# Business Operations Support and Assistant Services

> A program that generally prepares individuals to perform the duties of administrative assistants and/or secretaries and stenographers. Includes instruction in business communications, principles of business law, word processing and data entry, office machines operation and maintenance, office procedures, public relations, secretarial accounting, filing systems and records management, and report preparation.

- Edition: Data verified Nov 2026 · CollegesRef 2026–27 edition
- Page: https://www.collegesref.com/programs/business-operations-support-and-assistant-services
- CIP code: 52.04 (Business, Management, Marketing, and Related Support Services)
- Colleges offering it: 669 at its most common degree level

## Outcomes by degree level (College Scorecard, 2025)

| Degree level | Colleges | Median earnings 1 yr | Median earnings 4 yrs | Median federal debt |
| --- | ---: | ---: | ---: | ---: |
| Certificate | 669 | $32,663 | $36,595 | $12,667 |
| Associate's | 601 | $40,968 | $37,382 | $19,284 |
| Bachelor's | 16 | $55,061 | $72,148 | $22,745 |

## Colleges whose graduates earn the most (Bachelor's)

Only programs with at least 10 graduates are listed.

| College | Location | Median earnings 4 yrs | Median debt |
| --- | --- | ---: | ---: |
| [Bellevue University-Nebraska](https://www.collegesref.com/college/bellevue-university-nebraska-206) | Bellevue, NE | $83,581 | $19,499 |
| [Valdosta State University](https://www.collegesref.com/college/valdosta-state-university-3105) | Valdosta, GA | $60,715 | $25,991 |

## Related careers (NCES CIP–SOC crosswalk)

- [Business Continuity Planners](https://www.collegesref.com/careers/business-continuity-planners): $83,050 median pay
- [Business Operations Specialists, All Other](https://www.collegesref.com/careers/business-operations-specialists-all-other): $83,050 median pay
- [Online Merchants](https://www.collegesref.com/careers/online-merchants): $83,050 median pay
- [Security Management Specialists](https://www.collegesref.com/careers/security-management-specialists): $83,050 median pay
- [Sustainability Specialists](https://www.collegesref.com/careers/sustainability-specialists): $83,050 median pay
- [Executive Secretaries and Executive Administrative Assistants](https://www.collegesref.com/careers/executive-secretaries-and-executive-administrative-assistants): $76,590 median pay
- [First-Line Supervisors of Office and Administrative Support Workers](https://www.collegesref.com/careers/first-line-supervisors-of-office-and-administrative-support-workers): $69,500 median pay
- [Production, Planning, and Expediting Clerks](https://www.collegesref.com/careers/production-planning-and-expediting-clerks): $59,650 median pay
- [Cargo and Freight Agents](https://www.collegesref.com/careers/cargo-and-freight-agents): $52,260 median pay
- [Freight Forwarders](https://www.collegesref.com/careers/freight-forwarders): $52,260 median pay
- [Human Resources Assistants, Except Payroll and Timekeeping](https://www.collegesref.com/careers/human-resources-assistants-except-payroll-and-timekeeping): $50,610 median pay
- [Procurement Clerks](https://www.collegesref.com/careers/procurement-clerks): $50,580 median pay
- [Dispatchers, Except Police, Fire, and Ambulance](https://www.collegesref.com/careers/dispatchers-except-police-fire-and-ambulance): $50,340 median pay
- [Word Processors and Typists](https://www.collegesref.com/careers/word-processors-and-typists): $49,280 median pay
- [Insurance Claims and Policy Processing Clerks](https://www.collegesref.com/careers/insurance-claims-and-policy-processing-clerks): $49,230 median pay
- [Secretaries and Administrative Assistants, Except Legal, Medical, and Executive](https://www.collegesref.com/careers/secretaries-and-administrative-assistants-except-legal-medical-and-executive): $47,540 median pay
- [Correspondence Clerks](https://www.collegesref.com/careers/correspondence-clerks): $46,800 median pay
- [Order Clerks](https://www.collegesref.com/careers/order-clerks): $46,170 median pay
- [Office Clerks, General](https://www.collegesref.com/careers/office-clerks-general): $45,010 median pay
- [Customer Service Representatives](https://www.collegesref.com/careers/customer-service-representatives): $44,770 median pay
- [File Clerks](https://www.collegesref.com/careers/file-clerks): $43,600 median pay
- [Data Entry Keyers](https://www.collegesref.com/careers/data-entry-keyers): $41,340 median pay
- [Receptionists and Information Clerks](https://www.collegesref.com/careers/receptionists-and-information-clerks): $38,010 median pay

## More in Business, Management, Marketing, and Related Support Services

- [Business Administration, Management and Operations](https://www.collegesref.com/programs/business-administration-management-and-operations): 1,495 colleges
- [Accounting and Related Services](https://www.collegesref.com/programs/accounting-and-related-services): 1,096 colleges
- [Marketing](https://www.collegesref.com/programs/marketing): 820 colleges
- [Finance and Financial Management Services](https://www.collegesref.com/programs/finance-and-financial-management-services): 730 colleges
- [Business/Commerce, General](https://www.collegesref.com/programs/business-commerce-general): 523 colleges
- [Entrepreneurial and Small Business Operations](https://www.collegesref.com/programs/entrepreneurial-and-small-business-operations): 520 colleges
- [International Business](https://www.collegesref.com/programs/international-business): 426 colleges
- [Human Resources Management and Services](https://www.collegesref.com/programs/human-resources-management-and-services): 379 colleges

## Sources

- U.S. Department of Education, College Scorecard field-of-study data, 2025: https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/data/
- NCES Classification of Instructional Programs (CIP) 2020: https://nces.ed.gov/ipeds/cipcode/