Explore jobs
Find specific jobs
Explore careers
Explore professions
Best companies
Explore companies
Academic assistant education requirements
Updated January 8, 2025
4 min read
There are several educational requirements to become an academic assistant. Academic assistants usually study business, psychology, or english. 69% of academic assistants hold a bachelor's degree, and 13% hold an associate degree. We analyzed 2,212 real academic assistant resumes to see exactly what academic assistant education sections show.
The most common colleges for academic assistants are the Buena Vista University and the Buena Vista University.
There are also many online academic assistant courses to help get the education required to be an academic assistant.
There are certain academic assistant certifications that you should consider. These academic assistant certifications include Certified Nurse Assistant (CNA) and Certified Professional - Human Resource (IPMA-CP).
What education do you need to become an academic assistant?
What degree do you need to be an academic assistant?
- Bachelor's, 69%
- Associate, 13%
- Master's, 11%
- High School Diploma, 4%
- Other Degrees, 3%
What should I major in to become an academic assistant?
- Business, 18%
- Psychology, 14%
- English, 8%
- Biology, 5%
- Other Majors, 55%
Most common colleges for academic assistants
| Academic assistant common college | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Buena Vista University | 13.62% |
| University of North Texas | 13.29% |
| University of Houston | 10.96% |
| Strayer University | 10.30% |
| Alverno College | 5.65% |
Best majors for academic assistants
| Rank | Major | Percentages |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Business | 18.0% |
| 2 | Psychology | 13.5% |
| 3 | English | 8.1% |
| 4 | Biology | 5.1% |
| 5 | Political Science | 5.1% |
Best colleges for academic assistants
The best colleges for academic assistants are Northwestern University, Stanford University, and Johns Hopkins University.
An academic assistant with advanced education typically earns a higher salary and has access to better jobs. That's why Zippia looked into the best colleges for academic assistants. We based this list on several metrics: admissions rate, retention rate, mean earnings of graduates, the ratio of working vs. non-working students ten years after admission, the average cost of attendance, and median debt for graduates who become academic assistants.
1. Northwestern University
Evanston, IL • Private
In-state tuition
$54,568
Enrollment
8,451
2. SUNY at Binghamton
Vestal, NY • Private
In-state tuition
$9,808
Enrollment
13,990
3. Stanford University
Stanford, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$51,354
Enrollment
7,083
4. SUNY Stony Brook
Stony Brook, NY • Private
In-state tuition
$9,625
Enrollment
17,407
5. New York University
New York, NY • Private
In-state tuition
$51,828
Enrollment
26,339
6. Duke University
Durham, NC • Private
In-state tuition
$55,695
Enrollment
6,596
7. Howard University
Washington, DC • Private
In-state tuition
$26,756
Enrollment
6,166
8. SUNY at Albany
Albany, NY • Private
In-state tuition
$10,011
Enrollment
13,434
9. University of Pennsylvania
Philadelphia, PA • Private
In-state tuition
$55,584
Enrollment
10,764
10. University of Michigan - Ann Arbor
Ann Arbor, MI • Private
In-state tuition
$15,262
Enrollment
30,079
20 best online courses for academic assistants
Advertising disclosure
1. Academic English: Writing
The skills taught in this Specialization will empower you to succeed in any college-level course or professional field. You’ll learn to conduct rigorous academic research and to express your ideas clearly in an academic format. In the final Capstone Project, all the knowledge that you’ve gained over the span of these courses will culminate into an academic research paper on an issue of your choice...
2. Academic Skills for University Success
Develop skills in information & digital literacy, problem-solving, critical thinking and communication.\n\nThis Specialization is a high-level academic skills course designed to increase your level of academic preparedness prior to commencement of your studies in an English-medium university. The course equips you for full participation and engagement with your studies by building awareness and understanding of the core values and expectations of academic culture...
3. Double Your Academic Writing Quality: Practical Writing Tips
Learn principles, practices for writing with meaning and clarity to complete your academic writing project on time...
4. Effective Academic Writing: Write Papers that Get Results
The what-you-need-to-know course on effective academic writing in the social sciences...
5. Learn English: Advanced Academic Speaking and Listening
This specialization covers the listening and speaking skills that non-native English-speaking students need to be successful in English-speaking colleges and universities. Native English-speaking students who would like to increase their chances of success in university courses will also benefit as well anyone interested in improving their listening comprehension skills. You will learn how to listen to class lectures and take notes more effectively. You will also improve your speaking skills...
