Business, Management, Marketing, And Related Support Services

Best Business Operations Support and Assistant Services institutions in the US, ranked by earnings

Compare 667 U.S. colleges offering Business Operations Support and Assistant Services by graduate earnings, cost, and outcomes. Federal data across 48 states.

Institutions
667
offering CIP 52.04
States offered
48
with a program page
With earnings data
102
College Scorecard
Degrees / yr
16,150
IPEDS completions 2026
Median grad earnings
$26,607
1 year after graduation
US pay · Executive Secretaries and Executive Administrative Assistants
$77,060
BLS OEWS 2024

About Business Operations Support and Assistant Services programs

The Business Operations Support and Assistant Services program prepares students for various roles in business administration and support. This program is ideal for individuals seeking to enhance their organizational and administrative skills to thrive in a dynamic business environment. It covers a range of specializations, equipping students with the necessary tools to assist executives and manage office operations effectively.

Learn more about Business Operations Support and Assistant Services

What you'll learn

Students will develop essential skills in active listening, critical thinking, and effective communication. Coursework typically includes training in administrative tasks, customer service, and office technology, focusing on software applications for document preparation and data management.

Top 50 institutions, ranked by graduate earnings

Earnings = median 1 year after graduation (College Scorecard, predominant credential).

#InstitutionGrad earnings (1 yr)CompletionsGrad rateNet priceMedian debt
1Bellevue University
Bellevue, NE Private not-for-profit · Bachelor's degree
$66,40119933%$29,230$25,000
2Washtenaw Community College
Ann Arbor, MI Public · Associate degree
$46,8212033%
3Valdosta State University
Valdosta, GA Public · Bachelor's degree
$42,0882042%$40,347
4Tennessee College of Applied Technology - Shelbyville
Shelbyville, TN Public · Certificate degree
$41,217881%
5Houston Community College
Houston, TX Public · Certificate degree
$37,4826617%$18,797
6Alaska Vocational Technical Center
Seward, AK Public · Certificate degree
$37,40911100%
7Chippewa Valley Technical College
Eau Claire, WI Public · Associate degree
$36,1782150%$22,650
8Tidewater Community College
Norfolk, VA Public · Associate degree
$35,6873732%$22,300
9Greenville Technical College
Greenville, SC Public · Associate degree
$35,6721821%$31,500
10Georgia Northwestern Technical College
Rome, GA Public · Associate degree
$34,99810743%
11Gateway Technical College
Kenosha, WI Public · Certificate degree
$34,2034151%$18,020
12Virginia Peninsula Community College
Hampton, VA Public · Associate degree
$34,177534%$16,604
13Ogden - Weber Technical College
Ogden, UT Public · Certificate degree
$34,1574953%
14Trinity Valley Community College
Athens, TX Public · Associate degree
$34,1231027%$13,124
15Interactive College of Technology - Gainesville
Gainesville, GA Private for-profit · Associate degree
$33,883431%$15,094$14,323
16Charter College
Anchorage, AK Private for-profit · Certificate degree
$33,0093356%$26,789$15,441
17Chattanooga State Community College
Chattanooga, TN Public · Certificate degree
$32,603426%
18Rasmussen University - Florida
Ocala, FL Private for-profit · Certificate degree
$32,3453442%$20,261$16,722
19Rasmussen University - Minnesota
St. Cloud, MN Private for-profit · Certificate degree
$32,34528453%$19,944$16,722
20Rasmussen University - North Dakota
Fargo, ND Private for-profit · Certificate degree
$32,345129%$18,815$16,722
21Rasmussen University - Illinois
Rockford, IL Private for-profit · Certificate degree
$32,345843%$19,427$16,722
22Onondaga Cortland Madison BOCES
Liverpool, NY Public · Certificate degree
$31,4001373%$6,715
23Monroe Community College
Rochester, NY Public · Associate degree
$31,038327%
24Dallas College
Dallas, TX Public · Certificate degree
$30,2284732%$18,456
25Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College
Perkinston, MS Public · Associate degree
$29,85715848%$16,382
26Gwinnett Technical College
Lawrenceville, GA Public · Associate degree
$29,5788032%$16,250
27Arkansas Tech University
Russellville, AR Public · Associate degree
$29,4765249%$19,050
28Interactive College of Technology - Chamblee
Chamblee, GA Private for-profit · Certificate degree
$28,797437%$14,701$7,721
29Interactive College of Technology - Morrow
Morrow, GA Private for-profit · Certificate degree
$28,797641%$16,804$7,721
30Interactive College of Technology - Newport
Newport, KY Private for-profit · Certificate degree
$28,797230%$16,359$7,721
31San Joaquin Valley College - Rancho Mirage
Rancho Mirage, CA Private for-profit · Associate degree
$28,691170%$23,568$20,000
32Northeast State Community College
Blountville, TN Public · Associate degree
$28,3852233%
33Tri - County Technical College
Pendleton, SC Public · Associate degree
$28,3193942%$11,550
34San Joaquin Valley College - Visalia
Visalia, CA Private for-profit · Certificate degree
$27,7314436%$30,518$9,500
35San Joaquin Valley College - Bakersfield
Bakersfield, CA Private for-profit · Certificate degree
$27,731958%$24,205$9,500
36San Joaquin Valley College - Fresno
Fresno, CA Private for-profit · Certificate degree
$27,731962%$24,542$9,500
37San Joaquin Valley College - Ontario
Ontario, CA Private for-profit · Certificate degree
$27,731964%$26,900$9,500
38San Joaquin Valley College - Modesto
Salida, CA Private for-profit · Certificate degree
$27,731677%$25,571$9,500
39San Joaquin Valley College - Hesperia
Hesperia, CA Private for-profit · Certificate degree
$27,731863%$25,188$9,500
40San Joaquin Valley College - Temecula
Temecula, CA Private for-profit · Certificate degree
$27,7311382%$27,730$9,500
41San Joaquin Valley College - Lancaster
Lancaster, CA Private for-profit · Certificate degree
$27,731557%$25,425$9,500
42San Joaquin Valley College - Delano
Delano, CA Private for-profit · Certificate degree
$27,731780%$22,032$9,500
43San Joaquin Valley College - Porterville
Porterville, CA Private for-profit · Certificate degree
$27,731748%$24,196$9,500
44Pima Community College
Tucson, AZ Public · Certificate degree
$27,705228%
45Northwood Technical College
Rice Lake, WI Public · Associate degree
$27,4944856%$16,500
46Madison Area Technical College
Madison, WI Public · Associate degree
$27,4671529%
47Brigham Young University - Idaho
Rexburg, ID Private not-for-profit · Associate degree
$27,13761155%$6,760$6,959
48Nevada Career Institute
Las Vegas, NV Private for-profit · Certificate degree
$27,134555%$38,476
49Piedmont Technical College
Greenwood, SC Public · Associate degree
$27,0246433%$19,750
50Ivy Tech Community College
Indianapolis, IN Public · Certificate degree
$26,92618940%

