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Program instructor education requirements
Updated January 8, 2025
4 min read
There are several educational requirements to become a program instructor. Program instructors usually study psychology, business, or nursing. 58% of program instructors hold a bachelor's degree, and 14% hold an master's degree. We analyzed 7,260 real program instructor resumes to see exactly what program instructor education sections show.
The most common colleges for program instructors are the University of Phoenix and the University of Phoenix.
There are also many online program instructor courses to help get the education required to be a program instructor.
There are certain program instructor certifications that you should consider. These program instructor certifications include Certified Medical Interpreter - Spanish (CMI) and First Aid, CPR and AED Instructor.
What education do you need to become a program instructor?
What degree do you need to be a program instructor?
- Bachelor's, 58%
- Master's, 14%
- Associate, 13%
- High School Diploma, 7%
- Other Degrees, 8%
What should I major in to become a program instructor?
- Psychology, 12%
- Business, 12%
- Nursing, 7%
- Education, 6%
- Other Majors, 63%
Most common colleges for program instructors
| Program instructor common college | Percentages |
|---|---|
| University of Phoenix | 12.25% |
| New York University | 6.56% |
| Florida State University | 5.69% |
| California State University - San Bernardino | 5.69% |
| University of California - Davis | 5.47% |
Best majors for program instructors
| Rank | Major | Percentages |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Psychology | 12.3% |
| 2 | Business | 11.8% |
| 3 | Nursing | 6.8% |
| 4 | Education | 6.0% |
| 5 | Elementary Education | 5.4% |
Best colleges for program instructors
The best colleges for program instructors are University of Pennsylvania, Northwestern University, and Johns Hopkins University.
A program instructor 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 instructors. 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 instructors.
1. University of Pennsylvania
Philadelphia, PA • Private
In-state tuition
$55,584
Enrollment
10,764
2. University of Michigan - Ann Arbor
Ann Arbor, MI • Private
In-state tuition
$15,262
Enrollment
30,079
3. Pennsylvania State University
University Park, PA • Private
In-state tuition
$18,454
Enrollment
40,108
4. New York University
New York, NY • Private
In-state tuition
$51,828
Enrollment
26,339
5. University of Southern California
Los Angeles, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$56,225
Enrollment
19,548
6. Stanford University
Stanford, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$51,354
Enrollment
7,083
7. SUNY at Binghamton
Vestal, NY • Private
In-state tuition
$9,808
Enrollment
13,990
8. University of Virginia
Charlottesville, VA • Private
In-state tuition
$17,653
Enrollment
16,405
9. Northwestern University
Evanston, IL • Private
In-state tuition
$54,568
Enrollment
8,451
10. Duke University
Durham, NC • Private
In-state tuition
$55,695
Enrollment
6,596
20 best online courses for program instructors
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Top 10 most affordable universities for program instructors
The most affordable schools for program instructors are University of Florida, california state university - bakersfield, and california state university - long beach.
If the best universities for program instructors 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 instructors.
1. University of Florida
Gainesville, FL • Private
In-state tuition
$6,381
Cost of attendance
21,034
2. California State University - Bakersfield
Bakersfield, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$7,309
Cost of attendance
16,714
3. California State University - Long Beach
Long Beach, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$6,798
Cost of attendance
18,306
4. California State University - Los Angeles
Los Angeles, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$6,749
Cost of attendance
14,823
5. Hunter College of the City University of New York
New York, NY • Private
In-state tuition
$7,182
Cost of attendance
13,998
6. California State University - Dominguez Hills
Carson, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$6,942
Cost of attendance
14,469
7. Brigham Young University
Provo, UT • Private
In-state tuition
$5,620
Cost of attendance
18,136
8. Baruch College of the City University of New York
New York, NY • Private
In-state tuition
$7,262
Cost of attendance
14,046
9. University of Puerto Rico - Mayaguez
Mayaguez, PR • Private
In-state tuition
$4,094
Cost of attendance
14,302
10. Minot State University
Minot, ND • Private
In-state tuition
$7,064
Cost of attendance
15,576
Top 10 hardest universities to get into for program instructors
The hardest universities for program instructors to get into are University of Pennsylvania, Northwestern University, and Johns Hopkins University.
Some great schools for program instructors 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 instructors 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. Johns Hopkins University
Baltimore, MD • Private
Admissions rate
11%
SAT average
1,513
4. University of Southern California
Los Angeles, CA • Private
Admissions rate
13%
SAT average
1,445
5. New York University
New York, NY • Private
Admissions rate
20%
SAT average
1,419
6. University of Michigan - Ann Arbor
Ann Arbor, MI • Private
Admissions rate
23%
SAT average
1,434
7. Columbia University in the City of New York
New York, NY • Private
Admissions rate
6%
SAT average
1,512
8. Stanford University
Stanford, CA • Private
Admissions rate
4%
SAT average
1,497
9. Boston University
Boston, MA • Private
Admissions rate
22%
SAT average
1,420
10. University of Virginia
Charlottesville, VA • Private
Admissions rate
26%
SAT average
1,427
Top 10 easy-to-apply-to universities for program instructors
The easiest schools for program instructors to get into are Gwynedd Mercy University, holy names university, and oklahoma wesleyan university.
Some schools are much easier to get into. If you want to start your career as a program instructor 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 instructors.
1. Gwynedd Mercy University
Gwynedd Valley, PA • Private
Admissions rate
92%
SAT average
1,031
2. Holy Names University
Oakland, CA • Private
Admissions rate
70%
SAT average
849
3. Oklahoma Wesleyan University
Bartlesville, OK • Private
Admissions rate
68%
SAT average
964
4. Bluefield College
Bluefield, VA • Private
Admissions rate
95%
SAT average
980
5. Wayland Baptist University
Plainview, TX • Private
Admissions rate
98%
SAT average
1,003
6. Felician University
Lodi, NJ • Private
Admissions rate
81%
SAT average
999
7. Barry University
Miami, FL • Private
Admissions rate
91%
SAT average
1,006
8. Holy Family University
Philadelphia, PA • Private
Admissions rate
72%
SAT average
1,017
9. Notre Dame College
Cleveland, OH • Private
Admissions rate
90%
SAT average
994
10. Thomas More University
Crestview Hills, KY • Private
Admissions rate
90%
SAT average
1,099
Average program instructor salary by education level
| Program instructor education level | Program instructor salary |
|---|---|
| Master's Degree | $40,629 |
| Doctorate Degree | $47,469 |
Program instructor education FAQs
Have more questions? See all answers to common education, training, and library questions.
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Updated January 8, 2025
Updated January 8, 2025