Explore jobs
Find specific jobs
Explore careers
Explore professions
Best companies
Explore companies
Administrative assistant/secretary/receptionist education requirements
Updated January 8, 2025
4 min read
There are several educational requirements to become an administrative assistant/secretary/receptionist. Administrative assistant/secretaries/receptionist usually study business, accounting, or psychology. 30% of administrative assistant/secretaries/receptionist hold a bachelor's degree, and 28% hold an high school diploma. We analyzed 437 real administrative assistant/secretary/receptionist resumes to see exactly what administrative assistant/secretary/receptionist education sections show.
The most common colleges for administrative assistant/secretaries/receptionist are the University of Phoenix and the University of Phoenix.
There are also many online administrative assistant/secretary/receptionist courses to help get the education required to be an administrative assistant/secretary/receptionist.
What education do you need to become an administrative assistant/secretary/receptionist?
What degree do you need to be an administrative assistant/secretary/receptionist?
- Bachelor's, 30%
- High School Diploma, 28%
- Associate, 27%
- Diploma, 5%
- Other Degrees, 10%
What should I major in to become an administrative assistant/secretary/receptionist?
- Business, 20%
- Accounting, 8%
- Psychology, 7%
- Other Majors, 58%
Most common colleges for administrative assistant/secretaries/receptionist
| Administrative assistant/secretary/receptionist common college | Percentages |
|---|---|
| University of Phoenix | 9.38% |
| The University of Texas at Arlington | 9.38% |
| Troy University | 6.25% |
| New Mexico State University | 6.25% |
| Schoolcraft College | 6.25% |
Best majors for administrative assistant/secretaries/receptionist
| Rank | Major | Percentages |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Business | 20.3% |
| 2 | Accounting | 8.5% |
| 3 | Psychology | 7.2% |
| 4 | Health Care Administration | 7.2% |
| 5 | English | 5.9% |
Best colleges for administrative assistant/secretaries/receptionist
The best colleges for administrative assistant/secretaries/receptionist are Stanford University, Northwestern University, and Boston College.
An administrative assistant/secretary/receptionist 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 assistant/secretaries/receptionist. 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 assistant/secretaries/receptionist.
1. Western Carolina University
Cullowhee, NC • Private
In-state tuition
$3,926
Enrollment
9,835
2. Stanford University
Stanford, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$51,354
Enrollment
7,083
3. Ball State University
Muncie, IN • Private
In-state tuition
$9,896
Enrollment
15,529
4. University of Pennsylvania
Philadelphia, PA • Private
In-state tuition
$55,584
Enrollment
10,764
5. Bowling Green State University
Bowling Green, OH • Private
In-state tuition
$11,105
Enrollment
13,729
6. Cedar Crest College
Allentown, PA • Private
In-state tuition
$39,216
Enrollment
1,303
7. Morgan State University
Baltimore, MD • Private
In-state tuition
$7,900
Enrollment
6,404
8. Northwestern University
Evanston, IL • Private
In-state tuition
$54,568
Enrollment
8,451
9. Siena Heights University
Adrian, MI • Private
In-state tuition
$27,124
Enrollment
2,035
10. University of Akron
Akron, OH • Private
In-state tuition
$11,463
Enrollment
13,676
20 best online courses for administrative assistant/secretaries/receptionist
Advertising disclosure
1. Effective Legal Office Administration
Effective Legal Office Administration...
2. Professional Receptionist Course by London Reception Academy
Master the traits of a Professional Receptionist studying deportment, elocution, customer service and telephone skills...
3. Executive Travel Planning for Virtual Assistants
Manage flights, hotels, and car services for corporate travel like a pro! PLUS travel changes during a global crisis...
4. Microsoft Office 365 Administration
Microsoft Office 365 Administration...
5. Becoming an Executive Personal Assistant
Learn how to be an effective personal assistant, and find out how to develop the skills for the role...
6. The Ultimate Microsoft Office 2021/365 Training Bundle
Learn the essentials of Microsoft Office in this 6-course bundle for Office 365 or Office 2021 users...
7. Professional Diploma in Office Administration Management
Principles of work of Office Administrator. Required hard and soft skills. Introduction to MS Office and banking area...
8. Practical Office 365 Administration
Learn in depth about Office 365 for Administrators and also find useful tips and resources to enhance your role as an Of...
9. Effective Business English for Service Staff
Your comprehensive guide to more effective English communication - for office administration, retail and hospitality!...
10. Customer Service Fundamentals: Putting People First
Customer Care Listening Great Customer Service Concern for Others Company Culture Engaging People Responding...
11. Become a Virtual Assistant
Live Free. Work Virtually. Virtual Assistant Training...
12. SAP Customer Service (CS/SM) - Service Management module
Real World SAP CS and SD, Repair Orders, Service Orders, Service Contracts...
13. Oracle DBA 11g/12c - Database Administration for Junior DBA
Learn to become an Oracle Database Administrator (DBA) in 6 weeks and get a well paid job as a Junior DBA...
