What is a project management degree and what can you do with it?

Key takeaways

• A project management degree can lead to career opportunities such as Finance Project Manager, Construction Project Manager, Management Consultant, Project Coordinator, and more.
• You can either pursue an associate’s or a bachelor’s degree in project management at the undergraduate level and a project management master’s degree at the advanced level.
• With a bachelor’s degree, and 2 out of 8 years of experience managing and leading projects you can apply for a Project Management Professional (PMP) Certification.
• Professionals with a PMP certification earn up to 33% higher median salaries than those without the certification. 
• The US, Singapore, Germany, Australia, and the UK offer the most promising job prospects for project manager jobs, with Saudi Arabia, UAE, and South Africa showing great potential. 
• Colleges offering a bachelor of project management include the National University of San Diego, Charleston South University, and Metropolitan State University, Denver. 
• You can pursue a project management degree online from Southern New Hampshire University, Colorado State University, and Cleary University.

In the past few years, the demand for project management specialists has grown exponentially partly driven by the boom in the technology sector. With the rise in AI, and the continuous advancements in the field, an increasing number of employers in varying industries now seek talented project specialists with the relevant skills.

We bring you a comprehensive guide to getting a project management degree – the ideal college degree for a career in project management.  Here, you will find essential details on the program, including curriculum, skills you can expect to learn, career opportunities you can explore, and colleges you can get a project management degree.

What is project management?

All organizations set goals, some short-term and some long-term goals. To achieve these goals, they set for themselves restricted time frames, outline objectives to attain, and allocate resources such as time, human resources, and finances. This little process is essentially called creating a project and outlining its parameters.

It is a project manager’s job to do all that is mentioned above, along with other tasks to see each project through from start to finish. There are five main stages of project management namely:

• Initial launch
• Planning
• Execution
• Monitoring – performance and progress
• Wrap up
• Report writing

Throughout the various phases of a project, the manager’s task is to ensure deadlines are met, the project stays within the budget, the entire team is coordinated, everyone is up to date with the progress, and there is no compromise on quality. While these are broadly outlined tasks, some specific tasks involved in project management include risk identification, risk mitigation, budgeting, resource management, communication with teams and stakeholders, and so on.  

You can develop all these skills and more with a project management degree. It is the ideal entryway to a career in the field. Through it, you can develop the right skills for different roles within project management, and access career opportunities through industry connections.

What does a project management degree entail?

A project management degree features a comprehensive curriculum, training project professionals for a variety of roles. Through the program, students develop a range of professional competencies including soft and hard skills. Key focus areas of the program are:

• Project budgeting
• Project scheduling
• Cost management
• Resource management
• Risk management
• People management

Most project management programs feature a blend of theoretical and practical curricula. Students not only learn the latest theories in the field but also learn their efficacy and practical applications through practical applications in real-world learning environments.

What are the types of project management degrees?

As an aspiring professional, there are a couple of academic degrees you can pursue at the undergraduate level after high school graduation. They are the Associate or the Bachelor of Project Management. Post-graduation, you can pursue an advanced degree, master’s, or a PMP certification. Both can significantly enhance your career opportunities.

A bachelor’s degree is the ideal qualification for entry into the project management field and we discuss it in detail further in the article. 

Associate’s degree in project management

An associate’s degree lasts two years and requires completion of 60 credit hours. The program focuses on building foundational knowledge in project management and basic professional skills.

Project management jobs you can get with an associate degree include various entry-level roles such as:

• Project Assistant
• Project Coordinator
• Junior Project Manager

Bachelor’s degree in project management

A bachelor’s degree in project management lasts four years. To obtain a bachelor’s degree you need to complete a minimum of 120 credit hours through a combination of general education, core-specific, and elective courses. Additionally, you will have to complete an internship or a capstone project.

With a bachelor’s degree in project management, you become eligible for the full spectrum of project management jobs:

• Project Manager
• Construction Project Manager
• IT Project Manager
• Healthcare Project Manager
• Operations Manager
• Program Manager
• Project Consultant

Master’s in project management

To earn a project management master’s degree, you will need to complete 30 to 45 credits, over 1 to 2 years. With a master’s degree, you can apply for senior-level project manager jobs. 

