Internal operations manager education requirements

Updated January 8, 2025

4 min read

There are several educational requirements to become an internal operations manager. Internal operations managers usually study business, accounting, or finance. 68% of internal operations managers hold a bachelor's degree, and 14% hold an master's degree. We analyzed 527 real internal operations manager resumes to see exactly what internal operations manager education sections show.

The most common colleges for internal operations managers are the University of Phoenix and the University of Phoenix.

There are also many online internal operations manager courses to help get the education required to be an internal operations manager.

There are certain internal operations manager certifications that you should consider. These internal operations manager certifications include Certified Internal Auditor (CIA) and Certified Management Accountant (CMA).

What education do you need to become an internal operations manager?

What degree do you need to be an internal operations manager?

The most common degree for internal operations managers is bachelor's degree, with 68% of internal operations managers earning that degree. The second and third most common degree levels are master's degree degree at 14% and master's degree degree at 11%.

Bachelor's, 68%

Master's, 14%

Associate, 11%

High School Diploma, 4%

Other Degrees, 3%

What should I major in to become an internal operations manager?

You should major in business to become an internal operations manager. 31% of internal operations managers major in business. Other common majors for an internal operations manager include accounting and finance.

Business, 31%

Accounting, 20%

Finance, 5%

Communication, 5%

Other Majors, 39%

Most common colleges for internal operations managers

Internal operations managers often get their degrees at University of Phoenix, Pennsylvania State University, and New York University. Here are the most common colleges for internal operations managers in the US based on their resumes.

Internal operations manager common college	Percentages
University of Phoenix	11.11%
Pennsylvania State University	9.26%
New York University	7.41%
University of Houston	5.56%
Saint Joseph's University	5.56%

Show more common internal operations manager colleges

Best majors for internal operations managers

Rank	Major	Percentages
1	Business	30.8%
2	Accounting	20.3%
3	Finance	5.2%
4	Communication	4.5%
5	Psychology	3.8%

Show more common internal operations manager majors

Best colleges for internal operations managers

The best colleges for internal operations managers are Northwestern University, University of Pennsylvania, and University of Southern California.

An internal operations manager with advanced education typically earns a higher salary and has access to better jobs. That's why Zippia looked into the best colleges for internal operations managers. 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 internal operations managers.

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. New York University

New York, NY • Private

In-state tuition

$51,828

Enrollment

26,339

5. University of Texas at Austin

Austin, TX • Private

In-state tuition

$10,610

Enrollment

40,329

6. Pennsylvania State University

University Park, PA • Private

In-state tuition

$18,454

Enrollment

40,108

7. Northeastern University

Boston, MA • Private

In-state tuition

$51,522

Enrollment

13,760

8. SUNY at Binghamton

Vestal, NY • Private

In-state tuition

$9,808

Enrollment

13,990

9. Lehigh University

Bethlehem, PA • Private

In-state tuition

$52,930

Enrollment

5,030

10. Bentley University

Waltham, MA • Private

In-state tuition

$49,880

Enrollment

4,177

20 best online courses for internal operations managers

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1. Introduction to Sarbanes Oxley (SOX)

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2. Internal Audit: a Guide for Management

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Internal Audit, Risk Management, Compliance, Governance, Internal Controls, CIA, Audit Report, Audit Charter, IIA...

3. International Project Management - Master Class

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Take your project management skills to the next level and learn how to manage international projects...

4. Operational Risks Management ORM

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Operational Risks Management ORM Case Studies for Risk Management, Compliance, Audit, IS Security, Banking Professionals...

5. Bank Reconciliations & Cash Internal Controls

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Mastering Internal Controls and Cash Management: Safeguarding Business Assets and Ensuring Financial Accuracy...

6. ISO 9001:2015 Internal Auditor

4.4

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ISO 9001:2015 Quality Management System Internal Auditor...

7. Sarbanes-Oxley (SOX) ITGC Audit Concepts and Coordination

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(3,154)

IT Compliance Training...

8. Certified Internal Auditor (CIA) Part 3 - Full Study Course

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(266)

Full study course and instructor support for the Certified Internal Auditor (CIA) Part 3...

9. Certified Internal Auditor (CIA) Part 1 - Full Study Course

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(1,440)

Full study course and instructor support for the Certified Internal Auditor (CIA) Part 1...

10. Supply Chain Management A-Z: Operations & Logistics Basics

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12. Project Management: Becoming a Successful Project manager

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Project Management...

13. ISO 9001, ISO 14001 & ISO 45001 Internal Auditor

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Integrated Management System ISO 9001, ISO 14001 & ISO 45001 Internal Auditor...

14. HR,HR Analytics, Human Resource Management, Black Friday Ed

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HR Analytics ,HR Courses, human resource management, ,HR certification, HRM, hr payroll, people management, 2022...

