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Lead instructor education requirements
Updated January 8, 2025
4 min read
There are several educational requirements to become a lead instructor. Lead instructors usually study business, psychology, or biology. 62% of lead instructors hold a bachelor's degree, and 15% hold an associate degree. We analyzed 11,116 real lead instructor resumes to see exactly what lead instructor education sections show.
The most common colleges for lead instructors are the University of Phoenix and the University of Phoenix.
There are also many online lead instructor courses to help get the education required to be a lead instructor.
There are certain lead instructor certifications that you should consider. These lead instructor certifications include Instructor and First Aid, CPR and AED Instructor.
What education do you need to become a lead instructor?
What degree do you need to be a lead instructor?
- Bachelor's, 62%
- Associate, 15%
- Master's, 13%
- High School Diploma, 4%
- Other Degrees, 6%
What should I major in to become a lead instructor?
- Business, 14%
- Psychology, 10%
- Biology, 7%
- Education, 7%
- Other Majors, 62%
Most common colleges for lead instructors
| Lead instructor common college | Percentages |
|---|---|
| University of Phoenix | 15.31% |
| University of California - Davis | 7.33% |
| California State University - San Bernardino | 6.68% |
| University of California, Santa Barbara | 5.63% |
| American University | 5.63% |
Best majors for lead instructors
| Rank | Major | Percentages |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Business | 14.2% |
| 2 | Psychology | 9.8% |
| 3 | Biology | 7.3% |
| 4 | Education | 6.8% |
| 5 | Elementary Education | 5.9% |
Best colleges for lead instructors
The best colleges for lead instructors are Northwestern University, Harvard University, and University of Pennsylvania.
A lead instructor 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 instructors. 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 instructors.
1. Harvard University
Cambridge, MA • Private
In-state tuition
$50,420
Enrollment
7,582
2. University of Pennsylvania
Philadelphia, PA • Private
In-state tuition
$55,584
Enrollment
10,764
3. San Diego State University
San Diego, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$7,488
Enrollment
30,018
4. Boston University
Boston, MA • Private
In-state tuition
$53,948
Enrollment
17,238
5. Northwestern University
Evanston, IL • Private
In-state tuition
$54,568
Enrollment
8,451
6. University of Minnesota - Twin Cities
Minneapolis, MN • Private
In-state tuition
$14,760
Enrollment
31,451
7. Stanford University
Stanford, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$51,354
Enrollment
7,083
8. SUNY at Buffalo
Buffalo, NY • Private
In-state tuition
$10,099
Enrollment
21,404
9. University of Southern California
Los Angeles, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$56,225
Enrollment
19,548
10. California State University - Dominguez Hills
Carson, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$6,942
Enrollment
13,871
20 best online courses for lead instructors
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Top 10 most affordable universities for lead instructors
The most affordable schools for lead instructors are Baruch College of the City University of New York, brooklyn college of the city university of new york, and lehman college of the city university of new york.
If the best universities for lead instructors 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 instructors.
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. Brooklyn College of the City University of New York
Brooklyn, NY • Private
In-state tuition
$7,240
Cost of attendance
13,991
3. Lehman College of the City University of New York
Bronx, NY • Private
In-state tuition
$7,210
Cost of attendance
14,359
4. California State University - Bakersfield
Bakersfield, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$7,309
Cost of attendance
16,714
5. Brigham Young University
Provo, UT • Private
In-state tuition
$5,620
Cost of attendance
18,136
6. California State University - Long Beach
Long Beach, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$6,798
Cost of attendance
18,306
7. California State University - Dominguez Hills
Carson, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$6,942
Cost of attendance
14,469
8. USF Sarasota-Manatee
Sarasota, FL • Private
In-state tuition
$5,587
Cost of attendance
13,043
9. Hunter College of the City University of New York
New York, NY • Private
In-state tuition
$7,182
Cost of attendance
13,998
10. California State University - Fresno
Fresno, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$6,587
Cost of attendance
16,915
Top 10 hardest universities to get into for lead instructors
The hardest universities for lead instructors to get into are Northwestern University, Harvard University, and University of Pennsylvania.
Some great schools for lead instructors 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 instructors 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. Harvard University
Cambridge, MA • Private
Admissions rate
5%
SAT average
1,520
3. University of Pennsylvania
Philadelphia, PA • Private
Admissions rate
8%
SAT average
1,492
4. Stanford University
Stanford, CA • Private
Admissions rate
4%
SAT average
1,497
5. Boston University
Boston, MA • Private
Admissions rate
22%
SAT average
1,420
6. University of Southern California
Los Angeles, CA • Private
Admissions rate
13%
SAT average
1,445
7. New York University
New York, NY • Private
Admissions rate
20%
SAT average
1,419
8. Vanderbilt University
Nashville, TN • Private
Admissions rate
10%
SAT average
1,514
9. Johns Hopkins University
Baltimore, MD • Private
Admissions rate
11%
SAT average
1,513
10. Boston College
Chestnut Hill, MA • Private
Admissions rate
28%
SAT average
1,429
Top 10 easy-to-apply-to universities for lead instructors
The easiest schools for lead instructors to get into are Gwynedd Mercy University, barry university, and holy names university.
Some schools are much easier to get into. If you want to start your career as a lead instructor 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 instructors.
1. Gwynedd Mercy University
Gwynedd Valley, PA • Private
Admissions rate
92%
SAT average
1,031
2. Barry University
Miami, FL • Private
Admissions rate
91%
SAT average
1,006
3. Holy Names University
Oakland, CA • Private
Admissions rate
70%
SAT average
849
4. Oklahoma Wesleyan University
Bartlesville, OK • Private
Admissions rate
68%
SAT average
964
5. Notre Dame College
Cleveland, OH • Private
Admissions rate
90%
SAT average
994
6. The University of Texas Permian Basin
Odessa, TX • Private
Admissions rate
91%
SAT average
1,046
7. Ottawa University
Ottawa, KS • Private
Admissions rate
78%
SAT average
1,024
8. Wayland Baptist University
Plainview, TX • Private
Admissions rate
98%
SAT average
1,003
9. Thomas More University
Crestview Hills, KY • Private
Admissions rate
90%
SAT average
1,099
10. Fresno Pacific University
Fresno, CA • Private
Admissions rate
85%
SAT average
1,053
Average lead instructor salary by education level
| Lead instructor education level | Lead instructor salary |
|---|---|
| Master's Degree | $57,030 |
| High School Diploma or Less | $46,062 |
| Bachelor's Degree | $52,103 |
| Doctorate Degree | $61,330 |
| Some College/ Associate Degree | $49,907 |
Lead instructor education FAQs
Have more questions? See all answers to common education, training, and library questions.
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Updated January 8, 2025
Updated January 8, 2025