Data processing operator education requirements

Updated January 8, 2025

4 min read

There are several educational requirements to become a data processing operator. Data processing operators usually study business, accounting, or computer information systems. 43% of data processing operators hold a bachelor's degree, and 27% hold an associate degree. We analyzed 420 real data processing operator resumes to see exactly what data processing operator education sections show.

The most common colleges for data processing operators are the Belmont University and the Belmont University.

There are also many online data processing operator courses to help get the education required to be a data processing operator.

What education do you need to become a data processing operator?

What degree do you need to be a data processing operator?

The most common degree for data processing operators is bachelor's degree, with 43% of data processing operators earning that degree. The second and third most common degree levels are associate degree degree at 27% and associate degree degree at 17%.

Bachelor's, 43%

Associate, 27%

High School Diploma, 17%

Master's, 5%

Other Degrees, 8%

What should I major in to become a data processing operator?

You should major in business to become a data processing operator. 26% of data processing operators major in business. Other common majors for a data processing operator include accounting and computer information systems.

Business, 26%

Accounting, 13%

Computer Information Systems, 8%

Computer Science, 8%

Other Majors, 45%

Most common colleges for data processing operators

Data processing operators often get their degrees at Belmont University, Lawrence University, and University of the District of Columbia. Here are the most common colleges for data processing operators in the US based on their resumes.

Data processing operator common college	Percentages
Belmont University	9.09%
Lawrence University	6.06%
University of the District of Columbia	6.06%
Columbia College Chicago	6.06%
Southern Connecticut State University	6.06%

Show more common data processing operator colleges

Best majors for data processing operators

Rank	Major	Percentages
1	Business	26.1%
2	Accounting	12.7%
3	Computer Information Systems	8.5%
4	Computer Science	7.9%
5	Finance	4.8%

Show more common data processing operator majors

Best colleges for data processing operators

The best colleges for data processing operators are Northwestern University, University of Pennsylvania, and Stanford University.

A data processing operator with advanced education typically earns a higher salary and has access to better jobs. That's why Zippia looked into the best colleges for data processing operators. 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 data processing operators.

1. University of Pennsylvania

Philadelphia, PA • Private

In-state tuition

$55,584

Enrollment

10,764

2. Northwestern University

Evanston, IL • Private

In-state tuition

$54,568

Enrollment

8,451

3. University of Southern California

Los Angeles, CA • Private

In-state tuition

$56,225

Enrollment

19,548

4. SUNY at Binghamton

Vestal, NY • Private

In-state tuition

$9,808

Enrollment

13,990

5. San Diego State University

San Diego, CA • Private

In-state tuition

$7,488

Enrollment

30,018

6. Stanford University

Stanford, CA • Private

In-state tuition

$51,354

Enrollment

7,083

7. Boston University

Boston, MA • Private

In-state tuition

$53,948

Enrollment

17,238

8. New York University

New York, NY • Private

In-state tuition

$51,828

Enrollment

26,339

9. University of Minnesota - Twin Cities

Minneapolis, MN • Private

In-state tuition

$14,760

Enrollment

31,451

10. University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

Champaign, IL • Private

In-state tuition

$15,094

Enrollment

32,974

20 best online courses for data processing operators

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Top 10 most affordable universities for data processing operators

The most affordable schools for data processing operators are SUNY Farmingdale, brooklyn college of the city university of new york, and california state university - bakersfield.

If the best universities for data processing operators 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 data processing operators.

