What Degree Do You Need to Become a Project Manager?

Do I Need a Degree to Become a Project Manager?

Harvard Business Review says, “skills-based hiring is on the rise.” Employers reduced degree requirements on job descriptions by 46% from 2017 to 2019. Work experience and skills are becoming more prized by employers than degrees. 

According to PMI, 42% of Project Managers have a bachelor’s degree. An additional 7% have an associate’s degree or some education. More entry-level Project Management positions require Microsoft Office proficiency than a college degree. 

Degree requirements for Project Managers also vary by industry and company. For example, IBM requires Bachelor’s Degrees for 29% of their IT positions, while at Oracle, it is 100%. Or, a Construction Project Manager might be more likely to have an Associate’s or no degree if they have significant experience within the industry.

Common Degrees for Project Managers

Some of the most common degrees that Project Managers hold are in management, computer science, and business. More and more institutions offer graduate degrees or certificates in project management, such as Perdue, UCLA, and Northeastern University. 

Some degrees may be more common in specific industries. For example, an Aerospace Project Manager might have a degree in Aerospace Engineering, and a Project Manager who works in the Finance industry might have a degree in Economics. 

While there are common degrees for Project Managers, it is not typically required for a skills-based job. All successful Project Managers need to have good planning and communication skills, but not all successful Project Managers have a degree. As degree requirements lessen across industries, the talent gap in project management will only further contribute to that. 

Other Ways to Become a Project Manager

One of the reasons that degrees aren’t as required for Project Managers is that there are professional certificates and certificate programs that better demonstrate a job candidate’s skills and understanding of the Project Management Body of Knowledge (PMMBOK) and Project Life Cycle. 

Northeastern University’s Project Management program lays out a “customized, non-traditional” path to a career as a Project Manager. The four steps laid out in this approach are self-guided education, on-the-job experience and mentorship, certification, and ongoing training and professional development. 

There are several Project management professional certificates. However, PMI’s Certified Associate in Project Management (CAPM) and Project Management Professional (PMP) certificates are considered the industry's gold standard. PMP Certification is considered more important by Project Management than degrees. 

Earning a Certificate from PMI is also one of the fastest ways to command a higher salary as a Project Manager: A PMI salary survey shows that PMP Certified Project Managers make 25% more than uncertified Project Managers even if they have a degree. 

In addition to the qualifying exams, to earn one of these certifications, you’ll need to demonstrate that you have completed a certain number of hours of training in Project Management. For example, the CAPM Certification is for new and entry-level Project Managers. To sit for the exam, you must have completed 23 hours of project management education.

One way to get this training is through Noble Desktop, an NYC-based coding, design, and business school. They offer all their courses, certificate programs, and bootcamps, both live online or at their state-of-the-art campus in Midtown Manhattan. All of Noble Desktop’s courses are taught by instructors who are experts in their industry. Noble Desktop uses a unique hands-on approach that combines “micro-lectures” with guided practice on real-world projects. 

Noble Desktop has multiple options to help you become a Project Manager: Project Management Level I, Project Management Level II, Project Management Bootcamp, CAPM Certification Bootcamp, and PMP Certification Bootcamp. These courses cover PMI’s Project Management Body of Knowledge (PMBOK) and help acquire study hours and knowledge for CAPM and PMP Certifications. 

Project Management Level I is an introductory course that guides students through the fundamentals of project management. This course introduces project management methodologies and the first two stages of the Project Life Cycle: planning and initiation. Students develop hands-on knowledge of many project management skills, such as The Project Triangle, and The Project Lifecycle, selecting a project and determining its scope, resource estimation and management, work breakdown structure, and network diagrams and delegation. The course also includes an introduction to project management software and Project Manager certifications. Graduates earn a Certificate of Completion, which is shareable on Linkedin. 

Project Management Level II, recommended for people interested in PMP certification, trains students in more intermediate and advanced Project Manager skills. This course is recommended for those who are already familiar with project management concepts but would like to increase their ability to manage complex projects. Students learn the five stages of Project Management, including critical method, work breakdown structure, planning and timelines, and monitoring. Graduates receive a Certificate of Completion to demonstrate their grasp of advanced project management skills.

If you plan to take both courses to pursue a certification or launch a Project Manager career, both levels can be taken as the Project Management Bootcamp for a 15% discount. 

Noble Desktop’s 4-day CAPM Certification Bootcamp prepares students to pass the Certified Associate in Project Management exam. This exam is for new and aspiring Project Managers to demonstrate they have the skills to help them be hired. Students learn to use quality management techniques, resource management, and scope management. The bootcamp also covers the five stages of the Project Management Lifecycle and the ten knowledge areas for professional Project Managers. Students receive a detailed exam guide and video curriculum. This bootcamp is taught by a PMP Certified instructor who will mentor you through the certification process. 

In the PMP Certification Bootcamp, Noble Desktop helps advanced Project Managers prepare to pass the Project Management Professional (PMP) exam. This immersive course includes training in all areas of the PMP exam, including the five stages of project management, the Project Management Lifecycle, and the ten knowledge areas for Project Managers. Students receive a comprehensive guide to the PMP exam and video tutorials. This bootcamp is taught by a PMP Certified instructor who will mentor students through the exam process.