Trustee education requirements

Updated January 8, 2025

4 min read

There are several educational requirements to become a trustee. Trustees usually study business, accounting, or political science. 59% of trustees hold a bachelor's degree, and 15% hold an associate degree. We analyzed 3,119 real trustee resumes to see exactly what trustee education sections show.

The most common colleges for trustees are the University of Phoenix and the University of Phoenix.

There are also many online trustee courses to help get the education required to be a trustee.

There are certain trustee certifications that you should consider. These trustee certifications include Certified Management Accountant (CMA) and Certified Planning Engineer (CPE).

What education do you need to become a trustee?

What degree do you need to be a trustee?

The most common degree for trustees is bachelor's degree, with 59% of trustees earning that degree. The second and third most common degree levels are associate degree degree at 15% and associate degree degree at 11%.

Bachelor's, 59%

Associate, 15%

Master's, 11%

Doctorate, 6%

Other Degrees, 9%

What should I major in to become a trustee?

You should major in business to become a trustee. 24% of trustees major in business. Other common majors for a trustee include accounting and political science.

Business, 24%

Accounting, 8%

Political Science, 8%

Law, 7%

Other Majors, 53%

Most common colleges for trustees

Trustees often get their degrees at University of Phoenix, Pennsylvania State University, and Kent State University. Here are the most common colleges for trustees in the US based on their resumes.

Trustee common college	Percentages
University of Phoenix	11.83%
Pennsylvania State University	8.40%
Kent State University	6.11%
University of California, Santa Barbara	6.11%
Michigan State University	5.73%

Show more common trustee colleges

Best majors for trustees

Rank	Major	Percentages
1	Business	24.0%
2	Accounting	8.5%
3	Political Science	8.0%
4	Law	6.7%
5	Psychology	6.3%

Show more common trustee majors

Best colleges for trustees

The best colleges for trustees are Northwestern University, University of Pennsylvania, and Harvard University.

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

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. Harvard University

Cambridge, MA • Private

In-state tuition

$50,420

Enrollment

7,582

4. Pennsylvania State University

University Park, PA • Private

In-state tuition

$18,454

Enrollment

40,108

5. University of Washington

Seattle, WA • Private

In-state tuition

$11,207

Enrollment

30,905

6. New York University

New York, NY • Private

In-state tuition

$51,828

Enrollment

26,339

7. University of Southern California

Los Angeles, CA • Private

In-state tuition

$56,225

Enrollment

19,548

8. University of Michigan - Ann Arbor

Ann Arbor, MI • Private

In-state tuition

$15,262

Enrollment

30,079

9. University of North Texas

Denton, TX • Private

In-state tuition

$10,852

Enrollment

31,375

10. Columbia University in the City of New York

New York, NY • Private

In-state tuition

$59,430

Enrollment

8,216

20 best online courses for trustees

Advertising disclosure

1. Real Estate Asset Management 101

4.6

(1,625)

Real Estate Asset Management Training From Acquisition, To Ownership, Through Sale For Profitable Real Estate Investing...

2. Audit - Financial Statement

4.4

(2,545)

Master the Art of Auditing Financial Statements: In-Depth Analysis, Techniques, and Real-World Case Studies...

3. The Advanced Real Estate Financial Modeling Bootcamp

4.8

(1,270)

The Complete Guide To Advanced Real Estate Financial Modeling For Real Estate Investment Professionals...

4. Managing Difficult Meeting Participants

4.2

(639)

Dealing with Negativism and Other Difficult Behaviors of Meeting Participants...

5. Financial Statement Analysis

4.7

(255)

Learn how to make understanding financial statements your superpower!...

6. The Real Estate Financial Modeling Bootcamp

4.8

(8,299)

The Complete A to Z Guide to Modeling Real Estate Transactions in Microsoft Excel For Smarter Real Estate Investing...

7. IT Project Budget & Cost Management

4.4

(290)

Project Management tips to manage a million dollar IT Project budget from start to finish...

8. Financial Statement Auditing Cycles

4.3

(251)

In this course, we learn how public accountants plan and execute an audit...

9. Project Kickoff Meetings: How to Lead them Effectively

4.7

(973)

Learn how to start your projects the right way using a simple, step-by-step plan...

10. Make Meetings Work & Tackle Time Management Troubles

4.5

(19,644)

Manage your time and conduct the best meeting possible with these techniques and goals...

11. Leading Effective Meetings - You Can Lead Effective Meetings

4.4

(1,157)

Learn How to Plan Effective Meetings, Run Effective Meetings and Generate Results After Your Meetings...

12. Property Management 101

4.4

(773)

Learn the basics of managing rental property and becoming a landlord...

