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International business development manager education requirements

Updated January 8, 2025
4 min read

There are several educational requirements to become an international business development manager. International business development managers usually study business, finance, or marketing. 68% of international business development managers hold a bachelor's degree, and 24% hold an master's degree. We analyzed 664 real international business development manager resumes to see exactly what international business development manager education sections show.

The most common colleges for international business development managers are the University of Houston and the University of Houston.

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

What education do you need to become an international business development manager?

What degree do you need to be an international business development manager?

The most common degree for international business development managers is bachelor's degree, with 68% of international business development managers earning that degree. The second and third most common degree levels are master's degree degree at 24% and master's degree degree at 4%.
  • Bachelor's, 68%
  • Master's, 24%
  • Associate, 4%
  • Doctorate, 2%
  • Other Degrees, 2%

What should I major in to become an international business development manager?

You should major in business to become an international business development manager. 33% of international business development managers major in business. Other common majors for an international business development manager include finance and marketing.

Most common colleges for international business development managers

International business development managers often get their degrees at University of Houston, University of Phoenix, and University of Wisconsin Colleges. Here are the most common colleges for international business development managers in the US based on their resumes.
International business development manager common collegePercentages
University of Houston7.87%
University of Phoenix6.74%
University of Wisconsin Colleges5.62%
University of Colorado at Boulder5.62%
American University5.62%

Best majors for international business development managers

RankMajorPercentages
1Business33.2%
2Finance9.1%
3Marketing7.8%
4International Business6.5%
5Economics5.3%

Best colleges for international business development managers

The best colleges for international business development managers are Northwestern University, University of Southern California, and University of Pennsylvania.

An international business development 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 international business development 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 international business development managers.

1. University of Georgia

Athens, GA • Private

In-state tuition

$11,830

Enrollment

29,474

2. University of Wisconsin - Madison

Madison, WI • Private

In-state tuition

$10,555

Enrollment

30,360

3. University of Minnesota - Twin Cities

Minneapolis, MN • Private

In-state tuition

$14,760

Enrollment

31,451

4. Purdue University

West Lafayette, IN • Private

In-state tuition

$9,992

Enrollment

33,495

5. Howard University

Washington, DC • Private

In-state tuition

$26,756

Enrollment

6,166

6. Ohio State University

Columbus, OH • Private

In-state tuition

$10,726

Enrollment

45,769

7. University of Texas at Austin

Austin, TX • Private

In-state tuition

$10,610

Enrollment

40,329

8. University of Southern California

Los Angeles, CA • Private

In-state tuition

$56,225

Enrollment

19,548

9. University of Pennsylvania

Philadelphia, PA • Private

In-state tuition

$55,584

Enrollment

10,764

10. SUNY at Binghamton

Vestal, NY • Private

In-state tuition

$9,808

Enrollment

13,990

20 best online courses for international business development managers

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5. International Business

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The International Business specialization is for learners who would like a thorough understanding of international business concepts, tools, and applications. This knowledge can be employed to advance in your current work, to prepare for international jobs and careers, and to generally understand the importance and role of international business practice on globalization and geopolitics. The specialization covers the global context of business, national cultures, human resources, marketing,...

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The Capstone project is the culmination of the International Business Essentials specialisation, and brings together knowledge gained in the previous courses and applies this to a real-world scenario. Throughout the Capstone, you’ll be taught new skills, and will use the knowledge you have gained throughout the Specialisation to develop a business plan. This course forms part of a specialisation from the University of London designed to help you develop and build the essential business,...

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An Action Plan to Profitably Expand Your Business Through International Sales and Partnerships...

8. Business Mind - Mastering Business Development

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Master in Practice the Product, Sales and Marketing Perspective of Business Development...

9. Product Manager

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Envision and lead the product strategy of industry-defining products, and learn to successfully bring them to market. Influence the execution of product development as a Product Manager, one of the most highly-coveted roles in technology...

10. Data Product Manager

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11. Relationship Management and Business Development

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12. International Business II

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This course, Introduction to the Global Business Environment II, focuses on managing organizations in the international economy. Building on Introduction to the Global Business Environment I, this second course focuses on organizational level and management issues in international settings. The course prepares students with practical as well as research-based knowledge and skills necessary to successfully operating an organizational across borders. This course utilizes an inquiry based approach...

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14. Logistics Management: International Transport & Shipping

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Logistics Supply Chain Management Basics - Transport / Import - Export your Freight / Inventory by Air, Sea or Land...

