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Promotion manager education requirements

Updated January 8, 2025
4 min read

There are several educational requirements to become a promotion manager. Promotion managers usually study business, communication, or marketing. 75% of promotion managers hold a bachelor's degree, and 10% hold an associate degree. We analyzed 5,319 real promotion manager resumes to see exactly what promotion manager education sections show.

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

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

There are certain promotion manager certifications that you should consider. These promotion manager certifications include Professional Certified Marketer (PCM) and Certified Manager Certification (CM).

What education do you need to become a promotion manager?

What degree do you need to be a promotion manager?

The most common degree for promotion managers is bachelor's degree, with 75% of promotion managers earning that degree. The second and third most common degree levels are associate degree degree at 10% and associate degree degree at 7%.
  • Bachelor's, 75%
  • Associate, 10%
  • Master's, 7%
  • High School Diploma, 5%
  • Other Degrees, 3%

What should I major in to become a promotion manager?

You should major in business to become a promotion manager. 22% of promotion managers major in business. Other common majors for a promotion manager include communication and marketing.

Most common colleges for promotion managers

Promotion managers often get their degrees at University of Phoenix, Michigan State University, and Syracuse University. Here are the most common colleges for promotion managers in the US based on their resumes.
Promotion manager common collegePercentages
University of Phoenix8.86%
Michigan State University7.09%
Syracuse University6.58%
New York University6.08%
University of Maryland - College Park5.82%

Best majors for promotion managers

RankMajorPercentages
1Business22.2%
2Communication17.8%
3Marketing14.3%
4English5.1%
5Journalism4.9%

Best colleges for promotion managers

The best colleges for promotion managers are Northwestern University, Stanford University, and University of Southern California.

A promotion 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 promotion 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 promotion managers.

1. Northwestern University

Evanston, IL • Private

In-state tuition

$54,568

Enrollment

8,451

2. Stanford University

Stanford, CA • Private

In-state tuition

$51,354

Enrollment

7,083

3. University of Southern California

Los Angeles, CA • Private

In-state tuition

$56,225

Enrollment

19,548

4. Villanova University

Villanova, PA • Private

In-state tuition

$53,308

Enrollment

6,819

5. San Diego State University

San Diego, CA • Private

In-state tuition

$7,488

Enrollment

30,018

6. University of Pennsylvania

Philadelphia, PA • Private

In-state tuition

$55,584

Enrollment

10,764

7. Boston University

Boston, MA • Private

In-state tuition

$53,948

Enrollment

17,238

8. Worcester Polytechnic Institute

Worcester, MA • Private

In-state tuition

$50,530

Enrollment

4,571

9. University of Minnesota - Twin Cities

Minneapolis, MN • Private

In-state tuition

$14,760

Enrollment

31,451

10. University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

Champaign, IL • Private

In-state tuition

$15,094

Enrollment

32,974

20 best online courses for promotion managers

Advertising disclosure

1. Promotional Materials Every Musician Needs

coursera

As the saying goes, first impressions are everything, especially in the arts. That's why it's so important to have the skills and knowledge you need to create effective promotional materials that will help you stand out from the crowd. In this course, you will learn everything you need to know about creating powerful promotional materials that effectively showcase your talent and enhance your professional image. From artist bios and captivating headshots to polished resumes/CVs, persuasive...

2. Instagram Marketing. How to Promote Your Business!

udemy
4.2
(499)

Hands-on guide on how to promote your project on Instagram, create engaging content, increase followers and boost sales!...

3. Successful Events: Event Planning, Marketing & Management

udemy
4.7
(2,141)

Create a single successful event or event-series with effective event promotion, planning, management, and monetization...

4. Facebook Marketing 2023. Promote Your Business on Facebook!

udemy
4.3
(592)

Learn how to promote your brand on Facebook, create engaging content, launch ads and increase the number of followers!...

5. Facebook Marketing: Reveal The Power of Promoted Posts

udemy
4.6
(560)

Learn how to use promoted posts to get more exposure on Facebook – even if you have only a few bucks to spend...

6. TikTok Marketing. How to promote your business effectively!

udemy
4.1
(377)

Step-by-step guide for beginners on how to get started on Tik Tok. Life hacks on how to promote on Tik Tok successfully!...

7. Instagram Marketing 2021: Growth and Promotion on Instagram

udemy
4
(1,649)

Use Instagram to Target and Attract the right Followers to Grow your Account Convert Followers into Loyal Clients...

8. Facebook Marketing for Real Estate Agents

udemy
4.3
(330)

A proven STEP-BY-STEP course to utilize Facebook to promote your real estate business...

9. Meta Ads for Beginners: Pixel, Catalog Sales & Facebook Shop

udemy
4.6
(808)

Unleash the Power Of Catalog Sales: Learn Meta Ads, Business Manager, Pixel, CAPI, Commerce Manager & Facebook Shopping...

10. Start Improving Customer Service

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4.8
(2,040)

Creating a Customer Service advantage in Your department or business through communication and Customer Management...

11. Local Business Marketing With Local SEO & Social Media 2023

udemy
4.6
(343)

Local business marketing with local SEO, Google map search (Google My Business) local lead generation and social media...

12. Sales 101: How to Sell Anything (49 Amazing Sales Tips)®

udemy
4.5
(374)

Learn how to sell a product, a service or yourself, so you can get customers, a job, a raise or a promotion!...

