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Program administration manager education requirements
Updated January 8, 2025
4 min read
There are several educational requirements to become a program administration manager. Program administration managers usually study business, psychology, or management. 62% of program administration managers hold a bachelor's degree, and 17% hold an master's degree. We analyzed 772 real program administration manager resumes to see exactly what program administration manager education sections show.
The most common colleges for program administration managers are the University of Phoenix and the University of Phoenix.
There are also many online program administration manager courses to help get the education required to be a program administration manager.
There are certain program administration manager certifications that you should consider. These program administration manager certifications include Master Project Manager (MPM) and Certified Professional - Human Resource (IPMA-CP).
What education do you need to become a program administration manager?
What degree do you need to be a program administration manager?
- Bachelor's, 62%
- Master's, 17%
- Associate, 16%
- High School Diploma, 2%
- Other Degrees, 3%
What should I major in to become a program administration manager?
- Business, 35%
- Psychology, 8%
- Management, 6%
- Other Majors, 47%
Most common colleges for program administration managers
| Program administration manager common college | Percentages |
|---|---|
| University of Phoenix | 20.83% |
| Ashford University | 7.29% |
| University of Memphis | 5.21% |
| Park University | 5.21% |
| University of Maryland - College Park | 5.21% |
Best majors for program administration managers
| Rank | Major | Percentages |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Business | 35.5% |
| 2 | Psychology | 8.5% |
| 3 | Management | 5.9% |
| 4 | Public Administration | 4.1% |
| 5 | Social Work | 4.1% |
Best colleges for program administration managers
The best colleges for program administration managers are University of Pennsylvania, Northwestern University, and Harvard University.
A program administration 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 program administration 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 program administration managers.
1. University of Pennsylvania
Philadelphia, PA • Private
In-state tuition
$55,584
Enrollment
10,764
2. University of Southern California
Los Angeles, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$56,225
Enrollment
19,548
3. Northwestern University
Evanston, IL • Private
In-state tuition
$54,568
Enrollment
8,451
4. Boston University
Boston, MA • Private
In-state tuition
$53,948
Enrollment
17,238
5. Pennsylvania State University
University Park, PA • Private
In-state tuition
$18,454
Enrollment
40,108
6. Harvard University
Cambridge, MA • Private
In-state tuition
$50,420
Enrollment
7,582
7. University of Washington
Seattle, WA • Private
In-state tuition
$11,207
Enrollment
30,905
8. University of Texas at Austin
Austin, TX • Private
In-state tuition
$10,610
Enrollment
40,329
9. New York University
New York, NY • Private
In-state tuition
$51,828
Enrollment
26,339
10. University of Maryland - College Park
College Park, MD • Private
In-state tuition
$10,595
Enrollment
30,184
20 best online courses for program administration managers
Advertising disclosure
1. Digital Project Management
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3. Effective Human Resource Administration
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4. Program Management Course - Program Manager Essentials
In this Program Management course you will learn the essentials and more to become an effective Program Manager...
5. Certification Course in Human Resource Management
Curriculum commensurate to Top B School's Management Program : with downloadable resources, quiz, assessments & exercise...
6. Program Management Interview Course
Learn how to interview for program manager roles at tech companies...
7. HR,HR Analytics, Human Resource Management, Black Friday Ed
HR Analytics ,HR Courses, human resource management, ,HR certification, HRM, hr payroll, people management, 2022...
8. Administrative Human Resources (HR) for Beginners
This course is an introduction to the role and duties of Human Resources (HR)...
9. Program Management Fundamentals: The Essentials
In this course you will learn the essentials of program management. Become your bosses boss start this course today...
10. Practical Office 365 Administration
Learn in depth about Office 365 for Administrators and also find useful tips and resources to enhance your role as an Of...
11. Effective Legal Office Administration
Effective Legal Office Administration...
12. Master Course in Human Resources 2.0
Strategic human resource management, strategic planning, recruiting, training, HR management,Labour welfare...
13. Audit - Financial Statement
Master the Art of Auditing Financial Statements: In-Depth Analysis, Techniques, and Real-World Case Studies...
14. Atlassian Confluence for Project Managers
Learn Confluence Project Management and how to manage projects and programs BETTER with Atlassian Confluence...
15. Operational Risks Management ORM
Operational Risks Management ORM Case Studies for Risk Management, Compliance, Audit, IS Security, Banking Professionals...
