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Proposal coordinator education requirements

Updated January 8, 2025
4 min read

There are several educational requirements to become a proposal coordinator. Proposal coordinators usually study business, english, or communication. 73% of proposal coordinators hold a bachelor's degree, and 12% hold an associate degree. We analyzed 1,848 real proposal coordinator resumes to see exactly what proposal coordinator education sections show.

The most common colleges for proposal coordinators are the George Mason University and the George Mason University.

There are also many online proposal coordinator courses to help get the education required to be a proposal coordinator.

There are certain proposal coordinator certifications that you should consider. These proposal coordinator certifications include Advanced Pain Management Practitioner Certification (APMP) and Professional Certified Marketer (PCM).

What education do you need to become a proposal coordinator?

What degree do you need to be a proposal coordinator?

The most common degree for proposal coordinators is bachelor's degree, with 73% of proposal coordinators earning that degree. The second and third most common degree levels are associate degree degree at 12% and associate degree degree at 10%.
  • Bachelor's, 73%
  • Associate, 12%
  • Master's, 10%
  • High School Diploma, 2%
  • Other Degrees, 3%

What should I major in to become a proposal coordinator?

You should major in business to become a proposal coordinator. 27% of proposal coordinators major in business. Other common majors for a proposal coordinator include english and communication.

Most common colleges for proposal coordinators

Proposal coordinators often get their degrees at George Mason University, University of Phoenix, and University of Maryland - College Park. Here are the most common colleges for proposal coordinators in the US based on their resumes.
Proposal coordinator common collegePercentages
George Mason University10.96%
University of Phoenix9.59%
University of Maryland - College Park7.76%
Strayer University6.39%
George Washington University, The5.94%

Best majors for proposal coordinators

RankMajorPercentages
1Business27.0%
2English12.5%
3Communication9.8%
4Marketing7.9%
5Journalism5.1%

Best colleges for proposal coordinators

The best colleges for proposal coordinators are Northwestern University, University of Southern California, and New York University.

A proposal coordinator with advanced education typically earns a higher salary and has access to better jobs. That's why Zippia looked into the best colleges for proposal coordinators. 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 proposal coordinators.

1. Western Carolina University

Cullowhee, NC • Private

In-state tuition

$3,926

Enrollment

9,835

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. Ball State University

Muncie, IN • Private

In-state tuition

$9,896

Enrollment

15,529

5. University of Pennsylvania

Philadelphia, PA • Private

In-state tuition

$55,584

Enrollment

10,764

6. New York University

New York, NY • Private

In-state tuition

$51,828

Enrollment

26,339

7. Bowling Green State University

Bowling Green, OH • Private

In-state tuition

$11,105

Enrollment

13,729

8. Georgetown University

Washington, DC • Private

In-state tuition

$54,104

Enrollment

7,089

9. Howard University

Washington, DC • Private

In-state tuition

$26,756

Enrollment

6,166

10. Northwestern University

Evanston, IL • Private

In-state tuition

$54,568

Enrollment

8,451

20 best online courses for proposal coordinators

Advertising disclosure

1. Capstone: Creating A Sustainability Proposal

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Congratulations on reaching the Capstone Class of the Become a Sustainable Business Change Agent specialization. The class will help you apply material from the previous three classes. We have developed a case about a hypothetical ski resort that offers lots of opportunities to develop sustainability recommendations. A second option is do develop a proposal for a change in your company or organization. Or you can do both the case and your own proposal. The goal of the class is to have you...

2. Research Proposal: Initiating Research

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Market Research is a growing and important field that is used in many industries around the world. Given all the data that is collected whether by organizations, industries, social media, governments, etc., it’s important that someone can review and sift through all the noise to provide valuable insights. And that’s where you come in as a market researcher. This course will only scratch the surface and provide you a foundational understanding of this field. In this course, you will be able to...

3. How To Write A Business Proposal - Upwork - Proposal Writing

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Secrets to Writing Business Proposals to Get Clients, Double/Tripple Your Success Rate and 10x Your Business!...

4. Proposal Writing & Management (+APMP Foundation Exam Prep)

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Everything you need to win big!...

5. Advanced Upwork Proposals: Tips to Help Get More Responses!

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Secrets to Write Better Upwork Proposals and Get a Response Even When 20-30 People Already Applied!...

6. Project Management Master Class: Government Projects

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Learn How To Win Big By Always Successfully Completing Government Projects Using Ninja Project Management Techniques...

7. Basic Grant Proposal Writing for Nonprofits

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Crafting Winning Proposals that Get Funded, with Effective Outcomes Statements and Proven Communications Methods...

8. 47 Graphic Design Projects for Photoshop Beginners

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Photoshop graphic design for beginners!  Includes 47 Photoshop projects for your graphic design portfolio...

9. Adobe Photoshop Graphic Design

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Design 4 Beautiful eye catching Graphic Design Projects from Scratch with Adobe Photoshop Graphic Design Basics...

10. Grant Writing: Keys to a Successful Proposal

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Build your resume or freelance, learn grant writing skills and discover creative ways to fund your project or program...

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Graphic Design for beginners including Graphic Design Theories, Photoshop, Illustrator, Indesign, AI & Creative Thinking...

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Compliance risk management CRM for Compliance, Risk Management, Internal Audit and IS Security Professionals...