13. Facebook Marketing 2023: 1000% Facebook Engagement & Sales

udemy
4.6
(841)

Go viral, get more FB sharing! Facebook marketing & advertising strategies with business groups, pages, FB Live, Pixel...

14. Twitter Marketing: 1000% Engagement & More Twitter Followers

udemy
4
(466)

2022 Twitter marketing for business, get more customers, retweets & how to get more Twitter followers & Twitter ads...

15. Facebook Ads for Beginners

udemy
4
(292)

Learn to Create Powerful Facebook Ads to Increase Your Sales and Revenue Promoting Your Business All Over the World!...

16. The Complete B2B Sales Masterclass: 6 Courses in 1

udemy
4
(413)

1. Generate Leads, 2. Pitch, 3. Close & Handle Any Objection: Get Certified in Cutting Edge, Non-Pushy B2B Sales System...

17. Marketing Analytics: Customer Value and Promotion Strategy

udemy
4.7
(743)

Learn to calculate Customer Lifetime Value using DCF & advanced models & use it to increase the company's profitability...

18. Ultimate Facebook Marketing Course 2019 - Step by Step A-Z

udemy
4.3
(403)

Powerful Facebook Marketing Strategies + Facebook Ads & Retargeting + Setup Page for Business + Sales Funnel + Events...

19. Sales Analysis for Management Consultants

udemy
4.6
(251)

A practical guide on how to improve sales and marketing of your customers during consulting projects like Mc Kinsey, BCG,...

20. Event Management for Beginners

udemy
4.5
(1,125)

Learn the process for creating great events...

Top 10 most affordable universities for promotion managers

The most affordable schools for promotion managers are University of Florida, suny farmingdale, and california state university - dominguez hills.

If the best universities for promotion 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 promotion managers.

1. University of Florida

Gainesville, FL • Private

In-state tuition

$6,381

Cost of attendance

21,034

2. SUNY Farmingdale

Farmingdale, NY • Private

In-state tuition

$8,306

Cost of attendance

16,091

3. California State University - Dominguez Hills

Carson, CA • Private

In-state tuition

$6,942

Cost of attendance

14,469

4. Brigham Young University

Provo, UT • Private

In-state tuition

$5,620

Cost of attendance

18,136

5. Florida State University

Tallahassee, FL • Private

In-state tuition

$5,656

Cost of attendance

21,623

6. Baruch College of the City University of New York

New York, NY • Private

In-state tuition

$7,262

Cost of attendance

14,046

7. California State University - Bakersfield

Bakersfield, CA • Private

In-state tuition

$7,309

Cost of attendance

16,714

8. California State University - Long Beach

Long Beach, CA • Private

In-state tuition

$6,798

Cost of attendance

18,306

9. University of Central Florida

Orlando, FL • Private

In-state tuition

$6,368

Cost of attendance

21,034

10. San Diego State University

San Diego, CA • Private

In-state tuition

$7,488

Cost of attendance

22,990

Top 10 hardest universities to get into for promotion managers

The hardest universities for promotion managers to get into are Northwestern University, Stanford University, and University of Southern California.

Some great schools for promotion 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 promotion 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. Northwestern University

Evanston, IL • Private

Admissions rate

8%

SAT average

1,508

2. Stanford University

Stanford, CA • Private

Admissions rate

4%

SAT average

1,497

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. Villanova University

Villanova, PA • Private

Admissions rate

29%

SAT average

1,407

6. University of Pennsylvania

Philadelphia, PA • Private

Admissions rate

8%

SAT average

1,492

7. Northeastern University

Boston, MA • Private

Admissions rate

19%

SAT average

1,466

8. George Washington University, The

Washington, DC • Private

Admissions rate

42%

SAT average

1,380

9. Tulane University

New Orleans, LA • Private

Admissions rate

17%

SAT average

1,428

10. Southern Methodist University

Dallas, TX • Private

Admissions rate

51%

SAT average

1,395

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

The easiest schools for promotion managers to get into are Barry University, oklahoma wesleyan university, and notre dame college.

Some schools are much easier to get into. If you want to start your career as a promotion 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 promotion managers.

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. Notre Dame College

Cleveland, OH • Private

Admissions rate

90%

SAT average

994

4. Gwynedd Mercy University

Gwynedd Valley, PA • Private

Admissions rate

92%

SAT average

1,031

5. Holy Names University

Oakland, CA • Private

Admissions rate

70%

SAT average

849

6. Kean University

Union, NJ • Private

Admissions rate

86%

SAT average

991

7. Felician University

Lodi, NJ • Private

Admissions rate

81%

SAT average

999

8. Saint Joseph's College of Maine

Standish, ME • Private

Admissions rate

84%

SAT average

1,069

9. Cardinal Stritch University

Milwaukee, WI • Private

Admissions rate

71%

SAT average

1,035

10. William Paterson University of New Jersey

Wayne, NJ • Private

Admissions rate

93%

SAT average

994

Average promotion manager salary by education level

According to our data, promotion managers with a Master's degree earn the highest average salary, at $85,991 annually. Promotion managers with a Bachelor's degree earn an average annual salary of $83,238.
Promotion manager education levelPromotion manager salary
Master's Degree$85,991
Bachelor's Degree$83,238

Promotion manager 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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