Business Operations Support and Assistant Services: earnings, debt, and careers
CIP 52.04. Official graduate outcomes from the U.S. Department of Education across 1,547 programs, and the careers this field is linked to.
Graduate earnings by credential level
| Credential | Programs | Graduates (recent year) | Median earnings, 1 yr | Median earnings, 4 yrs | Typical program median debt |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Undergraduate certificate | 856 | 13,285 | $30,026 | $32,681 | $9,500 96 programs |
| Associate's degree | 651 | 2,516 | $34,369 | $37,587 | $24,893 37 programs |
| Bachelor's degree | 40 | 352 | $46,606 | $28,311 | $26,034 2 programs |
National earnings are published by the Department of Education for each field and credential level Verified data. Typical program median debt is ConnectPrep's calculation: the median across programs of each program's median federal debt Calculated estimate. It covers federal loans only.
Source: U.S. Department of Education, College Scorecard, Most Recent Field of Study Data. Varies by measure; see measure definitions. Published October 15, 2026. Retrieved October 18, 2026. Methodology.
Undergraduate certificate programs with the highest early earnings
| School | Median earnings, 1 yr | Median earnings, 4 yrs | Median debt |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rio Salado College AZ · Public · 286 graduates measured | $43,555 | $50,135 | $13,127 |
| Ogden-Weber Technical College UT · Public · 17 graduates measured | $41,584 | $43,551 | Data unavailable |
| Onondaga Cortland Madison BOCES NY · Public · 27 graduates measured | $40,014 | $35,841 | $10,858 |
| Chattanooga State Community College TN · Public · 48 graduates measured | $38,922 | $35,282 | $5,900 |
| Northwood Technical College WI · Public · 29 graduates measured | $38,523 | $35,988 | $12,366 |
| Ivy Tech Community College IN · Public · 40 graduates measured | $36,102 | $43,410 | $11,547 |
| Bryant & Stratton College-Syracuse North NY · Private, nonprofit · 16 graduates measured | $35,183 | Data unavailable | $17,038 |
| Bryant & Stratton College-Buffalo NY · Private, nonprofit · 16 graduates measured | $35,183 | Data unavailable | $17,038 |
| Bryant & Stratton College-Greece NY · Private, nonprofit · 16 graduates measured | $35,183 | Data unavailable | $17,038 |
| Bryant & Stratton College-Virginia Beach VA · Private, nonprofit · 16 graduates measured | $35,183 | Data unavailable | $17,038 |
| Bryant & Stratton College-Wauwatosa WI · Private, nonprofit · 16 graduates measured | $35,183 | Data unavailable | $17,038 |
| Bryant & Stratton College-Online NY · Private, nonprofit · 16 graduates measured | $35,183 | Data unavailable | $17,038 |
| Rasmussen University-Florida FL · Private, for-profit · 31 graduates measured | $34,887 | $47,927 | $16,361 |
| Rasmussen University-Minnesota MN · Private, for-profit · 31 graduates measured | $34,887 | $47,927 | $16,361 |
| Rasmussen University-North Dakota ND · Private, for-profit · 31 graduates measured | $34,887 | $47,927 | $16,361 |
Ranked by published median earnings one year after completion. Programs with suppressed earnings do not appear, so this is not a ranking of program quality.
Associate's degree programs with the highest early earnings
| School | Median earnings, 1 yr | Median earnings, 4 yrs | Median debt |
|---|---|---|---|
| Eastern Gateway Community College · Public · 44 graduates measured | $46,565 | Data unavailable | $7,978 |
| Kent State University at Ashtabula OH · Public · 17 graduates measured | $41,744 | Data unavailable | Data unavailable |
| Kent State University at Trumbull OH · Public · 17 graduates measured | $41,744 | Data unavailable | Data unavailable |
| Kent State University at Tuscarawas OH · Public · 17 graduates measured | $41,744 | Data unavailable | Data unavailable |
| Kent State University at Salem OH · Public · 17 graduates measured | $41,744 | Data unavailable | Data unavailable |
| Kent State University at Kent OH · Public · 17 graduates measured | $41,744 | Data unavailable | Data unavailable |
| Herzing University-Birmingham AL · Private, nonprofit · 72 graduates measured | $41,354 | Data unavailable | $33,167 |
| Herzing University-Atlanta GA · Private, nonprofit · 72 graduates measured | $41,354 | Data unavailable | $33,167 |
| Herzing University-Minneapolis MN · Private, nonprofit · 72 graduates measured | $41,354 | Data unavailable | $33,167 |
| Herzing University-Akron OH · Private, nonprofit · 72 graduates measured | $41,354 | Data unavailable | $33,167 |
| Herzing University-Madison WI · Private, nonprofit · 72 graduates measured | $41,354 | Data unavailable | $33,167 |
| Herzing University-Orlando FL · Private, nonprofit · 72 graduates measured | $41,354 | Data unavailable | $33,167 |
| Herzing University-New Orleans LA · Private, nonprofit · 72 graduates measured | $41,354 | Data unavailable | $33,167 |
| Herzing University-Kenosha WI · Private, nonprofit · 72 graduates measured | $41,354 | Data unavailable | $33,167 |
| Herzing University-Brookfield WI · Private, nonprofit · 72 graduates measured | $41,354 | Data unavailable | $33,167 |
Ranked by published median earnings one year after completion. Programs with suppressed earnings do not appear, so this is not a ranking of program quality.
