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Motivational speaker education requirements
Updated January 8, 2025
4 min read
There are several educational requirements to become a motivational speaker. Motivational speakers usually study business, communication, or psychology. 58% of motivational speakers hold a bachelor's degree, and 16% hold an master's degree. We analyzed 800 real motivational speaker resumes to see exactly what motivational speaker education sections show.
The most common colleges for motivational speakers are the University of Phoenix and the University of Phoenix.
There are also many online motivational speaker courses to help get the education required to be a motivational speaker.
There are certain motivational speaker certifications that you should consider. These motivational speaker certifications include Microsoft Office Specialist Master Certification (MOS) and Certified Personal Trainer.
What education do you need to become a motivational speaker?
What degree do you need to be a motivational speaker?
- Bachelor's, 58%
- Master's, 16%
- Associate, 15%
- Diploma, 4%
- Other Degrees, 7%
What should I major in to become a motivational speaker?
- Business, 23%
- Communication, 12%
- Psychology, 11%
- Criminal Justice, 4%
- Other Majors, 50%
Most common colleges for motivational speakers
| Motivational speaker common college | Percentages |
|---|---|
| University of Phoenix | 12.33% |
| University of North Carolina at Greensboro | 6.85% |
| Auburn University Main Campus | 6.85% |
| Southern Illinois University Carbondale | 5.48% |
| Capella University | 5.48% |
Best majors for motivational speakers
| Rank | Major | Percentages |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Business | 23.5% |
| 2 | Communication | 12.0% |
| 3 | Psychology | 11.1% |
| 4 | Criminal Justice | 4.4% |
| 5 | Sociology | 4.1% |
Best colleges for motivational speakers
The best colleges for motivational speakers are Northwestern University, Stanford University, and Boston University.
A motivational speaker with advanced education typically earns a higher salary and has access to better jobs. That's why Zippia looked into the best colleges for motivational speakers. 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 motivational speakers.
1. Northwestern University
Evanston, IL • Private
In-state tuition
$54,568
Enrollment
8,451
2. Stanford University
Stanford, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$51,354
Enrollment
7,083
3. California State University - Dominguez Hills
Carson, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$6,942
Enrollment
13,871
4. Howard University
Washington, DC • Private
In-state tuition
$26,756
Enrollment
6,166
5. University of Southern California
Los Angeles, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$56,225
Enrollment
19,548
6. University of Pennsylvania
Philadelphia, PA • Private
In-state tuition
$55,584
Enrollment
10,764
7. California State University - Bakersfield
Bakersfield, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$7,309
Enrollment
9,142
8. California State University - Long Beach
Long Beach, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$6,798
Enrollment
31,503
9. University of California - San Diego
La Jolla, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$14,167
Enrollment
30,279
10. University of Michigan - Ann Arbor
Ann Arbor, MI • Private
In-state tuition
$15,262
Enrollment
30,079
20 best online courses for motivational speakers
Advertising disclosure
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Top 10 most affordable universities for motivational speakers
The most affordable schools for motivational speakers are California State University - Bakersfield, california state university - long beach, and hunter college of the city university of new york.
If the best universities for motivational speakers 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 motivational speakers.
1. California State University - Bakersfield
Bakersfield, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$7,309
Cost of attendance
16,714
2. California State University - Long Beach
Long Beach, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$6,798
Cost of attendance
18,306
3. Hunter College of the City University of New York
New York, NY • Private
In-state tuition
$7,182
Cost of attendance
13,998
4. Baruch College of the City University of New York
New York, NY • Private
In-state tuition
$7,262
Cost of attendance
14,046
5. University of Florida
Gainesville, FL • Private
In-state tuition
$6,381
Cost of attendance
21,034
6. California State University - Fullerton
Fullerton, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$6,886
Cost of attendance
17,645
7. California State University - Dominguez Hills
Carson, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$6,942
Cost of attendance
14,469
8. University of South Florida
Tampa, FL • Private
In-state tuition
$6,410
Cost of attendance
20,456
9. Brigham Young University
Provo, UT • Private
In-state tuition
$5,620
Cost of attendance
18,136
10. SUNY Farmingdale
Farmingdale, NY • Private
In-state tuition
$8,306
Cost of attendance
16,091
Top 10 hardest universities to get into for motivational speakers
The hardest universities for motivational speakers to get into are Northwestern University, Stanford University, and Boston University.
Some great schools for motivational speakers 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 motivational speakers 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. Stanford University
Stanford, CA • Private
Admissions rate
4%
SAT average
1,497
3. Boston University
Boston, MA • Private
Admissions rate
22%
SAT average
1,420
4. University of Southern California
Los Angeles, CA • Private
Admissions rate
13%
SAT average
1,445
5. Vanderbilt University
Nashville, TN • Private
Admissions rate
10%
SAT average
1,514
6. New York University
New York, NY • Private
Admissions rate
20%
SAT average
1,419
7. Johns Hopkins University
Baltimore, MD • Private
Admissions rate
11%
SAT average
1,513
8. Villanova University
Villanova, PA • Private
Admissions rate
29%
SAT average
1,407
9. University of Pennsylvania
Philadelphia, PA • Private
Admissions rate
8%
SAT average
1,492
10. Northeastern University
Boston, MA • Private
Admissions rate
19%
SAT average
1,466
Top 10 easy-to-apply-to universities for motivational speakers
The easiest schools for motivational speakers to get into are Notre Dame de Namur University, bluefield college, and wayland baptist university.
Some schools are much easier to get into. If you want to start your career as a motivational speaker 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 motivational speakers.
1. Notre Dame de Namur University
Belmont, CA • Private
Admissions rate
82%
SAT average
983
2. Bluefield College
Bluefield, VA • Private
Admissions rate
95%
SAT average
980
3. Wayland Baptist University
Plainview, TX • Private
Admissions rate
98%
SAT average
1,003
4. Holy Names University
Oakland, CA • Private
Admissions rate
70%
SAT average
849
5. Mount Saint Mary's University
Los Angeles, CA • Private
Admissions rate
84%
SAT average
1,031
6. Gwynedd Mercy University
Gwynedd Valley, PA • Private
Admissions rate
92%
SAT average
1,031
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. University of North Texas at Dallas
Dallas, TX • Private
Admissions rate
83%
SAT average
992
10. University of Baltimore
Baltimore, MD • Private
Admissions rate
78%
SAT average
1,020
Average motivational speaker salary by education level
| Motivational speaker education level | Motivational speaker salary |
|---|---|
| Master's Degree | $47,217 |
| High School Diploma or Less | $37,633 |
| Bachelor's Degree | $42,879 |
| Some College/ Associate Degree | $37,902 |
Motivational speaker education FAQs
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Updated January 8, 2025
Updated January 8, 2025