13. Master Graphic Design & Software with Practical Projects

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Conquer Popular Graphic Design Projects: Logo, Package, Magazine, Book Cover Design, Branding, Digital Graphics & More!...

14. Graphic Design Masterclass: Design 40+ Projects in Photoshop

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Use Photoshop to create YT thumbnails, banners, catalogues, Instagram & Facebook Graphics, Cards, CV, Newsletters & more...

15. Graphic Design Bootcamp: Advanced Training Using Adobe CC

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Project-Based Learning For Intermediate Designers: Use Photoshop, Lightroom, and Other Adobe Creative Cloud Programs...

16. Learn Federal Government Contracting From An Expert

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A comprehensive guide to Register, Search Opportunities, GSA, Certifications, Accounting, Marketing& Bidding to the feds...

17. Adobe Photoshop Projects

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Everything you need to know about to Build Projects Using Adobe Photoshop 2022...

18. Prepare for the Adobe Certified Expert in Photoshop CC exam

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The ultimate guide on how to successfully prepare for the Adobe Photoshop Expert exam by an Adobe Certified Instructor...

19. Photoshop for Entrepreneurs - Design 11 Practical Projects

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Learn Photoshop from scratch. Create 11 graphic design projects in Adobe Photoshop specifically for entrepreneurs...

20. Adobe CC Masterclass: Photoshop, Illustrator, XD & InDesign

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Learn graphic design today with Photoshop, Illustrator, Adobe XD, In Design & more in this Adobe CC Masterclass!...

Top 10 most affordable universities for proposal coordinators

The most affordable schools for proposal coordinators are Baruch College of the City University of New York, suny farmingdale, and usf sarasota-manatee.

If the best universities for proposal coordinators 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 proposal coordinators.

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. USF Sarasota-Manatee

Sarasota, FL • Private

In-state tuition

$5,587

Cost of attendance

13,043

4. Florida International University

Miami, FL • Private

In-state tuition

$6,556

Cost of attendance

19,434

5. Minot State University

Minot, ND • Private

In-state tuition

$7,064

Cost of attendance

15,576

6. University of South Florida

Tampa, FL • Private

In-state tuition

$6,410

Cost of attendance

20,456

7. Florida Atlantic University

Boca Raton, FL • Private

In-state tuition

$4,831

Cost of attendance

19,559

8. Dickinson State University

Dickinson, ND • Private

In-state tuition

$6,768

Cost of attendance

15,506

9. California State University - Bakersfield

Bakersfield, CA • Private

In-state tuition

$7,309

Cost of attendance

16,714

10. Brigham Young University - Hawaii

Laie, HI • Private

In-state tuition

$5,560

Cost of attendance

18,043

Top 10 hardest universities to get into for proposal coordinators

The hardest universities for proposal coordinators to get into are Northwestern University, University of Southern California, and New York University.

Some great schools for proposal coordinators 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 proposal coordinators 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. New York University

New York, NY • Private

Admissions rate

20%

SAT average

1,419

4. University of Pennsylvania

Philadelphia, PA • Private

Admissions rate

8%

SAT average

1,492

5. Boston University

Boston, MA • Private

Admissions rate

22%

SAT average

1,420

6. George Washington University, The

Washington, DC • Private

Admissions rate

42%

SAT average

1,380

7. Georgetown University

Washington, DC • Private

Admissions rate

15%

SAT average

1,456

8. Stanford University

Stanford, CA • Private

Admissions rate

4%

SAT average

1,497

9. Villanova University

Villanova, PA • Private

Admissions rate

29%

SAT average

1,407

10. Bentley University

Waltham, MA • Private

Admissions rate

43%

SAT average

1,338

Top 10 easy-to-apply-to universities for proposal coordinators

The easiest schools for proposal coordinators to get into are D'Youville College, holy names university, and notre dame college.

Some schools are much easier to get into. If you want to start your career as a proposal coordinator 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 proposal coordinators.

1. D'Youville College

Buffalo, NY • Private

Admissions rate

100%

SAT average

1,072

2. Holy Names University

Oakland, CA • Private

Admissions rate

70%

SAT average

849

3. Notre Dame College

Cleveland, OH • Private

Admissions rate

90%

SAT average

994

4. Mount Saint Mary's University

Los Angeles, CA • Private

Admissions rate

84%

SAT average

1,031

5. LIM College

New York, NY • Private

Admissions rate

83%

SAT average

1,061

6. Barry University

Miami, FL • Private

Admissions rate

91%

SAT average

1,006

7. Felician University

Lodi, NJ • Private

Admissions rate

81%

SAT average

999

8. Cardinal Stritch University

Milwaukee, WI • Private

Admissions rate

71%

SAT average

1,035

9. University of North Texas at Dallas

Dallas, TX • Private

Admissions rate

83%

SAT average

992

10. Oklahoma Wesleyan University

Bartlesville, OK • Private

Admissions rate

68%

SAT average

964

Average proposal coordinator salary by education level

Proposal coordinators with a Doctorate degree earn more than those without, at $74,000 annually. With a Master's degree, proposal coordinators earn a median annual income of $72,461 compared to $64,444 for proposal coordinators with an Bachelor's degree.
Proposal coordinator education levelProposal coordinator salary
Master's Degree$72,461
Bachelor's Degree$64,444
Doctorate Degree$74,000
Some College/ Associate Degree$54,331

Proposal coordinator 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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