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Stage manager education requirements
Updated January 8, 2025
4 min read
There are several educational requirements to become a stage manager. Stage managers usually study theatre, communication, or music. 72% of stage managers hold a bachelor's degree, and 12% hold an associate degree. We analyzed 6,675 real stage manager resumes to see exactly what stage manager education sections show.
The most common colleges for stage managers are the Full Sail University and the Full Sail University.
There are also many online stage manager courses to help get the education required to be a stage manager.
What education do you need to become a stage manager?
What degree do you need to be a stage manager?
- Bachelor's, 72%
- Associate, 12%
- High School Diploma, 8%
- Master's, 6%
- Other Degrees, 2%
What should I major in to become a stage manager?
- Theatre, 27%
- Communication, 10%
- Music, 9%
- Business, 8%
- Other Majors, 46%
Most common colleges for stage managers
| Stage manager common college | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Full Sail University | 12.43% |
| New York University | 8.38% |
| University of Central Florida | 6.22% |
| University of Texas at Austin | 5.41% |
| Ithaca College | 4.59% |
Best majors for stage managers
| Rank | Major | Percentages |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Theatre | 26.7% |
| 2 | Communication | 9.8% |
| 3 | Music | 8.7% |
| 4 | Business | 7.6% |
| 5 | Photography | 6.5% |
Best colleges for stage managers
The best colleges for stage managers are Stanford University, Northwestern University, and Vanderbilt University.
A stage 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 stage 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 stage managers.
1. Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Cambridge, MA • Private
In-state tuition
$51,832
Enrollment
4,550
2. Stanford University
Stanford, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$51,354
Enrollment
7,083
3. Harvard University
Cambridge, MA • Private
In-state tuition
$50,420
Enrollment
7,582
4. Duke University
Durham, NC • Private
In-state tuition
$55,695
Enrollment
6,596
5. University of Pennsylvania
Philadelphia, PA • Private
In-state tuition
$55,584
Enrollment
10,764
6. Yale University
New Haven, CT • Private
In-state tuition
$53,430
Enrollment
5,963
7. Cornell University
Ithaca, NY • Private
In-state tuition
$55,188
Enrollment
15,105
8. Georgetown University
Washington, DC • Private
In-state tuition
$54,104
Enrollment
7,089
9. Dartmouth College
Hanover, NH • Private
In-state tuition
$55,453
Enrollment
4,312
10. University of Michigan - Ann Arbor
Ann Arbor, MI • Private
In-state tuition
$15,262
Enrollment
30,079
20 best online courses for stage managers
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Top 10 most affordable universities for stage managers
The most affordable schools for stage managers are Brooklyn College of the City University of New York, hunter college of the city university of new york, and brigham young university.
If the best universities for stage 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 stage managers.
1. Brooklyn College of the City University of New York
Brooklyn, NY • Private
In-state tuition
$7,240
Cost of attendance
13,991
2. Hunter College of the City University of New York
New York, NY • Private
In-state tuition
$7,182
Cost of attendance
13,998
3. Brigham Young University
Provo, UT • Private
In-state tuition
$5,620
Cost of attendance
18,136
4. Minot State University
Minot, ND • Private
In-state tuition
$7,064
Cost of attendance
15,576
5. Queens College of the City University of New York
Queens, NY • Private
In-state tuition
$7,338
Cost of attendance
14,281
6. Florida State University
Tallahassee, FL • Private
In-state tuition
$5,656
Cost of attendance
21,623
7. Florida International University
Miami, FL • Private
In-state tuition
$6,556
Cost of attendance
19,434
8. California State University - Bakersfield
Bakersfield, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$7,309
Cost of attendance
16,714
9. California State University - Long Beach
Long Beach, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$6,798
Cost of attendance
18,306
10. Clayton State University
Morrow, GA • Private
In-state tuition
$5,419
Cost of attendance
17,697
Top 10 hardest universities to get into for stage managers
The hardest universities for stage managers to get into are Stanford University, Northwestern University, and Vanderbilt University.
Some great schools for stage 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 stage 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. Northwestern University
Evanston, IL • Private
Admissions rate
8%
SAT average
1,508
3. Vanderbilt University
Nashville, TN • Private
Admissions rate
10%
SAT average
1,514
4. Amherst College
Amherst, MA • Private
Admissions rate
13%
SAT average
1,449
5. Johns Hopkins University
Baltimore, MD • Private
Admissions rate
11%
SAT average
1,513
6. Swarthmore College
Swarthmore, PA • Private
Admissions rate
9%
SAT average
1,465
7. Hamilton College
Clinton, NY • Private
Admissions rate
21%
SAT average
1,446
8. Tufts University
Medford, MA • Private
Admissions rate
15%
SAT average
1,461
9. Yale University
New Haven, CT • Private
Admissions rate
6%
SAT average
1,517
10. Boston College
Chestnut Hill, MA • Private
Admissions rate
28%
SAT average
1,429
Top 10 easy-to-apply-to universities for stage managers
The easiest schools for stage managers to get into are Notre Dame de Namur University, mount saint mary's university, and wayland baptist university.
Some schools are much easier to get into. If you want to start your career as a stage 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 stage managers.
1. Notre Dame de Namur University
Belmont, CA • Private
Admissions rate
82%
SAT average
983
2. Mount Saint Mary's University
Los Angeles, CA • Private
Admissions rate
84%
SAT average
1,031
3. Wayland Baptist University
Plainview, TX • Private
Admissions rate
98%
SAT average
1,003
4. Barry University
Miami, FL • Private
Admissions rate
91%
SAT average
1,006
5. Saint Martin's University
Lacey, WA • Private
Admissions rate
96%
SAT average
1,111
6. Thomas More University
Crestview Hills, KY • Private
Admissions rate
90%
SAT average
1,099
7. Kean University
Union, NJ • Private
Admissions rate
86%
SAT average
991
8. University of the Incarnate Word
San Antonio, TX • Private
Admissions rate
88%
SAT average
1,044
9. Cardinal Stritch University
Milwaukee, WI • Private
Admissions rate
71%
SAT average
1,035
10. Our Lady of the Lake University
San Antonio, TX • Private
Admissions rate
93%
SAT average
1,002
Average stage manager salary by education level
| Stage manager education level | Stage manager salary |
|---|---|
| Master's Degree | $54,493 |
| Bachelor's Degree | $50,095 |
Stage manager education FAQs
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Updated January 8, 2025
Updated January 8, 2025