13. The Real Estate Financial Modeling Interview Exam Guide

4.9

(873)

How To Ace Your Real Estate Financial Modeling Interview Exam For Real Estate Investing Careers...

14. Project Management Master Class: Government Projects

4.4

(350)

Learn How To Win Big By Always Successfully Completing Government Projects Using Ninja Project Management Techniques...

15. Financial Accounting-Adjusting Entries & Financial Statement

4.6

(930)

Master Adjusting Entries & Financial Statements: A Comprehensive Guide for Accurate Accounting and Reporting...

16. Real Estate Acquisitions 101

4.7

(1,176)

How To Identify Commercial Properties, Run Due Diligence, Raise Capital, and Close Commercial Real Estate Transactions...

17. Real Estate Investing: Foreclosures, Flipping Houses Profits

4.2

(307)

How to Start Your Real Estate Investing Business the Right Way! Follow Jay Conner's Proven Systems and Success Formulas...

18. Minute Taking at Meetings

4.4

(5,774)

Minute Taking: making the taking of notes/minutes at formal and informal meetings easier...

19. Brief Intro to Commercial Real Estate

4.5

(2,331)

Learn the essential fundamentals of commercial real estate...

20. How to Read Financial Statements: Build Financial Literacy.

4.5

(811)

Read financial statements and speak the language of business without the drudgery of a traditional accounting course...

Top 10 most affordable universities for trustees

The most affordable schools for trustees are Hunter College of the City University of New York, california state university - bakersfield, and california state university - fullerton.

If the best universities for trustees 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 trustees.

1. Hunter College of the City University of New York

New York, NY • Private

In-state tuition

$7,182

Cost of attendance

13,998

2. California State University - Bakersfield

Bakersfield, CA • Private

In-state tuition

$7,309

Cost of attendance

16,714

3. California State University - Fullerton

Fullerton, CA • Private

In-state tuition

$6,886

Cost of attendance

17,645

4. California State University - Dominguez Hills

Carson, CA • Private

In-state tuition

$6,942

Cost of attendance

14,469

5. Florida State University

Tallahassee, FL • Private

In-state tuition

$5,656

Cost of attendance

21,623

6. Brigham Young University

Provo, UT • Private

In-state tuition

$5,620

Cost of attendance

18,136

7. Baruch College of the City University of New York

New York, NY • Private

In-state tuition

$7,262

Cost of attendance

14,046

8. University of South Florida

Tampa, FL • Private

In-state tuition

$6,410

Cost of attendance

20,456

9. Florida International University

Miami, FL • Private

In-state tuition

$6,556

Cost of attendance

19,434

10. California State University - Long Beach

Long Beach, CA • Private

In-state tuition

$6,798

Cost of attendance

18,306

Top 10 hardest universities to get into for trustees

The hardest universities for trustees to get into are Northwestern University, University of Pennsylvania, and Harvard University.

Some great schools for trustees 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 trustees 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. Harvard University

Cambridge, MA • Private

Admissions rate

SAT average

1,520

4. Columbia University in the City of New York

New York, NY • Private

Admissions rate

SAT average

1,512

5. New York University

New York, NY • Private

Admissions rate

20%

SAT average

1,419

6. University of Southern California

Los Angeles, CA • Private

Admissions rate

13%

SAT average

1,445

7. Northeastern University

Boston, MA • Private

Admissions rate

19%

SAT average

1,466

8. Johns Hopkins University

Baltimore, MD • Private

Admissions rate

11%

SAT average

1,513

9. Boston University

Boston, MA • Private

Admissions rate

22%

SAT average

1,420

10. University of Michigan - Ann Arbor

Ann Arbor, MI • Private

Admissions rate

23%

SAT average

1,434

Top 10 easy-to-apply-to universities for trustees

The easiest schools for trustees 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 trustee 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 trustees.

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. University of North Texas at Dallas

Dallas, TX • Private

Admissions rate

83%

SAT average

992

5. Wayland Baptist University

Plainview, TX • Private

Admissions rate

98%

SAT average

1,003

6. Gwynedd Mercy University

Gwynedd Valley, PA • Private

Admissions rate

92%

SAT average

1,031

7. Holy Names University

Oakland, CA • Private

Admissions rate

70%

SAT average

849

8. University of Baltimore

Baltimore, MD • Private

Admissions rate

78%

SAT average

1,020

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 trustee salary by education level

According to our data, trustees with a Doctorate degree earn the highest average salary, at $136,047 annually. Trustees with a Master's degree earn an average annual salary of $124,174.

Trustee education level	Trustee salary
Master's Degree	$124,174
Bachelor's Degree	$99,367
Doctorate Degree	$136,047

Trustee education FAQs

What is the best college for Trustees?

Have more questions? See all answers to common executive management questions.

Search for trustee jobs

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

Browse executive management jobs