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Public service director education requirements
Updated January 8, 2025
4 min read
There are several educational requirements to become a public service director. Public service directors usually study business, communication, or journalism. 65% of public service directors hold a bachelor's degree, and 15% hold an associate degree. We analyzed 388 real public service director resumes to see exactly what public service director education sections show.
The most common colleges for public service directors are the Valdosta State University and the Valdosta State University.
There are also many online public service director courses to help get the education required to be a public service director.
What education do you need to become a public service director?
What degree do you need to be a public service director?
- Bachelor's, 65%
- Associate, 15%
- Master's, 13%
- High School Diploma, 3%
- Other Degrees, 4%
What should I major in to become a public service director?
- Business, 18%
- Communication, 18%
- Journalism, 11%
- Other Majors, 49%
Most common colleges for public service directors
| Public service director common college | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Valdosta State University | 6.38% |
| Ohio State University | 6.38% |
| Troy University | 6.38% |
| Ohio University | 6.38% |
| University of North Texas | 6.38% |
Best majors for public service directors
| Rank | Major | Percentages |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Business | 18.4% |
| 2 | Communication | 18.4% |
| 3 | Journalism | 11.4% |
| 4 | Civil Engineering | 4.3% |
| 5 | English | 4.3% |
Best colleges for public service directors
The best colleges for public service directors are Northwestern University, University of Pennsylvania, and University of Southern California.
A public service director with advanced education typically earns a higher salary and has access to better jobs. That's why Zippia looked into the best colleges for public service directors. 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 public service directors.
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. University of Texas at Austin
Austin, TX • Private
In-state tuition
$10,610
Enrollment
40,329
5. Northeastern University
Boston, MA • Private
In-state tuition
$51,522
Enrollment
13,760
6. Bentley University
Waltham, MA • Private
In-state tuition
$49,880
Enrollment
4,177
7. George Washington University, The
Washington, DC • Private
In-state tuition
$55,230
Enrollment
12,161
8. New York University
New York, NY • Private
In-state tuition
$51,828
Enrollment
26,339
9. Pennsylvania State University
University Park, PA • Private
In-state tuition
$18,454
Enrollment
40,108
10. University of Georgia
Athens, GA • Private
In-state tuition
$11,830
Enrollment
29,474
20 best online courses for public service directors
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3. Breastfeeding: Public Health Perspectives
Engaging in this course will provide you with the opportunity to think about breastfeeding and its public health implications. The Socio-Ecological Model will be the framework of the course as we think about how each level of the Model (individual, interpersonal, community, organizational, and public policy) impacts breastfeeding practices in the United States, and globally. Through short video lectures you will be introduced to relevant topics related to the public health perspectives of...
4. Data and Health Indicators in Public Health Practice
Epidemiology is often described as the cornerstone science in public health. Epidemiology in public health practice uses study design and analyses to identify causes in an outbreak situation, guides interventions to improve population health, and evaluates programs and policies. In this course, we'll define the role of the professional epidemiologist as it relates to public health services, functions, and competencies. With that foundation in mind, we'll introduce you to the problem solving...
5. Press Coverage, Publicity & Public Relations For Branding
Public relations to reach 100,000+ people with influencer marketing, publicity, and press coverage for personal branding...
6. Public Speaking for People Who Hate Public Speaking
Public Speaking for People Who Hate Public Speaking - Presentation Skills - Communication Skills and Storytelling...
7. The People, Power, and Pride of Public Health
The People, Power, and Pride of Public Health provides an engaging overview of the incredible accomplishments and promise of the public health field. The first module includes interviews with legendary public health figures whose work led to millions of lives saved with vaccines, air bags and car seats, and the federal Women Infants and Children (WIC) nutrition program. The second module brings key public health tools to life -- including use of data, communications, and policy - through...
8. Systems Thinking In Public Health
This course provides an introduction to systems thinking and systems models in public health. Problems in public health and health policy tend to be complex with many actors, institutions and risk factors involved. If an outcome depends on many interacting and adaptive parts and actors the outcome cannot be analyzed or predicted with traditional statistical methods. Systems thinking is a core skill in public health and helps health policymakers build programs and policies that are aware of and...
