Docent Education Requirements

Updated January 8, 2025
4 min read

There are several educational requirements to become a docent. Docents usually study fine arts, history, or biology. 72% of docents hold a bachelor's degree, and 10% hold an master's degree. We analyzed 2,823 real docent resumes to see exactly what docent education sections show.

The most common colleges for docents are the University of California, Santa Barbara and the University of California, Santa Barbara.

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

What education do you need to become a docent?

What degree do you need to be a docent?

The most common degree for docents is bachelor's degree, with 72% of docents earning that degree. The second and third most common degree levels are master's degree degree at 10% and master's degree degree at 10%.
  • Bachelor's, 72%
  • Master's, 10%
  • Associate, 10%
  • High School Diploma, 5%
  • Other Degrees, 3%

What should I major in to become a docent?

You should major in fine arts to become a docent. 19% of docents major in fine arts. Other common majors for a docent include history and biology.

Most common colleges for docents

Docents often get their degrees at University of California, Santa Barbara, Savannah College of Art and Design, and University of California - Davis. Here are the most common colleges for docents in the US based on their resumes.
Docent Common College
ascdesc
Percentages
ascdesc
University of California, Santa Barbara9.61%
Savannah College of Art and Design9.17%
University of California - Davis8.73%
New York University6.99%
University of Pittsburgh6.11%

Best majors for docents

Rank
ascdesc
Major
ascdesc
Percentages
ascdesc
1Fine Arts18.8%
2History18.3%
3Biology8.2%
4English6.3%
5Psychology5.7%

Best colleges for docents

The best colleges for docents are Stanford University, Harvard University, and Yale University.

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

1. Stanford University

Stanford, CA • Private

In-State Tuition

$51,354

Enrollment

7,083

Website

www.stanford.edu/

Address

450 Serra Mall, Stanford, CA 94305-2061

Median Earnings 6 years after Graduation: $92,800 per year

Net Price: $12,265 per year

Admissions
Acceptance Rate - 4.36%
SAT Average - 1497
ACT Average - 34
Most Popular Majors
Business
Biology
English
Environmental Science
Communication

2. Harvard University

Cambridge, MA • Private

In-State Tuition

$50,420

Enrollment

7,582

Website

www.harvard.edu

Address

Massachusetts Hall, Cambridge, MA 02138

Median Earnings 6 years after Graduation: $91,300 per year

Net Price: $15,561 per year

Admissions
Acceptance Rate - 4.73%
SAT Average - 1520
ACT Average - 34
Most Popular Majors
Business
Biology
Environmental Science
History
Ecology, Population Biology, And Epidemiology

3. University of Pennsylvania

Philadelphia, PA • Private

In-State Tuition

$55,584

Enrollment

10,764

Website

www.upenn.edu

Address

1 College Hall, Room 100, Philadelphia, PA 19104-6303

Median Earnings 6 years after Graduation: $91,200 per year

Net Price: $25,033 per year

Admissions
Acceptance Rate - 8.41%
SAT Average - 1492
ACT Average - 34
Most Popular Majors
Biology
Business
Environmental Science
Communication
History

4. Yale University

New Haven, CT • Private

In-State Tuition

$53,430

Enrollment

5,963

Website

https://www.yale.edu

Address

105 Wall Street, New Haven, CT 06520

Median Earnings 6 years after Graduation: $67,800 per year

Net Price: $18,770 per year

Admissions
Acceptance Rate - 6.35%
SAT Average - 1517
ACT Average - 34
Most Popular Majors
Business
Biology
Environmental Science
History
Psychology

5. Cornell University

Ithaca, NY • Private

In-State Tuition

$55,188

Enrollment

15,105

Website

www.cornell.edu

Address

300 Day Hall, Ithaca, NY 14853

Median Earnings 6 years after Graduation: $76,300 per year

Net Price: $30,494 per year

Admissions
Acceptance Rate - 10.61%
SAT Average - 1471
ACT Average - 33
Most Popular Majors
Biology
Business
Environmental Science
Communication
English

20 best online courses for docents

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Top 10 most affordable universities for docents

The most affordable schools for docents are Hunter College of the City University of New York, brooklyn college of the city university of new york, and brigham young university.

