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Portfolio Manager Education Requirements
Updated January 8, 2025
4 min read
There are several educational requirements to become a portfolio manager. Portfolio managers usually study business, finance, or economics. 71% of portfolio managers hold a bachelor's degree, and 19% hold an master's degree. We analyzed 9,781 real portfolio manager resumes to see exactly what portfolio manager education sections show.
The most common colleges for portfolio managers are the University of Phoenix and the University of Phoenix.
There are also many online portfolio manager courses to help get the education required to be a portfolio manager.
There are certain portfolio manager certifications that you should consider. These portfolio manager certifications include Project Management Professional (PMP) and Certified Property Manager (CPM).
What education do you need to become a portfolio manager?
What degree do you need to be a portfolio manager?
- Bachelor's, 71%
- Master's, 19%
- Associate, 6%
- High School Diploma, 2%
- Other Degrees, 2%
What should I major in to become a portfolio manager?
- Business, 30%
- Finance, 23%
- Economics, 9%
- Accounting, 7%
- Other Majors, 31%
Most common colleges for portfolio managers
Portfolio Manager Common College  | Percentages |
|---|---|
| University of Phoenix | 10.93% |
| New York University | 9.03% |
| University of Pennsylvania | 6.02% |
| Cornell University | 5.35% |
| University of Maryland - College Park | 4.79% |
Best majors for portfolio managers
| Rank | Major | Percentages |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Business | 29.7% |
| 2 | Finance | 22.9% |
| 3 | Economics | 8.5% |
| 4 | Accounting | 7.0% |
| 5 | Management | 3.7% |
Best colleges for portfolio managers
The best colleges for portfolio managers are Northwestern University, University of Pennsylvania, and Stanford University.
A portfolio 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 portfolio 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 portfolio managers.
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. SUNY at Binghamton
Vestal, NY • Private
In-State Tuition
$9,808
Enrollment
13,990
5. Villanova University
Villanova, PA • Private
In-State Tuition
$53,308
Enrollment
6,819
20 best online courses for portfolio managers
Advertising Disclosure
1. Portfolio and Risk Management
In this course, you will gain an understanding of the theory underlying optimal portfolio construction, the different ways portfolios are actually built in practice and how to measure and manage the risk of such portfolios. You will start by studying how imperfect correlation between assets leads to diversified and optimal portfolios as well as the consequences in terms of asset pricing. Then, you will learn how to shape an investor's profile and build an adequate portfolio by combining...
2. Investment and Portfolio Management
In this four-course Specialization, you’ll learn the essential skills of portfolio management and personal investing.\n\nAll investors – from the largest wealth funds to the smallest individual investors – share common issues in investing: how to meet their liabilities, how to decide where to invest, and how much risk to take on. In this Specialization, you will learn how to think about, discuss, and formulate solutions to these investment questions. You will learn the theory and the real-world...
3. Investment Analysis & Portfolio Management with Python
Financial Analysis Done Right - Rigorously Analyse Investments & Manage Portfolios using Python for Finance / Investing...
4. Investment Analysis & Portfolio Management - Core Finance
Financial Analysis Done Right - Rigorously Analyse Investments & Manage Portfolios using Excel® & Google Sheets...
5. Portfolio Selection and Risk Management
When an investor is faced with a portfolio choice problem, the number of possible assets and the various combinations and proportions in which each can be held can seem overwhelming. In this course, you’ll learn the basic principles underlying optimal portfolio construction, diversification, and risk management. You’ll start by acquiring the tools to characterize an investor’s risk and return trade-off. You will next analyze how a portfolio choice problem can be structured and learn how to...
6. Market Risk Management: Frameworks & Strategies
This course provides the foundation for understanding the frameworks used to develop market risk management strategies. You will identify the market risks associated with each type of financial instrument. You will be introduced to techniques for estimating the risk associated with each class of investments. By the end of the course, you will be able to select the most effective derivatives for managing risk of a single asset and a portfolio of assets, develop asset selection strategies for...
7. Project Portfolio Management (PPM) Essentials
Assurance and confidence through portfolio intelligence...
8. Real Estate Asset Management 101
Real Estate Asset Management Training From Acquisition, To Ownership, Through Sale For Profitable Real Estate Investing...
9. Investment Management
In this Specialization, you will understand how investment strategies are designed to reach financial goals in a global context. You will learn the theory that underlies strong investment decisions, as well as practical, real-world skills that you can apply when discussing investment proposals with your advisor, managing your personal assets or your client’s investment portfolio. You will start by developing a global understanding of financial markets and what impacts rational and irrational...
10. Practical Project Portfolio Management
Selecting & Managing The Right Projects...
Top 10 most affordable universities for portfolio managers
The most affordable schools for portfolio managers are Baruch College of the City University of New York, suny farmingdale, and usf sarasota-manatee.
If the best universities for portfolio 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 portfolio 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. SUNY Farmingdale
Farmingdale, NY • Private
In-State Tuition
$8,306
Cost of Attendance
16,091
U
3. USF Sarasota-Manatee
Sarasota, FL • Private
In-State Tuition
$5,587
Cost of Attendance
13,043
4. Brooklyn College of the City University of New York
Brooklyn, NY • Private
In-State Tuition
$7,240
Cost of Attendance
13,991
5. 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 portfolio managers
The hardest universities for portfolio managers to get into are Northwestern University, University of Pennsylvania, and Stanford University.
Some great schools for portfolio 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 portfolio 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. 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. Stanford University
Stanford, CA • Private
Admissions Rate
4%
SAT Average
1,497
4. University of Southern California
Los Angeles, CA • Private
Admissions Rate
13%
SAT Average
1,445
5. Boston University
Boston, MA • Private
Admissions Rate
22%
SAT Average
1,420
Top 10 easy-to-apply-to universities for portfolio managers
The easiest schools for portfolio managers to get into are Oklahoma Wesleyan University, holy names university, and barry university.
Some schools are much easier to get into. If you want to start your career as a portfolio 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 portfolio managers.
1. Oklahoma Wesleyan University
Bartlesville, OK • Private
Admissions Rate
68%
SAT Average
964
2. Holy Names University
Oakland, CA • Private
Admissions Rate
70%
SAT Average
849
3. Barry University
Miami, FL • Private
Admissions Rate
91%
SAT Average
1,006
4. Notre Dame College
Cleveland, OH • Private
Admissions Rate
90%
SAT Average
994
5. University of North Texas at Dallas
Dallas, TX • Private
Admissions Rate
83%
SAT Average
992
Average portfolio manager salary by education level
| Portfolio Manager education level | Portfolio Manager salary |
|---|---|
| Master's Degree | $161,355 |
| High School Diploma or Less | $96,417 |
| Bachelor's Degree | $132,221 |
| Doctorate Degree | $173,571 |
| Some College/ Associate Degree | $96,398 |
Portfolio Manager 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