6. Statistical Inference for Estimation in Data Science
This course introduces statistical inference, sampling distributions, and confidence intervals. Students will learn how to define and construct good estimators, method of moments estimation, maximum likelihood estimation, and methods of constructing confidence intervals that will extend to more general settings. This course can be taken for academic credit as part of CU Boulder’s Master of Science in Data Science (MS-DS) degree offered on the Coursera platform. The MS-DS is an interdisciplinary...
7. Academic Word List: Learn the Most Common Academic Words
Learn the 570 most frequent academic words. Essential for IELTS, TOEFL, TOEIC and Cambridge Exams...
8. Writing Academic English for Beginner
The Writing Process, Academic Style, Using Sources, Organising...
9. A Law Student's Toolkit
Whether you are an advanced law student looking to review the basics, or an aspiring law student looking for head start, this course will help you build the foundation you will need to succeed in law school and beyond. This course will introduce you to terminology, concepts, and tools lawyers and legal academics use to make their arguments. It will help you follow these arguments—and make arguments of your own. This course consists of a series of short lectures and assignments. A reading list...
10. Preparing for Graduate Study in the U.S.: A course for international students
Preparing for graduate school in the United States can be nerve-wracking. Many international students have questions about what the programs are like and what resources they can use to excel in their studies. This course allows potential and incoming international students to practice their communication skills, identify tools that support academic success, and gain confidence as they prepare for their advanced degrees. Alongside advancing your English skills, get the chance to hear from...
11. IELTS 7 Plus: Complete IELTS Preparation [Academic]
IELTS Preparation for all sections of the academic IELTS test...
12. Academic Essay Writing for English Language Learners
Academic writing is easy... if you know how. Learn to write essays from an experienced university teacher and pass exams...
13. Data Science Foundations: Statistical Inference
This program is designed to provide the learner with a solid foundation in probability theory to prepare for the broader study of statistics. It will also introduce the learner to the fundamentals of statistics and statistical theory and will equip the learner with the skills required to perform fundamental statistical analysis of a data set in the R programming language.\n\nThis specialization can be taken for academic credit as part of CU Boulder’s Master of Science in Data Science (MS-DS)...
14. Statistical Inference and Hypothesis Testing in Data Science Applications
This course will focus on theory and implementation of hypothesis testing, especially as it relates to applications in data science. Students will learn to use hypothesis tests to make informed decisions from data. Special attention will be given to the general logic of hypothesis testing, error and error rates, power, simulation, and the correct computation and interpretation of p-values. Attention will also be given to the misuse of testing concepts, especially p-values, and the ethical...
15. Mastering IELTS Writing: Task 1 Academic (Band 9 Answers)
Eighteen model answer walkthroughs for IELTS Writing Task 1 Academic for the best in IELTS Academic Writing preparation...
16. Academic Writing: 10 Essential Essays You Should Know
Achieve academic essay success by learning how to write 10 unique and common essays in this step by step course...
17. Academic Writing Essentials: University Writing Crash Course
Learn the strategies, tools, and secrets to write successfully at the university level...
18. PTE Academic Exam Preparation: Writing Mastery (Achieve 79+)
Complete preparation tutorials from an experienced native teacher to succeed in the Writing section of the PTE exam...
19. Complete Data Entry Skills Course - Learn Data Entry Skills
Learn Essential Data Entry Skills Now To Enhance Your Career -Word - Excel - Database - Data Entry Jobs...
20. Mastering IELTS Writing: Task 1 (Academic)
Complete preparation to achieve the band score you need (Band 6 to Band 8) in IELTS Academic Writing Task 1...
Top 10 most affordable universities for academic assistants
The most affordable schools for academic assistants are Baruch College of the City University of New York, california state university - bakersfield, and california state university - long beach.
If the best universities for academic assistants are out of your price range, check out these affordable schools. After factoring in in-state tuition and fees, the average cost of attendance, admissions rate, average net price, and mean earnings after six years, we found that these are the most affordable schools for academic assistants.