16. Microsoft Office 365 Administration
Microsoft Office 365 Administration...
17. Financial Risk Management (FRM): Foundational FRM Principles
Minimize Financial Risks While Maximizing Financial Reward. + Financial Risk Management (FRM) Process Implementation...
18. Chief Financial Officer Leadership Program
An ever expanding program of courses helping financial professionals aspire to the top levels of financial leadership...
19. Supply Chain Management A-Z: Operations & Logistics Basics
Supply Chain Management Basics: An MBA style course to boost your career as a business operations & logistics manager...
20. Payroll Management
Use free UK payroll software to perform essential payroll management...
Top 10 most affordable universities for program administration managers
The most affordable schools for program administration managers are University of Florida, baruch college of the city university of new york, and hunter college of the city university of new york.
If the best universities for program administration 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 program administration managers.
1. University of Florida
Gainesville, FL • Private
In-state tuition
$6,381
Cost of attendance
21,034
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. Hunter College of the City University of New York
New York, NY • Private
In-state tuition
$7,182
Cost of attendance
13,998
4. California State University - Long Beach
Long Beach, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$6,798
Cost of attendance
18,306
5. California State University - Bakersfield
Bakersfield, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$7,309
Cost of attendance
16,714
6. University of South Florida
Tampa, FL • Private
In-state tuition
$6,410
Cost of attendance
20,456
7. California State University - Los Angeles
Los Angeles, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$6,749
Cost of attendance
14,823
8. Florida State University
Tallahassee, FL • Private
In-state tuition
$5,656
Cost of attendance
21,623
9. Brigham Young University
Provo, UT • Private
In-state tuition
$5,620
Cost of attendance
18,136
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 program administration managers
The hardest universities for program administration managers to get into are University of Pennsylvania, Northwestern University, and Harvard University.
Some great schools for program administration 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 program administration 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. University of Pennsylvania
Philadelphia, PA • Private
Admissions rate
8%
SAT average
1,492
2. Northwestern University
Evanston, IL • Private
Admissions rate
8%
SAT average
1,508
3. Harvard University
Cambridge, MA • Private
Admissions rate
5%
SAT average
1,520
4. Johns Hopkins University
Baltimore, MD • Private
Admissions rate
11%
SAT average
1,513
5. Carnegie Mellon University
Pittsburgh, PA • Private
Admissions rate
17%
SAT average
1,507
6. Washington University in St Louis
Saint Louis, MO • Private
Admissions rate
15%
SAT average
1,506
7. Columbia University in the City of New York
New York, NY • Private
Admissions rate
6%
SAT average
1,512
8. University of Southern California
Los Angeles, CA • Private
Admissions rate
13%
SAT average
1,445
9. Northeastern University
Boston, MA • Private
Admissions rate
19%
SAT average
1,466
10. Duke University
Durham, NC • Private
Admissions rate
9%
SAT average
1,516
Top 10 easy-to-apply-to universities for program administration managers
The easiest schools for program administration managers to get into are Mount Saint Mary's University, barry university, and university of the incarnate word.
Some schools are much easier to get into. If you want to start your career as a program administration 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 program administration 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. University of the Incarnate Word
San Antonio, TX • Private
Admissions rate
88%
SAT average
1,044
4. University of Baltimore
Baltimore, MD • Private
Admissions rate
78%
SAT average
1,020
5. University of North Texas at Dallas
Dallas, TX • Private
Admissions rate
83%
SAT average
992
6. Holy Names University
Oakland, CA • Private
Admissions rate
70%
SAT average
849
7. Wayland Baptist University
Plainview, TX • Private
Admissions rate
98%
SAT average
1,003
8. Oklahoma Wesleyan University
Bartlesville, OK • Private
Admissions rate
68%
SAT average
964
9. California University of Pennsylvania
California, PA • Private
Admissions rate
97%
SAT average
1,007
10. San Francisco State University
San Francisco, CA • Private
Admissions rate
72%
SAT average
1,054
Average program administration manager salary by education level
| Program administration manager education level | Program administration manager salary |
|---|---|
| Master's Degree | $84,334 |
| High School Diploma or Less | $62,422 |
| Bachelor's Degree | $76,510 |
| Doctorate Degree | $88,394 |
| Some College/ Associate Degree | $65,125 |
Program administration 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