If the best universities for docents 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 docents.

1. Hunter College of the City University of New York

New York, NY • Private

In-State Tuition

$7,182

Cost of Attendance

13,998

Website

www.hunter.cuny.edu

Address

695 Park Ave, New York, NY 10021

Median Earnings 6 years after Graduation: $39,300 per year

Net Price: $2,796 per year

Admissions
Acceptance Rate - 36.42%
SAT Average - 1240
Most Popular Majors
Education
Psychology
Biology
English
Communication

2. Brooklyn College of the City University of New York

Brooklyn, NY • Private

In-State Tuition

$7,240

Cost of Attendance

13,991

Website

www.brooklyn.cuny.edu

Address

2900 Bedford Ave, Brooklyn, NY 11210-2889

Median Earnings 6 years after Graduation: $36,900 per year

Net Price: $3,000 per year

Admissions
Acceptance Rate - 44.26%
SAT Average - 1150
Most Popular Majors
Business
Psychology
Biology
English
Fine Arts

3. Brigham Young University

Provo, UT • Private

In-State Tuition

$5,620

Cost of Attendance

18,136

Website

www.byu.edu

Address

Main Campus, Provo, UT 84602

Median Earnings 6 years after Graduation: $46,600 per year

Net Price: $13,181 per year

Admissions
Acceptance Rate - 64.47%
SAT Average - 1324
ACT Average - 29
Most Popular Majors
Biology
Business
Psychology
English
History

4. University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

Chapel Hill, NC • Private

In-State Tuition

$8,987

Cost of Attendance

25,527

Website

www.unc.edu

Address

103 South Bldg Campus Box 9100, Chapel Hill, NC 27599

Median Earnings 6 years after Graduation: $49,900 per year

Net Price: $13,918 per year

Admissions
Acceptance Rate - 22.71%
SAT Average - 1398
ACT Average - 31
Most Popular Majors
Business
Biology
Communication
Psychology
Environmental Science

5. University of Washington

Seattle, WA • Private

In-State Tuition

$11,207

Cost of Attendance

25,275

Website

www.washington.edu

Address

P.O. Box 351230, Seattle, WA 98195-4550

Median Earnings 6 years after Graduation: $50,300 per year

Net Price: $12,001 per year

Admissions
Acceptance Rate - 48.69%
SAT Average - 1347
ACT Average - 30
Most Popular Majors
Biology
Environmental Science
Business
Communication
Fine Arts

Top 10 hardest universities to get into for docents

The hardest universities for docents to get into are Stanford University, Harvard University, and Yale University.

Some great schools for docents 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 docents 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. Stanford University

Stanford, CA • Private

Admissions Rate

4%

SAT Average

1,497

Website

www.stanford.edu/

Address

450 Serra Mall, Stanford, CA 94305-2061

Median Earnings 6 years after Graduation: $92,800 per year

Net Price: $12,265 per year

Admissions
Acceptance Rate - 4.36%
SAT Average - 1497
ACT Average - 34
Most Popular Majors
Business
Biology
English
Environmental Science
Communication

2. Harvard University

Cambridge, MA • Private

Admissions Rate

5%

SAT Average

1,520

Website

www.harvard.edu

Address

Massachusetts Hall, Cambridge, MA 02138

Median Earnings 6 years after Graduation: $91,300 per year

Net Price: $15,561 per year

Admissions
Acceptance Rate - 4.73%
SAT Average - 1520
ACT Average - 34
Most Popular Majors
Business
Biology
Environmental Science
History
Ecology, Population Biology, And Epidemiology

3. Yale University

New Haven, CT • Private

Admissions Rate

6%

SAT Average

1,517

Website

https://www.yale.edu

Address

105 Wall Street, New Haven, CT 06520

Median Earnings 6 years after Graduation: $67,800 per year

Net Price: $18,770 per year

Admissions
Acceptance Rate - 6.35%
SAT Average - 1517
ACT Average - 34
Most Popular Majors
Business
Biology
Environmental Science
History
Psychology

