Program Manager Education Requirements

Q: What degree do you need to be a program manager?

To become a program manager, you need a bachelor's degree. A master's degree in a field such as finance, business administration, or technology is desirable and sometimes required if you wish to work for a firm with more than 50 employees.

Updated April 5, 2024

4 min read

Quoted Experts

Lisa Noble,

Marcia Godwin Ph.D.

The educational requirements for a program manager typically involve a bachelor's degree, with 50.36% of program managers holding this qualification. Some may also hold a master's degree, accounting for 32.05% of program managers. According to Lisa Noble, Director of Employer Engagement and Entrepreneurship and DavisConnects Advisor for Consulting at Colby College, "Never stop learning! This may consist of going back to school, earning new certifications in your field of study." This highlights the importance of continuous education and professional development in the field of program management. In terms of majors, program managers often come from diverse academic backgrounds, with business, psychology, computer science, electrical engineering, and management being among the most common.

What education do you need to become a program manager?

What degree do you need to be a program manager?

The most common degree for program managers is bachelor's degree, with 66% of program managers earning that degree. The second and third most common degree levels are master's degree degree at 19% and master's degree degree at 9%.

Bachelor's, 66%

Master's, 19%

Associate, 9%

Doctorate, 1%

Other Degrees, 5%

What should I major in to become a program manager?

According to Marcia Godwin, Ph.D., Professor of Public Administration and Master of Public Administration (MPA) Director at the University of La Verne, managerial and supervisorial skills are most associated with advancement to executive management for program managers. While an MPA is beneficial regardless of undergraduate degree, popular majors include business, psychology, and social work.

Business, 26%

Psychology, 10%

Computer Science, 6%

Electrical Engineering, 5%

Other Majors, 53%

Most common colleges for program managers

Program managers often get their degrees at University of Phoenix, University of Maryland - College Park, and University of Washington. Here are the most common colleges for program managers in the US based on their resumes.

Program Manager Common College	Percentages
University of Phoenix	15.81%
University of Maryland - College Park	7.69%
University of Washington	5.99%
George Washington University, The	5.85%
Pennsylvania State University	5.09%

Show more common program manager colleges

Best majors for program managers

Rank	Major	Percentages
1	Business	26.1%
2	Psychology	9.9%
3	Computer Science	5.5%
4	Electrical Engineering	5.4%
5	Management	4.9%

Show more common program manager majors

Best colleges for program managers

The best colleges for a program manager include the University of Pennsylvania, University of Southern California, and Northwestern University. These institutions matter for program managers as they offer programs that align with the required education distribution, with a significant focus on Bachelor's and Master's degrees. The colleges are known for their admissions rate, retention rate, and mean earnings of graduates, contributing to better job opportunities and salaries for program 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 managers

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Top 10 most affordable universities for program managers

The most affordable schools for program 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 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 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 managers

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

Some great schools for program 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 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

SAT Average

1,492

2. Northwestern University

Evanston, IL • Private

Admissions Rate

SAT Average

1,508

3. Harvard University

Cambridge, MA • Private

Admissions Rate

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

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

SAT Average

1,516

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

The easiest schools for program 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 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 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 manager salary by education level

Program managers with a Doctorate degree earn more than those without, at $124,161 annually. With a Master's degree, program managers earn a median annual income of $117,589 compared to $105,064 for program managers with an Bachelor's degree.

Program Manager education level	Program Manager salary
Master's Degree	$117,589
High School Diploma or Less	$83,027
Bachelor's Degree	$105,064
Doctorate Degree	$124,161
Some College/ Associate Degree	$87,199

Program Manager Education FAQs

What degree do you need to be a program manager?

What is the best college for Program Managers?

Have more questions? See all answers to common executive management questions.

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Updated April 5, 2024

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.

Updated April 5, 2024

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