Best institutions to study Business/Office Automation/Technology/Data Entry
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.
113 U.S. institutions graduated 2,124 Business/Office Automation/Technology/Data Entry students in 2024–25 (IPEDS). It is CIP 52.0407, a specialization of Business Operations Support and Assistant Services (CIP 52.04), and leads most directly to the Data Entry Keyers occupation (BLS SOC 43-9021).
About Business/Office Automation/Technology/Data Entry programs
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. Includes instruction in using basic business software and hardware, business computer networking, principles of desktop publishing, preparing mass mailings, compiling and editing spreadsheets, list maintenance, preparing tables and graphs, receipt control, and preparing business performance reports.
Source: National Center for Education Statistics, Classification of Instructional Programs (CIP 2020).
The Business/Office Automation/Technology/Data Entry program prepares individuals to support business information operations through effective data management. This program is ideal for those looking to develop skills in data entry, processing, and retrieval for various administrative purposes within a business environment. Students will learn to utilize essential business software and hardware to enhance operational efficiency.
Learn more about Business/Office Automation/Technology/Data Entry →
Core coursework includes instruction in basic business software, desktop publishing principles, data management techniques, and the preparation of business performance reports. Students will also develop critical skills such as reading comprehension, writing, and active listening, which are essential for effective communication in the workplace.
Credentials awarded
What Business/Office Automation/Technology/Data Entry graduates earned in 2024–25, by award level (IPEDS completions).
- Award of at least 12 weeks but less than 1 academic year1,620 graduates / yr · 70 institutions76%
- Award of at least 1 but less than 2 academic years190 graduates / yr · 24 institutions8.9%
- Associate's degree178 graduates / yr · 32 institutions8.4%
- Award of less than 12 weeks75 graduates / yr · 6 institutions3.5%
- Bachelor's degree61 graduates / yr · 6 institutions2.9%
Graduates over time
Business/Office Automation/Technology/Data Entry completions reported to IPEDS each year, all award levels combined.
| Year | Graduates |
|---|---|
| 2012 | 3,180 |
| 2013 | 3,753 |
| 2014 | 3,023 |
| 2015 | 3,044 |
| 2016 | 2,873 |
| 2017 | 2,551 |
| 2018 | 2,702 |
| 2019 | 2,374 |
| 2020 | 3,153 |
| 2021 | 2,729 |
| 2022 | 2,616 |
| 2023 | 1,873 |
| 2024 | 1,963 |
| 2025 | 2,124 |
Top 50 institutions for Business/Office Automation/Technology/Data Entry, ranked by graduates
Graduates (IPEDS completions), 2024–25. Award levels show which credentials each institution confers in this specialization.
| # | Institution | Graduates / yr | Grad rate | Net price | Field earnings* (1 yr) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Pueblo Community College Pueblo, COPublicAward of at least 12 weeks but less than 1 academic year | 530 | 31% | — | — |
| 2 | North Hennepin Community College Brooklyn Park, MNPublicAward of at least 12 weeks but less than 1 academic year | 238 | 22% | — | — |
| 3 | Colorado Mesa University Grand Junction, COPublicAward of at least 12 weeks but less than 1 academic yearAssociate's | 112 | 41% | — | — |
| 4 | Georgia Northwestern Technical College Rome, GAPublicAward of at least 12 weeks but less than 1 academic year | 83 | 43% | — | $34,998 |
| 5 | NUC University Bayamon, PRPrivate for-profitAward of at least 12 weeks but less than 1 academic year | 79 | 54% | $9,377 | — |
