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Therapist and program manager education requirements
Updated January 8, 2025
4 min read
There are several educational requirements to become a therapist and program manager. Therapist and program managers usually study social work, psychology, or counseling psychology. 49% of therapist and program managers hold a master's degree, and 44% hold an bachelor's degree. We analyzed 1,727 real therapist and program manager resumes to see exactly what therapist and program manager education sections show.
The most common colleges for therapist and program managers are the Barry University and the Barry University.
There are also many online therapist and program manager courses to help get the education required to be a therapist and program manager.
What education do you need to become a therapist and program manager?
What degree do you need to be a therapist and program manager?
- Master's, 49%
- Bachelor's, 44%
- Associate, 4%
- Doctorate, 2%
- Other Degrees, 1%
What should I major in to become a therapist and program manager?
- Social Work, 23%
- Psychology, 22%
- Other Majors, 37%
Most common colleges for therapist and program managers
| Therapist and program manager common college | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Barry University | 7.62% |
| University of Houston | 7.14% |
| National University | 6.67% |
| University of North Texas | 6.67% |
| The University of Texas at Arlington | 6.67% |
Best majors for therapist and program managers
| Rank | Major | Percentages |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Social Work | 22.9% |
| 2 | Psychology | 22.3% |
| 3 | Counseling Psychology | 9.4% |
| 4 | School Counseling | 8.7% |
| 5 | Family Therapy | 5.2% |
Best colleges for therapist and program managers
The best colleges for therapist and program managers are Boston University, University of Pennsylvania, and Boston College.
A therapist and program 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 therapist and program 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 therapist and program managers.
1. Boston University
Boston, MA • Private
In-state tuition
$53,948
Enrollment
17,238
2. University of Pennsylvania
Philadelphia, PA • Private
In-state tuition
$55,584
Enrollment
10,764
3. University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
Chapel Hill, NC • Private
In-state tuition
$8,987
Enrollment
18,946
4. University of Southern California
Los Angeles, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$56,225
Enrollment
19,548
5. California State University - Long Beach
Long Beach, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$6,798
Enrollment
31,503
6. San Diego State University
San Diego, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$7,488
Enrollment
30,018
7. Boston College
Chestnut Hill, MA • Private
In-state tuition
$55,464
Enrollment
9,639
8. Florida State University
Tallahassee, FL • Private
In-state tuition
$5,656
Enrollment
32,072
9. Hunter College of the City University of New York
New York, NY • Private
In-state tuition
$7,182
Enrollment
16,205
10. University of Central Florida
Orlando, FL • Private
In-state tuition
$6,368
Enrollment
58,392
20 best online courses for therapist and program managers
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3. Dialectical Behavioral Therapy (DBT): The Complete Course
Dialectical Behavioral Therapy (DBT)...
4. Addiction & Mental Health (Dual Diagnosis) Integrative 12hrs
Substance Abuse & Mental Health Interventions: Drug & Alcohol Addiction & Mental Health - Integrative Holistic Approach...
5. Addiction Treatment: Clinical Skills for Healthcare Providers
This course is designed with a singular goal: to improve the care you provide to your patients with substance use disorders. By delving into a model case performed by actors, seven Yale instructors from various fields provide techniques to screen your patients for substance use disorder risk, diagnose patients to gauge the severity of their use, directly manage treatment plans, refer out to treatment services, and navigate the various conditions that may limit your patient’s access to treatment...
6. Fundamentals for Implementing a Hypertension Program
This course provides the fundamental knowledge necessary for program managers and implementors in a hypertension control program, especially in resource-limited settings. The course is interactive and includes useful tips relevant to different settings. The course should be also relevant to physicians, nurses, pharmacists, community health workers, and others who are interested in learning about hypertension diagnosis and management...
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10. CBT: Cognitive Behavioral Therapy For Therapists & Coaches
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11. Managing mental health issues in the workplace
Learn how to support your own mental health and wellbeing and that of your staff...
12. Dialectical Behaviour Therapy (DBT) - ACCREDITED CERTIFICATE
Counselling and psychology approaches, theoretical knowledge and practice for counsellors to be, work from home / online...
13. Program Management Course - Program Manager Essentials
In this Program Management course you will learn the essentials and more to become an effective Program Manager...
14. Program Management Fundamentals: The Essentials
In this course you will learn the essentials of program management. Become your bosses boss start this course today...
15. Crisis Intervention Seminar
The emphasis is on the development of fundamental clinical skills in the area of crisis intervention...