Bachelor's degree programs with the highest early earnings
| School | Median earnings, 1 yr | Median earnings, 4 yrs | Median debt |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bellevue University NE · Private, nonprofit · 183 graduates measured | $67,452 | $83,581 | $20,878 |
| Valdosta State University GA · Public · 36 graduates measured | $42,670 | $60,715 | $31,189 |
Ranked by published median earnings one year after completion. Programs with suppressed earnings do not appear, so this is not a ranking of program quality.
Careers linked to Business Operations Support and Assistant Services
| Occupation | Median wage, all workers | Change 2025 to 2035 | Typical entry education |
|---|---|---|---|
| Business operations specialists, all other | $83,050 | +3.9% | Bachelor's degree |
| First-line supervisors of office and administrative support workers | $69,500 | +0.1% | High school diploma or equivalent |
| Procurement clerks | $50,580 | -8.1% | High school diploma or equivalent |
| Correspondence clerks | $46,800 | -5.6% | High school diploma or equivalent |
| Customer service representatives | $44,770 | -5.3% | High school diploma or equivalent |
| File clerks | $43,600 | -15.8% | High school diploma or equivalent |
| Order clerks | $46,170 | -17.5% | Some college, no degree |
| Human resources assistants, except payroll and timekeeping | $50,610 | -6.2% | Associate's degree |
| Receptionists and information clerks | $38,010 | -1.7% | High school diploma or equivalent |
| Cargo and freight agents | $52,260 | +6.2% | High school diploma or equivalent |
| Dispatchers, except police, fire, and ambulance | $50,340 | -0.7% | High school diploma or equivalent |
| Production, planning, and expediting clerks | $59,650 | -1.3% | High school diploma or equivalent |
| Executive secretaries and executive administrative assistants | $76,590 | 0.0% | High school diploma or equivalent |
| Secretaries and administrative assistants, except legal, medical, and executive | $47,540 | -6.0% | High school diploma or equivalent |
| Data entry keyers | $41,340 | -25.5% | High school diploma or equivalent |
| Word processors and typists | $49,280 | -34.4% | High school diploma or equivalent |
| Insurance claims and policy processing clerks | $49,230 | -1.9% | High school diploma or equivalent |
| Office clerks, general | $45,010 | -6.0% | High school diploma or equivalent |
Occupations mapped to this field in the NCES and BLS CIP to SOC crosswalk. Occupation wages describe all workers, not recent graduates.
Source: National Center for Education Statistics and U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, CIP 2020 to SOC 2018 Crosswalk. CIP 2020 and SOC 2018 taxonomies. Published April 30, 2020. Retrieved October 18, 2026. Methodology.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025, National. May 2025 reference period. Published April 30, 2026. Retrieved October 18, 2026. Methodology.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Employment Projections, Table 1.2: Occupational projections, 2025-35, and worker characteristics, 2025. Base year 2025, projected year 2035. Published August 27, 2026. Retrieved October 18, 2026. Methodology.
Detailed CIP codes in this field (9)
- 52.0401 Administrative Assistant and Secretarial Science, General
- 52.0402 Executive Assistant/Executive Secretary
- 52.0406 Receptionist
- 52.0407 Business/Office Automation/Technology/Data Entry
- 52.0408 General Office Occupations and Clerical Services
- 52.0409 Parts, Warehousing, and Inventory Management Operations
- 52.0410 Traffic, Customs, and Transportation Clerk/Technician
- 52.0411 Customer Service Support/Call Center/Teleservice Operation
- 52.0499 Business Operations Support and Secretarial Services, Other