| 6 | Houston City College Houston, TXPublicAward of at least 12 weeks but less than 1 academic yearAssociate'sAward of at least 1 but less than 2 academic years | 72 | 17% | — | $37,482 |
| 7 | Gwinnett Technical College Lawrenceville, GAPublicAward of at least 12 weeks but less than 1 academic year | 50 | 32% | — | $29,578 |
| 8 | Central Ohio Technical College Newark, OHPublicAward of at least 1 but less than 2 academic years | 49 | 30% | — | — |
| 9 | Ivy Tech Community College Indianapolis, INPublicAward of at least 12 weeks but less than 1 academic year | 46 | 40% | — | $26,926 |
| 10 | College of Lake County Grayslake, ILPublicAward of less than 12 weeksAward of at least 12 weeks but less than 1 academic year | 38 | 37% | — | — |
| 11 | South Georgia Technical College Americus, GAPublicAward of at least 12 weeks but less than 1 academic year | 35 | 61% | — | — |
| 12 | Heartland Community College Normal, ILPublicAward of less than 12 weeksAward of at least 12 weeks but less than 1 academic year | 35 | 54% | — | — |
| 13 | Universidad Ana G. Mendez - Carolina Campus Carolina, PRPrivate not-for-profitAssociate'sBachelor's | 31 | 34% | $8,847 | $16,658 |
| 14 | CET - Salinas Salinas, CAPrivate not-for-profitAward of at least 1 but less than 2 academic years | 27 | 68% | $6,523 | $23,009 |
| 15 | West Georgia Technical College Waco, GAPublicAward of at least 12 weeks but less than 1 academic year | 26 | 35% | — | — |
| 16 | Valencia College Orlando, FLPublicAward of at least 12 weeks but less than 1 academic year | 25 | 48% | — | — |
| 17 | Texas Southern University Houston, TXPublicBachelor's | 25 | 22% | — | — |
| 18 | Blue Ridge Community and Technical College Martinsburg, WVPublicAward of at least 1 but less than 2 academic years | 25 | 32% | — | — |
| 19 | Joliet Junior College Joliet, ILPublicAward of at least 1 but less than 2 academic yearsAssociate'sAward of at least 12 weeks but less than 1 academic year | 24 | 21% | — | — |
| 20 | Broward College Fort Lauderdale, FLPublicAward of at least 12 weeks but less than 1 academic year | 21 | 39% | — | — |
| 21 | College of Central Florida Ocala, FLPublicAward of at least 12 weeks but less than 1 academic year | 21 | 44% | — | — |
| 22 | Dallas College Dallas, TXPublicAward of at least 12 weeks but less than 1 academic yearAward of at least 1 but less than 2 academic years | 21 | 32% | — | $30,228 |
| 23 | Southern Crescent Technical College Griffin, GAPublicAward of at least 12 weeks but less than 1 academic year | 18 | 58% | — | — |
| 24 | The University of Tampa Tampa, FLPrivate not-for-profitBachelor's | 17 | 64% | $33,070 | — |
| 25 | Chattahoochee Technical College Marietta, GAPublicAward of at least 12 weeks but less than 1 academic year | 17 | 38% | — | — |
| 26 | Central Georgia Technical College Warner Robins, GAPublicAward of at least 12 weeks but less than 1 academic year | 17 | 47% | — | $14,464 |
| 27 | Universidad Ana G. Mendez - Cupey Campus San Juan, PRPrivate not-for-profitAssociate's | 15 | 31% | $8,290 | $6,012 |
| 28 | Connecticut State Community College New Britain, CTPublicAward of at least 12 weeks but less than 1 academic yearAssociate's | 14 | 24% | — | — |
| 29 | San Antonio College San Antonio, TXPublicAward of at least 12 weeks but less than 1 academic year | 14 | 26% | — | — |
| 30 | CET - Coachella Coachella, CAPrivate not-for-profitAward of at least 1 but less than 2 academic years | 14 | 84% | $11,259 | $23,009 |
| 31 | Florida State College at Jacksonville Jacksonville, FLPublicAward of at least 12 weeks but less than 1 academic year | 13 | 37% | — | — |
| 32 | Moraine Valley Community College Palos Hills, ILPublicAward of less than 12 weeks | 13 | 40% | — | — |
| 33 | Universidad Ana G. Mendez - Gurabo Campus Gurabo, PRPrivate not-for-profitAssociate's | 13 | 31% | $9,370 | — |
| 34 | Tarrant County College District Fort Worth, TXPublicAssociate'sAward of at least 12 weeks but less than 1 academic yearAward of at least 1 but less than 2 academic years | 12 | 34% | — | — |