15. Audit - Financial Statement

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Master the Art of Auditing Financial Statements: In-Depth Analysis, Techniques, and Real-World Case Studies...

16. Proper Segregation of Duties for Internal Control

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17. ISO 22301:2019. Business continuity management system

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Understand how to prepare for and manage disruptions according to the international standard ISO 22301...

18. Master Course in Project Management 2.0

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Project Management, PMP, Agile project management, Project manager, Prince2, Scrum, Project Planning, Project risk cost...

19. Internal Auditing Part I

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Learn how to conduct an audit from start to end. This course can be used as a guide to audit almost any process...

20. Lean BPM - Lean Business Process Management Change Skills

4.5

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Lean BPM - learn how to use lean business management techniques to reduce waste and improve your business efficiency...

Top 10 most affordable universities for internal operations managers

The most affordable schools for internal operations managers are Baruch College of the City University of New York, university of florida, and florida state university.

If the best universities for internal operations managers 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 internal operations managers.

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. University of Florida

Gainesville, FL • Private

In-state tuition

$6,381

Cost of attendance

21,034

3. Florida State University

Tallahassee, FL • Private

In-state tuition

$5,656

Cost of attendance

21,623

4. Brigham Young University

Provo, UT • Private

In-state tuition

$5,620

Cost of attendance

18,136

5. USF Sarasota-Manatee

Sarasota, FL • Private

In-state tuition

$5,587

Cost of attendance

13,043

6. University of South Florida

Tampa, FL • Private

In-state tuition

$6,410

Cost of attendance

20,456

7. California State University - Fullerton

Fullerton, CA • Private

In-state tuition

$6,886

Cost of attendance

17,645

8. Florida International University

Miami, FL • Private

In-state tuition

$6,556

Cost of attendance

19,434

9. USF St. Petersburg

St. Petersburg, FL • Private

In-state tuition

$5,821

Cost of attendance

19,849

10. SUNY Farmingdale

Farmingdale, NY • Private

In-state tuition

$8,306

Cost of attendance

16,091

Top 10 hardest universities to get into for internal operations managers

The hardest universities for internal operations managers to get into are Northwestern University, University of Pennsylvania, and University of Southern California.

Some great schools for internal operations managers 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 internal operations managers 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. University of Southern California

Los Angeles, CA • Private

Admissions rate

13%

SAT average

1,445

4. Northeastern University

Boston, MA • Private

Admissions rate

19%

SAT average

1,466

5. Carnegie Mellon University

Pittsburgh, PA • Private

Admissions rate

17%

SAT average

1,507

6. New York University

New York, NY • Private

Admissions rate

20%

SAT average

1,419

7. Boston University

Boston, MA • Private

Admissions rate

22%

SAT average

1,420

8. University of Miami

Coral Gables, FL • Private

Admissions rate

32%

SAT average

1,365

9. Lehigh University

Bethlehem, PA • Private

Admissions rate

22%

SAT average

1,380

10. Washington University in St Louis

Saint Louis, MO • Private

Admissions rate

15%

SAT average

1,506

Top 10 easy-to-apply-to universities for internal operations managers

The easiest schools for internal operations managers to get into are Mount Saint Mary's University, barry university, and oklahoma wesleyan university.

Some schools are much easier to get into. If you want to start your career as an internal operations manager 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 internal operations managers.

1. Mount Saint Mary's University

Los Angeles, CA • Private

Admissions rate

84%

SAT average

1,031

2. Barry University

Miami, FL • Private

Admissions rate

91%

SAT average

1,006

3. Oklahoma Wesleyan University

Bartlesville, OK • Private

Admissions rate

68%

SAT average

964

4. University of North Texas at Dallas

Dallas, TX • Private

Admissions rate

83%

SAT average

992

5. Holy Names University

Oakland, CA • Private

Admissions rate

70%

SAT average

849

6. Notre Dame de Namur University

Belmont, CA • Private

Admissions rate

82%

SAT average

983

7. University of the Incarnate Word

San Antonio, TX • Private

Admissions rate

88%

SAT average

1,044

8. Notre Dame College

Cleveland, OH • Private

Admissions rate

90%

SAT average

994

9. Kean University

Union, NJ • Private

Admissions rate

86%

SAT average

991

10. Midwestern State University

Wichita Falls, TX • Private

Admissions rate

71%

SAT average

1,033

Average internal operations manager salary by education level

According to our data, internal operations managers with a Master's degree earn the highest average salary, at $124,466 annually. Internal operations managers with a Doctorate degree earn an average annual salary of $120,763.

Internal operations manager education level	Internal operations manager salary
Master's Degree	$124,466
High School Diploma or Less	$93,727
Bachelor's Degree	$110,398
Doctorate Degree	$120,763
Some College/ Associate Degree	$96,043

Internal operations manager 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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