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Hse manager education requirements

Updated January 8, 2025
4 min read

There are several educational requirements to become an hse manager. Hse managers usually study occupational safety and health, business, or management. 57% of hse managers hold a bachelor's degree, and 20% hold an associate degree. We analyzed 1,825 real hse manager resumes to see exactly what hse manager education sections show.

The most common colleges for hse managers are the Columbia Southern University and the Columbia Southern University.

There are also many online hse manager courses to help get the education required to be an hse manager.

There are certain hse manager certifications that you should consider. These hse manager certifications include OSHA Safety Certificate and Occupational Health and Safety Technologist (OHST).

What education do you need to become an hse manager?

What degree do you need to be an hse manager?

The most common degree for hse managers is bachelor's degree, with 57% of hse managers earning that degree. The second and third most common degree levels are associate degree degree at 20% and associate degree degree at 12%.
  • Bachelor's, 57%
  • Associate, 20%
  • Master's, 12%
  • High School Diploma, 4%
  • Other Degrees, 7%

What should I major in to become an hse manager?

You should major in occupational safety and health to become an hse manager. 20% of hse managers major in occupational safety and health. Other common majors for an hse manager include business and management.

Most common colleges for hse managers

Hse managers often get their degrees at Columbia Southern University, Nicholls State University, and Texas A&M; University. Here are the most common colleges for hse managers in the US based on their resumes.
Hse manager common collegePercentages
Columbia Southern University29.07%
Nicholls State University8.81%
Texas A&M University7.49%
University of Phoenix6.17%
University of Central Oklahoma4.41%

Best majors for hse managers

Best colleges for hse managers

The best colleges for hse managers are Northwestern University, Johns Hopkins University, and University of Southern California.

An hse manager with advanced education typically earns a higher salary and has access to better jobs. That's why Zippia looked into the best colleges for hse managers. 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 hse managers.

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. University of Pennsylvania

Philadelphia, PA • Private

In-state tuition

$55,584

Enrollment

10,764

4. San Diego State University

San Diego, CA • Private

In-state tuition

$7,488

Enrollment

30,018

5. University of Connecticut

Storrs, CT • Private

In-state tuition

$15,730

Enrollment

18,830

6. University of Washington

Seattle, WA • Private

In-state tuition

$11,207

Enrollment

30,905

7. Boston University

Boston, MA • Private

In-state tuition

$53,948

Enrollment

17,238

8. Clemson University

Clemson, SC • Private

In-state tuition

$15,374

Enrollment

19,564

9. Johns Hopkins University

Baltimore, MD • Private

In-state tuition

$53,740

Enrollment

5,567

10. University of Minnesota - Twin Cities

Minneapolis, MN • Private

In-state tuition

$14,760

Enrollment

31,451

20 best online courses for hse managers

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Top 10 most affordable universities for hse managers

The most affordable schools for hse managers are Baruch College of the City University of New York, university of florida, and brigham young university.

If the best universities for hse managers 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 hse managers.

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. University of Florida

Gainesville, FL • Private

In-state tuition

$6,381

Cost of attendance

21,034

3. Brigham Young University

Provo, UT • Private

In-state tuition

$5,620

Cost of attendance

18,136

4. Florida State University

Tallahassee, FL • Private

In-state tuition

$5,656

Cost of attendance

21,623

5. California State University - Dominguez Hills

Carson, CA • Private

In-state tuition

$6,942

Cost of attendance

14,469

6. California State University - Long Beach

Long Beach, CA • Private

In-state tuition

$6,798

Cost of attendance

18,306

7. University of Houston - Victoria

Victoria, TX • Private

In-state tuition

$6,491

Cost of attendance

19,075

8. Florida International University

Miami, FL • Private

In-state tuition

$6,556

Cost of attendance

19,434

9. Brooklyn College of the City University of New York

Brooklyn, NY • Private

In-state tuition

$7,240

Cost of attendance

13,991

10. City College of New York of the City University of New York, The

New York, NY • Private

In-state tuition

$7,140

Cost of attendance

14,430

Top 10 hardest universities to get into for hse managers

The hardest universities for hse managers to get into are Northwestern University, Johns Hopkins University, and University of Southern California.

Some great schools for hse managers 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 hse managers 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. Johns Hopkins University

Baltimore, MD • Private

Admissions rate

11%

SAT average

1,513

3. University of Southern California

Los Angeles, CA • Private

Admissions rate

13%

SAT average

1,445

4. University of Pennsylvania

Philadelphia, PA • Private

Admissions rate

8%

SAT average

1,492

5. Boston University

Boston, MA • Private

Admissions rate

22%

SAT average

1,420

6. Boston College

Chestnut Hill, MA • Private

Admissions rate

28%

SAT average

1,429

7. Northeastern University

Boston, MA • Private

Admissions rate

19%

SAT average

1,466

8. University of Miami

Coral Gables, FL • Private

Admissions rate

32%

SAT average

1,365

9. Vanderbilt University

Nashville, TN • Private

Admissions rate

10%

SAT average

1,514

10. New York University

New York, NY • Private

Admissions rate

20%

SAT average

1,419

Top 10 easy-to-apply-to universities for hse managers

The easiest schools for hse managers to get into are Barry University, wayland baptist university, and notre dame de namur university.

Some schools are much easier to get into. If you want to start your career as an hse manager 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 hse managers.

1. Barry University

Miami, FL • Private

Admissions rate

91%

SAT average

1,006

2. Wayland Baptist University

Plainview, TX • Private

Admissions rate

98%

SAT average

1,003

3. Notre Dame de Namur University

Belmont, CA • Private

Admissions rate

82%

SAT average

983

4. University of North Texas at Dallas

Dallas, TX • Private

Admissions rate

83%

SAT average

992

5. Cardinal Stritch University

Milwaukee, WI • Private

Admissions rate

71%

SAT average

1,035

6. Our Lady of the Lake University

San Antonio, TX • Private

Admissions rate

93%

SAT average

1,002

7. Gwynedd Mercy University

Gwynedd Valley, PA • Private

Admissions rate

92%

SAT average

1,031

8. Mount Saint Mary's University

Los Angeles, CA • Private

Admissions rate

84%

SAT average

1,031

9. Ottawa University

Ottawa, KS • Private

Admissions rate

78%

SAT average

1,024

10. University of the Incarnate Word

San Antonio, TX • Private

Admissions rate

88%

SAT average

1,044

Average hse manager salary by education level

According to our data, hse managers with a Master's degree earn the highest average salary, at $98,346 annually. Hse managers with a Bachelor's degree earn an average annual salary of $93,163.
Hse manager education levelHse manager salary
Master's Degree$98,346
High School Diploma or Less$79,765
Bachelor's Degree$93,163
Doctorate Degree$91,459
Some College/ Associate Degree$82,737

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Updated January 8, 2025

Zippia Research Team
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.

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