| 35 | Northcentral Technical College Wausau, WIPublicAward of at least 12 weeks but less than 1 academic year | 12 | 45% | — | — |
| 36 | Coastal Pines Technical College Waycross, GAPublicAward of at least 12 weeks but less than 1 academic year | 12 | 48% | — | — |
| 37 | Columbus Technical College Columbus, GAPublicAward of at least 12 weeks but less than 1 academic year | 11 | 27% | — | — |
| 38 | Riverland Community College Austin, MNPublicAward of at least 12 weeks but less than 1 academic year | 11 | 52% | — | — |
| 39 | Santa Fe College Gainesville, FLPublicAward of at least 12 weeks but less than 1 academic year | 10 | 53% | — | — |
| 40 | Treasure Valley Community College Ontario, ORPublicAward of at least 12 weeks but less than 1 academic yearAward of at least 1 but less than 2 academic yearsAssociate's | 10 | 37% | — | — |
| 41 | Southwest Texas College Uvalde, TXPublicAward of at least 12 weeks but less than 1 academic yearAssociate's | 10 | 31% | — | — |
| 42 | Gateway Technical College Kenosha, WIPublicAward of at least 12 weeks but less than 1 academic year | 10 | 51% | — | $34,203 |
| 43 | CET - Santa Maria Santa Maria, CAPrivate not-for-profitAward of at least 1 but less than 2 academic years | 10 | 77% | $2,174 | $23,009 |
| 44 | Northwest Missouri State University Maryville, MOPublicBachelor's | 9 | 54% | — | — |
| 45 | South Plains College Levelland, TXPublicAward of at least 12 weeks but less than 1 academic yearAssociate's | 9 | 29% | — | — |
| 46 | Guam Community College Mangilao, GUPublicAssociate'sAward of at least 1 but less than 2 academic years | 9 | 25% | — | — |
| 47 | Schoolcraft Community College District Livonia, MIPublicAssociate'sAward of at least 1 but less than 2 academic years | 8 | 18% | — | — |
| 48 | Chattanooga State Community College Chattanooga, TNPublicAward of at least 12 weeks but less than 1 academic year | 8 | 26% | — | $32,603 |
| 49 | McLennan Community College Waco, TXPublicAward of at least 1 but less than 2 academic yearsAward of at least 12 weeks but less than 1 academic year | 8 | 39% | — | — |
| 50 | Northwood Technical College Rice Lake, WIPublicAward of at least 1 but less than 2 academic years | 8 | 56% | — | $27,494 |
* Median earnings 1 year after graduation for the broader Business Operations Support and Assistant Services field (CIP 52.04) at these institutions; College Scorecard does not publish earnings at the 6-digit level.
Offered in 36 states & territories
Where Business/Office Automation/Technology/Data Entry graduates come from. Each state links to all Business Operations Support and Assistant Services programs offered there.
Careers & outlook
The payoff after graduation: occupation 43-9021, Data Entry Keyers, and its national outlook.
Graduates of this program can pursue careers as Data Entry Keyers or Human Resources Assistants, among others. While the job outlook for this field is projected to decline by 25.9%, there are still approximately 9,500 annual openings. The median wage for these positions is around $39,850, typically requiring a high school diploma or equivalent.
Top-paying metros
Career pathways for CIP 52.0407
The occupations the NCES crosswalk maps this 6-digit code to, with BLS pay and 10-year outlook.
| Occupation | US median pay | Growth | Openings / yr | Typical entry education |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Data Entry Keyersprimary SOC 43-9021 | $41,340 | -25.9% Decline | ~9,500 | High school diploma or equivalent |
Human Resources Assistants, Except Payroll and Timekeeping SOC 43-4161 | $50,610 | -7.1% Decline | ~9,000 | Associate's degree |
Job Zone 1-2: Very Little to Some Preparation Needed
- Education
- Usually requires a high school diploma or GED, though some occupations may not.
