Explore jobs
Find specific jobs
Explore careers
Explore professions
Best companies
Explore companies
Pollster education requirements
Updated January 8, 2025
4 min read
There are several educational requirements to become a pollster. Pollsters usually study political science, english, or marketing. 74% of pollsters hold a bachelor's degree, and 15% hold an high school diploma. We analyzed 156 real pollster resumes to see exactly what pollster education sections show.
The most common colleges for pollsters are the Hofstra University and the Hofstra University.
There are also many online pollster courses to help get the education required to be a pollster.
What education do you need to become a pollster?
What degree do you need to be a pollster?
- Bachelor's, 74%
- High School Diploma, 15%
- Master's, 5%
- Associate, 5%
- Other Degrees, 1%
What should I major in to become a pollster?
- Political Science, 25%
- English, 10%
- Marketing, 9%
- Communication, 7%
- Other Majors, 49%
Most common colleges for pollsters
| Pollster common college | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Hofstra University | 22.00% |
| Quinnipiac University | 16.00% |
| Marist College | 8.00% |
| Elon University | 8.00% |
| University of North Florida | 6.00% |
Best majors for pollsters
| Rank | Major | Percentages |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Political Science | 25.0% |
| 2 | English | 10.3% |
| 3 | Marketing | 8.8% |
| 4 | Communication | 7.4% |
| 5 | Psychology | 5.9% |
Best colleges for pollsters
The best colleges for pollsters are Northwestern University, University of Pennsylvania, and Johns Hopkins University.
A pollster with advanced education typically earns a higher salary and has access to better jobs. That's why Zippia looked into the best colleges for pollsters. 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 pollsters.
1. University of Pennsylvania
Philadelphia, PA • Private
In-state tuition
$55,584
Enrollment
10,764
2. Northwestern University
Evanston, IL • Private
In-state tuition
$54,568
Enrollment
8,451
3. University of Southern California
Los Angeles, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$56,225
Enrollment
19,548
4. Harvard University
Cambridge, MA • Private
In-state tuition
$50,420
Enrollment
7,582
5. Stanford University
Stanford, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$51,354
Enrollment
7,083
6. Boston University
Boston, MA • Private
In-state tuition
$53,948
Enrollment
17,238
7. New York University
New York, NY • Private
In-state tuition
$51,828
Enrollment
26,339
8. Columbia University in the City of New York
New York, NY • Private
In-state tuition
$59,430
Enrollment
8,216
9. Johns Hopkins University
Baltimore, MD • Private
In-state tuition
$53,740
Enrollment
5,567
10. University of Michigan - Ann Arbor
Ann Arbor, MI • Private
In-state tuition
$15,262
Enrollment
30,079
20 best online courses for pollsters
Advertising disclosure
1. Survey Data Collection and Analytics
This specialization covers the fundamentals of surveys as used in market research, evaluation research, social science and political research, official government statistics, and many other topic domains. In six courses, you will learn the basics of questionnaire design, data collection methods, sampling design, dealing with missing values, making estimates, combining data from different sources, and the analysis of survey data. In the final Capstone Project, you’ll apply the skills learned...
2. Use SurveyMonkey to Create a Survey and Analyze Results
In this project, we will walk through the survey making process and explore the many ways that SurveyMonkey streamlines and simplifies data collection. We will learn how the program is organized and how it operates, helping you feel comfortable and confident enough to create your own survey to meet your own individual needs. SurveyMonkey is a cloud based survey software which allows its users to create online surveys for free. SurveyMonkey can help move a business in the right direction by...
3. Telephone Confidence: Be Super Confident on the Telephone!
Learn how to be more confident on the telephone, learn telephone skills, gain leverage over phone conversations and more...
4. Winning Communication Skills for Telephone, Conference Calls
Improve Communication Skills - Use the Telephone Effectively! Avoid Phone Etiquette Blunders that Annoy...
5. Utilize Survey Monkey as an Evaluation Tool
Surveys and evaluations can be used to reflect on your training or customer experiences. The data you collect can help to adjust your training and you can find out directly from your employees if they are satisfied. Customers can let you know what they are thinking and what they actually want. In this project you will learn about Survey Monkey as an evaluation tool throughout the cycle of developing an event. By the end of your time in this project you will have multiple evaluation surveys to...
6. Analyze Survey Data with Tableau
Surveys are used in a variety of scenarios, both in businesses and in research. Companies are using them to better understand consumer insights and feedback, and researchers are going beyond the traditional uses to learn more about the world around us. Tableau can help visualize survey data of all kinds in a useful way—without needing advanced statistics, graphic design, or a statistics background. In this project, learners will learn how to create an account in Tableau and how to manipulate...
7. The Ultimate Guide for Land Surveying with Drones - Part 3
Master the use of Ground Control Points (GCPs) to make your UAV mapping projects absolutely survey grade!!...
8. Statistics / Data Analysis: Survey Data and Likert Scales
How to Process Survey Data and Analyze Likert Scales In SPSS...
9. Design a User Experience Survey in SurveyMonkey
By the end of this project you will be able to design a User Experience survey that will collect data to uncover user needs, how products meet those needs, and mine insights that will aid in building and designing solutions. To do this, you will gain hands-on experience designing a User Experience survey with a free account on the SurveyMonkey cloud-based software service. Note: This course works best for learners who are based in the North America region. We’re currently working on providing...
10. CVS Health Call Center Customer Service
The demand for call center customer service representatives is huge, there are thousands of open job roles in the US alone. If you are someone that enjoys talking to people and solving problems and are ready for new experiences, then this program is right for you. Customer service in a call center is an exciting career where every day is a new day and a new adventure. If you're considering a career in retail customer service and you're someone who is passionate about providing exceptional...
