Strategic sales manager education requirements

Updated January 8, 2025

4 min read

There are several educational requirements to become a strategic sales manager. Strategic sales managers usually study business, marketing, or communication. 78% of strategic sales managers hold a bachelor's degree, and 11% hold an master's degree. We analyzed 493 real strategic sales manager resumes to see exactly what strategic sales manager education sections show.

The most common colleges for strategic sales managers are the University of California - Davis and the University of California - Davis.

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

What education do you need to become a strategic sales manager?

What degree do you need to be a strategic sales manager?

The most common degree for strategic sales managers is bachelor's degree, with 78% of strategic sales managers earning that degree. The second and third most common degree levels are master's degree degree at 11% and master's degree degree at 7%.

Bachelor's, 78%

Master's, 11%

Associate, 7%

High School Diploma, 2%

Other Degrees, 2%

What should I major in to become a strategic sales manager?

You should major in business to become a strategic sales manager. 31% of strategic sales managers major in business. Other common majors for a strategic sales manager include marketing and communication.

Business, 31%

Marketing, 11%

Communication, 7%

Electrical Engineering, 6%

Other Majors, 45%

Most common colleges for strategic sales managers

Strategic sales managers often get their degrees at University of California - Davis, George Washington University, The, and Michigan State University. Here are the most common colleges for strategic sales managers in the US based on their resumes.

Strategic sales manager common college	Percentages
University of California - Davis	9.23%
George Washington University, The	7.69%
Michigan State University	6.15%
Pennsylvania State University	6.15%
University of Utah	6.15%

Show more common strategic sales manager colleges

Best majors for strategic sales managers

Rank	Major	Percentages
1	Business	31.0%
2	Marketing	10.6%
3	Communication	6.6%
4	Electrical Engineering	6.2%
5	Management	5.5%

Show more common strategic sales manager majors

Best colleges for strategic sales managers

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

A strategic sales 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 strategic sales 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 strategic sales managers.

1. University of Southern California

Los Angeles, CA • Private

In-state tuition

$56,225

Enrollment

19,548

2. University of Wisconsin - Madison

Madison, WI • Private

In-state tuition

$10,555

Enrollment

30,360

3. University of Pennsylvania

Philadelphia, PA • Private

In-state tuition

$55,584

Enrollment

10,764

4. University of Georgia

Athens, GA • Private

In-state tuition

$11,830

Enrollment

29,474

5. Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University

Blacksburg, VA • Private

In-state tuition

$13,620

Enrollment

27,730

6. Northwestern University

Evanston, IL • Private

In-state tuition

$54,568

Enrollment

8,451

7. Ohio State University

Columbus, OH • Private

In-state tuition

$10,726

Enrollment

45,769

8. University of Texas at Austin

Austin, TX • Private

In-state tuition

$10,610

Enrollment

40,329

9. University of Houston

Houston, TX • Private

In-state tuition

$8,913

Enrollment

37,291

10. SUNY at Binghamton

Vestal, NY • Private

In-state tuition

$9,808

Enrollment

13,990

20 best online courses for strategic sales managers

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20. Sales Fundamentals

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Top 10 most affordable universities for strategic sales managers

The most affordable schools for strategic sales managers are USF Sarasota-Manatee, university of florida, and university of south florida.

If the best universities for strategic sales 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 strategic sales managers.

1. USF Sarasota-Manatee

Sarasota, FL • Private

In-state tuition

$5,587

Cost of attendance

13,043

2. University of Florida

Gainesville, FL • Private

In-state tuition

$6,381

Cost of attendance

21,034

3. University of South Florida

Tampa, FL • Private

In-state tuition

$6,410

Cost of attendance

20,456

4. Brigham Young University

Provo, UT • Private

In-state tuition

$5,620

Cost of attendance

18,136

5. University of Puerto Rico - Mayaguez

Mayaguez, PR • Private

In-state tuition

$4,094

Cost of attendance

14,302

6. University of Houston - Victoria

Victoria, TX • Private

In-state tuition

$6,491

Cost of attendance

19,075

7. SUNY Farmingdale

Farmingdale, NY • Private

In-state tuition

$8,306

Cost of attendance

16,091

8. Florida State University

Tallahassee, FL • Private

In-state tuition

$5,656

Cost of attendance

21,623

9. USF St. Petersburg

St. Petersburg, FL • Private

In-state tuition

$5,821

Cost of attendance

19,849

10. Purdue University

West Lafayette, IN • Private

In-state tuition

$9,992

Cost of attendance

22,430

Top 10 hardest universities to get into for strategic sales managers

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

Some great schools for strategic sales 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 strategic sales 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. Johns Hopkins University

Baltimore, MD • Private

Admissions rate

11%

SAT average

1,513

6. Bentley University

Waltham, MA • Private

Admissions rate

43%

SAT average

1,338

7. George Washington University, The

Washington, DC • Private

Admissions rate

42%

SAT average

1,380

8. University of Texas at Austin

Austin, TX • Private

Admissions rate

39%

SAT average

1,367

9. SUNY at Binghamton

Vestal, NY • Private

Admissions rate

40%

SAT average

1,376

10. Boston University

Boston, MA • Private

Admissions rate

22%

SAT average

1,420

Top 10 easy-to-apply-to universities for strategic sales managers

The easiest schools for strategic sales managers to get into are Gwynedd Mercy University, mount saint mary's university, and oklahoma wesleyan university.

Some schools are much easier to get into. If you want to start your career as a strategic sales 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 strategic sales managers.

1. Gwynedd Mercy University

Gwynedd Valley, PA • Private

Admissions rate

92%

SAT average

1,031

2. Mount Saint Mary's University

Los Angeles, CA • Private

Admissions rate

84%

SAT average

1,031

3. Oklahoma Wesleyan University

Bartlesville, OK • Private

Admissions rate

68%

SAT average

964

4. Holy Names University

Oakland, CA • Private

Admissions rate

70%

SAT average

849

5. University of the Incarnate Word

San Antonio, TX • Private

Admissions rate

88%

SAT average

1,044

6. University of Baltimore

Baltimore, MD • Private

Admissions rate

78%

SAT average

1,020

7. D'Youville College

Buffalo, NY • Private

Admissions rate

100%

SAT average

1,072

8. Notre Dame College

Cleveland, OH • Private

Admissions rate

90%

SAT average

994

9. LIM College

New York, NY • Private

Admissions rate

83%

SAT average

1,061

10. Cardinal Stritch University

Milwaukee, WI • Private

Admissions rate

71%

SAT average

1,035

Average strategic sales manager salary by education level

Strategic sales managers with a Master's degree earn more than those without, at $148,516 annually. With a Doctorate degree, strategic sales managers earn a median annual income of $140,590 compared to $131,919 for strategic sales managers with an Bachelor's degree.

Strategic sales manager education level	Strategic sales manager salary
Master's Degree	$148,516
High School Diploma or Less	$101,719
Bachelor's Degree	$131,919
Doctorate Degree	$140,590
Some College/ Associate Degree	$101,642

Strategic sales manager education FAQs

What is the best college for Strategic Sales 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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