Why This Matters
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20% OF OFFICE SUPERVISORY POSITIONS REQUIRE SOME COLLEGE
Data from O*NET shows that the majority of office supervisors need to have some college or a degree. However, 23% of positions only required a high school diploma, which puts those with associate degrees ahead of the pack.
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9% JOB DECLINE EXPECTED
For secretaries and administrative assistants, the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) expects the job market to decline through 2029, but the number of supervisory and manager positions may increase.
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EARN A MEDIAN ANNUAL WAGE OF $62,010
The BLS lists the average salary expectations for office supervisors as just over $62,000, but some are earning more than $94,000.
Our Research
Most of the programs on our list award an Associate of Applied Science in Office Management, but there are also other programs such as Associate of Applied Science in Business Administration and Associate of Science in Office Administration. All the options on our list are either fully online or offered in a hybrid format.
Accreditations are a crucial aspect of any associate in office administration program. All the options on our list are accredited by either national or regional bodies, such as the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC), the Accreditation Council for Business Schools and Programs (ACBSP), and the Higher Learning Commission (HLC).
- 59 hours to write this article
- 46 universities and colleges we assessed
- 72 education programs we compared
The Top 10 Online Associate Degree Programs in Office Administration
Brigham Young University-Idaho
Intelligent Pick
Brigham Young University-Idaho’s Associate Degree in Applied Business Management is highly career-focused. The program begins with an introductory certificate, where you can choose a business specialization. Certificate specializations include social media marketing, construction field supervision, and medical billing and coding fundamentals. After you have successfully chosen and completed an introductory certificate, you move onto a required advanced certificate in business and leadership skills. The associate degree program features a required applied learning project or internship to ensure that you graduate with real-world experience that can differentiate you from other candidates in the job market. This competitively priced, completely online program also offers substantial scholarships.
Things to consider:
- Cost per credit: $77
- Credits required to graduate: 60
- Academic calendar: Traditional semester
- Graduation rate: 68%
More program information:
- Accreditation: Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities (NWCCU)
- Email: [email protected]
- Phone: 855-994-6721
Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University
Best for Aviation Business
Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University’s (ERAU) Associate in Science in Aviation Business Administration is geared toward students who want to work on the business side of the aviation industry. The program is conducted completely online at your own pace, making it possible to work while going to school. Unique to ERAU, the program includes coursework in the management of aeronautical science, science of flight, and applied mathematics related to aviation, as well as general business courses. Successful professionals in the high-powered, competitive aviation industry possess a combination of aviation-specific knowledge and broader business know-how. This combination is precisely what ERAU’s specialized program provides.
Things to consider:
- Cost per credit: $465
- Credits required to graduate: 60
- Academic calendar: Traditional semester
- Graduation rate: 35%
More program information:
- Accreditation: Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC)
- Email: [email protected]
- Phone: 800-522-6787
Chaminade University of Honolulu
Best Student-Faculty Ratio
Chaminade University of Honolulu’s Associate of Arts in Business Administration emphasizes hands-on, real-world learning and strong student-faculty mentorships. Students in the program benefit from low student-to-faculty ratios and a strong academic advising program, both of which provide personalized attention and support during your studies. If you learn best in small classroom settings with extensive support, this program could be a good fit. At the end of the program, you will be equipped with foundational knowledge in business functions and tasks, accounting, micro- and macroeconomics, quantitative reasoning, and ways to apply business principles to support the common good.
Things to consider:
- Cost per credit: $565
- Credits required to graduate: 60
- Academic calendar: Traditional semester
- Graduation rate: 43%
More program information:
- Accreditation: International Accreditation Council for Business Education (IACBE)
- Email: [email protected]
- Phone: 808-440-4280
Toccoa Falls College
Best Christian College
Toccoa Falls College’s Associate of Arts in Business Administration integrates business training with Christian-informed character development. The program aims to graduate students who are able to integrate faith and practice in their work and apply Biblical values and morals to the workplace. If you are a devout Christian who wants to integrate religious tenets with business principles, this program could be a strong fit for you. The majority of the courses in this associate degree program are general education requirements, including 15 hours of Bible and theology courses. Business administration courses amount to 15 credit hours. This is a program for students who truly want to balance business administration with religious study.
Things to consider:
- Cost per credit: $350
- Credits required to graduate: 63
- Academic calendar: Traditional semester
- Graduation rate: 53%
More program information:
- Accreditation: Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC)
- Email: [email protected]
- Phone: 706-886-7299
Huntington University
Best for Veterans
Huntington University’s Associate of Science in Organizational Management is geared toward students with busy lives. The program’s five-week online courses are deliberately short and manageable so that students can pursue their degree while also fulfilling their other responsibilities. Similarly to the program at Toccoa Falls College, Huntington University is grounded in the Christian faith and seeks to merge religious values with business principles and a broad liberal arts education. Huntington is particularly welcoming to military students. It participates in the Yellow Ribbon Program, offering extensive tuition discounts to active-duty service members, veterans, and their families. If you have close ties to the military and want a welcoming, flexible, Christian-based education in business administration, Huntington’s program could be a good fit.
Things to consider:
- Cost per credit: $402
- Credits required to graduate: 64
- Academic calendar: Traditional semester
- Graduation rate: 62%
More program information:
- Accreditation: Higher Learning Commission (HLC)
- Email: [email protected]
- Phone: 800-600-4888
Trine University
Best Faculty
Trine University’s associate degree in business administration program boasts a particularly strong faculty with diverse, extensive real-world experience in all dimensions of business. This means that the people you learn from will have firsthand insights to offer, supplementing the curriculum with their personal business experience. The program prepares graduates to work in real estate, office management, sales, and as administrative professionals. In addition to 22 credit hours of general education courses, you will complete 30 credit hours of required business administration courses as well as 15 credit hours of required professional development and optimized online learning courses.
