by our College Data Analytics TeamIn the latest year, 645 U.S. colleges awarded 14,895 degrees and certificates in Business Support & Assistant Services. Master’s degrees are the most popular award, at 51% of graduates. College Factual ranks 242 schools in its 2027 Best Business Support & Assistant Services Schools ranking and compares their cost in a Best Value ranking. Graduates earn a median $24,528 one year after completing, rising to $34,269 after four years.
There is more to being an assistant than just answering phone calls and fetching the boss's coffee. Almost every office needs a support staff to keep the company running smoothly. Individuals who study Business Support and Assistant Services will be instructed in the duties of becoming an administrative assistant, secretary or stenographer. These skills learned will help you run an office efficiently.
Some of the concentrations available within this major include Executive Assistant, Receptionist, General Office Occupations and Clerical Services, Parts, Warehousing, and Inventory Management Operations, and Traffic, Customs, and Transportation Clerk. While studying this major you will be taking courses in office simulation, desktop publishing, business math, business communication, report writing, administrative office management, and records management. These classes will allow students to grasp the fundamentals of Business Support and Assistant Services. This major is commonly offered as an Associate's Degree.
A degree in Business Support & Assistant Services covers Business Operations Support And Assistant Services.
Source: IPEDS 2025; College Scorecard July 2026; BLS; O*NET; College Factual rankings 2027. Data as of: July 2026.
Nationwide, business support & assistant services is a popular field of study, with 14,895 degrees awarded annually. 645 colleges award business support & assistant services degrees, an average of 23 graduates per school; the largest program awarded 1,333.
By level, the 14,895 awards include 2,394 certificates, 2,314 associate degrees, 365 bachelor’s degrees and 7,595 master’s degrees.
Women earned 68% of business support & assistant services degrees and certificates in the latest year (10,209 of 14,895). The largest groups of graduates by race and ethnicity are White (6,116) and Hispanic or Latino (3,492), and international students earned 69.
College Factual ranks 242 schools in its 2027 Best Business Support & Assistant Services Schools ranking, including 69 for associate degrees and 6 for bachelor’s degrees. It also ranks business support & assistant services schools within 24 states. In all, 645 colleges offer business support & assistant services programs; compare them by degree level below or in the Best Value Business Support & Assistant Services Colleges ranking, which weighs quality against cost.
The most common business support & assistant services credential is the master’s degree: 7,595 of the 14,895 awarded in the latest year. Jobs related to business support & assistant services call most for Active Listening, Speaking and Reading Comprehension, and for knowledge of Customer and Personal Service, English Language and Administrative, according to O*NET. The most important abilities are Oral Comprehension, Oral Expression and Written Comprehension.
If you are able to multitask, this major is for you. The nature of this work is often fast-paced and requires your attention to be on many different things at a time. Being organized and having good people skills will help you be successful in your classes and the work place. If you have the ability to stay organized and keep times and files in order; it will not only benefit you, but the company as well. In order to prepare for this major, it is advised to take courses in English, Precollege math, Psychology, Business and Computer applications.
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How long a business support & assistant services degree takes:
| Degree | Typical Program Length | Graduates Annually |
|---|---|---|
| Certificate | Varies | 2,394 |
| Associate Degree | 2 years | 2,314 |
| Bachelor’s Degree | 4 years | 365 |
| Master’s Degree | 1-3 years | 7,595 |
High school diploma or equivalent is the most common level of education among workers in jobs related to business support & assistant services, at 36.2%.
| Level of Education | Percentage of Workers |
|---|---|
| High school diploma or equivalent | 36.2% |
| Bachelor’s degree | 23.3% |
| Associate’s degree (or other 2-year) | 15.2% |
| Some college courses | 13.8% |
| Postsecondary certificate | 7.7% |
| Master’s degree | 2.5% |
| Less than a high school diploma | 0.5% |
| Post-baccalaureate certificate | 0.5% |
| Post-master’s certificate | 0.2% |
| First professional degree | 0.1% |
Source: O*NET Online.
