Resource manager education requirements

Updated January 8, 2025

4 min read

There are several educational requirements to become a resource manager. Resource managers usually study business, psychology, or nursing. 64% of resource managers hold a bachelor's degree, and 16% hold an associate degree. We analyzed 5,789 real resource manager resumes to see exactly what resource manager education sections show.

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

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

There are certain resource manager certifications that you should consider. These resource manager certifications include Certified Professional - Human Resource (IPMA-CP) and Project Management Professional (PMP).

What education do you need to become a resource manager?

What degree do you need to be a resource manager?

The most common degree for resource managers is bachelor's degree, with 64% of resource managers earning that degree. The second and third most common degree levels are associate degree degree at 16% and associate degree degree at 13%.

Bachelor's, 64%

Associate, 16%

Master's, 13%

High School Diploma, 3%

Other Degrees, 4%

What should I major in to become a resource manager?

You should major in business to become a resource manager. 31% of resource managers major in business. Other common majors for a resource manager include psychology and nursing.

Business, 31%

Psychology, 8%

Nursing, 6%

Human Resources Management, 5%

Other Majors, 50%

Most common colleges for resource managers

Resource managers often get their degrees at University of Phoenix, University of Maryland - College Park, and Pennsylvania State University. Here are the most common colleges for resource managers in the US based on their resumes.

Resource manager common college	Percentages
University of Phoenix	21.48%
University of Maryland - College Park	6.92%
Pennsylvania State University	5.25%
Texas A&M University	5.01%
George Mason University	4.77%

Show more common resource manager colleges

Best majors for resource managers

Rank	Major	Percentages
1	Business	30.8%
2	Psychology	7.8%
3	Nursing	5.8%
4	Human Resources Management	5.4%
5	Communication	5.0%

Show more common resource manager majors

Best colleges for resource managers

The best colleges for resource managers are Northwestern University, University of Pennsylvania, and University of Southern California.

A resource 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 resource 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 resource managers.

1. University of Southern California

Los Angeles, CA • Private

In-state tuition

$56,225

Enrollment

19,548

2. University of Pennsylvania

Philadelphia, PA • Private

In-state tuition

$55,584

Enrollment

10,764

3. San Diego State University

San Diego, CA • Private

In-state tuition

$7,488

Enrollment

30,018

4. SUNY Stony Brook

Stony Brook, NY • Private

In-state tuition

$9,625

Enrollment

17,407

5. Northwestern University

Evanston, IL • Private

In-state tuition

$54,568

Enrollment

8,451

6. University of Minnesota - Twin Cities

Minneapolis, MN • Private

In-state tuition

$14,760

Enrollment

31,451

7. University of Texas at Austin

Austin, TX • Private

In-state tuition

$10,610

Enrollment

40,329

8. George Washington University, The

Washington, DC • Private

In-state tuition

$55,230

Enrollment

12,161

9. Northeastern University

Boston, MA • Private

In-state tuition

$51,522

Enrollment

13,760

10. Pennsylvania State University

University Park, PA • Private

In-state tuition

$18,454

Enrollment

40,108

20 best online courses for resource managers

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Top 10 most affordable universities for resource managers

The most affordable schools for resource managers are Baruch College of the City University of New York, suny farmingdale, and university of florida.

If the best universities for resource 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 resource managers.

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. University of Florida

Gainesville, FL • Private

In-state tuition

$6,381

Cost of attendance

21,034

4. California State University - Bakersfield

Bakersfield, CA • Private

In-state tuition

$7,309

Cost of attendance

16,714

5. Brigham Young University

Provo, UT • Private

In-state tuition

$5,620

Cost of attendance

18,136

6. California State University - Dominguez Hills

Carson, CA • Private

In-state tuition

$6,942

Cost of attendance

14,469

7. California State University - Long Beach

Long Beach, CA • Private

In-state tuition

$6,798

Cost of attendance

18,306

8. University of Houston - Victoria

Victoria, TX • Private

In-state tuition

$6,491

Cost of attendance

19,075

9. Florida International University

Miami, FL • Private

In-state tuition

$6,556

Cost of attendance

19,434

10. Florida State University

Tallahassee, FL • Private

In-state tuition

$5,656

Cost of attendance

21,623

Top 10 hardest universities to get into for resource managers

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

Some great schools for resource 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 resource 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. 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. Boston University

Boston, MA • Private

Admissions rate

22%

SAT average

1,420

6. New York University

New York, NY • Private

Admissions rate

20%

SAT average

1,419

7. Vanderbilt University

Nashville, TN • Private

Admissions rate

10%

SAT average

1,514

8. Johns Hopkins University

Baltimore, MD • Private

Admissions rate

11%

SAT average

1,513

9. Villanova University

Villanova, PA • Private

Admissions rate

29%

SAT average

1,407

10. George Washington University, The

Washington, DC • Private

Admissions rate

42%

SAT average

1,380

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

The easiest schools for resource managers to get into are Barry University, oklahoma wesleyan university, and holy names university.

Some schools are much easier to get into. If you want to start your career as a resource 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 resource 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. Holy Names University

Oakland, CA • Private

Admissions rate

70%

SAT average

849

4. Notre Dame College

Cleveland, OH • Private

Admissions rate

90%

SAT average

994

5. Cardinal Stritch University

Milwaukee, WI • Private

Admissions rate

71%

SAT average

1,035

6. Our Lady of the Lake University

San Antonio, TX • Private

Admissions rate

93%

SAT average

1,002

7. Mount Saint Mary's University

Los Angeles, CA • Private

Admissions rate

84%

SAT average

1,031

8. Wayland Baptist University

Plainview, TX • Private

Admissions rate

98%

SAT average

1,003

9. Ottawa University

Ottawa, KS • Private

Admissions rate

78%

SAT average

1,024

10. Gwynedd Mercy University

Gwynedd Valley, PA • Private

Admissions rate

92%

SAT average

1,031

Average resource manager salary by education level

According to our data, resource managers with a Doctorate degree earn the highest average salary, at $94,704 annually. Resource managers with a Master's degree earn an average annual salary of $91,444.

Resource manager education level	Resource manager salary
Master's Degree	$91,444
Bachelor's Degree	$82,948
Doctorate Degree	$94,704
Some College/ Associate Degree	$71,484

Resource manager education FAQs

What is the best college for Resource Managers?

Have more questions? See all answers to common executive management questions.

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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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