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Studio manager education requirements
Updated January 8, 2025
4 min read
There are several educational requirements to become a studio manager. Studio managers usually study photography, fine arts, or business. 60% of studio managers hold a bachelor's degree, and 18% hold an associate degree. We analyzed 9,311 real studio manager resumes to see exactly what studio manager education sections show.
The most common colleges for studio managers are the School of Visual Arts and the School of Visual Arts.
There are also many online studio manager courses to help get the education required to be a studio manager.
There are certain studio manager certifications that you should consider. These studio manager certifications include Certified Management Accountant (CMA) and Certified Sales Professional (CSP).
What education do you need to become a studio manager?
What degree do you need to be a studio manager?
- Bachelor's, 60%
- Associate, 18%
- High School Diploma, 11%
- Master's, 6%
- Other Degrees, 5%
What should I major in to become a studio manager?
- Photography, 16%
- Fine Arts, 13%
- Business, 13%
- Graphic Design, 12%
- Other Majors, 46%
Most common colleges for studio managers
| Studio manager common college | Percentages |
|---|---|
| School of Visual Arts | 10.28% |
| New York University | 9.19% |
| University of Phoenix | 8.57% |
| Rochester Institute of Technology | 7.79% |
| Fashion Institute of Technology | 6.85% |
Best majors for studio managers
| Rank | Major | Percentages |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Photography | 16.1% |
| 2 | Fine Arts | 12.8% |
| 3 | Business | 12.7% |
| 4 | Graphic Design | 11.7% |
| 5 | Communication | 8.8% |
Best colleges for studio managers
The best colleges for studio managers are Northwestern University, University of Pennsylvania, and Carnegie Mellon University.
A studio 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 studio 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 studio managers.
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. University of Texas at Austin
Austin, TX • Private
In-state tuition
$10,610
Enrollment
40,329
5. New York University
New York, NY • Private
In-state tuition
$51,828
Enrollment
26,339
6. Northeastern University
Boston, MA • Private
In-state tuition
$51,522
Enrollment
13,760
7. Harvard University
Cambridge, MA • Private
In-state tuition
$50,420
Enrollment
7,582
8. Pennsylvania State University
University Park, PA • Private
In-state tuition
$18,454
Enrollment
40,108
9. Carnegie Mellon University
Pittsburgh, PA • Private
In-state tuition
$55,465
Enrollment
6,483
10. University of Washington
Seattle, WA • Private
In-state tuition
$11,207
Enrollment
30,905
20 best online courses for studio managers
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Top 10 most affordable universities for studio managers
The most affordable schools for studio managers are Baruch College of the City University of New York, university of florida, and florida state university.
If the best universities for studio 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 studio managers.
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. University of Florida
Gainesville, FL • Private
In-state tuition
$6,381
Cost of attendance
21,034
3. Florida State University
Tallahassee, FL • Private
In-state tuition
$5,656
Cost of attendance
21,623
4. Brigham Young University
Provo, UT • Private
In-state tuition
$5,620
Cost of attendance
18,136
5. California State University - Long Beach
Long Beach, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$6,798
Cost of attendance
18,306
6. University of South Florida
Tampa, FL • Private
In-state tuition
$6,410
Cost of attendance
20,456
7. Florida International University
Miami, FL • Private
In-state tuition
$6,556
Cost of attendance
19,434
8. USF St. Petersburg
St. Petersburg, FL • Private
In-state tuition
$5,821
Cost of attendance
19,849
9. Fashion Institute of Technology
New York, NY • Private
In-state tuition
$5,740
Cost of attendance
17,864
10. Queens College of the City University of New York
Queens, NY • Private
In-state tuition
$7,338
Cost of attendance
14,281
Top 10 hardest universities to get into for studio managers
The hardest universities for studio managers to get into are Northwestern University, University of Pennsylvania, and Carnegie Mellon University.
Some great schools for studio 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 studio 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
8%
SAT average
1,508
2. University of Pennsylvania
Philadelphia, PA • Private
Admissions rate
8%
SAT average
1,492
3. Carnegie Mellon University
Pittsburgh, PA • Private
Admissions rate
17%
SAT average
1,507
4. University of Southern California
Los Angeles, CA • Private
Admissions rate
13%
SAT average
1,445
5. Northeastern University
Boston, MA • Private
Admissions rate
19%
SAT average
1,466
6. Washington University in St Louis
Saint Louis, MO • Private
Admissions rate
15%
SAT average
1,506
7. New York University
New York, NY • Private
Admissions rate
20%
SAT average
1,419
8. Harvard University
Cambridge, MA • Private
Admissions rate
5%
SAT average
1,520
9. Boston University
Boston, MA • Private
Admissions rate
22%
SAT average
1,420
10. University of Chicago
Chicago, IL • Private
Admissions rate
7%
SAT average
1,520
Top 10 easy-to-apply-to universities for studio managers
The easiest schools for studio managers to get into are Mount Saint Mary's University, barry university, and notre dame de namur university.
Some schools are much easier to get into. If you want to start your career as a studio 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 studio managers.
1. Mount Saint Mary's University
Los Angeles, CA • Private
Admissions rate
84%
SAT average
1,031
2. Barry University
Miami, FL • Private
Admissions rate
91%
SAT average
1,006
3. Notre Dame de Namur University
Belmont, CA • Private
Admissions rate
82%
SAT average
983
4. Wayland Baptist University
Plainview, TX • Private
Admissions rate
98%
SAT average
1,003
5. University of the Incarnate Word
San Antonio, TX • Private
Admissions rate
88%
SAT average
1,044
6. Kean University
Union, NJ • Private
Admissions rate
86%
SAT average
991
7. Notre Dame College
Cleveland, OH • Private
Admissions rate
90%
SAT average
994
8. La Roche College
Pittsburgh, PA • Private
Admissions rate
99%
SAT average
1,008
9. Oklahoma Wesleyan University
Bartlesville, OK • Private
Admissions rate
68%
SAT average
964
10. Grand View University
Des Moines, IA • Private
Admissions rate
92%
SAT average
1,060
Average studio manager salary by education level
| Studio manager education level | Studio manager salary |
|---|---|
| Master's Degree | $99,518 |
| High School Diploma or Less | $62,464 |
| Bachelor's Degree | $81,728 |
| Doctorate Degree | $94,703 |
| Some College/ Associate Degree | $65,019 |
Studio manager education FAQs
Have more questions? See all answers to common executive management questions.
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Updated January 8, 2025
Updated January 8, 2025