- Experience
- Some occupations may need little or no previous experience; others require several months to a year of experience. For example, landscaping and groundskeeping workers might require very little training or previous experience, while agricultural equipment operators can benefit from on-the job training.
- Training
- Ranges from a few days to one year of on-the-job training.
Related careers
Skills & knowledge in Business/Office Automation/Technology/Data Entry programs
From the U.S. Dept. of Labor for the occupation this specialization most leads to.
Skills you'll build
Knowledge areas
Abilities that matter most
Day-to-day work activities
What graduates do on the job
- Locate and correct data entry errors, or report them to supervisors.
- Compile, sort, and verify the accuracy of data before it is entered.
- Compare data with source documents, or re-enter data in verification format to detect errors.
- Store completed documents in appropriate locations.
- Select materials needed to complete work assignments.
- Read source documents such as canceled checks, sales reports, or bills, and enter data in specific data fields or onto tapes or disks for subsequent entry, using keyboards or scanners.
Tools and technology used
Other Business Operations Support and Assistant Services specializations
The 8 other 6-digit CIP codes under Business Operations Support and Assistant Services (CIP 52.04).
- Administrative Assistant and Secretarial ScienceCIP 52.04017,104 graduates / yr413 institutions
- Customer Service Support/CIP 52.0411
Call Center/ Teleservice Operation 2,464 graduates / yr37 institutions - General Office Occupations and Clerical ServicesCIP 52.04081,140 graduates / yr114 institutions
- Executive Assistant/CIP 52.0402
Executive Secretary 1,118 graduates / yr69 institutions - Traffic, Customs, and Transportation Clerk/CIP 52.0410
Technician partial data314 graduates / yr4 institutions - Business Operations Support and Secretarial ServicesCIP 52.0499290 graduates / yr24 institutions
- Parts, Warehousing, and Inventory Management OperationsCIP 52.0409partial data242 graduates / yr7 institutions
- ReceptionistCIP 52.040697 graduates / yr15 institutions
See all Business Operations Support and Assistant Services programs →
Common questions
What types of credentials can I earn?+
You can earn various awards, including those lasting at least 12 weeks, and up to an Associate's degree.
What skills will I develop in this program?+
You will develop skills in data management, critical thinking, and effective communication.
What is the job outlook for graduates?+
The job outlook is projected to decline by 25.9%, with about 9,500 annual openings.
What is the typical education required for careers in this field?+
Most positions require at least a high school diploma or equivalent.
What is the CIP code for Business/Office Automation/Technology/Data Entry?+
Business/Office Automation/Technology/Data Entry is CIP 52.0407 in the NCES Classification of Instructional Programs (CIP 2020), a 6-digit specialization within Business Operations Support and Assistant Services (CIP 52.04). NCES defines it as: 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. Includes instruction in using basic business software and hardware, business computer networking, principles of desktop publishing, preparing mass mailings, compiling and editing spreadsheets, list maintenance, preparing tables and graphs, receipt control, and preparing business performance reports.
How many institutions offer Business/Office Automation/Technology/Data Entry programs?+
113 U.S. institutions reported Business/Office Automation/Technology/Data Entry graduates in IPEDS 2024–25, across 36 states & territories, awarding 2,124 credentials in the year. That is 14.3% of all Business Operations Support and Assistant Services graduates.
How much do Business/Office Automation/Technology/Data Entry graduates earn?+
Earnings are not published at the 6-digit CIP level by any federal source. The Data Entry Keyers occupation, which Business/Office Automation/Technology/Data Entry most directly leads to, pays a median of $41,340 a year nationally (BLS OEWS May 2025), and graduates of the broader Business Operations Support and Assistant Services field report median earnings of $28,797 one year after graduation (College Scorecard).
About the data on this page
Every figure comes from an official federal or public source. Here is each one and the release it is currently on.
Program definitions are from the NCES Classification of Instructional Programs (CIP 2020). Skills, knowledge, abilities, work activities, tools, and job zones are from the O*NET database by the U.S. Department of Labor, used under the CC BY 4.0 license.
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