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Owner/project manager education requirements
Updated January 8, 2025
4 min read
There are several educational requirements to become an owner/project manager. Owner/project managers usually study business, construction management, or architecture. 65% of owner/project managers hold a bachelor's degree, and 17% hold an associate degree. We analyzed 3,594 real owner/project manager resumes to see exactly what owner/project manager education sections show.
The most common colleges for owner/project managers are the University of Phoenix and the University of Phoenix.
There are also many online owner/project manager courses to help get the education required to be an owner/project manager.
There are certain owner/project manager certifications that you should consider. These owner/project manager certifications include Project Management Professional (PMP) and Certified Scrum Master (CSM).
What education do you need to become an owner/project manager?
What degree do you need to be an owner/project manager?
- Bachelor's, 65%
- Associate, 17%
- Master's, 11%
- High School Diploma, 4%
- Other Degrees, 3%
What should I major in to become an owner/project manager?
- Business, 28%
- Architecture, 6%
- Other Majors, 52%
Most common colleges for owner/project managers
| Owner/project manager common college | Percentages |
|---|---|
| University of Phoenix | 14.34% |
| Arizona State University | 6.81% |
| Pennsylvania State University | 6.45% |
| Texas A&M University | 6.09% |
| University of Maryland - College Park | 5.38% |
Best majors for owner/project managers
| Rank | Major | Percentages |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Business | 28.2% |
| 2 | Construction Management | 7.7% |
| 3 | Architecture | 5.8% |
| 4 | Civil Engineering | 5.8% |
| 5 | Computer Science | 5.3% |
Best colleges for owner/project managers
The best colleges for owner/project managers are Northwestern University, University of Pennsylvania, and University of Southern California.
An owner/project 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 owner/project 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 owner/project managers.
1. California Polytechnic State University-San Luis Obispo
San Luis Obispo, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$9,816
Enrollment
21,047
2. University of Southern California
Los Angeles, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$56,225
Enrollment
19,548
3. University of Pennsylvania
Philadelphia, PA • Private
In-state tuition
$55,584
Enrollment
10,764
4. New York University
New York, NY • Private
In-state tuition
$51,828
Enrollment
26,339
5. Northwestern University
Evanston, IL • Private
In-state tuition
$54,568
Enrollment
8,451
6. Ohio State University
Columbus, OH • Private
In-state tuition
$10,726
Enrollment
45,769
7. Texas A&M University
College Station, TX • Private
In-state tuition
$11,870
Enrollment
53,194
8. Pennsylvania State University
University Park, PA • Private
In-state tuition
$18,454
Enrollment
40,108
9. Harvard University
Cambridge, MA • Private
In-state tuition
$50,420
Enrollment
7,582
10. San Diego State University
San Diego, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$7,488
Enrollment
30,018
20 best online courses for owner/project managers
Advertising disclosure
1. Mastering Construction/Project Management
Mastering Construction-Project Management in less than 10 Hours...
2. IT Project Budget & Cost Management
Project Management tips to manage a million dollar IT Project budget from start to finish...
3. Projects Cost Management, Estimating, Budgeting and Control.
Learn how to estimate costs for any project, how to determine budget and how to use Earned Value Management tools. 3 PDU...
4. Agile Crash Course: Agile Project Management; Agile Delivery
Agile Project Management Basics (Scrum) & Agile Project Management Essentials (Scrum). Plus Agile Certification (Scrum)...
5. Project Management Training
Project Management Certification Training with 4 Full Practice Tests...
6. Project Management Essentials
A crash course in the essentials of project management for new project managers...
7. Construction Cost Estimating and Management
Learn the tools used by construction management professionals to ensure their projects finish under budget...
8. Introduction Agile & Scrum for Product Owners
[UNOFFICIAL] Learn about agility & Scrum. Prepare for your Project Manager or Product Owner certification in 2023!...
9. Beginning Project Management: Project Management Level One
Project Management: Growing a Successful Career as a Project Manager...
10. Project Management - Complete Guide For A+ Project Managers
Complete guide to project management - stakeholders, planning, cost, quality, risks, feasibility, methods & resourcing...
11. Project Management: Master Project Management - PMP/PMI
Master Project Management using this practical certification course...
12. Project Management Course: Master Project Scope Management
Practical guide to scope development and management - Project Management Certification (PMP, CAPM) Training [Earn 11PDU]...
13. Project Management: Simple Software Project Management
Project Management for NEW Project Managers - knowledge, tools, techniques, skills, checklists, guidelines, pitfalls...
14. Project Management Fundamentals
Practical Project Management worked example using Gantt Charts, PMI, PMP, APM...
