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Learning specialist education requirements
Updated January 8, 2025
4 min read
There are several educational requirements to become a learning specialist. Learning specialists usually study business, psychology, or education. 59% of learning specialists hold a bachelor's degree, and 27% hold an master's degree. We analyzed 2,773 real learning specialist resumes to see exactly what learning specialist education sections show.
The most common colleges for learning specialists are the University of Phoenix and the University of Phoenix.
There are also many online learning specialist courses to help get the education required to be a learning specialist.
There are certain learning specialist certifications that you should consider. These learning specialist certifications include Microsoft Certified Educator (MCE) and Certified Professional - Human Resource (IPMA-CP).
What education do you need to become a learning specialist?
What degree do you need to be a learning specialist?
- Bachelor's, 59%
- Master's, 27%
- Associate, 9%
- Doctorate, 2%
- Other Degrees, 3%
What should I major in to become a learning specialist?
- Business, 15%
- Psychology, 11%
- Education, 10%
- Other Majors, 55%
Most common colleges for learning specialists
| Learning specialist common college | Percentages |
|---|---|
| University of Phoenix | 14.34% |
| New York University | 8.24% |
| University of Maryland - College Park | 6.81% |
| University of Central Florida | 6.09% |
| Michigan State University | 5.38% |
Best majors for learning specialists
| Rank | Major | Percentages |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Business | 15.0% |
| 2 | Psychology | 10.8% |
| 3 | Education | 9.6% |
| 4 | Special Education | 9.4% |
| 5 | Elementary Education | 8.4% |
Best colleges for learning specialists
The best colleges for learning specialists are Northwestern University, University of Pennsylvania, and Johns Hopkins University.
A learning specialist with advanced education typically earns a higher salary and has access to better jobs. That's why Zippia looked into the best colleges for learning specialists. 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 learning specialists.
1. Northwestern University
Evanston, IL • Private
In-state tuition
$54,568
Enrollment
8,451
2. University of Pennsylvania
Philadelphia, PA • Private
In-state tuition
$55,584
Enrollment
10,764
3. University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
Chapel Hill, NC • Private
In-state tuition
$8,987
Enrollment
18,946
4. San Diego State University
San Diego, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$7,488
Enrollment
30,018
5. Harvard University
Cambridge, MA • Private
In-state tuition
$50,420
Enrollment
7,582
6. University of Southern California
Los Angeles, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$56,225
Enrollment
19,548
7. Boston University
Boston, MA • Private
In-state tuition
$53,948
Enrollment
17,238
8. New York University
New York, NY • Private
In-state tuition
$51,828
Enrollment
26,339
9. University of Minnesota - Twin Cities
Minneapolis, MN • Private
In-state tuition
$14,760
Enrollment
31,451
10. Johns Hopkins University
Baltimore, MD • Private
In-state tuition
$53,740
Enrollment
5,567
20 best online courses for learning specialists
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Top 10 most affordable universities for learning specialists
The most affordable schools for learning specialists are Baruch College of the City University of New York, california state university - long beach, and california state university - dominguez hills.
If the best universities for learning specialists 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 learning specialists.
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. California State University - Long Beach
Long Beach, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$6,798
Cost of attendance
18,306
3. California State University - Dominguez Hills
Carson, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$6,942
Cost of attendance
14,469
4. Brigham Young University
Provo, UT • Private
In-state tuition
$5,620
Cost of attendance
18,136
5. Florida State University
Tallahassee, FL • Private
In-state tuition
$5,656
Cost of attendance
21,623
6. University of Florida
Gainesville, FL • Private
In-state tuition
$6,381
Cost of attendance
21,034
7. University of Houston - Victoria
Victoria, TX • Private
In-state tuition
$6,491
Cost of attendance
19,075
8. California State University - Bakersfield
Bakersfield, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$7,309
Cost of attendance
16,714
9. California State University - Fullerton
Fullerton, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$6,886
Cost of attendance
17,645
10. University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
Chapel Hill, NC • Private
In-state tuition
$8,987
Cost of attendance
25,527
Top 10 hardest universities to get into for learning specialists
The hardest universities for learning specialists to get into are Northwestern University, University of Pennsylvania, and Johns Hopkins University.
Some great schools for learning specialists 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 learning specialists 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. Johns Hopkins University
Baltimore, MD • Private
Admissions rate
11%
SAT average
1,513
4. University of Southern California
Los Angeles, CA • Private
Admissions rate
13%
SAT average
1,445
5. New York University
New York, NY • Private
Admissions rate
20%
SAT average
1,419
6. Harvard University
Cambridge, MA • Private
Admissions rate
5%
SAT average
1,520
7. Vanderbilt University
Nashville, TN • Private
Admissions rate
10%
SAT average
1,514
8. Boston University
Boston, MA • Private
Admissions rate
22%
SAT average
1,420
9. Lehigh University
Bethlehem, PA • Private
Admissions rate
22%
SAT average
1,380
10. University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
Chapel Hill, NC • Private
Admissions rate
23%
SAT average
1,398
Top 10 easy-to-apply-to universities for learning specialists
The easiest schools for learning specialists to get into are Barry University, mount saint mary's university, and gwynedd mercy university.
Some schools are much easier to get into. If you want to start your career as a learning specialist 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 learning specialists.
1. Barry University
Miami, FL • Private
Admissions rate
91%
SAT average
1,006
2. Mount Saint Mary's University
Los Angeles, CA • Private
Admissions rate
84%
SAT average
1,031
3. Gwynedd Mercy University
Gwynedd Valley, PA • Private
Admissions rate
92%
SAT average
1,031
4. Notre Dame de Namur University
Belmont, CA • Private
Admissions rate
82%
SAT average
983
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. Ottawa University
Ottawa, KS • Private
Admissions rate
78%
SAT average
1,024
8. Oklahoma Wesleyan University
Bartlesville, OK • Private
Admissions rate
68%
SAT average
964
9. Cardinal Stritch University
Milwaukee, WI • Private
Admissions rate
71%
SAT average
1,035
10. Felician University
Lodi, NJ • Private
Admissions rate
81%
SAT average
999
Average learning specialist salary by education level
| Learning specialist education level | Learning specialist salary |
|---|---|
| Master's Degree | $67,418 |
| High School Diploma or Less | $50,831 |
| Bachelor's Degree | $61,501 |
| Some College/ Associate Degree | $54,943 |
Learning specialist education FAQs
Have more questions? See all answers to common business and financial questions.
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Updated January 8, 2025
Updated January 8, 2025