16. Introduction to Solution Focused Therapy
Learn Solution Focused Therapy To Empower Clients & Improve Outcomes Ideal For Social Workers, Coaches & Therapists...
17. Program Management Interview Course
Learn how to interview for program manager roles at tech companies...
18. Workplace Mental Health: A Manager's Ultimate Guide
How to manage mental health in the workplace to boost productivity and be the best boss!...
19. Introduction to CBT: Cognitive Behavioral Therapy
Online Counselling & Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) Training Course...
20. Technical Program Management
This is a course designed for individuals looking to learn about the Technical Program Management (TPM) discipline...
Top 10 most affordable universities for therapist and program managers
The most affordable schools for therapist and program managers are Baruch College of the City University of New York, hunter college of the city university of new york, and california state university - long beach.
If the best universities for therapist and program 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 therapist and program 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. Hunter College of the City University of New York
New York, NY • Private
In-state tuition
$7,182
Cost of attendance
13,998
3. California State University - Long Beach
Long Beach, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$6,798
Cost of attendance
18,306
4. Brigham Young University
Provo, UT • Private
In-state tuition
$5,620
Cost of attendance
18,136
5. Florida International University
Miami, FL • Private
In-state tuition
$6,556
Cost of attendance
19,434
6. California State University - Fullerton
Fullerton, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$6,886
Cost of attendance
17,645
7. Florida State University
Tallahassee, FL • Private
In-state tuition
$5,656
Cost of attendance
21,623
8. Minot State University
Minot, ND • Private
In-state tuition
$7,064
Cost of attendance
15,576
9. Brooklyn College of the City University of New York
Brooklyn, NY • Private
In-state tuition
$7,240
Cost of attendance
13,991
10. California State University - Dominguez Hills
Carson, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$6,942
Cost of attendance
14,469
Top 10 hardest universities to get into for therapist and program managers
The hardest universities for therapist and program managers to get into are Boston University, University of Pennsylvania, and Boston College.
Some great schools for therapist and program 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 therapist and program 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. Boston University
Boston, MA • Private
Admissions rate
22%
SAT average
1,420
2. University of Pennsylvania
Philadelphia, PA • Private
Admissions rate
8%
SAT average
1,492
3. Boston College
Chestnut Hill, MA • Private
Admissions rate
28%
SAT average
1,429
4. New York University
New York, NY • Private
Admissions rate
20%
SAT average
1,419
5. University of Southern California
Los Angeles, CA • Private
Admissions rate
13%
SAT average
1,445
6. Northwestern University
Evanston, IL • Private
Admissions rate
8%
SAT average
1,508
7. University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
Chapel Hill, NC • Private
Admissions rate
23%
SAT average
1,398
8. Fordham University
Bronx, NY • Private
Admissions rate
46%
SAT average
1,354
9. Johns Hopkins University
Baltimore, MD • Private
Admissions rate
11%
SAT average
1,513
10. University of Rochester
Rochester, NY • Private
Admissions rate
29%
SAT average
1,422
Top 10 easy-to-apply-to universities for therapist and program managers
The easiest schools for therapist and program managers to get into are Notre Dame de Namur University, mount saint mary's university, and kean university.
Some schools are much easier to get into. If you want to start your career as a therapist and program 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 therapist and program managers.
1. Notre Dame de Namur University
Belmont, CA • Private
Admissions rate
82%
SAT average
983
2. Mount Saint Mary's University
Los Angeles, CA • Private
Admissions rate
84%
SAT average
1,031
3. Kean University
Union, NJ • Private
Admissions rate
86%
SAT average
991
4. Barry University
Miami, FL • Private
Admissions rate
91%
SAT average
1,006
5. Nyack College
New York, NY • Private
Admissions rate
98%
SAT average
999
6. Texas Woman's University
Denton, TX • Private
Admissions rate
87%
SAT average
1,059
7. College of New Rochelle, The
New Rochelle, NY • Private
Admissions rate
83%
SAT average
982
8. Rosemont College
Rosemont, PA • Private
Admissions rate
89%
SAT average
1,026
9. Fresno Pacific University
Fresno, CA • Private
Admissions rate
85%
SAT average
1,053
10. Washington Adventist Hospital
Takoma Park, MD • Private
Admissions rate
52%
SAT average
958
Average therapist and program manager salary by education level
| Therapist and program manager education level | Therapist and program manager salary |
|---|---|
| Master's Degree | $62,810 |
| Bachelor's Degree | $49,150 |
Therapist and program manager education FAQs
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Updated January 8, 2025
Updated January 8, 2025