4. Johns Hopkins University

Baltimore, MD • Private

Admissions Rate

11%

SAT Average

1,513

Website

www.jhu.edu

Address

3400 N Charles St, Baltimore, MD 21218-2688

Median Earnings 6 years after Graduation: $68,000 per year

Net Price: $30,701 per year

Admissions
Acceptance Rate - 11.48%
SAT Average - 1513
ACT Average - 34
Most Popular Majors
Biology
Business
Communication
Ecology, Population Biology, And Epidemiology
Liberal Arts

5. University of Pennsylvania

Philadelphia, PA • Private

Admissions Rate

8%

SAT Average

1,492

Website

www.upenn.edu

Address

1 College Hall, Room 100, Philadelphia, PA 19104-6303

Median Earnings 6 years after Graduation: $91,200 per year

Net Price: $25,033 per year

Admissions
Acceptance Rate - 8.41%
SAT Average - 1492
ACT Average - 34
Most Popular Majors
Biology
Business
Environmental Science
Communication
History

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

The easiest schools for docents to get into are Notre Dame de Namur University, mount saint mary's university, and felician university.

Some schools are much easier to get into. If you want to start your career as a docent 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 docents.

1. Notre Dame de Namur University

Belmont, CA • Private

Admissions Rate

82%

SAT Average

983

Website

www.ndnu.edu

Address

1500 Ralston Ave, Belmont, CA 94002-1908

Median Earnings 6 years after Graduation: $49,000 per year

Net Price: $25,610 per year

Admissions
Acceptance Rate - 81.52%
SAT Average - 983
ACT Average - 19
Most Popular Majors
Business
Education
Biology
Psychology
Liberal Arts

2. Mount Saint Mary's University

Los Angeles, CA • Private

Admissions Rate

84%

SAT Average

1,031

Website

https://www.msmu.edu

Address

12001 Chalon Road, Los Angeles, CA 90049

Median Earnings 6 years after Graduation: $57,700 per year

Net Price: $29,267 per year

Admissions
Acceptance Rate - 83.82%
SAT Average - 1031
ACT Average - 20
Most Popular Majors
Education
Liberal Arts
Business
Biology
English

3. Felician University

Lodi, NJ • Private

Admissions Rate

81%

SAT Average

999

Website

www.felician.edu

Address

262 S Main St, Lodi, NJ 07644

Median Earnings 6 years after Graduation: $47,800 per year

Net Price: $17,362 per year

Admissions
Acceptance Rate - 80.55%
SAT Average - 999
ACT Average - 19
Most Popular Majors
Business
Biology
Education
Psychology
Elementary Education

4. Wayland Baptist University

Plainview, TX • Private

Admissions Rate

98%

SAT Average

1,003

Website

www.wbu.edu

Address

1900 W 7th St., Plainview, TX 79072

Median Earnings 6 years after Graduation: $41,300 per year

Net Price: $21,855 per year

Admissions
Acceptance Rate - 98.04%
SAT Average - 1003
ACT Average - 19
Most Popular Majors
Liberal Arts
Business
Education
Biology
Psychology

5. Barry University

Miami, FL • Private

Admissions Rate

91%

SAT Average

1,006

Website

www.barry.edu

Address

11300 NE 2nd Ave, Miami Shores, FL 33161-6695

Median Earnings 6 years after Graduation: $43,700 per year

Net Price: $17,937 per year

Admissions
Acceptance Rate - 91.25%
SAT Average - 1006
ACT Average - 20
Most Popular Majors
Business
Biology
Education
Liberal Arts
Psychology

Average docent salary by education level

Docents with a Associate degree earn more than those without, at $48,137 annually. With a Bachelor's degree, docents earn a median annual income of $46,974 compared to $41,549 for docents with an High School Diploma degree.
Docent education level
ascdesc
Docent salary
ascdesc
High School Diploma or Less$41,549
Bachelor's Degree$46,974
Some College/ Associate Degree$48,137

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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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