Project management bachelor’s – the degree you need for a successful career in project management

At the bachelor level, you can either pursue a Bachelor of Art, a Bachelor of Science, or a Bachelor of Project Management. Additionally, you can also pursue project management as a concentration track in a computer science, or software engineering program, or in a Bachelor of Business Administration program.

There are minor differences between the types of bachelor’s degrees in project management. In a BA, you will be required to take General education courses in liberal arts and humanities, whereas in a BS, you will take STEM courses. In a BBA, you will learn project management as a specialization in combination with other business administration relevant courses.

Typical program curriculum

All bachelor’s degrees require completion of general core, and major-specific courses, as well as some electives. The exact credit hours distribution between these three categories is different for each college, and so are the courses. Here are some that you may find in all Project Management programs across the United States.

• Principles of Management
• Accounting Principles for Managers
• Business Communications
• Projects as Strategic Initiatives
• Project Risk Assessment
• Project Cost Estimation and Cost Management
• Decision Making and Project Initiation

Admission requirements

To secure admission to any bachelor program, you need to submit the following:

• High school transcript
• SAT/ACT Scores
• Letters of recommendation
• College essay 

Each college lays out different admission requirements for each program. Before you apply, look into the minimum GPA requirements, how many recommendation letters you need to submit, and if there are any specific guidelines for the essay.

If you already have an associate degree in project management, the admission requirements for you will be:

• Minimum CGPA
• Official transcripts

Additionally, you should check which course credits from your associate degree are transferable to a Bachelor of Project Management. If all your credits are transferable, you will join from the third year onwards enrolling in the fifth semester.

Project management skills you will learn

Project management requires a blend of hard and soft skills enabling them to carry out their responsibilities efficiently. Hard skills are essentially technical skills relevant directly to one’s professional field. In project management, hard skills include:

• Project planning
• Budgeting
• Scope management
• Risk Mitigation
• Conflict Resolution
• Quality management
• Project forecasting
• Cost accounting

Soft skills are transferable skills that are beneficial in every field, and every job role. They build a person’s professional competency and are essential for them to thrive in an organization. These include:

• Communication
• Leadership
• Time management
• Critical thinking
• Problem-solving

Leadership is an essential project management skill as coordinating a team of individuals and bringing them together on the same page requires strong leadership ability. Additionally, communication is vital for a project manager as they are responsible for ensuring all project members and internal and external stakeholders are up to date with the project’s progress.

Moreover, project managers must be excellent at customer dealing, especially those in the IT industry, or in the services sector. Customers tend to get angsty and thus customer dealing, negotiation, and communication is a skill project managers must have.

Graduation requirements

The graduation requirements for a Bachelor of Project Management may vary by college. However, the typical requirements are as follows:

• Completion of 120 credit hours
• Maintenance of a minimum GPA – varies by college
• Project management internship
• Completion of capstone project

You must demonstrate professional project management ability before graduation. These projects and internships will build your resume, making you eligible for a wide range of entry-level jobs in project management.

Colleges offering a bachelor’s degree in project management

Here are some colleges from where you can pursue a bachelor’s degree in project management.

College	Acceptance %	Graduation %	Tuition
Charleston Southern University	86.8%	43.1%	$29,990
National University – San Diego	55%	17.2%	$13,320
Metropolitan State University Denver	97.9%	48.1%	$10,260 in-state $28,092 out-of-state
Lenoir-Rhyne University	82.9%	45.7%	$43,000
Palm Beach State College	100%	34%	$3,050 in-state $10,910 out-of-state

Can I get a project management degree online?

Whether you want to pursue an associate, a bachelor’s, or a master’s degree, you can do so online. Several US colleges and universities are offering distance-learning programs as an increasing number of students now prefer the online learning method. Post-COVID, the shift toward online learning programs has been exponential, and rightly so too.

There are significant advantages to pursuing a project management degree online. However, at the end of the day, it all comes down to personal preferences. As a potential college student, you should look at the pros and cons of all programs, and different modes of delivery before enrolling in one.

