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Strategic account executive education requirements

Updated January 8, 2025
4 min read

There are several educational requirements to become a strategic account executive. Strategic account executives usually study business, marketing, or communication. 82% of strategic account executives hold a bachelor's degree, and 11% hold an master's degree. We analyzed 1,416 real strategic account executive resumes to see exactly what strategic account executive education sections show.

The most common colleges for strategic account executives are the University of Phoenix and the University of Phoenix.

There are also many online strategic account executive courses to help get the education required to be a strategic account executive.

There are certain strategic account executive certifications that you should consider. These strategic account executive certifications include Certified Sales Professional (CSP) and Professional Certified Marketer (PCM).

What education do you need to become a strategic account executive?

What degree do you need to be a strategic account executive?

The most common degree for strategic account executives is bachelor's degree, with 82% of strategic account executives earning that degree. The second and third most common degree levels are master's degree degree at 11% and master's degree degree at 5%.
  • Bachelor's, 82%
  • Master's, 11%
  • Associate, 5%
  • Diploma, 0%
  • Other Degrees, 2%

What should I major in to become a strategic account executive?

You should major in business to become a strategic account executive. 35% of strategic account executives major in business. Other common majors for a strategic account executive include marketing and communication.

Most common colleges for strategic account executives

Strategic account executives often get their degrees at University of Phoenix, Michigan State University, and Pennsylvania State University. Here are the most common colleges for strategic account executives in the US based on their resumes.
Strategic account executive common collegePercentages
University of Phoenix8.65%
Michigan State University6.49%
Pennsylvania State University6.49%
Northern Illinois University5.95%
Northeastern University5.95%

Best majors for strategic account executives

RankMajorPercentages
1Business35.4%
2Marketing12.0%
3Communication8.3%
4Management5.0%
5Psychology4.9%

Best colleges for strategic account executives

The best colleges for strategic account executives are Northwestern University, University of Pennsylvania, and Stanford University.

A strategic account executive with advanced education typically earns a higher salary and has access to better jobs. That's why Zippia looked into the best colleges for strategic account executives. 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 strategic account executives.

1. University of Pennsylvania

Philadelphia, PA • Private

In-state tuition

$55,584

Enrollment

10,764

2. Northwestern University

Evanston, IL • Private

In-state tuition

$54,568

Enrollment

8,451

3. University of Southern California

Los Angeles, CA • Private

In-state tuition

$56,225

Enrollment

19,548

4. SUNY at Binghamton

Vestal, NY • Private

In-state tuition

$9,808

Enrollment

13,990

5. Villanova University

Villanova, PA • Private

In-state tuition

$53,308

Enrollment

6,819

6. San Diego State University

San Diego, CA • Private

In-state tuition

$7,488

Enrollment

30,018

7. Bentley University

Waltham, MA • Private

In-state tuition

$49,880

Enrollment

4,177

8. Boston University

Boston, MA • Private

In-state tuition

$53,948

Enrollment

17,238

9. SUNY Stony Brook

Stony Brook, NY • Private

In-state tuition

$9,625

Enrollment

17,407

10. Worcester Polytechnic Institute

Worcester, MA • Private

In-state tuition

$50,530

Enrollment

4,571

20 best online courses for strategic account executives

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Top 10 most affordable universities for strategic account executives

The most affordable schools for strategic account executives are SUNY Farmingdale, usf sarasota-manatee, and california state university - dominguez hills.

If the best universities for strategic account executives 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 strategic account executives.

1. SUNY Farmingdale

Farmingdale, NY • Private

In-state tuition

$8,306

Cost of attendance

16,091

2. USF Sarasota-Manatee

Sarasota, FL • Private

In-state tuition

$5,587

Cost of attendance

13,043

3. California State University - Dominguez Hills

Carson, CA • Private

In-state tuition

$6,942

Cost of attendance

14,469

4. Brigham Young University

Provo, UT • Private

In-state tuition

$5,620

Cost of attendance

18,136

5. California State University - Bakersfield

Bakersfield, CA • Private

In-state tuition

$7,309

Cost of attendance

16,714

6. University of Florida

Gainesville, FL • Private

In-state tuition

$6,381

Cost of attendance

21,034

7. Minot State University

Minot, ND • Private

In-state tuition

$7,064

Cost of attendance

15,576

8. Florida International University

Miami, FL • Private

In-state tuition

$6,556

Cost of attendance

19,434

9. University of Puerto Rico - Mayaguez

Mayaguez, PR • Private

In-state tuition

$4,094

Cost of attendance

14,302

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 strategic account executives

The hardest universities for strategic account executives to get into are Northwestern University, University of Pennsylvania, and Stanford University.

Some great schools for strategic account executives 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 strategic account executives 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

8%

SAT average

1,508

2. University of Pennsylvania

Philadelphia, PA • Private

Admissions rate

8%

SAT average

1,492

3. Stanford University

Stanford, CA • Private

Admissions rate

4%

SAT average

1,497

4. Boston University

Boston, MA • Private

Admissions rate

22%

SAT average

1,420

5. University of Southern California

Los Angeles, CA • Private

Admissions rate

13%

SAT average

1,445

6. Villanova University

Villanova, PA • Private

Admissions rate

29%

SAT average

1,407

7. Vanderbilt University

Nashville, TN • Private

Admissions rate

10%

SAT average

1,514

8. Bentley University

Waltham, MA • Private

Admissions rate

43%

SAT average

1,338

9. George Washington University, The

Washington, DC • Private

Admissions rate

42%

SAT average

1,380

10. SUNY at Binghamton

Vestal, NY • Private

Admissions rate

40%

SAT average

1,376

Top 10 easy-to-apply-to universities for strategic account executives

The easiest schools for strategic account executives to get into are Oklahoma Wesleyan University, holy names university, and gwynedd mercy university.

Some schools are much easier to get into. If you want to start your career as a strategic account executive 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 strategic account executives.

1. Oklahoma Wesleyan University

Bartlesville, OK • Private

Admissions rate

68%

SAT average

964

2. Holy Names University

Oakland, CA • Private

Admissions rate

70%

SAT average

849

3. Gwynedd Mercy University

Gwynedd Valley, PA • Private

Admissions rate

92%

SAT average

1,031

4. Notre Dame College

Cleveland, OH • Private

Admissions rate

90%

SAT average

994

5. Mount Saint Mary's University

Los Angeles, CA • Private

Admissions rate

84%

SAT average

1,031

6. Barry University

Miami, FL • Private

Admissions rate

91%

SAT average

1,006

7. Felician University

Lodi, NJ • Private

Admissions rate

81%

SAT average

999

8. LIM College

New York, NY • Private

Admissions rate

83%

SAT average

1,061

9. Manor College

Jenkintown, PA • Private

Admissions rate

94%

SAT average

898

10. La Roche College

Pittsburgh, PA • Private

Admissions rate

99%

SAT average

1,008

Average strategic account executive salary by education level

Strategic account executives with a Master's degree earn more than those without, at $147,865 annually. With a Doctorate degree, strategic account executives earn a median annual income of $138,779 compared to $133,952 for strategic account executives with an Bachelor's degree.
Strategic account executive education levelStrategic account executive salary
Master's Degree$147,865
High School Diploma or Less$102,651
Bachelor's Degree$133,952
Doctorate Degree$138,779
Some College/ Associate Degree$105,178

Strategic account executive education FAQs

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Updated January 8, 2025

Zippia Research Team
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.