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Lead generator education requirements
Updated January 8, 2025
4 min read
There are several educational requirements to become a lead generator. Lead generators usually study business, communication, or marketing. 52% of lead generators hold a bachelor's degree, and 18% hold an associate degree. We analyzed 6,932 real lead generator resumes to see exactly what lead generator education sections show.
The most common colleges for lead generators are the University of Phoenix and the University of Phoenix.
There are also many online lead generator courses to help get the education required to be a lead generator.
There are certain lead generator certifications that you should consider. These lead generator certifications include Certified Sales Professional (CSP) and Certified Information Technology Professional (CITP).
What education do you need to become a lead generator?
What degree do you need to be a lead generator?
- Bachelor's, 52%
- Associate, 18%
- High School Diploma, 16%
- Master's, 6%
- Other Degrees, 8%
What should I major in to become a lead generator?
- Business, 32%
- Communication, 7%
- Marketing, 7%
- Psychology, 6%
- Other Majors, 48%
Most common colleges for lead generators
| Lead generator common college | Percentages |
|---|---|
| University of Phoenix | 18.90% |
| Monroe College | 5.75% |
| Pennsylvania State University | 5.48% |
| University of California - Davis | 5.48% |
| Arizona State University | 5.21% |
Best majors for lead generators
| Rank | Major | Percentages |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Business | 31.6% |
| 2 | Communication | 7.4% |
| 3 | Marketing | 6.9% |
| 4 | Psychology | 6.2% |
| 5 | General Studies | 4.6% |
Best colleges for lead generators
The best colleges for lead generators are Northwestern University, University of Pennsylvania, and University of Southern California.
A lead generator with advanced education typically earns a higher salary and has access to better jobs. That's why Zippia looked into the best colleges for lead generators. 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 lead generators.
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. University of Southern California
Los Angeles, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$56,225
Enrollment
19,548
4. New York University
New York, NY • Private
In-state tuition
$51,828
Enrollment
26,339
5. Pennsylvania State University
University Park, PA • Private
In-state tuition
$18,454
Enrollment
40,108
6. University of Texas at Austin
Austin, TX • Private
In-state tuition
$10,610
Enrollment
40,329
7. SUNY at Binghamton
Vestal, NY • Private
In-state tuition
$9,808
Enrollment
13,990
8. Northeastern University
Boston, MA • Private
In-state tuition
$51,522
Enrollment
13,760
9. Bentley University
Waltham, MA • Private
In-state tuition
$49,880
Enrollment
4,177
10. Lehigh University
Bethlehem, PA • Private
In-state tuition
$52,930
Enrollment
5,030
20 best online courses for lead generators
Advertising disclosure
1. Lead Generation Machine: Cold Email B2B Sales Master Course
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3. LinkedIn Advanced. Lead Generation Strategies For B2B Sales
The Linked In Marketing Masterclass for Linked In Lead Generation and Business Development for B2B Sales. Remote Strategy...
4. Cold Calling Mastery
Become fantastic at Cold Calling - making cold calls for lead generation, sales, & business development...
5. The Complete B2B Sales Course: Lead Generation to Closing
Master the art of B2B sales to include prospecting, lead generation, scripting, and closing from a Master Sales Trainer...
6. LinkedIn Marketing, Lead Generation & B2B Sales for LinkedIn
Linked In Machine: The Linked In Master Class to learn Linked In Marketing, Lead Generation, Business Development, B2B Sales...
7. LinkedIn Marketing & Lead Generation Bootcamp for B2B Sales
16 Days to master Linked In marketing for lead generation and B2B sales. Linked In messaging templates included...
8. The Complete B2B Sales Masterclass: 6 Courses in 1
1. Generate Leads, 2. Pitch, 3. Close & Handle Any Objection: Get Certified in Cutting Edge, Non-Pushy B2B Sales System...
9. Business Development & B2B Sales for Startups- Sales Valley
The Complete Startup Playbook for Business Development & B2B Sales to learn Lead Generation, Pitching, & Closing Deals...
10. Small Business Lead Generation & Cold Email B2B & B2C
Create lead generation with cold email. Great for startups, business development, networking, small businesses, & more...
11. Cold Calling for B2B Sales: How to Prospect over the Phone
B2B Sales Skill: How to Cold Call over the Phone with Purpose, Navigate through Gatekeepers and Set Client Meetings...
12. The Complete Cold Email Course 2023 - B2B Lead Generation
Watch step by step and see exactly how I create effective cold emails campaigns for B2B lead generation...
13. Digital Marketing: How to Generate Sales Leads
Learn How To Generate Leads With A Step-By-Step Workbook & Action Plan To Boost Your Sales in 2019...
14. Linkedin Marketing: B2B Sales & Lead Generation From Scratch
Grow Any Business With a Free Linkedin Account: Business Development, Lead Generation, Linkedin B2B Sales & More!...
