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Quality improvement manager education requirements
Updated January 8, 2025
4 min read
There are several educational requirements to become a quality improvement manager. Quality improvement managers usually study nursing, business, or psychology. 57% of quality improvement managers hold a bachelor's degree, and 23% hold an master's degree. We analyzed 1,024 real quality improvement manager resumes to see exactly what quality improvement manager education sections show.
The most common colleges for quality improvement managers are the University of Phoenix and the University of Phoenix.
There are also many online quality improvement manager courses to help get the education required to be a quality improvement manager.
There are certain quality improvement manager certifications that you should consider. These quality improvement manager certifications include Certified Professional in Healthcare Quality (CPHQ) and Six Sigma Green Belt.
What education do you need to become a quality improvement manager?
What degree do you need to be a quality improvement manager?
- Bachelor's, 57%
- Master's, 23%
- Associate, 14%
- Diploma, 2%
- Other Degrees, 4%
What should I major in to become a quality improvement manager?
- Nursing, 34%
- Business, 19%
- Psychology, 7%
- Other Majors, 34%
Most common colleges for quality improvement managers
| Quality improvement manager common college | Percentages |
|---|---|
| University of Phoenix | 16.03% |
| Purdue University | 7.63% |
| University of Maryland - College Park | 5.34% |
| Cleveland State University | 5.34% |
| New York University | 4.58% |
Best majors for quality improvement managers
| Rank | Major | Percentages |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Nursing | 34.4% |
| 2 | Business | 19.3% |
| 3 | Psychology | 7.5% |
| 4 | Health Care Administration | 5.7% |
| 5 | Management | 3.5% |
Best colleges for quality improvement managers
The best colleges for quality improvement managers are Stanford University, University of Pennsylvania, and Duke University.
A quality improvement 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 quality improvement 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 quality improvement 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. University of Michigan - Ann Arbor
Ann Arbor, MI • Private
In-state tuition
$15,262
Enrollment
30,079
4. Stanford University
Stanford, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$51,354
Enrollment
7,083
5. University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
Chapel Hill, NC • Private
In-state tuition
$8,987
Enrollment
18,946
6. Duke University
Durham, NC • Private
In-state tuition
$55,695
Enrollment
6,596
7. SUNY Stony Brook
Stony Brook, NY • Private
In-state tuition
$9,625
Enrollment
17,407
8. University of Minnesota - Twin Cities
Minneapolis, MN • Private
In-state tuition
$14,760
Enrollment
31,451
9. University of California, Irvine
Irvine, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$13,700
Enrollment
29,722
10. University of Virginia
Charlottesville, VA • Private
In-state tuition
$17,653
Enrollment
16,405
20 best online courses for quality improvement managers
Advertising disclosure
1. Quality Improvement in Healthcare
Health systems worldwide seek to prevent and treat disease and illness and improve well-being and quality of life. This specialisation focuses on improving the quality of the services provided by these systems. The specialisation content is based on the academic literature and research in quality improvement, comprehensively illustrated with real-life practical examples.You will hear from leaders in the field, including a range of guest speakers to support your learning. In this specialisation,...
2. Value-Based Care: Managing Processes to Improve Outcomes
COURSE 3 of 7. This course is designed to introduce you to critical office-based processes that a value-based practice must manage in the drive towards improved patient outcomes. In Module 2, we’ll focus on office-based and clinical patient-based supporting functions. At every level in healthcare, guidelines, processes, and functions exist to improve outcomes, and following a consistent process will return the best effect. Refine your understanding of value and learn strategies to provide real...
3. 7 Quality Tools for Quality Management and Improvements.
A complete Crash Course on the 7 Basic Tools for Quality Management and its Implementation using MS Excel...
4. Quality Management Systems:Management and Control of Quality
Learn to Build, Implement, and Sustain a Performance Excellence Culture into Your Organisation...
5. Quality Improvement for Population Health
Quality improvement methods were first deployed in healthcare in e hospital settings. However, over the past decade particularly, there has been increasing focus on the application of these methods in improving population and public health. In this course, you will apply a combination of both approaches to population health improvement. You will also learn how to study and evaluate large improvement initiatives to capture learning effectively. Learning Objectives: Apply quality improvement...
6. Data Science Methods for Quality Improvement
Data analysis skills are widely sought by employers, both nationally and internationally. This specialization is ideal for anyone interested in data analysis for improving quality and processes in business and industry. The skills taught in this specialization have been used extensively to improve business performance, quality, and reliability.\n\nBy completing this specialization, you will improve your ability to analyze data and interpret results as well as gain new skills, such as using...
7. ISO9001 Quality Management System
Learn why your business should be using Quality Management TODAY and create your own QMS (Quality Management System)...
8. Kaizen Practitioner Masterclass for Quality Management.
Structured Approach to identify and Eliminate waste in Business for Continuous Improvement & Quality Management...
9. Data Quality Fundamentals
Understand key concepts, principles and terminology related to Data Quality...
10. ISO 9001:2015 Quality management system auditor
Upgrade your career by learning how to implement and audit a quality management system according to ISO 9001...
