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Strategic planner education requirements
Updated January 8, 2025
4 min read
There are several educational requirements to become a strategic planner. Strategic planners usually study business, marketing, or management. 69% of strategic planners hold a bachelor's degree, and 24% hold an master's degree. We analyzed 1,643 real strategic planner resumes to see exactly what strategic planner education sections show.
The most common colleges for strategic planners are the American University and the American University.
There are also many online strategic planner courses to help get the education required to be a strategic planner.
There are certain strategic planner certifications that you should consider. These strategic planner certifications include Project Management Professional (PMP) and Six Sigma Green Belt.
What education do you need to become a strategic planner?
What degree do you need to be a strategic planner?
- Bachelor's, 69%
- Master's, 24%
- Associate, 4%
- Doctorate, 2%
- Other Degrees, 1%
What should I major in to become a strategic planner?
- Business, 23%
- Marketing, 9%
- Management, 7%
- Communication, 7%
- Other Majors, 54%
Most common colleges for strategic planners
| Strategic planner common college | Percentages |
|---|---|
| American University | 8.02% |
| Michigan State University | 6.42% |
| Purdue University | 6.42% |
| Naval Postgraduate School | 6.42% |
| Virginia Commonwealth University | 5.88% |
Best majors for strategic planners
| Rank | Major | Percentages |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Business | 23.1% |
| 2 | Marketing | 9.0% |
| 3 | Management | 6.6% |
| 4 | Communication | 6.6% |
| 5 | Psychology | 6.1% |
Best colleges for strategic planners
The best colleges for strategic planners are Northwestern University, University of Southern California, and University of Pennsylvania.
A strategic planner 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 planners. 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 planners.
1. University of Georgia
Athens, GA • Private
In-state tuition
$11,830
Enrollment
29,474
2. University of Wisconsin - Madison
Madison, WI • Private
In-state tuition
$10,555
Enrollment
30,360
3. University of Minnesota - Twin Cities
Minneapolis, MN • Private
In-state tuition
$14,760
Enrollment
31,451
4. Purdue University
West Lafayette, IN • Private
In-state tuition
$9,992
Enrollment
33,495
5. Howard University
Washington, DC • Private
In-state tuition
$26,756
Enrollment
6,166
6. Ohio State University
Columbus, OH • Private
In-state tuition
$10,726
Enrollment
45,769
7. University of Texas at Austin
Austin, TX • Private
In-state tuition
$10,610
Enrollment
40,329
8. University of Southern California
Los Angeles, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$56,225
Enrollment
19,548
9. University of Pennsylvania
Philadelphia, PA • Private
In-state tuition
$55,584
Enrollment
10,764
10. SUNY at Binghamton
Vestal, NY • Private
In-state tuition
$9,808
Enrollment
13,990
20 best online courses for strategic planners
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Learn to apply predictive analytics and business intelligence to solve real-world business problems...
4. Marketing Analytics
Gain an in-depth understanding of Google Analytics and marketing analytics. Analyze data and build models with Excel, Data Studio, and create informative data visualizations with Tableau...
5. Strategic Technology Management
The success of modern companies depends critically on their manager’s ability to generate strategic innovationwhich leverages technological and market changes. A key part of the equation is delivering new products that deliver exceptional customer value. Another essential element is implementing innovation initiatives effectively. The Strategic Technology Management specialization is targeted towards aspiring managers, managers at all levels, and entrepreneurs who lookto gaina well-rounded...
6. Blockchain in Financial Services: Strategic Action Plan
In this fourth and final course of the specialization, you will synthesize your learning into a Strategic Action Plan. The goals of this course are twofold: One, it’s for you to identify a specific need or problem within the financial services industry that can potentially be solved using blockchain technology. Two, it’s for you to investigate possible solutions to this problem, and to develop a strategic plan for how these solutions might be executed. You will accomplish different project...
7. Strategic Planning Skills
Strategic Planning Skills...
8. Strategic Planning Basics for Human Resources
Learn to collaborate with your organizational leaders on the development and implementation of a strategic plan...
9. Product Manager
Envision and lead the product strategy of industry-defining products, and learn to successfully bring them to market. Influence the execution of product development as a Product Manager, one of the most highly-coveted roles in technology...
10. Data Product Manager
Leverage data to build products that deliver the right experiences, to the right users, at the right time. Lead the development of data-driven products that position businesses to win in their market...
11. Strategic Management
The world of business strategy is in transition. What used to work doesn't anymore -- not necessarily. This course prepares you to think strategically in an age when companies like Apple, Google, and Microsoft have become more valuable (in market cap terms) than companies like Exxon. Today, business value and competitive advantage arise more often from consumer perceptions of what is "cool" than from physical assets or economies of scale. In this course -- the first of a three-course...
12. Strategic Leadership and Management
Through this 6-course Specialization in Strategic Leadership and Management, you will learn the fundamentals of effectively leading people, teams, and organizations and develop tools to analyze business situations. In addition to building a conceptual framework for leadership, learners will develop and practice strategies for immediate impact. The Specialization covers the strategic, human resource, and organizational foundations for creating and capturing value for sustainable competitive...
