Why This Matters
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22% OF ADMINISTRATIVE ASSISTANT JOBS REQUIRE AN ASSOCIATE DEGREE
An associate degree will qualify you for the 22% of administrative assistant jobs that require this level of education as well as the 50% that only require a high school diploma.
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10% DECLINE IN ADMINISTRATIVE ASSISTANT JOBS
The Bureau of Labor Statistics projects that there will be 10% fewer administrative assistant jobs available in 2032 than 2022. A higher level of education will help you stand out from other candidates and get hired in this increasingly competitive job market.
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POTENTIAL TO EARN OVER $70,000 PER YEAR
While the average salary for administrative assistants is $44,080, the top 10% of workers in this field earn more than $70,380. For the highest salaries, look for work as an executive administrative assistant — these professionals earn $65,980 on average.
Our Research
This list features some of the best online administrative assistant associate degree programs at top colleges nationwide. Each school featured is a nonprofit, accredited institution — either public or private — with a high standard of academic quality for post-secondary education.
We evaluated each school’s program on admission, retention, and graduation rates as well as tuition costs, faculty, reputation, and the resources provided for online students. Then, we calculated the Intelligent Score on a scale of 0 to 100. Read more about our ranking methodology.
Next, we compared this comprehensive list of online administrative assistant associate degree programs to a list of aggregated college rankings from reputable publications like U.S. News & World Report, among others, to simplify a student’s college search. We pored through these rankings so students don’t have to.
- 76 hours to write this article
- 52 universities and colleges we assessed
- 95 education programs we compared
The Top 50 Online Administrative Assistant Associate Programs
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What You Should Know About This Degree
Similar degrees include associates in business, accounting, finance, and marketing. While these degrees can be applied to an office setting and will include some of the same courses, an administrative assistant associate degree focuses specifically on the office-related technology and skills you will use on the job, such as business writing, business law, information management, software integration, and office team procedures.
Only apply to schools approved by a DOE-recognized accrediting organization, such as the New England Commission of Higher Education (NECHE) or Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities (NWCCU). These organizations evaluate the faculty and curriculum of postsecondary education institutions to ensure they offer students a high-quality academic experience
You can gain a competitive edge in your job search by becoming a certified administrative professional (CAP) via the CAP exam, which you are eligible for with an associate degree and three years of professional administrative experience. You can also become a Microsoft Office Specialist (MOS) via each Microsoft application’s associate-level exam.
What’s Next?
Here are some questions to ask when researching online administrative assistant associate degree programs:
- Are courses offered synchronously or asynchronously? For online programs, two delivery options are available. Synchronous courses unfold in real time, so all students must be present (virtually) at a designated meeting time. Asynchronous courses do not have a set meeting time, so you can complete lessons and assignments at your own pace. You must decide which delivery option works best with your schedule.
- How long does it take to complete this online degree? An online administrative assistant associate degree program requires approximately 60 credits — this takes most full-time students about two years to complete.
When researching programs, keep track of application deadlines. This information is accessible on the school’s website.
To finance your education, look into grants, scholarships, and subsidized loans. Keep an eye on application materials and submit all paperwork by the deadline.