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Vice president, business development education requirements

Updated January 8, 2025
4 min read

There are several educational requirements to become a vice president, business development. Vice presidents, business development usually study business, marketing, or finance. 73% of vice presidents, business development hold a bachelor's degree, and 19% hold an master's degree. We analyzed 18,982 real vice president, business development resumes to see exactly what vice president, business development education sections show.

The most common colleges for vice presidents, business development are the University of Phoenix and the University of Phoenix.

There are also many online vice president, business development courses to help get the education required to be a vice president, business development.

There are certain vice president, business development certifications that you should consider. These vice president, business development certifications include Certified Sales Professional (CSP) and Sales Management.

What education do you need to become a vice president, business development?

What degree do you need to be a vice president, business development?

The most common degree for vice presidents, business development is bachelor's degree, with 73% of vice presidents, business development earning that degree. The second and third most common degree levels are master's degree degree at 19% and master's degree degree at 5%.
  • Bachelor's, 73%
  • Master's, 19%
  • Associate, 5%
  • Doctorate, 2%
  • Other Degrees, 1%

What should I major in to become a vice president, business development?

You should major in business to become a vice president, business development. 33% of vice presidents, business development major in business. Other common majors for a vice president, business development include marketing and finance.

Most common colleges for vice presidents, business development

Vice presidents, business development often get their degrees at University of Phoenix, University of Maryland - College Park, and New York University. Here are the most common colleges for vice presidents, business development in the US based on their resumes.
Vice president, business development common collegePercentages
University of Phoenix7.98%
University of Maryland - College Park7.25%
New York University6.69%
Northeastern University5.45%
Arizona State University5.22%

Best majors for vice presidents, business development

RankMajorPercentages
1Business33.1%
2Marketing9.7%
3Finance9.0%
4Political Science5.5%
5Economics5.2%

Best colleges for vice presidents, business development

The best colleges for vice presidents, business development are Northwestern University, University of Pennsylvania, and University of Southern California.

A vice president, business development with advanced education typically earns a higher salary and has access to better jobs. That's why Zippia looked into the best colleges for vice presidents, business development. 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 vice presidents, business development.

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. SUNY at Binghamton

Vestal, NY • Private

In-state tuition

$9,808

Enrollment

13,990

6. Northeastern University

Boston, MA • Private

In-state tuition

$51,522

Enrollment

13,760

7. Bentley University

Waltham, MA • Private

In-state tuition

$49,880

Enrollment

4,177

8. George Washington University, The

Washington, DC • Private

In-state tuition

$55,230

Enrollment

12,161

9. Lehigh University

Bethlehem, PA • Private

In-state tuition

$52,930

Enrollment

5,030

10. Pennsylvania State University

University Park, PA • Private

In-state tuition

$18,454

Enrollment

40,108

20 best online courses for vice presidents, business development

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1. Predictive Analytics for Business

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2. AI for Business Leaders

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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...

3. Business Mind - Mastering Business Development

udemy
4.4
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Master in Practice the Product, Sales and Marketing Perspective of Business Development...

4. Business Strategy Development: The Art of Differentiation

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4.5
(3,084)

Learn 3 key business strategy tools. Improve your business innovation skills and drive profitable business development...

5. Sales Fire: B2B Sales & Business Development for Startups

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4.6
(584)

The Ultimate Sales Methodology for Business Development & B2B Sales to Learn Sales Strategy, Sales Skills & Deal Closing...

6. Business Communication Skills: Handling Clients & Customers

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4.4
(1,161)

Soft Skills Training Social Skills Business Etiquette Business English Customer Service Training...

7. Business Development & B2B Sales for Startups- Sales Valley

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4.5
(6,788)

The Complete Startup Playbook for Business Development & B2B Sales to learn Lead Generation, Pitching, & Closing Deals...

8. Start Improving Customer Service

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4.8
(2,040)

Creating a Customer Service advantage in Your department or business through communication and Customer Management...

9. Customer Service: 6 Keys To Exceptional Customer Service

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4.6
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Master Customer Satisfaction & Astonish Your Customers With A+ Customer Service...

10. Customer Service, Customer Support, And Customer Experience

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4.6
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Customer service, customer support, and customer experience training. Loyal clients through world-class customer service...

11. Customer Service Fundamentals: Putting People First

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Customer Care Listening Great Customer Service Concern for Others Company Culture Engaging People Responding...

12. Business Development For Startups and Tech Companies

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4.4
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Unlock massive growth using the business development channel. Learn pitching, BD strategy, cold emailing, & deal closing...

13. Customer Service Mastery: Delight Every Customer

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Master Customer Service using this practical customer care course...

14. Customer Service

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4.6
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How to Approach New Customers and Maintain Existing Ones...

15. CRM: Customer Relationship Management

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4.4
(1,546)

Practical Ideas To Generate Sales, Loyalty And Repeat Business Fast...

