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Nonprofit manager education requirements
Updated January 8, 2025
3 min read
There are several educational requirements to become a nonprofit manager. Nonprofit managers usually study business, public policy analysis, or political science. 55% of nonprofit managers hold a bachelor's degree, and 15% hold an master's degree. We analyzed 24 real nonprofit manager resumes to see exactly what nonprofit manager education sections show.
The most common colleges for nonprofit managers are the The College of Wooster and the The College of Wooster.
There are also many online nonprofit manager courses to help get the education required to be a nonprofit manager.
What education do you need to become a nonprofit manager?
What degree do you need to be a nonprofit manager?
- Bachelor's, 55%
- Master's, 15%
- Associate, 15%
- Diploma, 5%
- Other Degrees, 10%
What should I major in to become a nonprofit manager?
- Business, 10%
- Political Science, 10%
- Education, 10%
- Other Majors, 60%
Most common colleges for nonprofit managers
| Nonprofit manager common college | Percentages |
|---|---|
| The College of Wooster | 12.50% |
| Capella University | 6.25% |
| Regent University | 6.25% |
| Austin Community College | 6.25% |
| Wayne State University | 6.25% |
Best majors for nonprofit managers
| Rank | Major | Percentages |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Business | 10.0% |
| 2 | Public Policy Analysis | 10.0% |
| 3 | Political Science | 10.0% |
| 4 | Education | 10.0% |
| 5 | Anthropology | 5.0% |
Best colleges for nonprofit managers
The best colleges for nonprofit managers are Northwestern University, University of Pennsylvania, and Columbia University in the City of New York.
A nonprofit 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 nonprofit 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 nonprofit managers.
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. New York University
New York, NY • Private
In-state tuition
$51,828
Enrollment
26,339
4. University of Washington
Seattle, WA • Private
In-state tuition
$11,207
Enrollment
30,905
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. Johns Hopkins University
Baltimore, MD • Private
In-state tuition
$53,740
Enrollment
5,567
8. Columbia University in the City of New York
New York, NY • Private
In-state tuition
$59,430
Enrollment
8,216
9. University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
Chapel Hill, NC • Private
In-state tuition
$8,987
Enrollment
18,946
10. Pennsylvania State University
University Park, PA • Private
In-state tuition
$18,454
Enrollment
40,108
20 best online courses for nonprofit managers
Advertising disclosure
1. Improving Leadership & Governance in Nonprofit Organizations
Identify and analyze leadership and governance issues, create practical ways to improve board performance and work with boards to implement these improvements.\n\nThis Specialization consists of three courses plus a Capstone Project: (1) Course 1 topics: The unique nature of the nonprofit sector in society; leadership in nonprofit organizations and the governance process. (2) Course 2 topics: The roles and responsibilities of nonprofit organization boards of directors and the challenges in...
2. Introduction to Nonprofit Law
The nonprofit sector in America is made up of over 1.9 million tax exempt organizations and accounts for nearly 6% of the nation's gross domestic product. This course will introduce the major legal rules that govern nonprofit organizations, beginning with the historical context that has shaped the modern nonprofit sector. We will explore the different forms of nonprofit organizations and their associated legal obligations, and we will examine the rules that govern nonprofit activities such as...
3. How to Build Your Nonprofit Startup 1
Learn R.A.T.E.S. Response-ability to begin building your nonprofit...
4. Nonprofit Startup - How To Start a Nonprofit Business
A Step-By-Step Guide to Starting a 501 (c) 3...
5. Conflict Management
Master the fundamentals of conflict resolution, harness the power of positive conflict, and hone your intercultural communication skills. In this Specialization, you’ll learn to strengthen your personal and professional relationships by constructively addressing conflicts between individuals and within organizations. You’ll build skills specifically aimed at managing intercultural conflicts in today’s global society, and you’ll explore how competing interests and goals, power imbalances, and...
6. The Factors that Influence the Effectiveness of Boards and the Governance Process
The third course in this Specialization introduces you to the factors that influence how effective boards of directors will be in carrying out their roles and responsibilities and hence the impact they have in shaping the success of the organization they govern. While this course has been developed with North American culture in mind, we do appreciate that, in other parts of the world, the nature of the factors that influence the effectiveness of nonprofit boards of directors may vary...
7. Selling Sponsorships for Meetings, Events & Nonprofits
Learn from a 20-year sponsorship expert how to build & sell a campaign that attracts sponsors & maximizes your revenue!...
8. Business Continuity Management & ISO 22301 - Complete Guide
Learn Business Continuity Management from Organizational Resilience, Risk Management & Business Management perspectives!...
9. Engaging in Service Innovation and Management
This course is the continuation of "Introduction to Service Innovation and Management". If you have not yet taken "Introduction to Service Innovation and Management", it is recommended that you complete that course prior to this course. The foundational knowledge and project plan from the introduction are carried through in this deeper dive into service innovation and management. This course will give you tools to examine initial plans for healthcare service/process redesign. You will be...