1. SUNY Farmingdale

Farmingdale, NY • Private

In-state tuition

$8,306

Cost of attendance

16,091

2. Brooklyn College of the City University of New York

Brooklyn, NY • Private

In-state tuition

$7,240

Cost of attendance

13,991

3. California State University - Bakersfield

Bakersfield, CA • Private

In-state tuition

$7,309

Cost of attendance

16,714

4. California State University - Dominguez Hills

Carson, CA • Private

In-state tuition

$6,942

Cost of attendance

14,469

5. Baruch College of the City University of New York

New York, NY • Private

In-state tuition

$7,262

Cost of attendance

14,046

6. California State University - Long Beach

Long Beach, CA • Private

In-state tuition

$6,798

Cost of attendance

18,306

7. Brigham Young University

Provo, UT • Private

In-state tuition

$5,620

Cost of attendance

18,136

8. California State University - Los Angeles

Los Angeles, CA • Private

In-state tuition

$6,749

Cost of attendance

14,823

9. University of Puerto Rico - Mayaguez

Mayaguez, PR • Private

In-state tuition

$4,094

Cost of attendance

14,302

10. California State University - Fullerton

Fullerton, CA • Private

In-state tuition

$6,886

Cost of attendance

17,645

Top 10 hardest universities to get into for data processing operators

The hardest universities for data processing operators to get into are Northwestern University, University of Pennsylvania, and Stanford University.

Some great schools for data processing operators 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 data processing operators 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

SAT average

1,508

2. University of Pennsylvania

Philadelphia, PA • Private

Admissions rate

SAT average

1,492

3. Stanford University

Stanford, CA • Private

Admissions rate

SAT average

1,497

4. University of Southern California

Los Angeles, CA • Private

Admissions rate

13%

SAT average

1,445

5. New York University

New York, NY • Private

Admissions rate

20%

SAT average

1,419

6. Boston University

Boston, MA • Private

Admissions rate

22%

SAT average

1,420

7. Vanderbilt University

Nashville, TN • Private

Admissions rate

10%

SAT average

1,514

8. University of Rochester

Rochester, NY • Private

Admissions rate

29%

SAT average

1,422

9. Carnegie Mellon University

Pittsburgh, PA • Private

Admissions rate

17%

SAT average

1,507

10. George Washington University, The

Washington, DC • Private

Admissions rate

42%

SAT average

1,380

Top 10 easy-to-apply-to universities for data processing operators

The easiest schools for data processing operators to get into are Oklahoma Wesleyan University, barry university, and nyack college.

Some schools are much easier to get into. If you want to start your career as a data processing operator 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 data processing operators.

1. Oklahoma Wesleyan University

Bartlesville, OK • Private

Admissions rate

68%

SAT average

964

2. Barry University

Miami, FL • Private

Admissions rate

91%

SAT average

1,006

3. Nyack College

New York, NY • Private

Admissions rate

98%

SAT average

999

4. La Roche College

Pittsburgh, PA • Private

Admissions rate

99%

SAT average

1,008

5. Notre Dame College

Cleveland, OH • Private

Admissions rate

90%

SAT average

994

6. Saint Martin's University

Lacey, WA • Private

Admissions rate

96%

SAT average

1,111

7. Cardinal Stritch University

Milwaukee, WI • Private

Admissions rate

71%

SAT average

1,035

8. Notre Dame de Namur University

Belmont, CA • Private

Admissions rate

82%

SAT average

983

9. Holy Names University

Oakland, CA • Private

Admissions rate

70%

SAT average

849

10. Iona College

New Rochelle, NY • Private

Admissions rate

88%

SAT average

1,089

Average data processing operator salary by education level

Data processing operators with a Master's degree earn more than those without, at $62,856 annually. With a Doctorate degree, data processing operators earn a median annual income of $58,796 compared to $51,775 for data processing operators with an Bachelor's degree.

Data processing operator education level	Data processing operator salary
Master's Degree	$62,856
High School Diploma or Less	$37,026
Bachelor's Degree	$51,775
Doctorate Degree	$58,796
Some College/ Associate Degree	$36,677

Data processing operator education FAQs

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Updated January 8, 2025

Zippia Team

Editorial Staff

The Zippia Research Team has spent countless hours reviewing resumes, job postings, and government data to determine what goes into getting a job in each phase of life. Professional writers and data scientists comprise the Zippia Research Team.

Updated January 8, 2025

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