11. ISO 9001:2015-Quality Management System Implementation & Audit
Learn how to Implement and Audit a Quality Management System as per ISO 9001: 2015...
12. Quality Management for Business Excellence
Lead Quality Management in the Organization • Transform the Organization to Become the Best-in-Class...
13. Cost of Quality Analysis and Reporting using Microsoft Excel
Expertly collect, analyze and present quality cost data (using Microsoft Excel) to help drive continual improvement...
14. Mastering the Seven Basic Quality Improvement Tools [2022]
Master the 7 QC tools for process improvement using MS Excel + Certification 2 case studies included...
15. Data Warehouse ETL Testing & Data Quality Management A-Z
ETL Testing and Data Quality Management for beginners with practical exercises and certificate of completion...
16. Data Quality Masterclass - The Complete Course
Learn Data Quality Management from A to Z. This complete guide covers all Data Quality Principles, Techniques and more...
17. Certified Manager of Quality Training
Certified Manager of Quality and Organizational Excellence (CMQ/OE) Exam Preparation Course...
18. Certified Quality Process Analyst Training
Certified Quality Process Analyst (CQPA) Exam Preparation Course - Confidently Pass the Exam on the First Attempt...
19. Quality Systems, Models and Theories
Understand, Develop and Implement Quality Systems for Success and Profit...
20. Certified Quality Auditor Training
Certified Quality Auditor (CQA) Exam Preparation Course - Confidently pass the exam in the first attempt...
Top 10 most affordable universities for quality improvement managers
The most affordable schools for quality improvement managers are University of Florida, baruch college of the city university of new york, and california state university - long beach.
If the best universities for quality improvement 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 quality improvement 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. California State University - Long Beach
Long Beach, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$6,798
Cost of attendance
18,306
4. California State University - Los Angeles
Los Angeles, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$6,749
Cost of attendance
14,823
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 - Dominguez Hills
Carson, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$6,942
Cost of attendance
14,469
8. Brigham Young University
Provo, UT • Private
In-state tuition
$5,620
Cost of attendance
18,136
9. SUNY Farmingdale
Farmingdale, NY • Private
In-state tuition
$8,306
Cost of attendance
16,091
10. Hunter College of the City University of New York
New York, NY • Private
In-state tuition
$7,182
Cost of attendance
13,998
Top 10 hardest universities to get into for quality improvement managers
The hardest universities for quality improvement managers to get into are Stanford University, University of Pennsylvania, and Duke University.
Some great schools for quality improvement 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 quality improvement 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. Stanford University
Stanford, CA • Private
Admissions rate
4%
SAT average
1,497
2. University of Pennsylvania
Philadelphia, PA • Private
Admissions rate
8%
SAT average
1,492
3. Duke University
Durham, NC • Private
Admissions rate
9%
SAT average
1,516
4. Columbia University in the City of New York
New York, NY • Private
Admissions rate
6%
SAT average
1,512
5. Johns Hopkins University
Baltimore, MD • Private
Admissions rate
11%
SAT average
1,513
6. Northwestern University
Evanston, IL • Private
Admissions rate
8%
SAT average
1,508
7. Georgetown University
Washington, DC • Private
Admissions rate
15%
SAT average
1,456
8. Vanderbilt University
Nashville, TN • Private
Admissions rate
10%
SAT average
1,514
9. Harvard University
Cambridge, MA • Private
Admissions rate
5%
SAT average
1,520
10. University of Southern California
Los Angeles, CA • Private
Admissions rate
13%
SAT average
1,445
Top 10 easy-to-apply-to universities for quality improvement managers
The easiest schools for quality improvement managers to get into are D'Youville College, mount saint mary's university, and barry university.
Some schools are much easier to get into. If you want to start your career as a quality improvement 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 quality improvement managers.
1. D'Youville College
Buffalo, NY • Private
Admissions rate
100%
SAT average
1,072
2. Mount Saint Mary's University
Los Angeles, CA • Private
Admissions rate
84%
SAT average
1,031
3. Barry University
Miami, FL • Private
Admissions rate
91%
SAT average
1,006
4. Felician University
Lodi, NJ • Private
Admissions rate
81%
SAT average
999
5. University of the Incarnate Word
San Antonio, TX • Private
Admissions rate
88%
SAT average
1,044
6. Gwynedd Mercy University
Gwynedd Valley, PA • Private
Admissions rate
92%
SAT average
1,031
7. Curry College
Milton, MA • Private
Admissions rate
93%
SAT average
1,026
8. Saint Joseph's College of Maine
Standish, ME • Private
Admissions rate
84%
SAT average
1,069
9. Marymount University
Arlington, VA • Private
Admissions rate
91%
SAT average
1,065
10. University of Baltimore
Baltimore, MD • Private
Admissions rate
78%
SAT average
1,020
Average quality improvement manager salary by education level
| Quality improvement manager education level | Quality improvement manager salary |
|---|---|
| Master's Degree | $92,208 |
| Bachelor's Degree | $82,678 |
| Doctorate Degree | $106,157 |
| Some College/ Associate Degree | $75,731 |
Quality improvement manager education FAQs
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Updated January 8, 2025
Updated January 8, 2025