For jobs that offer an equal amount of autonomy, flexibility, and personal skills, perhaps no career better fills these requirements than retail management. The above values are vital to success in the field and are honed in academic environments prior to their practicians entering the real world. Retail managers must be self-sufficient, managing the day to day operations of either their own small business or a franchise branch of a larger enterprise. Needless to say, it is not a simple formula.
However, while the field may be difficult to break into, it is also very rewarding, in both a financial and personal sense. Retail management majors rank well among recent college graduates in median income, at $41,000, and very high in job growth, projected at an increase of 8% over the next eight years. For students out there interested in someday fulfilling the American dream by managing their own business, check out the following retail management scholarships:
National Retail Federation Scholarships
Deadline: Varying
Amount: Varying
The National Retail Federation, or NRF, is a conglomerate of various colleges and universities that offer retail management as a career path. These institutions, referred to as member schools, gain advantages and academic assistance from the NRF, which then provides their member schools with a myriad of scholarship possibilities. In total, there are five scholarships up for grabs for the 2016 academic year, with awards totaling anywhere from $5,000 to a whopping $25,000.
The NRF prides themselves on their innate ability to connect young students to a career path within their major that suits them, which they accomplish through the NRF Foundation Student Programs. These programs, varying in size, are basically seminars for students pursuing a scholarship and, eventually, a career in retail management. The NRF is to retail management students what the NCAA is to student-athletes, yet more rewarding on both sides. Thus, the veritable scholarship machine rewards many students each year, providing them with assistance in accomplishing their dreams and career goals.
Santa Clara University Retail Management Institute Scholarships
Deadline: Varying
Amount: Varying
Located in its namesake beautiful Silicon Valley city, Santa Clara University has a deep history of academic excellence, as the oldest continuous institution of higher learning in California. In recent years, the school has become a mecca for students pursuing degrees in retail management through their aptly-named flagship Retail Management Institute. The Institute attracts students from all over the nation for their curriculum that allows individual majors to train for applying said major to a retail career.
For instance, the Retail Studies Program minor allows undergrads to work towards a business, art, science or engineering major while also providing a path for these students in a very practical field. The Institute and the Retail Studies Program both provide scholarships to students interested in the area, from awards centered on fashion, business, and art to more specific grants that send students on trips to New York City for hands-on experience.
South Dakota Retailers Association Jerry Wheeler Scholarship Program
Amount: Varies
Deadline: April 20, 2020
This scholarship was designed to encourage South Dakota students who are interested in pursuing a career relating to retail. Students enrolled—or planning to enroll—in retail-related courses or majors should apply, provided they are planning to attend a college, university, or vocational school within South Dakota.
In order to be eligible, students must: have graduated from a South Dakota high school, plan to attend an institute of higher learning in South Dakota, plan to study a retail-related field, and are enrolled at least 12 credit hours.
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| Lender | Rates (APR) | Eligibility | |
|---|---|---|---|
 |
5.34%-15.96%* Variable
3.99%-15.61%* Fixed
|
Undergraduate and Graduate
|
VISIT CITIZENS |
 |
4.92% - 15.08% Variable
3.99% - 15.49% Fixed
|
Undergraduate and Graduate
|
VISIT SALLIE MAE |
 |
4.50% - 17.99% Variable
3.49% - 17.99% Fixed
|
Undergraduate and Graduate
|
VISIT CREDIBLE |
 |
6.00% - 13.75% Variable
3.99% - 13.75% Fixed
|
Undergraduate and Graduate
|
VISIT LENDKEY |
 |
5.50% - 14.56% Variable
3.69% - 14.41% Fixed
|
Undergraduate and Graduate
|
VISIT ASCENT |
 |
3.70% - 8.75% Fixed
|
Undergraduate and Graduate
|
VISIT ISL |
 |
4.99% - 16.85% Variable
3.47% - 16.49% Fixed
|
Undergraduate and Graduate
|
VISIT EARNEST |
 |
5.00% - 14.22% Variable
3.69% - 14.22% Fixed
|
Undergraduate and Graduate
|
VISIT ELFI |