Offered across 48 states

The same program, compared state by state. Pick a state for in-state earnings and institutions.

StateInstitutionsMedian earningsTop institution by earnings
Nebraska6$66,401Bellevue University
Michigan17$46,821Washtenaw Community College
Alaska3$37,409Alaska Vocational Technical Center
Wisconsin13$34,203Chippewa Valley Technical College
Virginia18$34,177Tidewater Community College
Utah6$34,157Ogden - Weber Technical College
Florida23$32,345Rasmussen University - Florida
Illinois30$32,345Rasmussen University - Illinois
Minnesota21$32,345Rasmussen University - Minnesota
North Dakota4$32,345Rasmussen University - North Dakota
New York16$31,038Onondaga Cortland Madison BOCES
Mississippi12$29,857Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College
Georgia28$29,578Valdosta State University
Arkansas9$29,476Arkansas Tech University
South Carolina13$28,319Greenville Technical College
Arizona12$27,705Pima Community College
Idaho6$27,137Brigham Young University - Idaho
Nevada5$27,134Nevada Career Institute
Indianalimited2$26,926Ivy Tech Community College
Kentucky9$26,607Interactive College of Technology - Newport
Washington19$26,402Spokane Community College
California110$26,109San Joaquin Valley College - Rancho Mirage
Alabama20$25,182George C Wallace Community College - Dothan
Ohio24$22,925Ohio Business College - Sheffield
New Jersey8$22,347American Institute - Clifton
Tennessee25$21,776Tennessee College of Applied Technology - Shelbyville
Texas49$18,214Houston Community College
Hawaii3
Colorado6
Connecticutlimited1
Delawarelimited1
Iowa13
Kansas17
Louisiana11
Mainelimited1
Maryland4
Massachusetts6
Missouri5
Montana6
New Mexico8
Oklahoma15
Oregon7
Pennsylvania11
Rhode Islandlimited1
South Dakota3
West Virginia4
Wyoming3
District of Columbialimited1

Careers & outlook

The payoff after graduation: occupation 43-6011, Executive Secretaries and Executive Administrative Assistants, and its national outlook.

Graduates of this program can pursue careers as administrative assistants, executive secretaries, or customer service representatives. While the job outlook indicates a decline of 1.6%, there are approximately 50,000 annual openings in this field. The median wage for these positions is $74,260, and a high school diploma or equivalent is typically required.