10. Basic Grant Proposal Writing for Nonprofits
Crafting Winning Proposals that Get Funded, with Effective Outcomes Statements and Proven Communications Methods...
11. Complete Guide to Conflict Management in the Workplace
Conflict management: learn conflict resolution skills & effective listening, communication & problem solving techniques...
12. Managing Generational Conflict
Powerful knowledge for managing & reducing conflict, increasing engagement & productivity, and turning customers to fans...
13. Conflict Management with Emotional Intelligence
Resolving Conflict with Emotional Intelligence Enhancing Communication Building Strong Relationships Manage Stress...
14. Conflict Management: The complete guide
Conflict management: effective techniques to better manage conflicts, negotiate, influence and solve problems...
15. Conflict Management at Work: Real World Strategies & Tools
A Practical Introduction to Workplace Conflict Management for Managers and Supervisors...
16. Culture How to Manage Team Conflict
Understand how to harness healthy conflict in teams and how to manage conflict conversations...
17. Business Continuity Management BCMS & ISO 22301 Masterclass
How to plan and prepare for unforeseen business disruption events through an effective, dynamic Business Continuity Plan...
18. Make Meetings Work & Tackle Time Management Troubles
Manage your time and conduct the best meeting possible with these techniques and goals...
19. How to Write, Test, and Maintain a Business Continuity Plan
Business Continuity and Disaster Recovery Planning - Are you prepared?...
20. Management Coaching: Coaching Employees for High Performance
Management Coaching and Communication Course, that Enables Any Manager to Achieve Better Employee & Team Performance...
Top 10 most affordable universities for nonprofit managers
The most affordable schools for nonprofit managers are Hunter College of the City University of New York, baruch college of the city university of new york, and california state university - long beach.
If the best universities for nonprofit 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 nonprofit managers.
1. Hunter College of the City University of New York
New York, NY • Private
In-state tuition
$7,182
Cost of attendance
13,998
2. Baruch College of the City University of New York
New York, NY • Private
In-state tuition
$7,262
Cost of attendance
14,046
3. California State University - Long Beach
Long Beach, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$6,798
Cost of attendance
18,306
4. California State University - Bakersfield
Bakersfield, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$7,309
Cost of attendance
16,714
5. California State University - Fullerton
Fullerton, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$6,886
Cost of attendance
17,645
6. California State University - Dominguez Hills
Carson, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$6,942
Cost of attendance
14,469
7. Brigham Young University
Provo, UT • Private
In-state tuition
$5,620
Cost of attendance
18,136
8. Florida State University
Tallahassee, FL • Private
In-state tuition
$5,656
Cost of attendance
21,623
9. University of South Florida
Tampa, FL • Private
In-state tuition
$6,410
Cost of attendance
20,456
10. Florida International University
Miami, FL • Private
In-state tuition
$6,556
Cost of attendance
19,434
Top 10 hardest universities to get into for nonprofit managers
The hardest universities for nonprofit managers to get into are Northwestern University, University of Pennsylvania, and Columbia University in the City of New York.
Some great schools for nonprofit 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 nonprofit 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 Pennsylvania
Philadelphia, PA • Private
Admissions rate
8%
SAT average
1,492
3. Columbia University in the City of New York
New York, NY • Private
Admissions rate
6%
SAT average
1,512
4. Johns Hopkins University
Baltimore, MD • Private
Admissions rate
11%
SAT average
1,513
5. Harvard University
Cambridge, MA • Private
Admissions rate
5%
SAT average
1,520
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. Washington University in St Louis
Saint Louis, MO • Private
Admissions rate
15%
SAT average
1,506
9. Northeastern University
Boston, MA • Private
Admissions rate
19%
SAT average
1,466
10. Vanderbilt University
Nashville, TN • Private
Admissions rate
10%
SAT average
1,514
Top 10 easy-to-apply-to universities for nonprofit managers
The easiest schools for nonprofit managers to get into are Mount Saint Mary's University, barry university, and gwynedd mercy university.
Some schools are much easier to get into. If you want to start your career as a nonprofit 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 nonprofit managers.
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. 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. San Francisco State University
San Francisco, CA • Private
Admissions rate
72%
SAT average
1,054
8. University of Baltimore
Baltimore, MD • Private
Admissions rate
78%
SAT average
1,020
9. Iona College
New Rochelle, NY • Private
Admissions rate
88%
SAT average
1,089
10. American International College
Springfield, MA • Private
Admissions rate
68%
SAT average
1,010
Average nonprofit manager salary by education level
| Nonprofit manager education level | Nonprofit manager salary |
|---|---|
| Master's Degree | $80,162 |
| Bachelor's Degree | $61,930 |
| Doctorate Degree | $89,102 |
Nonprofit manager education FAQs
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Updated January 8, 2025
Updated January 8, 2025