15. No Pressure Prospecting - Close More Sales
This sales training course will make prospecting easy, by teaching you how to find prospects that want what you sell...
16. Lead Generation & Business Development with Dekker Fraser
Customer Acquisition, B2B Marketing, Sales Funnels, Business Development, Demand Generation, Sales Funnel Marketing...
17. Sales Fire: B2B Sales & Business Development for Startups
The Ultimate Sales Methodology for Business Development & B2B Sales to Learn Sales Strategy, Sales Skills & Deal Closing...
18. The Complete Sales Skills Master Class - Sales Marketing B2B
Master Sales Skills, Marketing Strategy, B2B Sales, Business Development, Lead Generation Using Top Social Skills...
19. CRUSH IT!!! - Sales Strategies
Discover a step by step sales process you can drop into your business to re-connect with lost prospects. Close Sales Now...
20. LinkedIn Sales Navigator: LinkedIn's tool for B2B Sales
Linked In Sales Navigator best remote practices for the Linked In premium service for business development and B2B sales...
Top 10 most affordable universities for lead generators
The most affordable schools for lead generators are Baruch College of the City University of New York, university of florida, and florida state university.
If the best universities for lead generators 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 lead generators.
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. Florida State University
Tallahassee, FL • Private
In-state tuition
$5,656
Cost of attendance
21,623
4. Brigham Young University
Provo, UT • Private
In-state tuition
$5,620
Cost of attendance
18,136
5. USF Sarasota-Manatee
Sarasota, FL • Private
In-state tuition
$5,587
Cost of attendance
13,043
6. University of South Florida
Tampa, FL • Private
In-state tuition
$6,410
Cost of attendance
20,456
7. California State University - Fullerton
Fullerton, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$6,886
Cost of attendance
17,645
8. Florida International University
Miami, FL • Private
In-state tuition
$6,556
Cost of attendance
19,434
9. USF St. Petersburg
St. Petersburg, FL • Private
In-state tuition
$5,821
Cost of attendance
19,849
10. SUNY Farmingdale
Farmingdale, NY • Private
In-state tuition
$8,306
Cost of attendance
16,091
Top 10 hardest universities to get into for lead generators
The hardest universities for lead generators to get into are Northwestern University, University of Pennsylvania, and University of Southern California.
Some great schools for lead generators 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 lead generators 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. University of Southern California
Los Angeles, CA • Private
Admissions rate
13%
SAT average
1,445
4. Northeastern University
Boston, MA • Private
Admissions rate
19%
SAT average
1,466
5. Carnegie Mellon University
Pittsburgh, PA • Private
Admissions rate
17%
SAT average
1,507
6. New York University
New York, NY • Private
Admissions rate
20%
SAT average
1,419
7. Boston University
Boston, MA • Private
Admissions rate
22%
SAT average
1,420
8. University of Miami
Coral Gables, FL • Private
Admissions rate
32%
SAT average
1,365
9. Lehigh University
Bethlehem, PA • Private
Admissions rate
22%
SAT average
1,380
10. George Washington University, The
Washington, DC • Private
Admissions rate
42%
SAT average
1,380
Top 10 easy-to-apply-to universities for lead generators
The easiest schools for lead generators to get into are Mount Saint Mary's University, barry university, and oklahoma wesleyan university.
Some schools are much easier to get into. If you want to start your career as a lead generator 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 lead generators.
1. Mount Saint Mary's University
Los Angeles, CA • Private
Admissions rate
84%
SAT average
1,031
2. Barry University
Miami, FL • Private
Admissions rate
91%
SAT average
1,006
3. Oklahoma Wesleyan University
Bartlesville, OK • Private
Admissions rate
68%
SAT average
964
4. University of North Texas at Dallas
Dallas, TX • Private
Admissions rate
83%
SAT average
992
5. Holy Names University
Oakland, CA • Private
Admissions rate
70%
SAT average
849
6. University of the Incarnate Word
San Antonio, TX • Private
Admissions rate
88%
SAT average
1,044
7. Notre Dame de Namur University
Belmont, CA • Private
Admissions rate
82%
SAT average
983
8. Notre Dame College
Cleveland, OH • Private
Admissions rate
90%
SAT average
994
9. Kean University
Union, NJ • Private
Admissions rate
86%
SAT average
991
10. Wayland Baptist University
Plainview, TX • Private
Admissions rate
98%
SAT average
1,003
Average lead generator salary by education level
| Lead generator education level | Lead generator salary |
|---|---|
| Master's Degree | $31,199 |
| High School Diploma or Less | $21,984 |
| Bachelor's Degree | $26,906 |
| Doctorate Degree | $30,057 |
| Some College/ Associate Degree | $22,657 |
Lead generator education FAQs
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Updated January 8, 2025
Updated January 8, 2025