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Planner/scheduler education requirements

Updated January 8, 2025
4 min read

There are several educational requirements to become a planner/scheduler. Planner/schedulers usually study business, management, or accounting. 54% of planner/schedulers hold a bachelor's degree, and 25% hold an associate degree. We analyzed 3,825 real planner/scheduler resumes to see exactly what planner/scheduler education sections show.

The most common colleges for planner/schedulers are the University of Phoenix and the University of Phoenix.

There are also many online planner/scheduler courses to help get the education required to be a planner/scheduler.

There are certain planner/scheduler certifications that you should consider. These planner/scheduler certifications include Certified Planning Engineer (CPE) and Planning & Scheduling Professional (PSP).

What education do you need to become a planner/scheduler?

What degree do you need to be a planner/scheduler?

The most common degree for planner/schedulers is bachelor's degree, with 54% of planner/schedulers earning that degree. The second and third most common degree levels are associate degree degree at 25% and associate degree degree at 9%.
  • Bachelor's, 54%
  • Associate, 25%
  • High School Diploma, 9%
  • Master's, 7%
  • Other Degrees, 5%

What should I major in to become a planner/scheduler?

You should major in business to become a planner/scheduler. 39% of planner/schedulers major in business. Other common majors for a planner/scheduler include management and accounting.

Most common colleges for planner/schedulers

Planner/schedulers often get their degrees at University of Phoenix, Texas A&M; University, and University of Houston. Here are the most common colleges for planner/schedulers in the US based on their resumes.
Planner/scheduler common collegePercentages
University of Phoenix22.76%
Texas A&M University8.13%
University of Houston6.91%
Purdue University6.50%
Lamar University4.47%

Best majors for planner/schedulers

RankMajorPercentages
1Business39.3%
2Management5.5%
3Accounting5.4%
4Electrical Engineering4.8%
5General Studies4.2%

Best colleges for planner/schedulers

The best colleges for planner/schedulers are Stanford University, Northwestern University, and Boston College.

A planner/scheduler with advanced education typically earns a higher salary and has access to better jobs. That's why Zippia looked into the best colleges for planner/schedulers. 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 planner/schedulers.

1. Western Carolina University

Cullowhee, NC • Private

In-state tuition

$3,926

Enrollment

9,835

2. Stanford University

Stanford, CA • Private

In-state tuition

$51,354

Enrollment

7,083

3. Ball State University

Muncie, IN • Private

In-state tuition

$9,896

Enrollment

15,529

4. University of Pennsylvania

Philadelphia, PA • Private

In-state tuition

$55,584

Enrollment

10,764

5. Bowling Green State University

Bowling Green, OH • Private

In-state tuition

$11,105

Enrollment

13,729

6. Cedar Crest College

Allentown, PA • Private

In-state tuition

$39,216

Enrollment

1,303

7. Morgan State University

Baltimore, MD • Private

In-state tuition

$7,900

Enrollment

6,404

8. Northwestern University

Evanston, IL • Private

In-state tuition

$54,568

Enrollment

8,451

9. Siena Heights University

Adrian, MI • Private

In-state tuition

$27,124

Enrollment

2,035

10. University of Akron

Akron, OH • Private

In-state tuition

$11,463

Enrollment

13,676

20 best online courses for planner/schedulers

Advertising disclosure

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Learn advanced planning & scheduling concepts, and apply them using Primavera P6 and MS Excel...

3. Project Schedule: Monitor & Control Specialist (Accredited)

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Schedule Management: Monitor & Control Schedule, Analyze Schedule, Solve Project Schedule Problems Earn CPDs & PDUs...

4. Project Management Fundamentals - The Art of Scheduling

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Learn How To Schedule Like A Pro From A Pro...

5. Complete Primavera P6 training; Project Planning

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Master project planning and scheduling with Primavera P6 (Basic & Advance)...

6. Project Management With MS Project - Scheduling Master Class

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Managing projects with Microsoft Project? Learn project management, planning, scheduling, and tracking best practices...

7. Advanced Planning Baseline Schedule with Primavera P6 &Excel

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8. Construction Project Scheduling

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Learn the tools and techniques used by construction management professionals to ensure projects finish on time...