Things to consider:
- Cost per credit: $399
- Credits required to graduate: 60
- Academic calendar: Courses begin every 8 weeks
- Graduation rate: 59%
More program information:
- Accreditation: Accreditation Council for Business Schools and Programs (ACBSP)
- Email: [email protected]
- Phone: 877-701-3343
Seminole State College of Florida
Best Career-Focused Program
Seminole State College of Florida’s Associate of Science in Administrative Office Management program prepares graduates to immediately enter the workforce or to seamlessly transfer to a public four-year university in Florida. In addition to foundational business and business technology courses, you will take coursework in accounting and business law and have the opportunity to choose one of six specializations: human resource management, management, marketing and sales, insurance (risk management), associate to bachelor degree transfer, and logistics. The specialization allows you to customize your education to your specific career goals. In this 60-credit program, only 15 credits are general education requirements, meaning that you spend most of your time in courses directly related to business.
Things to consider:
- Cost per credit: $208.73
- Credits required to graduate: 60
- Academic calendar: Traditional semester
- Graduation rate: 41%
More program information:
- Accreditation: Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC)
- Email: [email protected]
- Phone: 407-708-2106
Dakota State University
Best for Learning Office Software
Dakota State University’s Associate of Science in Business Management program takes cutting-edge technology seriously. As a business management student, you benefit from the university’s commitment to equipping students with the most up-to-date software and tools needed to succeed in business settings. That means you’ll graduate well-versed in spreadsheets, databases, and QuickBooks accounting software. The program also emphasizes small classes of 20 to 30 students and close interactions among peers and faculty. The professors move back and forth between theory and practice, integrating lots of professional tips and real-world scenarios into the classes. The program’s high-tech facilities, both online and in person at the Madison campus and the Community College for Sioux Falls, set this associate degree apart.
Things to consider:
- Cost per credit: $354.75
- Credits required to graduate: 60
- Academic calendar: Traditional semester
- Graduation rate: 39%
More program information:
- Accreditation: Accreditation Council for Business Schools and Programs (ACBSP)
- Email: [email protected]
- Phone: 605-256-5165
Southern New Hampshire University
Most Innovative Curriculum
Southern New Hampshire University’s (SNHU) Associate of Science in Business Administration program offers a flexible, affordable, well-respected degree path. The SNHU alumni network is robust, and the program is on the pulse of current and future business administration trends. Coursework is grounded in real-world data and scenarios, making your education highly applicable and relevant to the professional sphere. The curriculum is innovative and cutting-edge, drawing on recommendations from business leaders in the real world. In fact, SNHU has received “Most Innovative” regional university honors from U.S. News & World Report each year since 2015. The university was also recognized as a 2017 Digital Learning Innovator by the Online Learning Consortium.
Things to consider:
- Cost per credit: $320
- Credits required to graduate: 60
- Academic calendar: Traditional semester
- Graduation rate: 47%
More program information:
- Accreditation: Accreditation Council for Business Schools and Programs (ACBSP)
- Email: [email protected]
- Phone: 888-327-7648
Montgomery County Community College
Best Scholarships
Montgomery County Community College’s Associate of Applied Science in Office Management program offers flexible scheduling that gives you the option to complete your degree either full-time or part-time. Open to both new students and people already employed in business, the program offers courses both online and on campus. Upon graduation, you can choose to (re)enter the job market immediately or complete your bachelor’s degree at a four-year university. Montgomery has transfer agreements with Temple University, Penn State University and West Chester University, making the transition to a four-year school seamless. The curriculum provides a strong foundation in the key aspects of business management, which range from legal and marketing concerns to accounting and ethical decision-making.
Things to consider:
- Cost per credit: $144 (in-county); $288 (out of county); $432 (out of state)
- Credits required to graduate: 60
- Academic calendar: Traditional semester
- Graduation rate: 15%
More program information:
- Accreditation: Middle States Commission on Higher Education (MSCHE)
- Email: [email protected]
- Phone: 215-641-6551
Other Online Associate in Office Administration Programs to Consider
Discover More Options
What You Should Know About This Degree
When you’re comparing programs, it’s important to pay attention to degree type. All the programs on our list are associate degrees, but the concentration may differ. For example, an Associate of Science in Medical Office Assistant is going to focus more on the healthcare field and HIPAA privacy laws than an Associate of Applied Science in Business Administration, which is going to focus more on paperwork and processes you may find in the business world.
You should also keep in mind that, in general, regional accreditors such as SACSCOC are considered more reputable than national accreditors.
The job growth outlook for office administrative positions is declining for those in lower-level positions, but this doesn’t mean you shouldn’t pursue it as a career. What it does mean is that the competition for open positions could be strong, and an associate degree can help you stand out from other applicants.
What’s Next?
Here are some questions to ask when researching online associate in office administration programs:
- How long does it take to complete this online degree? The options on our list require about 60 to 73 credits to graduate. If you’re able to attend full-time, you should be able to graduate in two years.
- Are courses offered synchronously or asynchronously? Most associate in office administration programs offer coursework asynchronously, which means you’re able to work at your own pace.
After you’ve chosen a program and are ready to start the application process, it’s important to keep track of all the required documentation and deadlines for both admissions and financial aid. Grants, scholarships, and loan opportunities may be available to you, but these programs often have very strict deadlines — the financial aid office at your school can give you more information.