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Program control manager education requirements
Updated January 8, 2025
4 min read
There are several educational requirements to become a program control manager. Program control managers usually study business, accounting, or electrical engineering. 70% of program control managers hold a bachelor's degree, and 20% hold an master's degree. We analyzed 663 real program control manager resumes to see exactly what program control manager education sections show.
The most common colleges for program control managers are the George Washington University, The and the George Washington University, The.
There are also many online program control manager courses to help get the education required to be a program control manager.
There are certain program control manager certifications that you should consider. These program control manager certifications include Project Management Professional (PMP) and Certified Manager Certification (CM).
What education do you need to become a program control manager?
What degree do you need to be a program control manager?
- Bachelor's, 70%
- Master's, 20%
- Associate, 8%
- Diploma, 1%
- Other Degrees, 1%
What should I major in to become a program control manager?
- Business, 33%
- Accounting, 10%
- Finance, 8%
- Other Majors, 41%
Most common colleges for program control managers
| Program control manager common college | Percentages |
|---|---|
| George Washington University, The | 10.64% |
| University of Maryland - College Park | 10.64% |
| Southern Illinois University Carbondale | 6.38% |
| Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University | 5.32% |
| University of Virginia | 5.32% |
Best majors for program control managers
| Rank | Major | Percentages |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Business | 33.1% |
| 2 | Accounting | 9.8% |
| 3 | Electrical Engineering | 8.5% |
| 4 | Finance | 7.9% |
| 5 | Management | 6.1% |
Best colleges for program control managers
The best colleges for program control managers are University of Pennsylvania, Northwestern University, and Harvard University.
A program control 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 control 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 control 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 control managers
Advertising disclosure
1. Digital Project Management
Build confidence translating business requirements into project scope statements, creating project plans in Waterfall or Agile, and developing a high-performing team...
2. 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...
3. Project Management Professional Certification Program (PMP)
Your Guide to the Gold Standard of Project Management Certifications (PMI-PMP) (PMBOK7 updated) (40 PDUs minimum)...
4. Project Schedule: Monitor & Control Specialist (Accredited)
Schedule Management: Monitor & Control Schedule, Analyze Schedule, Solve Project Schedule Problems Earn CPDs & PDUs...
5. Supply Chain Management: Inventory Management and Control
Inventory Management in Supply Chain Management & Inventory Control in Warehouse Logistics & Supply chain Management...
6. Program Management Course - Program Manager Essentials
In this Program Management course you will learn the essentials and more to become an effective Program Manager...
7. Project Time & Budget Control using EVM tool
Project Management...
8. The Risk Management Certification Program (PMI-RMP) (PMBOK7)
Planning Risk Management, Identifying Risk, Analyzing Risk and Responding to Risk by PMBOK6 (PMBOK7 Updated)...
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. Project Management: Cost & Schedule Monitoring using EVM
Earned Value Management, Project Management, Cost Control & Monitor, Budget, Schedule & Cost Variance, Performance Index...
11. IT Project Budget & Cost Management
Project Management tips to manage a million dollar IT Project budget from start to finish...
12. PID Controllers - Intro to Control Design
Learn to write your own control software while learning fundamental control theory...
13. Project Management - Complete Guide For A+ Project Managers
Complete guide to project management - stakeholders, planning, cost, quality, risks, feasibility, methods & resourcing...
14. Applied Control Systems 3: UAV drone (3D Dynamics & control)
Modeling + state space systems + Model Predictive Control + feedback control + Python simulation: UAV quadcopter drone...
15. Bank Reconciliations & Cash Internal Controls
Mastering Internal Controls and Cash Management: Safeguarding Business Assets and Ensuring Financial Accuracy...
16. Program Management Interview Course
Learn how to interview for program manager roles at tech companies...
17. Project Management with Earned Value Management (EVM) 9 PDUs
Project Management with Earned Value Management Earned Value Management for PMP Certification EVM with MS Project...
18. Internal Controls - Design, Implementation and Monitoring
Become a compliance specialist, maintain strong internal controls for SOX or FCPA, prepare for internal & external audit...
19. Control Systems: From Mathematical Modelling to PID Control
Learn the mathematics that will allow you to model and control any engineering system. Make machines do what you want!...
20. Inventory Management: Safety Stock Calculation and Control
Optimize your Supply Chain Safety Stock. Simple to Advanced Methods. Reduce Costs and Risk in your Business Operations...
Top 10 most affordable universities for program control managers
The most affordable schools for program control 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 control 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 control 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 control managers
The hardest universities for program control managers to get into are University of Pennsylvania, Northwestern University, and Harvard University.
Some great schools for program control 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 control 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 control managers
The easiest schools for program control 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 control 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 control 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 control manager salary by education level
| Program control manager education level | Program control manager salary |
|---|---|
| Master's Degree | $128,479 |
| High School Diploma or Less | $95,170 |
| Bachelor's Degree | $116,588 |
| Doctorate Degree | $134,648 |
| Some College/ Associate Degree | $99,280 |
Program control 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