14. MS Office Course Bundle- Word , Powerpoint , Excel & Outlook
MS Office Learn and Polish the Most Desirable Office Courses at work , MS Word , MS Excel , MS Powerpoint and MS Outlook...
15. Fundamentals of Logistics, Supply Chain & Customer Service
Learn Logistics, Supply Chain and Customer Service. 3 Courses in 1...
16. Must-Have Skills (Training) for Virtual Assistants in 2023
Get training for the most frequently requested services (+ free delegation e Book and TONS of templates and scripts)...
17. 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...
18. Fundamentals of Insurance - 2
Part 2...
19. Data Entry Course for Beginners
Learn from a Successful Data Entry Professional!...
20. Fundamentals of Insurance - 1
Part 1...
Top 10 most affordable universities for administrative assistant/secretaries/receptionist
The most affordable schools for administrative assistant/secretaries/receptionist are Baruch College of the City University of New York, suny farmingdale, and california state university - bakersfield.
If the best universities for administrative assistant/secretaries/receptionist 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 assistant/secretaries/receptionist.
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. California State University - Bakersfield
Bakersfield, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$7,309
Cost of attendance
16,714
4. University of Puerto Rico - Mayaguez
Mayaguez, PR • Private
In-state tuition
$4,094
Cost of attendance
14,302
5. Minot State University
Minot, ND • Private
In-state tuition
$7,064
Cost of attendance
15,576
6. California State University - Dominguez Hills
Carson, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$6,942
Cost of attendance
14,469
7. Clayton State University
Morrow, GA • Private
In-state tuition
$5,419
Cost of attendance
17,697
8. Brooklyn College of the City University of New York
Brooklyn, NY • Private
In-state tuition
$7,240
Cost of attendance
13,991
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 assistant/secretaries/receptionist
The hardest universities for administrative assistant/secretaries/receptionist to get into are Stanford University, Northwestern University, and Boston College.
Some great schools for administrative assistant/secretaries/receptionist 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 assistant/secretaries/receptionist 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. Stanford University
Stanford, CA • Private
Admissions rate
4%
SAT average
1,497
2. Northwestern University
Evanston, IL • Private
Admissions rate
8%
SAT average
1,508
3. Boston College
Chestnut Hill, MA • Private
Admissions rate
28%
SAT average
1,429
4. Boston University
Boston, MA • Private
Admissions rate
22%
SAT average
1,420
5. University of Pennsylvania
Philadelphia, PA • Private
Admissions rate
8%
SAT average
1,492
6. SUNY at Binghamton
Vestal, NY • Private
Admissions rate
40%
SAT average
1,376
7. New York University
New York, NY • Private
Admissions rate
20%
SAT average
1,419
8. Bentley University
Waltham, MA • Private
Admissions rate
43%
SAT average
1,338
9. University of Southern California
Los Angeles, CA • Private
Admissions rate
13%
SAT average
1,445
10. Brandeis University
Waltham, MA • Private
Admissions rate
31%
SAT average
1,398
Top 10 easy-to-apply-to universities for administrative assistant/secretaries/receptionist
The easiest schools for administrative assistant/secretaries/receptionist to get into are Oklahoma Wesleyan University, notre dame college, and lim college.
Some schools are much easier to get into. If you want to start your career as an administrative assistant/secretary/receptionist 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 assistant/secretaries/receptionist.
1. Oklahoma Wesleyan University
Bartlesville, OK • Private
Admissions rate
68%
SAT average
964
2. Notre Dame College
Cleveland, OH • Private
Admissions rate
90%
SAT average
994
3. LIM College
New York, NY • Private
Admissions rate
83%
SAT average
1,061
4. Notre Dame de Namur University
Belmont, CA • Private
Admissions rate
82%
SAT average
983
5. Holy Names University
Oakland, CA • Private
Admissions rate
70%
SAT average
849
6. Oregon Institute of Technology
Klamath Falls, OR • Private
Admissions rate
96%
SAT average
1,139
7. D'Youville College
Buffalo, NY • Private
Admissions rate
100%
SAT average
1,072
8. Presentation College
Aberdeen, SD • Private
Admissions rate
97%
SAT average
1,050
9. Lewis-Clark State College
Lewiston, ID • Private
Admissions rate
100%
SAT average
1,009
10. Fresno Pacific University
Fresno, CA • Private
Admissions rate
85%
SAT average
1,053
Average administrative assistant/secretary/receptionist salary by education level
| Administrative assistant/secretary/receptionist education level | Administrative assistant/secretary/receptionist salary |
|---|---|
| Master's Degree | $38,036 |
| High School Diploma or Less | $34,682 |
| Bachelor's Degree | $36,648 |
| Some College/ Associate Degree | $35,108 |
Administrative assistant/secretary/receptionist education FAQs
Have more questions? See all answers to common office and administrative questions.
Search for administrative assistant/secretary/receptionist jobs
Updated January 8, 2025
Updated January 8, 2025