Advantages of an online project management degree

As the name indicates, an online project management degree is a virtual learning experience. Online learners take essentially the same project management courses and classes that those enrolled in a traditional on-campus program. However, there are a few significant advantages that online students enjoy.

Flexibility

There are two types of online programs synchronous, and asynchronous programs. Those enrolled in an asynchronous program enjoy greater flexibility as they don’t need to stick to a schedule and can take classes at anytime and anywhere.

Those enrolled in a synchronous program have to stick to a schedule, but they are free to attend classes from anywhere.

Affordability

Without the obligation to commute to a college or university to attend classes, students save a significant amount of cost. Moreover, some colleges offer online degrees at lower tuition rates than others.

Convenience

You can take your classes sitting in a café, or in the basement of your house, or in your bedroom. The convenience offered also allows for a greater work-life balance. You can also pursue a part-time or full-time job alongside your studies, especially if you are enrolled in an asynchronous program.

Accessible for everyone

Whether you reside in Asia, Europe, Africa, Australia, or anywhere in the world, you can access high-quality education from online colleges. You don’t have to worry about obtaining a visa, arranging accommodation, traveling, and the high cost of attendance. You can pay for the tuition and attend one of the best universities in the world.

What are the disadvantages of an online project management degree

While an online program offers plenty of advantages, there are some drawbacks too. Before making the final decision, it is essential you view both.

Lack of support

Online students lack support and access to campus resources. Be it technical difficulties, power outages, or any other issues, they have to resolve them on their own.

Lack of discipline

The lack of a schedule is appealing but has the potential to be counterproductive. Those who lack self-initiative and an internal drive to get an education will find that pursuing a project management degree online is not the ideal choice for them.

Requires time management

If you don’t have time management skills, an online program is not for you. Even if you think you are excellent at time management, ask yourself and your loved ones the following questions to determine if that is true or not.

• Are you on time for meetups and commitments?
• Do you always show up for plans or ditch at the last minute?
• Do you always follow through on your commitments?

The answers should give you a pretty clear idea of whether you are good at time management or not. If not, consider an on-campus degree in project management instead.

Colleges offering a project management degree online

Whether you are looking for flexibility, convenience, affordability, or simply prefer the comfort of your own home, an online program is the best option. Here are a few colleges offering a project management degree online.

College	Acceptance %	Graduation %	Tuition
Southern New Hampshire University	96.4%	34.2%	$15,380
Colorado State University	90.8%	69.7%	$12,874 in-state $32,734 out-of-state
Cleary University	67.5%	69.9%	$23,629

What project management jobs can you get with a bachelor’s degree?

With a bachelor’s degree in project management, you can explore abundant job opportunities in various roles, and not just project manager jobs. Here is a list of jobs you can get with a bachelor’s degree in project management.

Job title	Average salary
Management Consultant	$126,574 per year
Operations Management	$77,706 per year
Project Coordinator	$63,752 per year
Finance Project Manager	$106,059 per year
Construction Project Manager	$101,067 per year
Project Analyst	$74,225 per year
Project Assistant	$63,066 per year

The salary ranges are averages based on different salary ranges listed by various employers in job postings on Glassdoor.  

Project management industry overview and hiring trends

The demand for qualified project managers is at an all-time high. According to the United Bureau of Labor Statistics, the job growth rate for Project Management Specialists is 7%, which is faster than the national average for all occupations. Aspiring professionals will be pleased to know that the project management job outlook is bright not just in the US, but across the world.

A talent gap analysis commissioned by the Project Management Institute highlighted amazing career opportunities for qualified professionals in 11 countries. Overall, the job market is set to grow by 33% by 2027, creating 22 million new project management jobs. The total number of employed individuals in project-management-oriented roles will grow to 88 million by 2027.

Earning potential in project management and its influencing factors

A Global Project Manager can potentially earn up to $167,004 per year. However, the average salary for the position is $112,242 per year as the earning potential varies by company size, industry country of employment, qualification level, and more.

According to the report by PMI, the US, Australia, Germany, Singapore, and the UK are the countries offering the highest salaries for project management jobs. A few other countries such as Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, and South Africa have recently shown a 60% increase in salaries offered to Project Management Specialists.

