universities to get into for housing directors
The hardest universities for housing directors to get into are Northwestern University, University of Pennsylvania, and New York University.
Some great schools for housing directors 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 housing directors 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. New York University
New York, NY • Private
Admissions rate
20%
SAT average
1,419
4. Johns Hopkins University
Baltimore, MD • Private
Admissions rate
11%
SAT average
1,513
5. Harvard University
Cambridge, MA • Private
Admissions rate
5%
SAT average
1,520
6. University of Southern California
Los Angeles, CA • Private
Admissions rate
13%
SAT average
1,445
7. Columbia University in the City of New York
New York, NY • Private
Admissions rate
6%
SAT average
1,512
8. Northeastern University
Boston, MA • Private
Admissions rate
19%
SAT average
1,466
9. George Washington University, The
Washington, DC • Private
Admissions rate
42%
SAT average
1,380
10. Boston University
Boston, MA • Private
Admissions rate
22%
SAT average
1,420
Top 10 easy-to-apply-to universities for housing directors
The easiest schools for housing directors to get into are Mount Saint Mary's University, notre dame de namur university, and university of north texas at dallas.
Some schools are much easier to get into. If you want to start your career as a housing director 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 housing directors.
1. Mount Saint Mary's University
Los Angeles, CA • Private
Admissions rate
84%
SAT average
1,031
2. Notre Dame de Namur University
Belmont, CA • Private
Admissions rate
82%
SAT average
983
3. University of North Texas at Dallas
Dallas, TX • Private
Admissions rate
83%
SAT average
992
4. Wayland Baptist University
Plainview, TX • Private
Admissions rate
98%
SAT average
1,003
5. Gwynedd Mercy University
Gwynedd Valley, PA • Private
Admissions rate
92%
SAT average
1,031
6. Barry University
Miami, FL • Private
Admissions rate
91%
SAT average
1,006
7. Holy Names University
Oakland, CA • Private
Admissions rate
70%
SAT average
849
8. University of Baltimore
Baltimore, MD • Private
Admissions rate
78%
SAT average
1,020
9. Oklahoma Wesleyan University
Bartlesville, OK • Private
Admissions rate
68%
SAT average
964
10. Grand View University
Des Moines, IA • Private
Admissions rate
92%
SAT average
1,060
Average housing director salary by education level
| Housing director education level | Housing director salary |
|---|---|
| Master's Degree | $76,846 |
| Bachelor's Degree | $62,024 |
| Doctorate Degree | $83,899 |
Housing director education FAQs
Have more questions? See all answers to common executive management questions.
Search for housing director jobs
Updated January 8, 2025
Updated January 8, 2025