Projected growth (2024–2034)
-1.6%
Decline
Openings / yr (US)
~50,000
BLS Employment Projections
US median wage
$74,260
typically High school diploma or equivalent
National employment
472,770
Executive Secretaries and Executive Administrative Assistants
US average pay
$77,060
annual, BLS OEWS 2024
US median pay
$74,260
annual

Top-paying metros

San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA
$112,680avg
San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA
$104,170avg
Bridgeport-Stamford-Danbury, CT
$101,140avg
New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ
$88,610avg
Santa Rosa-Petaluma, CA
$88,100avg

Related careers

Customer Service Representatives
$45,380 avg · 2,725,930 jobs
Office Clerks, General
$45,470 avg · 2,510,550 jobs
Secretaries and Administrative Assistants, Except Legal, Medical, and Executive
$47,640 avg · 1,737,820 jobs
First-Line Supervisors of Office and Administrative Support Workers
$71,560 avg · 1,495,580 jobs
Business Operations Specialists, All Other
$92,380 avg · 1,128,200 jobs
Receptionists and Information Clerks
$38,480 avg · 964,530 jobs

Skills & knowledge in Business Operations Support and Assistant Services programs

From the U.S. Dept. of Labor for the occupation this program most leads to.

Skills you'll build

Active Listening
Reading Comprehension
Speaking
Writing
Critical Thinking
Monitoring
Active Learning
Learning Strategies

Knowledge areas

Administrative
English Language
Customer and Personal Service
Computers and Electronics
Administration and Management
Personnel and Human Resources

What graduates do on the job

  • Manage and maintain executives' schedules.
  • Make travel arrangements for executives.
  • Prepare invoices, reports, memos, letters, financial statements, and other documents, using word processing, spreadsheet, database, or presentation software.
  • Coordinate and direct office services, such as records, departmental finances, budget preparation, personnel issues, and housekeeping, to aid executives.
  • Answer phone calls and direct calls to appropriate parties or take messages.
  • Prepare responses to correspondence containing routine inquiries.

Tools & technology

Adobe AcrobatAdobe ContributeAdobe IllustratorAdobe InDesignAdobe PhotoshopAestiva Purchase OrderAirtableApple Keynote

Concentrations within Business Operations Support and Assistant Services

Specializations under this field (NCES CIP 2020).

  • Administrative Assistant and Secretarial Science, General
    CIP 52.0401

    A program that generally prepares individuals to perform the duties of administrative assistants and/or secretaries and stenographers

  • Executive Assistant/Executive Secretary
    CIP 52.0402

    A program that prepares individuals to perform the duties of special assistants and/or personal secretaries for business executives and top management

  • Receptionist
    CIP 52.0406

    A program that prepares individuals to perform frontline public relations duties for a business, organization, or answering service

  • Business/Office Automation/Technology/Data Entry
    CIP 52.0407

    A program that prepares individuals to support business information operations by using computer equipment to enter, process, and retrieve data for a wide variety of administrative purposes

  • General Office Occupations and Clerical Services
    CIP 52.0408

    A program that prepares individuals to provide basic administrative support under the supervision of office managers, administrative assistants, secretaries, and other office personnel

  • Parts, Warehousing, and Inventory Management Operations
    CIP 52.0409

    A program that prepares individuals to provide administrative, technical, and managerial support in the operation of warehouses, control of inventory, parts identification, and the performance of coun

  • Traffic, Customs, and Transportation Clerk/Technician
    CIP 52.0410

    A program that prepares individuals to perform duties associated with managing revenue-based customs, traffic, or transportation services, such as control of domestic and international traffic, toll r

  • Customer Service Support/Call Center/Teleservice Operation
    CIP 52.0411

    A program that prepares individuals to assist customers with inquiries and problems in frontline call centers, help desks, teleservice centers, and online

  • Business Operations Support and Secretarial Services, Other
    CIP 52.0499

    Any instructional program in administrative and secretarial services not listed above.

Common questions

What types of jobs can I get with this program?+

Graduates can work as administrative assistants, executive secretaries, receptionists, and in various office support roles.

What skills will I learn?+

You will learn skills in active listening, critical thinking, communication, and office technology.

What is the job outlook for this field?+

The job outlook shows a decline of 1.6%, with about 50,000 annual openings.

What education do I need to enter this field?+

Typically, a high school diploma or equivalent is required for entry-level positions.

Related programs

Other programs in the same field of study.

Zoom outAll programs
Business Operations Support and Assistant Services by stateNebraskaMichiganAlaskaWisconsinVirginiaUtahFloridaIllinoisMinnesotaNorth Dakota

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