Can you be an operations manager without a degree?

No, you cannot be an operations manager without a degree. At a minimum, you need an associate's degree, but many employers require a bachelor's degree. Some operations managers have master's degrees, which can help you earn more money but also help you to advance your career in management.

How do I start a career in operations management?

To start a career in operations management, a person should pursue a bachelor's degree in business administration or a related field. While a student in college, a person should pursue an internship and experience in business and office environments.

How much do operations administrators make?

Operations administrators make $59,000 a year, on average ($28.27 an hour). Operations administrators just starting can expect to make around $36,000 a year. In contrast, an operations administrator with ten or more years of experience averages $95,000 a year. Other factors such as location and industry can also impact how much an operations administrator can earn.

What qualifications do you need to be an operations manager?

The qualifications needed for being an operations manager are a bachelor's degree and having prior experience in a management or leadership position. A deep understanding of financial management is also a plus.

How To Become An Operations Administrator: What It Is and Career Path

What is an operations administrator and how to become one

Updated January 8, 2025

4 min read

Quoted expert

Eileen Cyr Ed.D.

Operations administrators may be employed by a wide variety of industries, with the exact range of their duties will depending on the setting they work in. Generally speaking, they carry out administrative tasks to grease the wheels and make sure the organization runs without holdups.

As an operations administrator, you may be asked to answer phone calls or stay on top of inventory, keep track of records, and take care of maintenance problems. Being neat, tidy, and organized, and not cracking under pressure will take you a long way.

Data management software and Microsoft Office will be your bread and butter, so make sure you are familiar with them before applying to an operations administrator position. You can get on board with a high school diploma, but if you have a degree in an area like business administration or facility management, even better.

What general advice would you give to an operations administrator?

Eileen Cyr Ed.D.

Professor, Springfield College

Use every resource at their disposal to increase their understanding of SEL and FACE. Build a resume that provides evidence of their ability to thrive in both a virtual and face to face classroom. Be prepared to engage with online platforms like Zoom, Nearpod, Jamboard, Padlet, and google slides.

Breathe - the airline advice of putting on your oxygen mask before assisting others is 100% applicable to today's teachers.

ScoreOperations AdministratorUS Average

Salary

4.0

Avg. Salary $50,962

Avg. Salary $59,228

Stability level

5.7

Growth rate 5%

Growth rate 0.3%

Diversity

3.8

Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 0.31%

Asian 8.73%

Black or African American 9.05%

Hispanic or Latino 12.73%

Unknown 5.10%

White 64.07%

Gender

female 65.24%

male 34.76%

Age - 42

Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 3.00%

Asian 7.00%

Black or African American 14.00%

Hispanic or Latino 19.00%

White 57.00%

Gender

female 47.00%

male 53.00%

Age - 42

Stress level

5.7

Stress level is manageable

7.1 - high

Complexity level

7.0

Complexity level is challenging

7 - challenging

Work life balance

7.1

Work life balance is good

6.4 - fair

Key steps to become an operations administrator

Explore operations administrator education requirements

Most common operations administrator degrees

Bachelor's

58.2 %

Associate

20.6 %

High School Diploma

8.6 %

Start to develop specific operations administrator skills

Skills	Percentages
Various Management	14.92%
Data Entry	9.34%
Clerical Support	6.17%
Administrative Functions	5.88%
Photocopying	5.34%

Complete relevant operations administrator training and internships

Accountants spend an average of 3-6 months on post-employment, on-the-job training. New operations administrators learn the skills and techniques required for their job and employer during this time. The chart below shows how long it takes to gain competency as an operations administrator based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data and data from real operations administrator resumes.

Gain additional operations administrator certifications

Operations administrator certifications can show employers you have a baseline of knowledge expected for the position. Certifications can also make you a more competitive candidate. Even if employers don't require a specific operations administrator certification, having one may help you stand out relative to other applicants.

The most common certifications for operations administrators include Certified Management Accountant (CMA) and Certified Pharmacy Technician (CPhT).

More About Certifications

Research operations administrator duties and responsibilities

Manage online digital storefront operations using PDF file format and HTML.
Manage all aspects of desktop support for several hundr users on site and at remote locations.
Establish operating policies and procedures and attain SNF Medicare certification.
Write queries through mainframe using SQL in order to produce reports for internal/external partners.

Prepare your operations administrator resume

When your background is strong enough, you can start writing your operations administrator resume.

You can use Zippia's AI resume builder to make the resume writing process easier while also making sure that you include key information that hiring managers expect to see on an operations administrator resume. You'll find resume tips and examples of skills, responsibilities, and summaries, all provided by Zippi, your career sidekick.

Choose from 10+ customizable operations administrator resume templates

Build a professional operations administrator resume in minutes. Browse through our resume examples to identify the best way to word your resume. Then choose from 10+ resume templates to create your operations administrator resume.