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Program manager and recruiter education requirements

Updated January 8, 2025
4 min read

There are several educational requirements to become a program manager and recruiter. Program managers and recruiter usually study business, psychology, or human resources management. 69% of program managers and recruiter hold a bachelor's degree, and 14% hold an master's degree. We analyzed 810 real program manager and recruiter resumes to see exactly what program manager and recruiter education sections show.

The most common colleges for program managers and recruiter are the University of Phoenix and the University of Phoenix.

There are also many online program manager and recruiter courses to help get the education required to be a program manager and recruiter.

There are certain program manager and recruiter certifications that you should consider. These program manager and recruiter certifications include Certified Professional - Human Resource (IPMA-CP) and Anger Management Certification.

What education do you need to become a program manager and recruiter?

What degree do you need to be a program manager and recruiter?

The most common degree for program managers and recruiter is bachelor's degree, with 69% of program managers and recruiter earning that degree. The second and third most common degree levels are master's degree degree at 14% and master's degree degree at 12%.
  • Bachelor's, 69%
  • Master's, 14%
  • Associate, 12%
  • High School Diploma, 1%
  • Other Degrees, 4%

What should I major in to become a program manager and recruiter?

You should major in business to become a program manager and recruiter. 28% of program managers and recruiter major in business. Other common majors for a program manager and recruiter include psychology and human resources management.

Most common colleges for program managers and recruiter

Program managers and recruiter often get their degrees at University of Phoenix, Pennsylvania State University, and University of Texas at Austin. Here are the most common colleges for program managers and recruiter in the US based on their resumes.
Program manager and recruiter common collegePercentages
University of Phoenix12.50%
Pennsylvania State University7.69%
University of Texas at Austin7.69%
University of Maryland - College Park5.77%
Southern Illinois University Carbondale4.81%

Best majors for program managers and recruiter

RankMajorPercentages
1Business28.3%
2Psychology13.1%
3Human Resources Management7.3%
4Communication6.2%
5Marketing4.9%

Best colleges for program managers and recruiter

The best colleges for program managers and recruiter are Northwestern University, University of Southern California, and University of Pennsylvania.

A program manager and recruiter 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 managers and recruiter. 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 managers and recruiter.

1. Northwestern University

Evanston, IL • Private

In-state tuition

$54,568

Enrollment

8,451

2. University of Southern California

Los Angeles, CA • Private

In-state tuition

$56,225

Enrollment

19,548

3. San Diego State University

San Diego, CA • Private

In-state tuition

$7,488

Enrollment

30,018

4. University of Pennsylvania

Philadelphia, PA • Private

In-state tuition

$55,584

Enrollment

10,764

5. Boston University

Boston, MA • Private

In-state tuition

$53,948

Enrollment

17,238

6. SUNY Stony Brook

Stony Brook, NY • Private

In-state tuition

$9,625

Enrollment

17,407

7. University of Minnesota - Twin Cities

Minneapolis, MN • Private

In-state tuition

$14,760

Enrollment

31,451

8. University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

Champaign, IL • Private

In-state tuition

$15,094

Enrollment

32,974

9. George Washington University, The

Washington, DC • Private

In-state tuition

$55,230

Enrollment

12,161

10. SUNY College at Oswego

Oswego, NY • Private

In-state tuition

$8,440

Enrollment

7,039

20 best online courses for program managers and recruiter

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IT fundamentals for Recruiters in IT industry...

6. Program Management Interview Course

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Learn how to interview for program manager roles at tech companies...

7. The Complete Recruiting Masterclass - HR Resources - Hiring

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14. Recruiting Talent: How to find & attract the best candidates

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Optimize your recruiting efforts, find top talent, & make sure candidates are a perfect fit for your open positions...

15. Triple Your Job Interviews - My Huge Job Interview Secret

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16. Job Interview Skills Training Course Successful Interviews

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17. Ultimate HR Generalist and Human Resource Management Course

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Hands-on HR Certification: All HRM topics. Master Employee Life Cycle, Payroll, Recruitment, Engagement, EXDesign and AI...

18. Recruitment Tools for Difficult Times

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19. Introduction to Hiring and Recruiting Strategy

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Design a Fair, Effective, and Clear Process to Source, Screen, and Select the Best People for Your Team...

