by our College Data Analytics TeamThere 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.
In 2020-2021, business support and assistant services was the 145th most popular major nationwide with 19,119 degrees awarded. This represents a 7.1% increase in business support degrees awarded over the prior year's total of 17,755.
This year's Best Business Support & Assistant Services Schools ranking compares 247 of them to identify the best overall programs in the country. Continue reading to check out one of our many unbiased rankings of business support programs later in this article.
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.
A high school diploma or equivalent is typically required for most business support degree programs and many students will need a minimum GPA and SAT/ACT score depending on the school. In addition to these basic business support and assistant services program qualifications, to serve in some business support careers, special certification may be required outside of your degree.
There are many different business support degree levels. Business Support & Assistant Services programs offered by schools range from a to a , which is the highest business support degree you can get. The time it takes to complete a business support degree varies depending on the program.
| Degree | Credit Requirements | Typical Program Length |
|---|---|---|
| Associate Degree | 60-70 credits | 2 years |
| Bachelor’s Degree | 120 credits | 4 years |
| Master’s Degree | 50-70 credits | 1-3 years |
| Doctorate | Program required coursework including thesis or dissertation | At least 4 years |
An associate degree is the most common level of education achieved by those in careers related to business support, with approximately 19.0% of workers getting one. See the the most common levels of education for business support workers below.
| Level of Education | Percentage of Workers |
|---|---|
| High School Diploma | 46.1% |
| Associate’s Degree (or other 2-year degree) | 21.1% |
| Some College Courses | 13.2% |
| Bachelor’s Degree | 11.8% |
| Post-Secondary Certificate | 4.4% |
View the chart below to get an idea of what degree level most of those in business support and assistant services careers have.
This of course varies depending on which business support career you choose.
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.
Want a job when you graduate with your business support degree?
The following options are some of the most in-demand careers related to business support and assistant services.
| Occupation Name | Projected Jobs | Expected Growth |
|---|---|---|
| Office Clerks | 3,086,000 | -1.0% |
| Customer Service Representatives | 2,920,800 | 4.9% |
| Secretaries and Administrative Assistants | 2,371,300 | -6.5% |
| Receptionists and Information Clerks | 1,149,200 | 9.1% |
| Executive Secretaries and Executive Administrative Assistants | 566,200 | -17.4% |
Recently graduated business support and assistant services students earned an average of $22,500 in 2019-2020. Earnings can range from as low as $8,269 to as high as $53,185. As you might expect, salaries for business support graduates vary depending on the level of education that was acquired.
Salaries for business support and assistant services graduates can vary widely by the occupation you choose as well. The following table shows the top highest paying careers business support grads often go into.
| Occupation Name | Median Average Salary |
|---|---|
| Executive Secretaries and Executive Administrative Assistants | $61,550 |
| Production, Planning, and Expediting Clerks | $50,020 |
| Cargo and Freight Agents | $46,070 |
| Procurement Clerks | $43,180 |
| Dispatchers | $42,940 |
With over 2,202 different business support degree programs to choose from, finding the best fit for you can be a challenge. Fortunately you have come to the right place. We have analyzed all of these schools to come up with hundreds of unbiased business support school rankings to help you with this.
One of 21 majors within the Business, Management & Marketing area of study, Business Support & Assistant Services has other similar majors worth exploring.
| Related Major | Annual Graduates |
|---|---|
| Business Administration & Management | 416,590 |
| Accounting | 99,265 |
| Finance & Financial Management | 57,778 |
| General Business/Commerce | 56,042 |
| Marketing | 52,916 |
