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Administrative assistant/payroll assistant education requirements
Updated January 8, 2025
4 min read
There are several educational requirements to become an administrative assistant/payroll assistant. Administrative assistants/payroll assistants usually study business, accounting, or health care administration. 37% of administrative assistants/payroll assistants hold a bachelor's degree, and 33% hold an associate degree. We analyzed 2,096 real administrative assistant/payroll assistant resumes to see exactly what administrative assistant/payroll assistant education sections show.
The most common colleges for administrative assistants/payroll assistants are the University of Phoenix and the University of Phoenix.
There are also many online administrative assistant/payroll assistant courses to help get the education required to be an administrative assistant/payroll assistant.
There are certain administrative assistant/payroll assistant certifications that you should consider. These administrative assistant/payroll assistant certifications include Medical Assistant and Certified Nurse Assistant (CNA).
What education do you need to become an administrative assistant/payroll assistant?
What degree do you need to be an administrative assistant/payroll assistant?
- Bachelor's, 37%
- Associate, 33%
- High School Diploma, 17%
- Diploma, 6%
- Other Degrees, 7%
What should I major in to become an administrative assistant/payroll assistant?
- Business, 35%
- Accounting, 19%
- Psychology, 5%
- Other Majors, 35%
Most common colleges for administrative assistants/payroll assistants
| Administrative assistant/payroll assistant common college | Percentages |
|---|---|
| University of Phoenix | 26.13% |
| Strayer University | 6.31% |
| DeVry University | 5.41% |
| Montclair State University | 5.41% |
| University of Central Oklahoma | 4.50% |
Best majors for administrative assistants/payroll assistants
| Rank | Major | Percentages |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Business | 35.4% |
| 2 | Accounting | 19.0% |
| 3 | Health Care Administration | 6.0% |
| 4 | Psychology | 5.4% |
| 5 | Liberal Arts | 5.1% |
Best colleges for administrative assistants/payroll assistants
The best colleges for administrative assistants/payroll assistants are Northwestern University, Boston College, and University of Pennsylvania.
An administrative assistant/payroll 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 administrative assistants/payroll 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 administrative assistants/payroll assistants.
1. University of Pennsylvania
Philadelphia, PA • Private
In-state tuition
$55,584
Enrollment
10,764
2. Western Carolina University
Cullowhee, NC • Private
In-state tuition
$3,926
Enrollment
9,835
3. Northwestern University
Evanston, IL • Private
In-state tuition
$54,568
Enrollment
8,451
4. Ball State University
Muncie, IN • Private
In-state tuition
$9,896
Enrollment
15,529
5. University of Southern California
Los Angeles, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$56,225
Enrollment
19,548
6. Baruch College of the City University of New York
New York, NY • Private
In-state tuition
$7,262
Enrollment
14,629
7. Bowling Green State University
Bowling Green, OH • Private
In-state tuition
$11,105
Enrollment
13,729
8. SUNY at Binghamton
Vestal, NY • Private
In-state tuition
$9,808
Enrollment
13,990
9. Cedar Crest College
Allentown, PA • Private
In-state tuition
$39,216
Enrollment
1,303
10. Villanova University
Villanova, PA • Private
In-state tuition
$53,308
Enrollment
6,819
20 best online courses for administrative assistants/payroll assistants
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Top 10 most affordable universities for administrative assistants/payroll assistants
The most affordable schools for administrative assistants/payroll assistants are Baruch College of the City University of New York, suny farmingdale, and university of puerto rico - mayaguez.
If the best universities for administrative assistants/payroll 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 administrative assistants/payroll 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. SUNY Farmingdale
Farmingdale, NY • Private
In-state tuition
$8,306
Cost of attendance
16,091
3. University of Puerto Rico - Mayaguez
Mayaguez, PR • Private
In-state tuition
$4,094
Cost of attendance
14,302
4. Minot State University
Minot, ND • Private
In-state tuition
$7,064
Cost of attendance
15,576
5. Brooklyn College of the City University of New York
Brooklyn, NY • Private
In-state tuition
$7,240
Cost of attendance
13,991
6. USF Sarasota-Manatee
Sarasota, FL • Private
In-state tuition
$5,587
Cost of attendance
13,043
7. California State University - Dominguez Hills
Carson, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$6,942
Cost of attendance
14,469
8. Clayton State University
Morrow, GA • Private
In-state tuition
$5,419
Cost of attendance
17,697
9. Dickinson State University
Dickinson, ND • Private
In-state tuition
$6,768
Cost of attendance
15,506
10. SUNY Polytechnic Institute
Utica, NY • Private
In-state tuition
$8,238
Cost of attendance
21,567
Top 10 hardest universities to get into for administrative assistants/payroll assistants
The hardest universities for administrative assistants/payroll assistants to get into are Northwestern University, Boston College, and University of Pennsylvania.
Some great schools for administrative assistants/payroll 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 administrative assistants/payroll 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. Boston College
Chestnut Hill, MA • Private
Admissions rate
28%
SAT average
1,429
3. University of Pennsylvania
Philadelphia, PA • Private
Admissions rate
8%
SAT average
1,492
4. Boston University
Boston, MA • Private
Admissions rate
22%
SAT average
1,420
5. New York University
New York, NY • Private
Admissions rate
20%
SAT average
1,419
6. University of Southern California
Los Angeles, CA • Private
Admissions rate
13%
SAT average
1,445
7. SUNY at Binghamton
Vestal, NY • Private
Admissions rate
40%
SAT average
1,376
8. Bentley University
Waltham, MA • Private
Admissions rate
43%
SAT average
1,338
9. Villanova University
Villanova, PA • Private
Admissions rate
29%
SAT average
1,407
10. Stanford University
Stanford, CA • Private
Admissions rate
4%
SAT average
1,497
Top 10 easy-to-apply-to universities for administrative assistants/payroll assistants
The easiest schools for administrative assistants/payroll assistants to get into are Oklahoma Wesleyan University, notre dame de namur university, and notre dame college.
Some schools are much easier to get into. If you want to start your career as an administrative assistant/payroll 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 administrative assistants/payroll assistants.
1. Oklahoma Wesleyan University
Bartlesville, OK • Private
Admissions rate
68%
SAT average
964
2. Notre Dame de Namur University
Belmont, CA • Private
Admissions rate
82%
SAT average
983
3. Notre Dame College
Cleveland, OH • Private
Admissions rate
90%
SAT average
994
4. Holy Names University
Oakland, CA • Private
Admissions rate
70%
SAT average
849
5. D'Youville College
Buffalo, NY • Private
Admissions rate
100%
SAT average
1,072
6. Nyack College
New York, NY • Private
Admissions rate
98%
SAT average
999
7. Oregon Institute of Technology
Klamath Falls, OR • Private
Admissions rate
96%
SAT average
1,139
8. Gwynedd Mercy University
Gwynedd Valley, PA • Private
Admissions rate
92%
SAT average
1,031
9. Fresno Pacific University
Fresno, CA • Private
Admissions rate
85%
SAT average
1,053
10. Curry College
Milton, MA • Private
Admissions rate
93%
SAT average
1,026
Average administrative assistant/payroll assistant salary by education level
| Administrative assistant/payroll assistant education level | Administrative assistant/payroll assistant salary |
|---|---|
| Master's Degree | $50,038 |
| High School Diploma or Less | $44,957 |
| Bachelor's Degree | $47,926 |
| Some College/ Associate Degree | $45,598 |
Administrative assistant/payroll assistant education FAQs
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Updated January 8, 2025
Updated January 8, 2025