20. Job Seeker's Guide To Nailing Every Interview

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Everything you need to know about interviewing so you can get the job of your dreams...

Top 10 most affordable universities for program managers and recruiter

The most affordable schools for program managers and recruiter are Baruch College of the City University of New York, suny farmingdale, and university of florida.

If the best universities for program managers and recruiter 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 managers and recruiter.

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. University of Florida

Gainesville, FL • Private

In-state tuition

$6,381

Cost of attendance

21,034

4. Brigham Young University

Provo, UT • Private

In-state tuition

$5,620

Cost of attendance

18,136

5. California State University - Dominguez Hills

Carson, CA • Private

In-state tuition

$6,942

Cost of attendance

14,469

6. California State University - Bakersfield

Bakersfield, CA • Private

In-state tuition

$7,309

Cost of attendance

16,714

7. California State University - Long Beach

Long Beach, CA • Private

In-state tuition

$6,798

Cost of attendance

18,306

8. Florida International University

Miami, FL • Private

In-state tuition

$6,556

Cost of attendance

19,434

9. University of Houston - Victoria

Victoria, TX • Private

In-state tuition

$6,491

Cost of attendance

19,075

10. Florida State University

Tallahassee, FL • Private

In-state tuition

$5,656

Cost of attendance

21,623

Top 10 hardest universities to get into for program managers and recruiter

The hardest universities for program managers and recruiter to get into are Northwestern University, University of Southern California, and University of Pennsylvania.

Some great schools for program managers and recruiter 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 managers and recruiter 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 Southern California

Los Angeles, CA • Private

Admissions rate

13%

SAT average

1,445

3. University of Pennsylvania

Philadelphia, PA • Private

Admissions rate

8%

SAT average

1,492

4. Washington University in St Louis

Saint Louis, MO • Private

Admissions rate

15%

SAT average

1,506

5. Boston University

Boston, MA • Private

Admissions rate

22%

SAT average

1,420

6. Northeastern University

Boston, MA • Private

Admissions rate

19%

SAT average

1,466

7. Stanford University

Stanford, CA • Private

Admissions rate

4%

SAT average

1,497

8. New York University

New York, NY • Private

Admissions rate

20%

SAT average

1,419

9. George Washington University, The

Washington, DC • Private

Admissions rate

42%

SAT average

1,380

10. Vanderbilt University

Nashville, TN • Private

Admissions rate

10%

SAT average

1,514

Top 10 easy-to-apply-to universities for program managers and recruiter

The easiest schools for program managers and recruiter to get into are Barry University, oklahoma wesleyan university, and holy names university.

Some schools are much easier to get into. If you want to start your career as a program manager and recruiter 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 managers and recruiter.

1. Barry University

Miami, FL • Private

Admissions rate

91%

SAT average

1,006

2. Oklahoma Wesleyan University

Bartlesville, OK • Private

Admissions rate

68%

SAT average

964

3. Holy Names University

Oakland, CA • Private

Admissions rate

70%

SAT average

849

4. Notre Dame College

Cleveland, OH • Private

Admissions rate

90%

SAT average

994

5. University of North Texas at Dallas

Dallas, TX • Private

Admissions rate

83%

SAT average

992

6. Cardinal Stritch University

Milwaukee, WI • Private

Admissions rate

71%

SAT average

1,035

7. Notre Dame de Namur University

Belmont, CA • Private

Admissions rate

82%

SAT average

983

8. Our Lady of the Lake University

San Antonio, TX • Private

Admissions rate

93%

SAT average

1,002

9. University of Baltimore

Baltimore, MD • Private

Admissions rate

78%

SAT average

1,020

10. Ottawa University

Ottawa, KS • Private

Admissions rate

78%

SAT average

1,024

Average program manager and recruiter salary by education level

Program managers and recruiter with a Doctorate degree earn more than those without, at $106,064 annually. With a Master's degree, program managers and recruiter earn a median annual income of $100,323 compared to $85,925 for program managers and recruiter with an Bachelor's degree.
Program manager and recruiter education levelProgram manager and recruiter salary
Master's Degree$100,323
Bachelor's Degree$85,925
Doctorate Degree$106,064
Some College/ Associate Degree$67,842

Program manager and recruiter 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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