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12. Fear of Public Speaking: Never Fear Public Speaking Again
Public Speaking Fear. You will deliver presentations/speeches with confidence and ease. Never be nervous again...
13. Customer Service
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14. Customer Service Foundation
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15. Public Relations: Media Crisis Communications
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16. The Art of Public Speaking
Master Public Speaking: Deliver Unforgettable Speeches & Presentations With The World's Most Decorated Public Speaker...
17. Public Speaking: Be a Professional Speaker
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18. Time Management Public Speaking - Drastically Reduce Prep
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19. Public Speaking Skills: Give a Great Informational Speech
Public Speaking - You can confidently present information in a way that is understandable and memorable...
20. Public Speaking: A tactical approach
This course will teach public speaking, communication skills and storytelling in an entirely new way...
Top 10 most affordable universities for public service directors
The most affordable schools for public service directors are Baruch College of the City University of New York, university of florida, and brigham young university.
If the best universities for public service directors 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 public service directors.
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. University of Florida
Gainesville, FL • Private
In-state tuition
$6,381
Cost of attendance
21,034
3. Brigham Young University
Provo, UT • Private
In-state tuition
$5,620
Cost of attendance
18,136
4. California State University - Fullerton
Fullerton, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$6,886
Cost of attendance
17,645
5. University of South Florida
Tampa, FL • Private
In-state tuition
$6,410
Cost of attendance
20,456
6. Florida State University
Tallahassee, FL • Private
In-state tuition
$5,656
Cost of attendance
21,623
7. USF St. Petersburg
St. Petersburg, FL • Private
In-state tuition
$5,821
Cost of attendance
19,849
8. SUNY Farmingdale
Farmingdale, NY • Private
In-state tuition
$8,306
Cost of attendance
16,091
9. University of Houston - Victoria
Victoria, TX • Private
In-state tuition
$6,491
Cost of attendance
19,075
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 public service directors
The hardest universities for public service directors to get into are Northwestern University, University of Pennsylvania, and University of Southern California.
Some great schools for public service directors 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 public service directors 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. Northeastern University
Boston, MA • Private
Admissions rate
19%
SAT average
1,466
5. New York University
New York, NY • Private
Admissions rate
20%
SAT average
1,419
6. Carnegie Mellon University
Pittsburgh, PA • Private
Admissions rate
17%
SAT average
1,507
7. Boston University
Boston, MA • Private
Admissions rate
22%
SAT average
1,420
8. University of Miami
Coral Gables, FL • Private
Admissions rate
32%
SAT average
1,365
9. George Washington University, The
Washington, DC • Private
Admissions rate
42%
SAT average
1,380
10. Bentley University
Waltham, MA • Private
Admissions rate
43%
SAT average
1,338
Top 10 easy-to-apply-to universities for public service directors
The easiest schools for public service directors to get into are Barry University, oklahoma wesleyan university, and notre dame de namur university.
Some schools are much easier to get into. If you want to start your career as a public service director 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 public service directors.
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 de Namur University
Belmont, CA • Private
Admissions rate
82%
SAT average
983
4. Holy Names University
Oakland, CA • Private
Admissions rate
70%
SAT average
849
5. Notre Dame College
Cleveland, OH • Private
Admissions rate
90%
SAT average
994
6. University of North Texas at Dallas
Dallas, TX • Private
Admissions rate
83%
SAT average
992
7. Mount Saint Mary's University
Los Angeles, CA • Private
Admissions rate
84%
SAT average
1,031
8. Felician University
Lodi, NJ • Private
Admissions rate
81%
SAT average
999
9. University of Houston - Downtown
Houston, TX • Private
Admissions rate
83%
SAT average
1,012
10. Waynesburg University
Waynesburg, PA • Private
Admissions rate
91%
SAT average
1,080
Average public service director salary by education level
| Public service director education level | Public service director salary |
|---|---|
| Master's Degree | $96,996 |
| Bachelor's Degree | $90,211 |
| Doctorate Degree | $96,984 |
| Some College/ Associate Degree | $72,785 |
Public service director education FAQs
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Updated January 8, 2025
Updated January 8, 2025