15. Digital Marketing

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16. AI for Business Leaders

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17. Management Skills for International Business

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18. Sales Fire: B2B Sales & Business Development for Startups

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19. Product Marketing Launch Plan: Product GTM with Dekker, MBA

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20. Business Analytics

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In this program, you will learn foundational data skills that apply across functions and industries. You will learn to analyze data and build models with Excel, query databases using SQL, and create informative data visualizations with Tableau...

Top 10 most affordable universities for international business development managers

The most affordable schools for international business development managers are University of Florida, fashion institute of technology, and suny farmingdale.

If the best universities for international business development 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 international business development managers.

1. University of Florida

Gainesville, FL • Private

In-state tuition

$6,381

Cost of attendance

21,034

2. Fashion Institute of Technology

New York, NY • Private

In-state tuition

$5,740

Cost of attendance

17,864

3. SUNY Farmingdale

Farmingdale, NY • Private

In-state tuition

$8,306

Cost of attendance

16,091

4. USF Sarasota-Manatee

Sarasota, FL • Private

In-state tuition

$5,587

Cost of attendance

13,043

5. Florida State University

Tallahassee, FL • Private

In-state tuition

$5,656

Cost of attendance

21,623

6. University of South Florida

Tampa, FL • Private

In-state tuition

$6,410

Cost of attendance

20,456

7. California State University - Dominguez Hills

Carson, CA • Private

In-state tuition

$6,942

Cost of attendance

14,469

8. Purdue University

West Lafayette, IN • Private

In-state tuition

$9,992

Cost of attendance

22,430

9. California State University - Fresno

Fresno, CA • Private

In-state tuition

$6,587

Cost of attendance

16,915

10. Brigham Young University

Provo, UT • Private

In-state tuition

$5,620

Cost of attendance

18,136

Top 10 hardest universities to get into for international business development managers

The hardest universities for international business development managers to get into are Northwestern University, University of Southern California, and University of Pennsylvania.

Some great schools for international business development 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 international business development 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. University of Southern California

Los Angeles, CA • Private

Admissions rate

13%

SAT average

1,445

3. University of Pennsylvania

Philadelphia, PA • Private

Admissions rate

8%

SAT average

1,492

4. Northeastern University

Boston, MA • Private

Admissions rate

19%

SAT average

1,466

5. Boston University

Boston, MA • Private

Admissions rate

22%

SAT average

1,420

6. University of Texas at Austin

Austin, TX • Private

Admissions rate

39%

SAT average

1,367

7. Stanford University

Stanford, CA • Private

Admissions rate

4%

SAT average

1,497

8. SUNY at Binghamton

Vestal, NY • Private

Admissions rate

40%

SAT average

1,376

9. Villanova University

Villanova, PA • Private

Admissions rate

29%

SAT average

1,407

10. University of Maryland - College Park

College Park, MD • Private

Admissions rate

47%

SAT average

1,390

Top 10 easy-to-apply-to universities for international business development managers

The easiest schools for international business development managers to get into are Oklahoma Wesleyan University, university of the incarnate word, and d'youville college.

Some schools are much easier to get into. If you want to start your career as an international business development 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 international business development managers.

1. Oklahoma Wesleyan University

Bartlesville, OK • Private

Admissions rate

68%

SAT average

964

2. University of the Incarnate Word

San Antonio, TX • Private

Admissions rate

88%

SAT average

1,044

3. D'Youville College

Buffalo, NY • Private

Admissions rate

100%

SAT average

1,072

4. LIM College

New York, NY • Private

Admissions rate

83%

SAT average

1,061

5. Holy Names University

Oakland, CA • Private

Admissions rate

70%

SAT average

849

6. Notre Dame College

Cleveland, OH • Private

Admissions rate

90%

SAT average

994

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. Barry University

Miami, FL • Private

Admissions rate

91%

SAT average

1,006

10. Felician University

Lodi, NJ • Private

Admissions rate

81%

SAT average

999

Average international business development manager salary by education level

International business development managers with a Doctorate degree earn more than those without, at $124,989 annually. With a Master's degree, international business development managers earn a median annual income of $118,477 compared to $101,821 for international business development managers with an Bachelor's degree.
International business development manager education levelInternational business development manager salary
Master's Degree$118,477
Bachelor's Degree$101,821
Doctorate Degree$124,989

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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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