Residential program manager education requirements

Updated January 8, 2025

4 min read

There are several educational requirements to become a residential program manager. Residential program managers usually study psychology, business, or social work. 60% of residential program managers hold a bachelor's degree, and 20% hold an master's degree. We analyzed 1,180 real residential program manager resumes to see exactly what residential program manager education sections show.

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

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

There are certain residential program manager certifications that you should consider. These residential program manager certifications include Certified Professional Counselor and Certified Security Supervision & Management (CSS).

What education do you need to become a residential program manager?

What degree do you need to be a residential program manager?

The most common degree for residential program managers is bachelor's degree, with 60% of residential program managers earning that degree. The second and third most common degree levels are master's degree degree at 20% and master's degree degree at 13%.

Bachelor's, 60%

Master's, 20%

Associate, 13%

High School Diploma, 5%

Other Degrees, 2%

What should I major in to become a residential program manager?

You should major in psychology to become a residential program manager. 23% of residential program managers major in psychology. Other common majors for a residential program manager include business and social work.

Psychology, 23%

Business, 11%

Social Work, 10%

Human Services, 8%

Other Majors, 48%

Most common colleges for residential program managers

Residential program managers often get their degrees at University of Phoenix, University of Massachusetts Boston, and Capella University. Here are the most common colleges for residential program managers in the US based on their resumes.

Residential program manager common college	Percentages
University of Phoenix	11.18%
University of Massachusetts Boston	7.89%
Capella University	7.24%
Springfield College	6.58%
Central Connecticut State University	6.58%

Show more common residential program manager colleges

Best majors for residential program managers

Rank	Major	Percentages
1	Psychology	23.1%
2	Business	10.7%
3	Social Work	9.7%
4	Human Services	8.0%
5	Criminal Justice	7.2%

Show more common residential program manager majors

Best colleges for residential program managers

The best colleges for residential program managers are Northwestern University, University of Pennsylvania, and Columbia University in the City of New York.

A residential program 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 residential program 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 residential program managers.

1. University of Pennsylvania

Philadelphia, PA • Private

In-state tuition

$55,584

Enrollment

10,764

2. University of Washington

Seattle, WA • Private

In-state tuition

$11,207

Enrollment

30,905

3. New York University

New York, NY • Private

In-state tuition

$51,828

Enrollment

26,339

4. Northwestern University

Evanston, IL • Private

In-state tuition

$54,568

Enrollment

8,451

5. Columbia University in the City of New York

New York, NY • Private

In-state tuition

$59,430

Enrollment

8,216

6. Johns Hopkins University

Baltimore, MD • Private

In-state tuition

$53,740

Enrollment

5,567

7. Pennsylvania State University

University Park, PA • Private

In-state tuition

$18,454

Enrollment

40,108

8. California State University - Dominguez Hills

Carson, CA • Private

In-state tuition

$6,942

Enrollment

13,871

9. University of Michigan - Ann Arbor

Ann Arbor, MI • Private

In-state tuition

$15,262

Enrollment

30,079

10. Harvard University

Cambridge, MA • Private

In-state tuition

$50,420

Enrollment

7,582

20 best online courses for residential program managers

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Top 10 most affordable universities for residential program managers

The most affordable schools for residential program managers are Hunter College of the City University of New York, california state university - bakersfield, and california state university - long beach.

If the best universities for residential program 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 residential program managers.

1. Hunter College of the City University of New York

New York, NY • Private

In-state tuition

$7,182

Cost of attendance

13,998

2. California State University - Bakersfield

Bakersfield, CA • Private

In-state tuition

$7,309

Cost of attendance

16,714

3. California State University - Long Beach

Long Beach, CA • Private

In-state tuition

$6,798

Cost of attendance

18,306

4. Baruch College of the City University of New York

New York, NY • Private

In-state tuition

$7,262

Cost of attendance

14,046

5. California State University - Fullerton

Fullerton, CA • Private

In-state tuition

$6,886

Cost of attendance

17,645

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. Florida State University

Tallahassee, FL • Private

In-state tuition

$5,656

Cost of attendance

21,623

9. Brigham Young University

Provo, UT • Private

In-state tuition

$5,620

Cost of attendance

18,136

10. California State University - Los Angeles

Los Angeles, CA • Private

In-state tuition

$6,749

Cost of attendance

14,823

Top 10 hardest universities to get into for residential program managers

The hardest universities for residential program managers to get into are Northwestern University, University of Pennsylvania, and Columbia University in the City of New York.

Some great schools for residential program 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 residential program 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

SAT average

1,508

2. University of Pennsylvania

Philadelphia, PA • Private

Admissions rate

SAT average

1,492

3. Columbia University in the City of New York

New York, NY • Private

Admissions rate

SAT average

1,512

4. Johns Hopkins University

Baltimore, MD • Private

Admissions rate

11%

SAT average

1,513

5. New York University

New York, NY • Private

Admissions rate

20%

SAT average

1,419

6. University of Southern California

Los Angeles, CA • Private

Admissions rate

13%

SAT average

1,445

7. Northeastern University

Boston, MA • Private

Admissions rate

19%

SAT average

1,466

8. Harvard University

Cambridge, MA • Private

Admissions rate

SAT average

1,520

9. Boston University

Boston, MA • Private

Admissions rate

22%

SAT average

1,420

10. Washington University in St Louis

Saint Louis, MO • Private

Admissions rate

15%

SAT average

1,506

Top 10 easy-to-apply-to universities for residential program managers

The easiest schools for residential program managers to get into are Mount Saint Mary's University, wayland baptist university, and barry university.

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

1. Mount Saint Mary's University

Los Angeles, CA • Private

Admissions rate

84%

SAT average

1,031

2. Wayland Baptist University

Plainview, TX • Private

Admissions rate

98%

SAT average

1,003

3. Barry University

Miami, FL • Private

Admissions rate

91%

SAT average

1,006

4. Notre Dame de Namur University

Belmont, CA • Private

Admissions rate

82%

SAT average

983

5. Holy Names University

Oakland, CA • Private

Admissions rate

70%

SAT average

849

6. Bluefield College

Bluefield, VA • Private

Admissions rate

95%

SAT average

980

7. Gwynedd Mercy University

Gwynedd Valley, PA • Private

Admissions rate

92%

SAT average

1,031

8. Felician University

Lodi, NJ • Private

Admissions rate

81%

SAT average

999

9. University of North Texas at Dallas

Dallas, TX • Private

Admissions rate

83%

SAT average

992

10. Kean University

Union, NJ • Private

Admissions rate

86%

SAT average

991

Average residential program manager salary by education level

Residential program managers with a Doctorate degree earn more than those without, at $55,197 annually. With a Master's degree, residential program managers earn a median annual income of $52,250 compared to $45,700 for residential program managers with an Bachelor's degree.

Residential program manager education level	Residential program manager salary
Master's Degree	$52,250
Bachelor's Degree	$45,700
Doctorate Degree	$55,197

Residential program manager education FAQs

What is the best college for Residential Program Managers?

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Updated January 8, 2025

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.

Updated January 8, 2025

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