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Director Of Project Management Education Requirements
Updated January 8, 2025
4 min read
There are several educational requirements to become a director of project management. Directors of project management usually study business, computer science, or marketing. 71% of directors of project management hold a bachelor's degree, and 19% hold an master's degree. We analyzed 4,198 real director of project management resumes to see exactly what director of project management education sections show.
The most common colleges for directors of project management are the University of Phoenix and the University of Phoenix.
There are also many online director of project management courses to help get the education required to be a director of project management.
There are certain director of project management certifications that you should consider. These director of project management certifications include Project Management Professional (PMP) and Certified Scrum Master (CSM).
What education do you need to become a director of project management?
What degree do you need to be a director of project management?
- Bachelor's, 71%
- Master's, 19%
- Associate, 6%
- Doctorate, 2%
- Other Degrees, 2%
What should I major in to become a director of project management?
- Business, 28%
- Computer Science, 8%
- Marketing, 5%
- Other Majors, 54%
Most common colleges for directors of project management
Director Of Project Management Common College  | Percentages |
|---|---|
| University of Phoenix | 9.85% |
| New York University | 7.44% |
| George Washington University, The | 6.78% |
| Villanova University | 5.91% |
| Pennsylvania State University | 5.25% |
Best majors for directors of project management
| Rank | Major | Percentages |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Business | 27.8% |
| 2 | Computer Science | 8.4% |
| 3 | Marketing | 5.3% |
| 4 | Electrical Engineering | 5.2% |
| 5 | Project Management | 5.2% |
Best colleges for directors of project management
The best colleges for directors of project management are University of Pennsylvania, Northwestern University, and Harvard University.
A director of project management with advanced education typically earns a higher salary and has access to better jobs. That's why Zippia looked into the best colleges for directors of project management. 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 directors of project management.
1. University of Pennsylvania
Philadelphia, PA • Private
In-State Tuition
$55,584
Enrollment
10,764
2. University of Southern California
Los Angeles, CA • Private
In-State Tuition
$56,225
Enrollment
19,548
3. Northwestern University
Evanston, IL • Private
In-State Tuition
$54,568
Enrollment
8,451
4. Boston University
Boston, MA • Private
In-State Tuition
$53,948
Enrollment
17,238
5. Pennsylvania State University
University Park, PA • Private
In-State Tuition
$18,454
Enrollment
40,108
20 best online courses for directors of project management
Advertising Disclosure
1. Digital Project Management
Build confidence translating business requirements into project scope statements, creating project plans in Waterfall or Agile, and developing a high-performing team...
2. The Agile Methodology for Project Risk Managers
The Agile Project Management and Risk Management for Project Professionals Full Course...
3. Agile Crash Course: Agile Project Management; Agile Delivery
Agile Project Management Basics (Scrum) & Agile Project Management Essentials (Scrum). Plus Agile Certification (Scrum)...
4. Agile Project Management Bootcamp: Agile Project Management
This Agile Project Management Bootcamp course will allow you to learn the Agile Way! Agile Project Management (Scrum)...
5. Practical Project Portfolio Management
Selecting & Managing The Right Projects...
6. Master Course in Project Management 2.0
Project Management, PMP, Agile project management, Project manager, Prince2, Scrum, Project Planning, Project risk cost...
7. Project Management - Complete Guide For A+ Project Managers
Complete guide to project management - stakeholders, planning, cost, quality, risks, feasibility, methods & resourcing...
8. Mastering Agile Scrum Project Management
Review and master agile development & scrum methodologies for your career...
9. Project Management Essentials
A crash course in the essentials of project management for new project managers...
10. Project Management Course: Master Project Scope Management
Practical guide to scope development and management - Project Management Certification (PMP, CAPM) Training [Earn 11PDU]...
Top 10 most affordable universities for directors of project management
The most affordable schools for directors of project management are University of Florida, baruch college of the city university of new york, and hunter college of the city university of new york.
If the best universities for directors of project management 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 directors of project management.
1. University of Florida
Gainesville, FL • Private
In-State Tuition
$6,381
Cost of Attendance
21,034
2. Baruch College of the City University of New York
New York, NY • Private
In-State Tuition
$7,262
Cost of Attendance
14,046
3. Hunter College of the City University of New York
New York, NY • Private
In-State Tuition
$7,182
Cost of Attendance
13,998
4. California State University - Long Beach
Long Beach, CA • Private
In-State Tuition
$6,798
Cost of Attendance
18,306
5. California State University - Bakersfield
Bakersfield, CA • Private
In-State Tuition
$7,309
Cost of Attendance
16,714
Top 10 hardest universities to get into for directors of project management
The hardest universities for directors of project management to get into are University of Pennsylvania, Northwestern University, and Harvard University.
Some great schools for directors of project management 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 directors of project management 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. University of Pennsylvania
Philadelphia, PA • Private
Admissions Rate
8%
SAT Average
1,492
2. Northwestern University
Evanston, IL • Private
Admissions Rate
8%
SAT Average
1,508
3. Harvard University
Cambridge, MA • Private
Admissions Rate
5%
SAT Average
1,520
4. Johns Hopkins University
Baltimore, MD • Private
Admissions Rate
11%
SAT Average
1,513
5. Carnegie Mellon University
Pittsburgh, PA • Private
Admissions Rate
17%
SAT Average
1,507
Top 10 easy-to-apply-to universities for directors of project management
The easiest schools for directors of project management to get into are Mount Saint Mary's University, barry university, and university of the incarnate word.
Some schools are much easier to get into. If you want to start your career as a director of project management 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 directors of project management.
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. University of the Incarnate Word
San Antonio, TX • Private
Admissions Rate
88%
SAT Average
1,044
4. University of Baltimore
Baltimore, MD • Private
Admissions Rate
78%
SAT Average
1,020
5. University of North Texas at Dallas
Dallas, TX • Private
Admissions Rate
83%
SAT Average
992
Average director of project management salary by education level
| Director Of Project Management education level | Director Of Project Management salary |
|---|---|
| Master's Degree | $155,453 |
| High School Diploma or Less | $109,664 |
| Bachelor's Degree | $138,855 |
| Doctorate Degree | $164,165 |
| Some College/ Associate Degree | $115,189 |
Director Of Project Management 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