16. The Ultimate Guide to Startup Business Development

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4.3
(1,007)

Learn and master the function of business development in this practical, actionable, and content-rich training course...

17. A Business Manager's Complete Guide to SalesForce CRM

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4.6
(892)

Improve collaboration, elevate proficiency and facilitate more productive business relationships in your organization...

18. Customer Service & Support For Customer Service Executives

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4.5
(941)

Learn Customer Service Skills & Provide Excellent Customer Support, Customer Experience & How To Manage Upset Customers...

19. Outstanding Customer Service - The Ultimate Guide!

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4.5
(292)

Unlocking the Powerful Secrets of OUTSTANDING Customer Service - Transform Your Business!...

20. Customer Service: How to sell more without advertising

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4.5
(1,122)

Learn how to create a customer experience that earns you customer loyalty and creates word of mouth advertising...

Top 10 most affordable universities for vice presidents, business development

The most affordable schools for vice presidents, business development are Baruch College of the City University of New York, university of florida, and brigham young university.

If the best universities for vice presidents, business development 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 vice presidents, business development.

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. Brigham Young University

Provo, UT • Private

In-state tuition

$5,620

Cost of attendance

18,136

4. USF Sarasota-Manatee

Sarasota, FL • Private

In-state tuition

$5,587

Cost of attendance

13,043

5. California State University - Fullerton

Fullerton, CA • Private

In-state tuition

$6,886

Cost of attendance

17,645

6. University of South Florida

Tampa, FL • Private

In-state tuition

$6,410

Cost of attendance

20,456

7. Florida State University

Tallahassee, FL • Private

In-state tuition

$5,656

Cost of attendance

21,623

8. USF St. Petersburg

St. Petersburg, FL • Private

In-state tuition

$5,821

Cost of attendance

19,849

9. SUNY Farmingdale

Farmingdale, NY • Private

In-state tuition

$8,306

Cost of attendance

16,091

10. University of Houston - Victoria

Victoria, TX • Private

In-state tuition

$6,491

Cost of attendance

19,075

Top 10 hardest universities to get into for vice presidents, business development

The hardest universities for vice presidents, business development to get into are Northwestern University, University of Pennsylvania, and University of Southern California.

Some great schools for vice presidents, business development 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 vice presidents, business development 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. University of Southern California

Los Angeles, CA • Private

Admissions rate

13%

SAT average

1,445

4. Carnegie Mellon University

Pittsburgh, PA • Private

Admissions rate

17%

SAT average

1,507

5. Northeastern University

Boston, MA • Private

Admissions rate

19%

SAT average

1,466

6. New York University

New York, NY • Private

Admissions rate

20%

SAT average

1,419

7. Boston University

Boston, MA • Private

Admissions rate

22%

SAT average

1,420

8. Washington University in St Louis

Saint Louis, MO • Private

Admissions rate

15%

SAT average

1,506

9. Lehigh University

Bethlehem, PA • Private

Admissions rate

22%

SAT average

1,380

10. University of Miami

Coral Gables, FL • Private

Admissions rate

32%

SAT average

1,365

Top 10 easy-to-apply-to universities for vice presidents, business development

The easiest schools for vice presidents, business development to get into are Mount Saint Mary's University, barry university, and oklahoma wesleyan university.

Some schools are much easier to get into. If you want to start your career as a vice president, business development 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 vice presidents, business development.

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. Oklahoma Wesleyan University

Bartlesville, OK • Private

Admissions rate

68%

SAT average

964

4. University of North Texas at Dallas

Dallas, TX • Private

Admissions rate

83%

SAT average

992

5. Holy Names University

Oakland, CA • Private

Admissions rate

70%

SAT average

849

6. Notre Dame de Namur University

Belmont, CA • Private

Admissions rate

82%

SAT average

983

7. Notre Dame College

Cleveland, OH • Private

Admissions rate

90%

SAT average

994

8. Waynesburg University

Waynesburg, PA • Private

Admissions rate

91%

SAT average

1,080

9. University of Baltimore

Baltimore, MD • Private

Admissions rate

78%

SAT average

1,020

10. La Roche College

Pittsburgh, PA • Private

Admissions rate

99%

SAT average

1,008

Average vice president, business development salary by education level

Vice presidents, business development with a Master's degree earn more than those without, at $187,366 annually. With a Doctorate degree, vice presidents, business development earn a median annual income of $187,340 compared to $173,005 for vice presidents, business development with an Bachelor's degree.
Vice president, business development education levelVice president, business development salary
Master's Degree$187,366
Bachelor's Degree$173,005
Doctorate Degree$187,340
Some College/ Associate Degree$136,633

Vice president, business development education FAQs

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Updated January 8, 2025

Zippia Research Team
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.

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