15. Practical Project Management for Management Consultants
How to manage successfully a consulting project - a practical guide for Project Managers...
16. Project Management: Getting Started and Beyond
Real World Project Management: Become a Better Project Manager...
17. Agile Project Management Bootcamp: Agile Project Management
This Agile Project Management Bootcamp course will allow you to learn the Agile Way! Agile Project Management (Scrum)...
18. The Project Management Course: Beginner to PROject Manager
The Complete Course For Becoming A Successful Project Manager...
19. Project Management: Becoming a Successful Project manager
Project Management...
20. Project Management: Cost & Schedule Monitoring using EVM
Earned Value Management, Project Management, Cost Control & Monitor, Budget, Schedule & Cost Variance, Performance Index...
Top 10 most affordable universities for owner/project managers
The most affordable schools for owner/project managers are Baruch College of the City University of New York, suny farmingdale, and california state university - bakersfield.
If the best universities for owner/project 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 owner/project managers.
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. SUNY Farmingdale
Farmingdale, NY • Private
In-state tuition
$8,306
Cost of attendance
16,091
3. California State University - Bakersfield
Bakersfield, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$7,309
Cost of attendance
16,714
4. California State University - Long Beach
Long Beach, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$6,798
Cost of attendance
18,306
5. Brigham Young University
Provo, UT • Private
In-state tuition
$5,620
Cost of attendance
18,136
6. USF Sarasota-Manatee
Sarasota, FL • Private
In-state tuition
$5,587
Cost of attendance
13,043
7. Florida International University
Miami, FL • Private
In-state tuition
$6,556
Cost of attendance
19,434
8. Florida State University
Tallahassee, FL • Private
In-state tuition
$5,656
Cost of attendance
21,623
9. California State University - Dominguez Hills
Carson, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$6,942
Cost of attendance
14,469
10. University of South Florida
Tampa, FL • Private
In-state tuition
$6,410
Cost of attendance
20,456
Top 10 hardest universities to get into for owner/project managers
The hardest universities for owner/project managers to get into are Northwestern University, University of Pennsylvania, and University of Southern California.
Some great schools for owner/project 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 owner/project 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. University of Southern California
Los Angeles, CA • Private
Admissions rate
13%
SAT average
1,445
4. New York University
New York, NY • Private
Admissions rate
20%
SAT average
1,419
5. Johns Hopkins University
Baltimore, MD • Private
Admissions rate
11%
SAT average
1,513
6. Harvard University
Cambridge, MA • Private
Admissions rate
5%
SAT average
1,520
7. California Polytechnic State University-San Luis Obispo
San Luis Obispo, CA • Private
Admissions rate
30%
SAT average
1,339
8. Northeastern University
Boston, MA • Private
Admissions rate
19%
SAT average
1,466
9. Columbia University in the City of New York
New York, NY • Private
Admissions rate
6%
SAT average
1,512
10. Boston University
Boston, MA • Private
Admissions rate
22%
SAT average
1,420
Top 10 easy-to-apply-to universities for owner/project managers
The easiest schools for owner/project managers to get into are Notre Dame de Namur University, oklahoma wesleyan university, and university of north texas at dallas.
Some schools are much easier to get into. If you want to start your career as an owner/project 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 owner/project managers.
1. Notre Dame de Namur University
Belmont, CA • Private
Admissions rate
82%
SAT average
983
2. Oklahoma Wesleyan University
Bartlesville, OK • Private
Admissions rate
68%
SAT average
964
3. University of North Texas at Dallas
Dallas, TX • Private
Admissions rate
83%
SAT average
992
4. Pennsylvania State University - Worthington Scranton
Dunmore, PA • Private
Admissions rate
82%
SAT average
1,056
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. Wayland Baptist University
Plainview, TX • Private
Admissions rate
98%
SAT average
1,003
8. Gwynedd Mercy University
Gwynedd Valley, PA • Private
Admissions rate
92%
SAT average
1,031
9. Mount Saint Mary's University
Los Angeles, CA • Private
Admissions rate
84%
SAT average
1,031
10. Pennsylvania State University - Fayette (The Eberly Campus)
Lemont Furnace, PA • Private
Admissions rate
80%
SAT average
1,067
Average owner/project manager salary by education level
| Owner/project manager education level | Owner/project manager salary |
|---|---|
| Master's Degree | $106,590 |
| High School Diploma or Less | $89,639 |
| Bachelor's Degree | $101,922 |
| Doctorate Degree | $100,378 |
| Some College/ Associate Degree | $92,392 |
Owner/project manager education FAQs
Have more questions? See all answers to common executive management questions.
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Updated January 8, 2025
Updated January 8, 2025