Store manager and buyer education requirements

Updated January 8, 2025

4 min read

There are several educational requirements to become a store manager and buyer. Store managers and buyer usually study business, specialized sales and merchandising, or marketing. 66% of store managers and buyer hold a bachelor's degree, and 19% hold an associate degree. We analyzed 3,500 real store manager and buyer resumes to see exactly what store manager and buyer education sections show.

The most common colleges for store managers and buyer are the Fashion Institute of Technology and the Fashion Institute of Technology.

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

There are certain store manager and buyer certifications that you should consider. These store manager and buyer certifications include Certified Sales Professional (CSP) and Certified Management Accountant (CMA).

What education do you need to become a store manager and buyer?

What degree do you need to be a store manager and buyer?

The most common degree for store managers and buyer is bachelor's degree, with 66% of store managers and buyer earning that degree. The second and third most common degree levels are associate degree degree at 19% and associate degree degree at 7%.

Bachelor's, 66%

Associate, 19%

High School Diploma, 7%

Master's, 4%

Other Degrees, 4%

What should I major in to become a store manager and buyer?

You should major in business to become a store manager and buyer. 27% of store managers and buyer major in business. Other common majors for a store manager and buyer include specialized sales and merchandising and marketing.

Business, 27%

Specialized Sales And Merchandising, 10%

Marketing, 10%

Communication, 6%

Other Majors, 47%

Most common colleges for store managers and buyer

Store managers and buyer often get their degrees at Fashion Institute of Technology, Ohio State University, and University of Washington. Here are the most common colleges for store managers and buyer in the US based on their resumes.

Store manager and buyer common college	Percentages
Fashion Institute of Technology	16.30%
Ohio State University	6.30%
University of Washington	6.30%
University of Phoenix	6.30%
Fashion Institute of Design & Merchandising-San Francisco	4.81%

Show more common store manager and buyer colleges

Best majors for store managers and buyer

Rank	Major	Percentages
1	Business	26.9%
2	Specialized Sales And Merchandising	10.3%
3	Marketing	10.0%
4	Communication	5.7%
5	Fine Arts	5.5%

Show more common store manager and buyer majors

Best colleges for store managers and buyer

The best colleges for store managers and buyer are University of Pennsylvania, Stanford University, and Cornell University.

A store manager and buyer with advanced education typically earns a higher salary and has access to better jobs. That's why Zippia looked into the best colleges for store managers and buyer. 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 store managers and buyer.

1. University of Akron

Akron, OH • Private

In-state tuition

$11,463

Enrollment

13,676

2. University of Pennsylvania

Philadelphia, PA • Private

In-state tuition

$55,584

Enrollment

10,764

3. Cornell University

Ithaca, NY • Private

In-state tuition

$55,188

Enrollment

15,105

4. SUNY College of Technology at Alfred

Alfred, NY • Private

In-state tuition

$8,570

Enrollment

3,721

5. Ball State University

Muncie, IN • Private

In-state tuition

$9,896

Enrollment

15,529

6. SUNY College of Technology at Delhi

Delhi, NY • Private

In-state tuition

$8,360

Enrollment

3,142

7. University of Minnesota - Twin Cities

Minneapolis, MN • Private

In-state tuition

$14,760

Enrollment

31,451

8. Stanford University

Stanford, CA • Private

In-state tuition

$51,354

Enrollment

7,083

9. Fashion Institute of Technology

New York, NY • Private

In-state tuition

$5,740

Enrollment

7,938

10. University of Texas at Austin

Austin, TX • Private

In-state tuition

$10,610

Enrollment

40,329

20 best online courses for store managers and buyer

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Top 10 most affordable universities for store managers and buyer

The most affordable schools for store managers and buyer are Baruch College of the City University of New York, suny farmingdale, and fashion institute of technology.

If the best universities for store managers and buyer 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 store managers and buyer.

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. Fashion Institute of Technology

New York, NY • Private

In-state tuition

$5,740

Cost of attendance

17,864

4. California State University - Bakersfield

Bakersfield, CA • Private

In-state tuition

$7,309

Cost of attendance

16,714

5. Florida State University

Tallahassee, FL • Private

In-state tuition

$5,656

Cost of attendance

21,623

6. Purdue University

West Lafayette, IN • Private

In-state tuition

$9,992

Cost of attendance

22,430

7. California State University - Dominguez Hills

Carson, CA • Private

In-state tuition

$6,942

Cost of attendance

14,469

8. Brooklyn College of the City University of New York

Brooklyn, NY • Private

In-state tuition

$7,240

Cost of attendance

13,991

9. California State University - Fresno

Fresno, CA • Private

In-state tuition

$6,587

Cost of attendance

16,915

10. California State Polytechnic University, Pomona

Pomona, CA • Private

In-state tuition

$7,353

Cost of attendance

21,302

Top 10 hardest universities to get into for store managers and buyer

The hardest universities for store managers and buyer to get into are University of Pennsylvania, Stanford University, and Cornell University.

Some great schools for store managers and buyer 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 store managers and buyer 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. University of Pennsylvania

Philadelphia, PA • Private

Admissions rate

SAT average

1,492

2. Stanford University

Stanford, CA • Private

Admissions rate

SAT average

1,497

3. Cornell University

Ithaca, NY • Private

Admissions rate

11%

SAT average

1,471

4. Northwestern University

Evanston, IL • Private

Admissions rate

SAT average

1,508

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. Bentley University

Waltham, MA • Private

Admissions rate

43%

SAT average

1,338

8. Washington University in St Louis

Saint Louis, MO • Private

Admissions rate

15%

SAT average

1,506

9. University of Texas at Austin

Austin, TX • Private

Admissions rate

39%

SAT average

1,367

10. Fordham University

Bronx, NY • Private

Admissions rate

46%

SAT average

1,354

Top 10 easy-to-apply-to universities for store managers and buyer

The easiest schools for store managers and buyer to get into are Barry University, oklahoma wesleyan university, and university of the incarnate word.

Some schools are much easier to get into. If you want to start your career as a store manager and buyer 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 store managers and buyer.

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. University of the Incarnate Word

San Antonio, TX • Private

Admissions rate

88%

SAT average

1,044

4. Life University

Marietta, GA • Private

Admissions rate

94%

SAT average

979

5. Texas Woman's University

Denton, TX • Private

Admissions rate

87%

SAT average

1,059

6. LIM College

New York, NY • Private

Admissions rate

83%

SAT average

1,061

7. Notre Dame de Namur University

Belmont, CA • Private

Admissions rate

82%

SAT average

983

8. Notre Dame College

Cleveland, OH • Private

Admissions rate

90%

SAT average

994

9. Holy Names University

Oakland, CA • Private

Admissions rate

70%

SAT average

849

10. Ursuline College

Pepper Pike, OH • Private

Admissions rate

90%

SAT average

1,102

Average store manager and buyer salary by education level

According to our data, store managers and buyer with a Master's degree earn the highest average salary, at $79,451 annually. Store managers and buyer with a Bachelor's degree earn an average annual salary of $79,038.

Store manager and buyer education level	Store manager and buyer salary
Master's Degree	$79,451
High School Diploma or Less	$63,927
Bachelor's Degree	$79,038
Some College/ Associate Degree	$64,116

Store manager and buyer education FAQs

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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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