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Projects controller education requirements
Updated January 8, 2025
4 min read
There are several educational requirements to become a projects controller. Projects controllers usually study business, accounting, or finance. 71% of projects controllers hold a bachelor's degree, and 17% hold an master's degree. We analyzed 2,315 real projects controller resumes to see exactly what projects controller education sections show.
The most common colleges for projects controllers are the University of Phoenix and the University of Phoenix.
There are also many online projects controller courses to help get the education required to be a projects controller.
There are certain projects controller certifications that you should consider. These projects controller certifications include Project Management Professional (PMP) and Certified Management Accountant (CMA).
What education do you need to become a projects controller?
What degree do you need to be a projects controller?
- Bachelor's, 71%
- Master's, 17%
- Associate, 9%
- High School Diploma, 1%
- Other Degrees, 2%
What should I major in to become a projects controller?
- Business, 32%
- Accounting, 23%
- Finance, 14%
- Economics, 3%
- Other Majors, 28%
Most common colleges for projects controllers
| Projects controller common college | Percentages |
|---|---|
| University of Phoenix | 14.45% |
| George Mason University | 10.16% |
| University of Houston | 7.81% |
| University of Maryland - College Park | 7.03% |
| Strayer University | 7.03% |
Best majors for projects controllers
| Rank | Major | Percentages |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Business | 31.7% |
| 2 | Accounting | 23.0% |
| 3 | Finance | 13.6% |
| 4 | Economics | 3.3% |
| 5 | Project Management | 3.3% |
Best colleges for projects controllers
The best colleges for projects controllers are Northwestern University, University of Pennsylvania, and University of Southern California.
A projects controller with advanced education typically earns a higher salary and has access to better jobs. That's why Zippia looked into the best colleges for projects controllers. 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 projects controllers.
1. University of Pennsylvania
Philadelphia, PA • Private
In-state tuition
$55,584
Enrollment
10,764
2. Northwestern University
Evanston, IL • Private
In-state tuition
$54,568
Enrollment
8,451
3. University of Southern California
Los Angeles, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$56,225
Enrollment
19,548
4. SUNY at Binghamton
Vestal, NY • Private
In-state tuition
$9,808
Enrollment
13,990
5. Villanova University
Villanova, PA • Private
In-state tuition
$53,308
Enrollment
6,819
6. San Diego State University
San Diego, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$7,488
Enrollment
30,018
7. Bentley University
Waltham, MA • Private
In-state tuition
$49,880
Enrollment
4,177
8. Boston University
Boston, MA • Private
In-state tuition
$53,948
Enrollment
17,238
9. SUNY Stony Brook
Stony Brook, NY • Private
In-state tuition
$9,625
Enrollment
17,407
10. New York University
New York, NY • Private
In-state tuition
$51,828
Enrollment
26,339
20 best online courses for projects controllers
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7. Primavera P6 Project Planning and Scheduling Masterclass
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8. 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...
9. Project Management With MS Project - Scheduling Master Class
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10. Financial Statement Analysis - Ratio Analysis
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11. Complete Primavera P6 training; Project Planning
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12. Apply finance concepts for smart project management
Learn to read financial statements and make meaningful interpretations for business decisions in the age of big data...
13. Power BI Financial Reporting & Financial Analysis: A to Z
The Ultimate Hands-On Microsoft Power BI & DAX Financial Statements, Reporting, Analytics, Visualization, & BI Course...
14. Financial Analysis for Management Consultants & Analysts
A practical guide with case studies and examples of financial analyses done during consulting projects...
15. Project Management Essentials
A crash course in the essentials of project management for new project managers...
16. Accounting & Financial Statement Analysis: Complete Training
Accounting & Financial Ratio Analysis made easy. Learn important accounting skills that will get your foot in the door!...
17. Primavera P6 Project Control + P6 Download Guide [2023]
Enjoy Learning Primavera P6! From basics of primavera P6 we plan a project & reach the Advance level in Primavera P6...
