Why do I need a bachelors degree to become an insurance agent? 
You do n't . Very few colleges or universities have programs that prepare a student for a career in the insurance industry . That 's not to say that a bachelor 's degree would be useless , especially if it 's a degree in business administration it would certainly help you understand the bigger picture of risk management and the various areas where it can apply and why . But there are many very successful people in the insurance industry that either do n't have a bachelor 's degree at all or have a degree in a field that was totally unrelated to insurance . Insurance carriers probably prefer candidates with a college education and in today 's job market they can be choosy if it suits their corporate agenda and image . The major insurance consulting firms that deal with large businesses and complex risk management issues can certainly make the case that a bachelor 's degree and perhaps even advanced degrees -LRB- MBA , PhD -RRB- are necessary for the kinds of work they do . And I 'm sure some insurance agencies feel the same way . But as a 30-year veteran -LRB- admittedly college educated -RRB- very little of what most people learn in college will ever be applied in working with small and medium sized businesses and individuals on their various insurance needs . That 's the kind of training you will have to get in the real world of actually learning the products of the specific segment of the insurance industry you are working in and learning from the school of hard knocks . What 's really crucial in today 's insurance world is that you bring the capability to continually educate yourself , learn from others and regularly update your industry knowledge and skills as the insurance world is very dynamic and evolving rapidly . 