1. Baruch College of the City University of New York
New York, NY • Private
In-state tuition
$7,262
Cost of attendance
14,046
2. California State University - Bakersfield
Bakersfield, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$7,309
Cost of attendance
16,714
3. California State University - Long Beach
Long Beach, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$6,798
Cost of attendance
18,306
4. SUNY Farmingdale
Farmingdale, NY • Private
In-state tuition
$8,306
Cost of attendance
16,091
5. California State University - Dominguez Hills
Carson, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$6,942
Cost of attendance
14,469
6. USF Sarasota-Manatee
Sarasota, FL • Private
In-state tuition
$5,587
Cost of attendance
13,043
7. University of South Florida
Tampa, FL • Private
In-state tuition
$6,410
Cost of attendance
20,456
8. Brooklyn College of the City University of New York
Brooklyn, NY • Private
In-state tuition
$7,240
Cost of attendance
13,991
9. Hunter College of the City University of New York
New York, NY • Private
In-state tuition
$7,182
Cost of attendance
13,998
10. Brigham Young University
Provo, UT • Private
In-state tuition
$5,620
Cost of attendance
18,136
Top 10 hardest universities to get into for academic assistants
The hardest universities for academic assistants to get into are Northwestern University, Stanford University, and Johns Hopkins University.
Some great schools for academic assistants are hard to get into, but they also set your career up for greater success. The list below shows the most challenging universities to get into for academic assistants based on an institution's admissions rates, average SAT scores accepted, median ACT scores accepted, and mean earnings of students six years after admission.
1. Northwestern University
Evanston, IL • Private
Admissions rate
8%
SAT average
1,508
2. Stanford University
Stanford, CA • Private
Admissions rate
4%
SAT average
1,497
3. Johns Hopkins University
Baltimore, MD • Private
Admissions rate
11%
SAT average
1,513
4. Duke University
Durham, NC • Private
Admissions rate
9%
SAT average
1,516
5. Carnegie Mellon University
Pittsburgh, PA • Private
Admissions rate
17%
SAT average
1,507
6. Washington University in St Louis
Saint Louis, MO • Private
Admissions rate
15%
SAT average
1,506
7. University of Pennsylvania
Philadelphia, PA • Private
Admissions rate
8%
SAT average
1,492
8. New York University
New York, NY • Private
Admissions rate
20%
SAT average
1,419
9. Columbia University in the City of New York
New York, NY • Private
Admissions rate
6%
SAT average
1,512
10. Boston University
Boston, MA • Private
Admissions rate
22%
SAT average
1,420
Top 10 easy-to-apply-to universities for academic assistants
The easiest schools for academic assistants to get into are Notre Dame de Namur University, bluefield college, and oklahoma wesleyan university.
Some schools are much easier to get into. If you want to start your career as an academic assistant without much hassle, check out the list of schools where you will be accepted in no time. We compiled admissions rates, average SAT scores, average ACT scores, and average salary of students six years after graduation to uncover which were the easiest schools to get into for academic assistants.
1. Notre Dame de Namur University
Belmont, CA • Private
Admissions rate
82%
SAT average
983
2. Bluefield College
Bluefield, VA • Private
Admissions rate
95%
SAT average
980
3. Oklahoma Wesleyan University
Bartlesville, OK • Private
Admissions rate
68%
SAT average
964
4. Life University
Marietta, GA • Private
Admissions rate
94%
SAT average
979
5. D'Youville College
Buffalo, NY • Private
Admissions rate
100%
SAT average
1,072
6. Holy Names University
Oakland, CA • Private
Admissions rate
70%
SAT average
849
7. Notre Dame College
Cleveland, OH • Private
Admissions rate
90%
SAT average
994
8. Kean University
Union, NJ • Private
Admissions rate
86%
SAT average
991
9. Holy Family University
Philadelphia, PA • Private
Admissions rate
72%
SAT average
1,017
10. Gwynedd Mercy University
Gwynedd Valley, PA • Private
Admissions rate
92%
SAT average
1,031
Average academic assistant salary by education level
| Academic assistant education level | Academic assistant salary |
|---|---|
| Master's Degree | $51,114 |
| High School Diploma or Less | $43,907 |
| Bachelor's Degree | $46,187 |
| Doctorate Degree | $52,542 |
| Some College/ Associate Degree | $44,609 |
Academic assistant education FAQs
Have more questions? See all answers to common education, training, and library questions.
Search for academic assistant jobs
Updated January 8, 2025
Updated January 8, 2025