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20. SAP Customer Service (CS/SM) - Service Management module

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Top 10 most affordable universities for planner/schedulers

The most affordable schools for planner/schedulers are Baruch College of the City University of New York, suny farmingdale, and california state university - bakersfield.

If the best universities for planner/schedulers 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 planner/schedulers.

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. University of Puerto Rico - Mayaguez

Mayaguez, PR • Private

In-state tuition

$4,094

Cost of attendance

14,302

5. Minot State University

Minot, ND • Private

In-state tuition

$7,064

Cost of attendance

15,576

6. California State University - Dominguez Hills

Carson, CA • Private

In-state tuition

$6,942

Cost of attendance

14,469

7. Clayton State University

Morrow, GA • Private

In-state tuition

$5,419

Cost of attendance

17,697

8. Brooklyn College of the City University of New York

Brooklyn, NY • Private

In-state tuition

$7,240

Cost of attendance

13,991

9. Dickinson State University

Dickinson, ND • Private

In-state tuition

$6,768

Cost of attendance

15,506

10. SUNY Polytechnic Institute

Utica, NY • Private

In-state tuition

$8,238

Cost of attendance

21,567

Top 10 hardest universities to get into for planner/schedulers

The hardest universities for planner/schedulers to get into are Stanford University, Northwestern University, and Boston College.

Some great schools for planner/schedulers 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 planner/schedulers 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. Stanford University

Stanford, CA • Private

Admissions rate

4%

SAT average

1,497

2. Northwestern University

Evanston, IL • Private

Admissions rate

8%

SAT average

1,508

3. Boston College

Chestnut Hill, MA • Private

Admissions rate

28%

SAT average

1,429

4. Boston University

Boston, MA • Private

Admissions rate

22%

SAT average

1,420

5. University of Pennsylvania

Philadelphia, PA • Private

Admissions rate

8%

SAT average

1,492

6. SUNY at Binghamton

Vestal, NY • Private

Admissions rate

40%

SAT average

1,376

7. New York University

New York, NY • Private

Admissions rate

20%

SAT average

1,419

8. Bentley University

Waltham, MA • Private

Admissions rate

43%

SAT average

1,338

9. University of Southern California

Los Angeles, CA • Private

Admissions rate

13%

SAT average

1,445

10. Brandeis University

Waltham, MA • Private

Admissions rate

31%

SAT average

1,398

Top 10 easy-to-apply-to universities for planner/schedulers

The easiest schools for planner/schedulers to get into are Oklahoma Wesleyan University, notre dame college, and lim college.

Some schools are much easier to get into. If you want to start your career as a planner/scheduler 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 planner/schedulers.

1. Oklahoma Wesleyan University

Bartlesville, OK • Private

Admissions rate

68%

SAT average

964

2. Notre Dame College

Cleveland, OH • Private

Admissions rate

90%

SAT average

994

3. LIM College

New York, NY • Private

Admissions rate

83%

SAT average

1,061

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. Oregon Institute of Technology

Klamath Falls, OR • Private

Admissions rate

96%

SAT average

1,139

7. D'Youville College

Buffalo, NY • Private

Admissions rate

100%

SAT average

1,072

8. Presentation College

Aberdeen, SD • Private

Admissions rate

97%

SAT average

1,050

9. Lewis-Clark State College

Lewiston, ID • Private

Admissions rate

100%

SAT average

1,009

10. Fresno Pacific University

Fresno, CA • Private

Admissions rate

85%

SAT average

1,053

Average planner/scheduler salary by education level

Planner/schedulers with a Master's degree earn more than those without, at $96,447 annually. With a Bachelor's degree, planner/schedulers earn a median annual income of $81,783 compared to $73,123 for planner/schedulers with an Associate degree.
Planner/scheduler education levelPlanner/scheduler salary
Master's Degree$96,447
High School Diploma or Less$68,931
Bachelor's Degree$81,783
Some College/ Associate Degree$73,123

Planner/scheduler education FAQs

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Updated January 8, 2025

Zippia Research Team
Zippia Team

Editorial Staff

The Zippia Research Team has spent countless hours reviewing resumes, job postings, and government data to determine what goes into getting a job in each phase of life. Professional writers and data scientists comprise the Zippia Research Team.

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