11. Getting Started with Call Center Training
Call Center Training is essential for both new hires and existing staff to sharpen their skills and feel motivated...
12. The Ultimate Guide for Land Surveying with Drones - Part 1
Master the complete workflow using Drone Deploy, Litchi and Pix4D. Start your own UAV mapping business right away!...
13. The Ultimate Guide for Land Surveying with Drones - Part 2
Learn to work with Pix4D & Drone Deploy outputs on QGIS, Auto CAD & Google Earth. Start your own UAV mapping business now!...
14. Cold Calling Mastery
Become fantastic at Cold Calling - making cold calls for lead generation, sales, & business development...
15. Speaking on the Telephone: Confidently Speak on the Phone
Tips and tricks to sound comfortable, confident and relaxed on any phone call...
16. Complete KoboToolbox Training Course
Learn the basic & advanced techniques of developing & deploying mobile survey data collection forms with Kobo Toolbox...
17. Learn Cold Calling Like the Wolf of Wall Street in 3 Days
Cold Calling Like Jordan Belfort: the Exact Blueprint (Including Script & Templates) to Close the Sale Within 3 Days...
18. Cold Calling for B2B Sales: How to Prospect over the Phone
B2B Sales Skill: How to Cold Call over the Phone with Purpose, Navigate through Gatekeepers and Set Client Meetings...
19. [2023] Customer Service 2.0: Learn Digital Customer Service
Used by Chase®, Intel®, & more! Learn soft skills, social media customer service, diagnosing user problems, & more...
20. Insightful Customer Interviews for Product Managers
Direct conversations with real customers to gain insight, test product concepts, and drive product success...
Top 10 most affordable universities for pollsters
The most affordable schools for pollsters are Baruch College of the City University of New York, university of florida, and california state university - long beach.
If the best universities for pollsters 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 pollsters.
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. University of Florida
Gainesville, FL • Private
In-state tuition
$6,381
Cost of attendance
21,034
3. California State University - Long Beach
Long Beach, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$6,798
Cost of attendance
18,306
4. Florida State University
Tallahassee, FL • Private
In-state tuition
$5,656
Cost of attendance
21,623
5. Brigham Young University
Provo, UT • Private
In-state tuition
$5,620
Cost of attendance
18,136
6. University of South Florida
Tampa, FL • Private
In-state tuition
$6,410
Cost of attendance
20,456
7. USF St. Petersburg
St. Petersburg, FL • Private
In-state tuition
$5,821
Cost of attendance
19,849
8. Queens College of the City University of New York
Queens, NY • Private
In-state tuition
$7,338
Cost of attendance
14,281
9. California State University - Bakersfield
Bakersfield, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$7,309
Cost of attendance
16,714
10. University of Central Florida
Orlando, FL • Private
In-state tuition
$6,368
Cost of attendance
21,034
Top 10 hardest universities to get into for pollsters
The hardest universities for pollsters to get into are Northwestern University, University of Pennsylvania, and Johns Hopkins University.
Some great schools for pollsters 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 pollsters 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. Columbia University in the City of New York
New York, NY • Private
Admissions rate
6%
SAT average
1,512
5. University of Southern California
Los Angeles, CA • Private
Admissions rate
13%
SAT average
1,445
6. Washington University in St Louis
Saint Louis, MO • Private
Admissions rate
15%
SAT average
1,506
7. Harvard University
Cambridge, MA • Private
Admissions rate
5%
SAT average
1,520
8. Carnegie Mellon University
Pittsburgh, PA • Private
Admissions rate
17%
SAT average
1,507
9. New York University
New York, NY • Private
Admissions rate
20%
SAT average
1,419
10. Boston University
Boston, MA • Private
Admissions rate
22%
SAT average
1,420
Top 10 easy-to-apply-to universities for pollsters
The easiest schools for pollsters to get into are Oklahoma Wesleyan University, felician university, and notre dame de namur university.
Some schools are much easier to get into. If you want to start your career as a pollster 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 pollsters.
1. Oklahoma Wesleyan University
Bartlesville, OK • Private
Admissions rate
68%
SAT average
964
2. Felician University
Lodi, NJ • Private
Admissions rate
81%
SAT average
999
3. Notre Dame de Namur University
Belmont, CA • Private
Admissions rate
82%
SAT average
983
4. William Paterson University of New Jersey
Wayne, NJ • Private
Admissions rate
93%
SAT average
994
5. University of Houston - Downtown
Houston, TX • Private
Admissions rate
83%
SAT average
1,012
6. University of the Incarnate Word
San Antonio, TX • Private
Admissions rate
88%
SAT average
1,044
7. Wayland Baptist University
Plainview, TX • Private
Admissions rate
98%
SAT average
1,003
8. Mount Saint Mary's University
Los Angeles, CA • Private
Admissions rate
84%
SAT average
1,031
9. The University of Texas Permian Basin
Odessa, TX • Private
Admissions rate
91%
SAT average
1,046
10. American International College
Springfield, MA • Private
Admissions rate
68%
SAT average
1,010
Average pollster salary by education level
| Pollster education level | Pollster salary |
|---|---|
| Master's Degree | $45,299 |
| Bachelor's Degree | $39,010 |
| Doctorate Degree | $48,924 |
Pollster education FAQs
Have more questions? See all answers to common life, physical, and social science questions.
Search for pollster jobs
Updated January 8, 2025
Updated January 8, 2025