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Operational intelligence analyst education requirements

Updated January 8, 2025
4 min read

There are several educational requirements to become an operational intelligence analyst. Operational intelligence analysts usually study intelligence operations, criminal justice, or business. 51% of operational intelligence analysts hold a bachelor's degree, and 34% hold an associate degree. We analyzed 877 real operational intelligence analyst resumes to see exactly what operational intelligence analyst education sections show.

The most common colleges for operational intelligence analysts are the American University and the American University.

There are also many online operational intelligence analyst courses to help get the education required to be an operational intelligence analyst.

What education do you need to become an operational intelligence analyst?

What degree do you need to be an operational intelligence analyst?

The most common degree for operational intelligence analysts is bachelor's degree, with 51% of operational intelligence analysts earning that degree. The second and third most common degree levels are associate degree degree at 34% and associate degree degree at 8%.
  • Bachelor's, 51%
  • Associate, 34%
  • Master's, 8%
  • High School Diploma, 4%
  • Other Degrees, 3%

What should I major in to become an operational intelligence analyst?

You should major in intelligence operations to become an operational intelligence analyst. 16% of operational intelligence analysts major in intelligence operations. Other common majors for an operational intelligence analyst include criminal justice and business.

Most common colleges for operational intelligence analysts

Operational intelligence analysts often get their degrees at American University, University of Phoenix, and Pennsylvania State University. Here are the most common colleges for operational intelligence analysts in the US based on their resumes.
Operational intelligence analyst common collegePercentages
American University33.06%
University of Phoenix11.29%
Pennsylvania State University7.26%
University of Maryland - College Park5.65%
Excelsior College4.03%

Best majors for operational intelligence analysts

Best colleges for operational intelligence analysts

The best colleges for operational intelligence analysts are University of Tulsa, Syracuse University, and SUNY at Binghamton.

An operational intelligence analyst with advanced education typically earns a higher salary and has access to better jobs. That's why Zippia looked into the best colleges for operational intelligence analysts. 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 operational intelligence analysts.

1. The Citadel

Charleston, SC • Private

In-state tuition

$12,516

Enrollment

2,882

2. York College of Pennsylvania

York, PA • Private

In-state tuition

$20,100

Enrollment

3,960

3. Northern Michigan University

Marquette, MI • Private

In-state tuition

$10,729

Enrollment

6,722

4. Norwich University

Northfield, VT • Private

In-state tuition

$40,014

Enrollment

3,120

5. Elmhurst College

Elmhurst, IL • Private

In-state tuition

$37,055

Enrollment

2,799

6. Liberty University

Lynchburg, VA • Private

In-state tuition

$22,584

Enrollment

45,370

7. Mercyhurst University

Erie, PA • Private

In-state tuition

$37,170

Enrollment

2,374

8. Point Park University

Pittsburgh, PA • Private

In-state tuition

$31,450

Enrollment

3,170

9. University of Arizona

Tucson, AZ • Private

In-state tuition

$12,467

Enrollment

33,509

10. Missouri State University

Springfield, MO • Private

In-state tuition

$7,376

Enrollment

16,948

20 best online courses for operational intelligence analysts

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Top 10 most affordable universities for operational intelligence analysts

The most affordable schools for operational intelligence analysts are SUNY Farmingdale, brigham young university, and usf sarasota-manatee.

If the best universities for operational intelligence analysts 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 operational intelligence analysts.

1. SUNY Farmingdale

Farmingdale, NY • Private

In-state tuition

$8,306

Cost of attendance

16,091

2. Brigham Young University

Provo, UT • Private

In-state tuition

$5,620

Cost of attendance

18,136

3. USF Sarasota-Manatee

Sarasota, FL • Private

In-state tuition

$5,587

Cost of attendance

13,043

4. Clayton State University

Morrow, GA • Private

In-state tuition

$5,419

Cost of attendance

17,697

5. John Jay College of Criminal Justice of the City University of New York

New York, NY • Private

In-state tuition

$7,270

Cost of attendance

14,177

6. Minot State University

Minot, ND • Private

In-state tuition

$7,064

Cost of attendance

15,576

7. Florida International University

Miami, FL • Private

In-state tuition

$6,556

Cost of attendance

19,434

8. Southern University at New Orleans

New Orleans, LA • Private

In-state tuition

$7,033

Cost of attendance

12,702

9. SUNY Polytechnic Institute

Utica, NY • Private

In-state tuition

$8,238

Cost of attendance

21,567

10. Florida State University

Tallahassee, FL • Private

In-state tuition

$5,656

Cost of attendance

21,623

Top 10 hardest universities to get into for operational intelligence analysts

The hardest universities for operational intelligence analysts to get into are University of Tulsa, Syracuse University, and SUNY at Binghamton.

Some great schools for operational intelligence analysts 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 operational intelligence analysts 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. University of Tulsa

Tulsa, OK • Private

Admissions rate

41%

SAT average

1,321

2. Syracuse University

Syracuse, NY • Private

Admissions rate

50%

SAT average

1,284

3. SUNY at Binghamton

Vestal, NY • Private

Admissions rate

40%

SAT average

1,376

4. Saint Louis University

Saint Louis, MO • Private

Admissions rate

58%

SAT average

1,304

5. University of Denver

Denver, CO • Private

Admissions rate

56%

SAT average

1,300

6. University of Pittsburgh

Pittsburgh, PA • Private

Admissions rate

59%

SAT average

1,367

7. American University

Washington, DC • Private

Admissions rate

32%

SAT average

1,320

8. Boston University

Boston, MA • Private

Admissions rate

22%

SAT average

1,420

9. Boston College

Chestnut Hill, MA • Private

Admissions rate

28%

SAT average

1,429

10. Northeastern University

Boston, MA • Private

Admissions rate

19%

SAT average

1,466

Top 10 easy-to-apply-to universities for operational intelligence analysts

The easiest schools for operational intelligence analysts to get into are Nyack College, notre dame college, and university of north texas at dallas.

Some schools are much easier to get into. If you want to start your career as an operational intelligence analyst 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 operational intelligence analysts.

1. Nyack College

New York, NY • Private

Admissions rate

98%

SAT average

999

2. Notre Dame College

Cleveland, OH • Private

Admissions rate

90%

SAT average

994

3. University of North Texas at Dallas

Dallas, TX • Private

Admissions rate

83%

SAT average

992

4. La Roche College

Pittsburgh, PA • Private

Admissions rate

99%

SAT average

1,008

5. Saint Joseph's College of Maine

Standish, ME • Private

Admissions rate

84%

SAT average

1,069

6. Gwynedd Mercy University

Gwynedd Valley, PA • Private

Admissions rate

92%

SAT average

1,031

7. Saint Martin's University

Lacey, WA • Private

Admissions rate

96%

SAT average

1,111

8. Albertus Magnus College

New Haven, CT • Private

Admissions rate

58%

SAT average

931

9. Kean University

Union, NJ • Private

Admissions rate

86%

SAT average

991

10. Wayland Baptist University

Plainview, TX • Private

Admissions rate

98%

SAT average

1,003

Average operational intelligence analyst salary by education level

According to our data, operational intelligence analysts with a Master's degree earn the highest average salary, at $83,742 annually. Operational intelligence analysts with a Bachelor's degree earn an average annual salary of $80,265.
Operational intelligence analyst education levelOperational intelligence analyst salary
Master's Degree$83,742
High School Diploma or Less$64,077
Bachelor's Degree$80,265
Some College/ Associate Degree$68,551

Operational intelligence analyst education FAQs

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Updated January 8, 2025

Zippia Research Team
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.

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