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Operations representative education requirements

Updated January 8, 2025
4 min read

There are several educational requirements to become an operations representative. Operations representatives usually study business, accounting, or finance. 57% of operations representatives hold a bachelor's degree, and 19% hold an associate degree. We analyzed 6,278 real operations representative resumes to see exactly what operations representative education sections show.

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

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

There are certain operations representative certifications that you should consider. These operations representative certifications include Certified Pharmacy Technician (CPhT) and International Accredited Business Accountant (IABA).

What education do you need to become an operations representative?

What degree do you need to be an operations representative?

The most common degree for operations representatives is bachelor's degree, with 57% of operations representatives earning that degree. The second and third most common degree levels are associate degree degree at 19% and associate degree degree at 13%.
  • Bachelor's, 57%
  • Associate, 19%
  • High School Diploma, 13%
  • Master's, 4%
  • Other Degrees, 7%

What should I major in to become an operations representative?

You should major in business to become an operations representative. 36% of operations representatives major in business. Other common majors for an operations representative include accounting and finance.

Most common colleges for operations representatives

Operations representatives often get their degrees at University of Phoenix, Pennsylvania State University, and DeVry University. Here are the most common colleges for operations representatives in the US based on their resumes.
Operations representative common collegePercentages
University of Phoenix25.06%
Pennsylvania State University5.71%
DeVry University5.21%
University of North Texas4.96%
Georgia State University4.71%

Best majors for operations representatives

RankMajorPercentages
1Business35.6%
2Accounting6.9%
3Finance6.3%
4Communication4.8%
5Psychology4.7%

Best colleges for operations representatives

The best colleges for operations representatives are Northwestern University, University of Southern California, and New York University.

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

1. Western Carolina University

Cullowhee, NC • Private

In-state tuition

$3,926

Enrollment

9,835

2. University of Southern California

Los Angeles, CA • Private

In-state tuition

$56,225

Enrollment

19,548

3. San Diego State University

San Diego, CA • Private

In-state tuition

$7,488

Enrollment

30,018

4. Ball State University

Muncie, IN • Private

In-state tuition

$9,896

Enrollment

15,529

5. University of Pennsylvania

Philadelphia, PA • Private

In-state tuition

$55,584

Enrollment

10,764

6. New York University

New York, NY • Private

In-state tuition

$51,828

Enrollment

26,339

7. Bowling Green State University

Bowling Green, OH • Private

In-state tuition

$11,105

Enrollment

13,729

8. Georgetown University

Washington, DC • Private

In-state tuition

$54,104

Enrollment

7,089

9. Howard University

Washington, DC • Private

In-state tuition

$26,756

Enrollment

6,166

10. Northwestern University

Evanston, IL • Private

In-state tuition

$54,568

Enrollment

8,451

20 best online courses for operations representatives

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Top 10 most affordable universities for operations representatives

The most affordable schools for operations representatives are Baruch College of the City University of New York, suny farmingdale, and usf sarasota-manatee.

If the best universities for operations representatives 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 operations representatives.

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. USF Sarasota-Manatee

Sarasota, FL • Private

In-state tuition

$5,587

Cost of attendance

13,043

4. Florida International University

Miami, FL • Private

In-state tuition

$6,556

Cost of attendance

19,434

5. Minot State University

Minot, ND • Private

In-state tuition

$7,064

Cost of attendance

15,576

6. University of South Florida

Tampa, FL • Private

In-state tuition

$6,410

Cost of attendance

20,456

7. Florida Atlantic University

Boca Raton, FL • Private

In-state tuition

$4,831

Cost of attendance

19,559

8. Dickinson State University

Dickinson, ND • Private

In-state tuition

$6,768

Cost of attendance

15,506

9. California State University - Bakersfield

Bakersfield, CA • Private

In-state tuition

$7,309

Cost of attendance

16,714

10. Brigham Young University - Hawaii

Laie, HI • Private

In-state tuition

$5,560

Cost of attendance

18,043

Top 10 hardest universities to get into for operations representatives

The hardest universities for operations representatives to get into are Northwestern University, University of Southern California, and New York University.

Some great schools for operations representatives 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 operations representatives 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

8%

SAT average

1,508

2. University of Southern California

Los Angeles, CA • Private

Admissions rate

13%

SAT average

1,445

3. New York University

New York, NY • Private

Admissions rate

20%

SAT average

1,419

4. University of Pennsylvania

Philadelphia, PA • Private

Admissions rate

8%

SAT average

1,492

5. Boston University

Boston, MA • Private

Admissions rate

22%

SAT average

1,420

6. George Washington University, The

Washington, DC • Private

Admissions rate

42%

SAT average

1,380

7. Georgetown University

Washington, DC • Private

Admissions rate

15%

SAT average

1,456

8. Stanford University

Stanford, CA • Private

Admissions rate

4%

SAT average

1,497

9. Villanova University

Villanova, PA • Private

Admissions rate

29%

SAT average

1,407

10. Bentley University

Waltham, MA • Private

Admissions rate

43%

SAT average

1,338

Top 10 easy-to-apply-to universities for operations representatives

The easiest schools for operations representatives to get into are D'Youville College, holy names university, and notre dame college.

Some schools are much easier to get into. If you want to start your career as an operations representative 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 operations representatives.

1. D'Youville College

Buffalo, NY • Private

Admissions rate

100%

SAT average

1,072

2. Holy Names University

Oakland, CA • Private

Admissions rate

70%

SAT average

849

3. Notre Dame College

Cleveland, OH • Private

Admissions rate

90%

SAT average

994

4. Mount Saint Mary's University

Los Angeles, CA • Private

Admissions rate

84%

SAT average

1,031

5. LIM College

New York, NY • Private

Admissions rate

83%

SAT average

1,061

6. Barry University

Miami, FL • Private

Admissions rate

91%

SAT average

1,006

7. Felician University

Lodi, NJ • Private

Admissions rate

81%

SAT average

999

8. Cardinal Stritch University

Milwaukee, WI • Private

Admissions rate

71%

SAT average

1,035

9. University of North Texas at Dallas

Dallas, TX • Private

Admissions rate

83%

SAT average

992

10. Oklahoma Wesleyan University

Bartlesville, OK • Private

Admissions rate

68%

SAT average

964

Average operations representative salary by education level

Operations representatives with a Doctorate degree earn more than those without, at $47,280 annually. With a Master's degree, operations representatives earn a median annual income of $46,270 compared to $41,020 for operations representatives with an Bachelor's degree.
Operations representative education levelOperations representative salary
Master's Degree$46,270
Bachelor's Degree$41,020
Doctorate Degree$47,280
Some College/ Associate Degree$34,424

Operations representative 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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