23 occupations are related to Business Support & Assistant Services, with an average median salary of $57,453; the strongest outlook belongs to Sustainability Specialists, at 14.3% projected job growth. Typical job titles include Administrative Coordinator, Office Assistant, Warranty Administrator and Automotive Service Advisor.
A graduate with a degree in Business Support and Assistant Services can enter into a variety of occupations. One popular choice is to become an Administrative Assistant. These Assistants help and provide office support services, such as schedule appointments, input data, draft and type letters, and make travel arrangements. The demand for Administrative Assistants is growing at a steady rate. Another occupation that a graduate can consider is a Human Resources Manager. These individuals make sure the employer and employee relationships are running smoothly and oversee the salaries, training and hiring of the company. The demand for these managers is growing at a steady rate, as well. One more opportunity for graduates is to become a paralegal. Paralegals assist lawyer by preparing legal documents for activates such as trials, corporate meetings, and hearing.
The occupation related to business support & assistant services with the most projected jobs is Cargo and Freight Agents, at 2,161,434.
| Occupation | Projected Jobs | Expected Growth |
|---|---|---|
| Cargo and Freight Agents | 2,161,434 | 8.2% |
| Customer Service Representatives | 2,156,323 | 9.4% |
| First-Line Supervisors of Office and Administrative Support Workers | 1,904,234 | -0.4% |
| Receptionists and Information Clerks | 1,848,074 | 11.4% |
| Secretaries and Administrative Assistants, Except Legal, Medical, and Executive | 1,827,394 | -3.9% |
| Freight Forwarders | 1,509,563 | 0.3% |
| Correspondence Clerks | 1,417,935 | -2.6% |
| Order Clerks | 1,247,994 | -0.5% |
Business Support & Assistant Services graduates earn a median $24,528 one year after completing their program, $34,269 after four years and $31,354 after five years, according to the U.S. Department of Education’s College Scorecard.
| Years Out | Median Earnings |
|---|---|
| 1 year | $24,528 |
| 4 years | $34,269 |
| 5 years | $31,354 |
Source: College Scorecard.
The highest-paying occupation related to business support & assistant services is Security Management Specialists, with a median salary of $128,654.
| Occupation | Median Annual Salary |
|---|---|
| Security Management Specialists | $128,654 |
| Business Operations Specialists, All Other | $113,637 |
| Online Merchants | $106,971 |
| Sustainability Specialists | $81,004 |
| Customer Service Representatives | $62,906 |
| Dispatchers, Except Police, Fire, and Ambulance | $62,885 |
| Office Clerks, General | $62,233 |
| Executive Secretaries and Executive Administrative Assistants | $59,046 |
Business Support & Assistant Services includes 9 concentrations that together award 14,895 degrees a year; by graduates, the largest are Administrative Assistant and Secretarial Science, General (7,105), Customer Service Support/Call Center/Teleservice Operation (2,464) and Business/Office Automation/Technology/Data Entry (2,125). It has 21 similar majors in the Business, Management & Marketing field, which together award 869,254 degrees a year; the largest are Business Administration, Management and Operations (421,752), Accounting and Related Services (86,793) and Management Sciences and Quantitative Methods (68,298). Browse all Business, Management & Marketing majors or the full list of college majors.
| Related Major | Annual Graduates |
|---|---|
| Business Administration, Management and Operations | 421,752 |
| Accounting and Related Services | 86,793 |
| Management Sciences and Quantitative Methods | 68,298 |
| Business/Commerce, General | 61,663 |
| Finance and Financial Management Services | 60,422 |
| Marketing | 56,635 |
| Human Resources Management and Services | 27,822 |
| Entrepreneurial and Small Business Operations | 15,088 |
| Hospitality Administration/Management | 13,200 |
| Management Information Systems and Services | 12,764 |
More about our data sources and methodologies.