18. Microsoft Excel for Project Management - Earn 5 PDUs
Mastering Microsoft Excel for Project Management: Controlling, Tracking, and Reporting...
19. Project Management: Becoming a Successful Project manager
Project Management...
20. Project Management Professional Certification Program (PMP)
Your Guide to the Gold Standard of Project Management Certifications (PMI-PMP) (PMBOK7 updated) (40 PDUs minimum)...
Top 10 most affordable universities for projects controllers
The most affordable schools for projects controllers are Baruch College of the City University of New York, usf sarasota-manatee, and suny farmingdale.
If the best universities for projects controllers 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 projects controllers.
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. USF Sarasota-Manatee
Sarasota, FL • Private
In-state tuition
$5,587
Cost of attendance
13,043
3. SUNY Farmingdale
Farmingdale, NY • Private
In-state tuition
$8,306
Cost of attendance
16,091
4. Brooklyn College of the City University of New York
Brooklyn, NY • Private
In-state tuition
$7,240
Cost of attendance
13,991
5. California State University - Dominguez Hills
Carson, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$6,942
Cost of attendance
14,469
6. University of Florida
Gainesville, FL • Private
In-state tuition
$6,381
Cost of attendance
21,034
7. Brigham Young University
Provo, UT • Private
In-state tuition
$5,620
Cost of attendance
18,136
8. California State University - Long Beach
Long Beach, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$6,798
Cost of attendance
18,306
9. University of Puerto Rico - Mayaguez
Mayaguez, PR • Private
In-state tuition
$4,094
Cost of attendance
14,302
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 projects controllers
The hardest universities for projects controllers to get into are Northwestern University, University of Pennsylvania, and University of Southern California.
Some great schools for projects controllers 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 projects controllers 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 Pennsylvania
Philadelphia, PA • Private
Admissions rate
8%
SAT average
1,492
3. University of Southern California
Los Angeles, CA • Private
Admissions rate
13%
SAT average
1,445
4. Boston University
Boston, MA • Private
Admissions rate
22%
SAT average
1,420
5. New York University
New York, NY • Private
Admissions rate
20%
SAT average
1,419
6. Villanova University
Villanova, PA • Private
Admissions rate
29%
SAT average
1,407
7. Vanderbilt University
Nashville, TN • Private
Admissions rate
10%
SAT average
1,514
8. Bentley University
Waltham, MA • Private
Admissions rate
43%
SAT average
1,338
9. George Washington University, The
Washington, DC • Private
Admissions rate
42%
SAT average
1,380
10. University of Rochester
Rochester, NY • Private
Admissions rate
29%
SAT average
1,422
Top 10 easy-to-apply-to universities for projects controllers
The easiest schools for projects controllers to get into are Oklahoma Wesleyan University, holy names university, and barry university.
Some schools are much easier to get into. If you want to start your career as a projects controller 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 projects controllers.
1. Oklahoma Wesleyan University
Bartlesville, OK • Private
Admissions rate
68%
SAT average
964
2. Holy Names University
Oakland, CA • Private
Admissions rate
70%
SAT average
849
3. Barry University
Miami, FL • Private
Admissions rate
91%
SAT average
1,006
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. La Roche College
Pittsburgh, PA • Private
Admissions rate
99%
SAT average
1,008
7. Ottawa University
Ottawa, KS • Private
Admissions rate
78%
SAT average
1,024
8. Holy Family University
Philadelphia, PA • Private
Admissions rate
72%
SAT average
1,017
9. Saint Joseph's College of Maine
Standish, ME • Private
Admissions rate
84%
SAT average
1,069
10. Kean University
Union, NJ • Private
Admissions rate
86%
SAT average
991
Average projects controller salary by education level
| Projects controller education level | Projects controller salary |
|---|---|
| Master's Degree | $91,904 |
| Bachelor's Degree | $82,091 |
| Doctorate Degree | $94,995 |
Projects controller education FAQs
Have more questions? See all answers to common business and financial questions.
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Updated January 8, 2025
Updated January 8, 2025