If you want to lead a successful career in project management, you must stay up to date with the latest trends, and emerging technologies such as AI, machine learning, data analytics, automation, and information management systems.

Lastly, but most importantly, certifications and ongoing learning are essential if you want to increase your earning potential. As per the PMI report, PMP certification holders report a 33% higher median salary than those without the certification.

Frequently asked questions about a project management degree

Here are some frequently asked questions about a project management degree.

Is a bachelor’s degree in project management worth it?

A bachelor’s degree in project management is the ideal starting qualification for a project management career. It builds a comprehensive set of skills, and professional competencies essential for a career in project management. With a bachelor’s degree, you can get entry-level project manager jobs which will help build relevant experience needed to obtain a PMP certification.

What remote project management jobs are in high demand?

Big companies such as Amazon, Coinbase, HubSpot, Robert Half, and Thermo Fisher Scientific have multiple remote project management jobs. These include:

• Administrative Coordinator
• Staff Program Manager
• Project Manager
• Product Manager
• Senior Product Manager
• Senior Design Program Manager
• Senior Technical Project Manager
• Events Manager

What degree do you need to be a project manager?

To become a certified project manager, you must fulfill multiple requirements including education, work experience, and certification requirements. If want to become a successful project manager, you have to earn a PMP Certification, and to do that you need to fulfill certain educational and professional experience requirements.

Everyone has to demonstrate 35 hours of project management training. One way to do that is to get a CAPM certification. In addition to that, those with an associate degree or a high school diploma must have 3 years of project management experience out of an overall minimum work experience of 8 years.

If you have a bachelor’s degree, you need a minimum of 2 years of experience in project management out of 8. With a bachelor’s degree, you can obtain various entry-level project manager jobs making it easier to obtain professional work experience.

It is important to note, that a PMP certification is not necessary to become a project manager, but it does enhance career prospects.

What can I do with a degree in project management?

A professional degree in project management opens many career opportunities in various roles. You can either take up specialized roles such as that of a Healthcare project manager, an IT project manager, a construction project manager, or more. Other job opportunities include program manager, product manager, events manager, administrative coordinator, project coordinator, project assistant, and more.

You can then move on to pursue an advanced degree such as a master’s or even a doctorate in project management or a related field. You can also gain relevant industry experience and enhance your professional eligibility with advanced project management certifications such as Project Management Professional (PMP), Program Management Professional (PgMP), Portfolio Management Professional (PfMP), Agile Certified Practitioner (ACP), and more.

What alternate degrees lead to a project management career?

To become a project manager, you need at least a bachelor’s degree. While a project management degree is the ideal option, an industry related bachelor degree for specialized career opportunities can also be helpful. For example, a business management degree, or an IT degree for an IT project manager can be great options. 

Additionally, a business administration degree with project management as a concentration track is an excellent option for those who want to go into consultancy or operations management. A computer science, or a cybersecurity degree can also be great options for those who want to explore careers in IT project management. 

Is project management a stem degree?

If you are pursuing a Bachelor of Science in project management, or a BS in Computer Science with a concentration in Project Management, then yes it is a STEM program. STEM programs feature a curriculum revolving around Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematical courses.

A business administration degree with a concentration in project management can qualify for a STEM designation if it focuses heavily on data analytics and other technical aspects in the field.

However, a Bachelor of Project Management or a Bachelor of Arts in Project Management do not technically qualify for a STEM designation. So, whether you are enrolled in a STEM program or not is dependent on what program you are pursuing. 

Become a qualified professional with a project management degree

One thing is clear, if you want to increase your earning professional, having the right skills earned through the right educational programs such as a bachelor’s degree in project management is essential.

A bachelor’s degree makes you eligible for various entry-level project manager jobs, or jobs in a similar capacity. These enable you to gain industry work experience, build practical skills, and demonstrate capabilities, allowing you to work your way up to managerial positions, even becoming a project manager.

With two years of experience managing and leading projects and a bachelor’s degree, you can then seek a Project Management Professional (PMP) Certification. With a PMP Certification and industry experience you can potentially earn up to a six-figure salary. So, apply for a project management degree today.

All Bachelor Degrees offers several educational resources including AI Tools that can make the college application process easier.