13. How to Write the Ultimate 1 Page Strategic Business Plan
Learn to Write a 1 Page Strategic Plan That Will Easily Bring You a 6 - 7 Figure Income & Guaranteed Business Success...
14. HR as a Strategic Business Partner
Better understand your value and role as a strategic business partner...
15. Digital Marketing
Gain real-world experience running live campaigns as you learn from top experts in the field. Launch your career with a 360-degree understanding of digital marketing...
16. AI for Business Leaders
Master the foundations of artificial intelligence so you can strategically implement AI in your company. Leverage machine learning technologies to power corporate growth, increase efficiency, and enhance customer experiences...
17. Strategic Business Analytics
This specialization is designed for students, business analysts, and data scientists who want to apply statistical knowledge and techniques to business contexts. We recommend that you have some background in statistics, R or another programming language, and familiarity with databases and data analysis techniques such as regression, classification, and clustering.We’ll cover a wide variety of analytics approaches in different industry domains. You’ll engage in hands-on case studies in real...
18. Strategic Management - Capstone Project
In this capstone project course, we revisit the strategy controversy at e-Types, introduced in the first course in this specialization, Strategic Management, and further analysed in each of the subsequent courses, Strategy Formulation and Strategy Implementation. After revealing, examining, and analyzing what happened at e-Types, we turn to a new set of strategy cases that range in terms of company size, geography, and focus. For your final project, we ask YOU to apply everything you have...
19. Being Strategic: Thinking and Acting with Impact
Make yourself indispensable; learn the fundamentals of strategy and focus on your company's most strategic opportunities...
20. Strategic HR in Modern Times
Apply strategic thinking to managing the HR function through employees' life-cycle before, during and after employment...
Top 10 most affordable universities for strategic planners
The most affordable schools for strategic planners are University of Florida, fashion institute of technology, and suny farmingdale.
If the best universities for strategic planners 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 planners.
1. University of Florida
Gainesville, FL • Private
In-state tuition
$6,381
Cost of attendance
21,034
2. Fashion Institute of Technology
New York, NY • Private
In-state tuition
$5,740
Cost of attendance
17,864
3. SUNY Farmingdale
Farmingdale, NY • Private
In-state tuition
$8,306
Cost of attendance
16,091
4. USF Sarasota-Manatee
Sarasota, FL • Private
In-state tuition
$5,587
Cost of attendance
13,043
5. Florida State University
Tallahassee, FL • Private
In-state tuition
$5,656
Cost of attendance
21,623
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. Purdue University
West Lafayette, IN • Private
In-state tuition
$9,992
Cost of attendance
22,430
9. California State University - Fresno
Fresno, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$6,587
Cost of attendance
16,915
10. Brigham Young University
Provo, UT • Private
In-state tuition
$5,620
Cost of attendance
18,136
Top 10 hardest universities to get into for strategic planners
The hardest universities for strategic planners to get into are Northwestern University, University of Southern California, and University of Pennsylvania.
Some great schools for strategic planners 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 planners 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 Southern California
Los Angeles, CA • Private
Admissions rate
13%
SAT average
1,445
3. University of Pennsylvania
Philadelphia, PA • Private
Admissions rate
8%
SAT average
1,492
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. University of Texas at Austin
Austin, TX • Private
Admissions rate
39%
SAT average
1,367
7. Stanford University
Stanford, CA • Private
Admissions rate
4%
SAT average
1,497
8. SUNY at Binghamton
Vestal, NY • Private
Admissions rate
40%
SAT average
1,376
9. Villanova University
Villanova, PA • Private
Admissions rate
29%
SAT average
1,407
10. University of Maryland - College Park
College Park, MD • Private
Admissions rate
47%
SAT average
1,390
Top 10 easy-to-apply-to universities for strategic planners
The easiest schools for strategic planners to get into are Oklahoma Wesleyan University, university of the incarnate word, and d'youville college.
Some schools are much easier to get into. If you want to start your career as a strategic planner 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 planners.
1. Oklahoma Wesleyan University
Bartlesville, OK • Private
Admissions rate
68%
SAT average
964
2. University of the Incarnate Word
San Antonio, TX • Private
Admissions rate
88%
SAT average
1,044
3. D'Youville College
Buffalo, NY • Private
Admissions rate
100%
SAT average
1,072
4. LIM College
New York, NY • Private
Admissions rate
83%
SAT average
1,061
5. Holy Names University
Oakland, CA • Private
Admissions rate
70%
SAT average
849
6. Notre Dame College
Cleveland, OH • Private
Admissions rate
90%
SAT average
994
7. Gwynedd Mercy University
Gwynedd Valley, PA • Private
Admissions rate
92%
SAT average
1,031
8. Mount Saint Mary's University
Los Angeles, CA • Private
Admissions rate
84%
SAT average
1,031
9. Barry University
Miami, FL • Private
Admissions rate
91%
SAT average
1,006
10. Felician University
Lodi, NJ • Private
Admissions rate
81%
SAT average
999
Average strategic planner salary by education level
| Strategic planner education level | Strategic planner salary |
|---|---|
| Master's Degree | $102,987 |
| Bachelor's Degree | $91,769 |
| Doctorate Degree | $107,268 |
Strategic planner education FAQs
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Updated January 8, 2025
Updated January 8, 2025