Reference assistant education requirements

Updated January 8, 2025

4 min read

There are several educational requirements to become a reference assistant. Reference assistants usually study english, history, or psychology. 76% of reference assistants hold a bachelor's degree, and 12% hold an master's degree. We analyzed 878 real reference assistant resumes to see exactly what reference assistant education sections show.

The most common colleges for reference assistants are the Brigham Young University and the Brigham Young University.

There are also many online reference assistant courses to help get the education required to be a reference assistant.

What education do you need to become a reference assistant?

What degree do you need to be a reference assistant?

The most common degree for reference assistants is bachelor's degree, with 76% of reference assistants earning that degree. The second and third most common degree levels are master's degree degree at 12% and master's degree degree at 6%.

Bachelor's, 76%

Master's, 12%

Associate, 6%

High School Diploma, 3%

Other Degrees, 3%

What should I major in to become a reference assistant?

You should major in english to become a reference assistant. 15% of reference assistants major in english. Other common majors for a reference assistant include history and psychology.

English, 15%

History, 14%

Psychology, 8%

Business, 8%

Other Majors, 55%

Most common colleges for reference assistants

Reference assistants often get their degrees at Brigham Young University, University of Massachusetts - Lowell, and Indiana University South Bend. Here are the most common colleges for reference assistants in the US based on their resumes.

Reference assistant common college	Percentages
Brigham Young University	16.07%
University of Massachusetts - Lowell	7.14%
Indiana University South Bend	5.36%
University of Phoenix	5.36%
Ohio University	5.36%

Show more common reference assistant colleges

Best majors for reference assistants

Rank	Major	Percentages
1	English	14.8%
2	History	13.8%
3	Psychology	8.3%
4	Business	8.3%
5	Communication	5.0%

Show more common reference assistant majors

Best colleges for reference assistants

The best colleges for reference assistants are Northwestern University, Stanford University, and Johns Hopkins University.

A reference assistant with advanced education typically earns a higher salary and has access to better jobs. That's why Zippia looked into the best colleges for reference assistants. 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 reference assistants.

1. New York University

New York, NY • Private

In-state tuition

$51,828

Enrollment

26,339

2. Stanford University

Stanford, CA • Private

In-state tuition

$51,354

Enrollment

7,083

3. Northwestern University

Evanston, IL • Private

In-state tuition

$54,568

Enrollment

8,451

4. University of Maryland - College Park

College Park, MD • Private

In-state tuition

$10,595

Enrollment

30,184

5. University of Washington

Seattle, WA • Private

In-state tuition

$11,207

Enrollment

30,905

6. Duke University

Durham, NC • Private

In-state tuition

$55,695

Enrollment

6,596

7. SUNY at Albany

Albany, NY • Private

In-state tuition

$10,011

Enrollment

13,434

8. SUNY at Buffalo

Buffalo, NY • Private

In-state tuition

$10,099

Enrollment

21,404

9. University of Southern California

Los Angeles, CA • Private

In-state tuition

$56,225

Enrollment

19,548

10. University of Pennsylvania

Philadelphia, PA • Private

In-state tuition

$55,584

Enrollment

10,764

20 best online courses for reference assistants

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Top 10 most affordable universities for reference assistants

The most affordable schools for reference assistants are Baruch College of the City University of New York, california state university - bakersfield, and california state university - long beach.

If the best universities for reference assistants 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 reference assistants.

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. California State University - Bakersfield

Bakersfield, CA • Private

In-state tuition

$7,309

Cost of attendance

16,714

3. California State University - Long Beach

Long Beach, CA • Private

In-state tuition

$6,798

Cost of attendance

18,306

4. University of South Florida

Tampa, FL • Private

In-state tuition

$6,410

Cost of attendance

20,456

5. Florida State University

Tallahassee, FL • Private

In-state tuition

$5,656

Cost of attendance

21,623

6. California State University - Dominguez Hills

Carson, CA • Private

In-state tuition

$6,942

Cost of attendance

14,469

7. USF Sarasota-Manatee

Sarasota, FL • Private

In-state tuition

$5,587

Cost of attendance

13,043

8. Hunter College of the City University of New York

New York, NY • Private

In-state tuition

$7,182

Cost of attendance

13,998

9. Brooklyn College of the City University of New York

Brooklyn, NY • Private

In-state tuition

$7,240

Cost of attendance

13,991

10. University of Washington

Seattle, WA • Private

In-state tuition

$11,207

Cost of attendance

25,275

Top 10 hardest universities to get into for reference assistants

The hardest universities for reference assistants to get into are Northwestern University, Stanford University, and Johns Hopkins University.

Some great schools for reference assistants 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 reference assistants 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. Stanford University

Stanford, CA • Private

Admissions rate

SAT average

1,497

3. Johns Hopkins University

Baltimore, MD • Private

Admissions rate

11%

SAT average

1,513

4. Duke University

Durham, NC • Private

Admissions rate

SAT average

1,516

5. University of Southern California

Los Angeles, CA • Private

Admissions rate

13%

SAT average

1,445

6. New York University

New York, NY • Private

Admissions rate

20%

SAT average

1,419

7. Carnegie Mellon University

Pittsburgh, PA • Private

Admissions rate

17%

SAT average

1,507

8. Washington University in St Louis

Saint Louis, MO • Private

Admissions rate

15%

SAT average

1,506

9. University of Pennsylvania

Philadelphia, PA • Private

Admissions rate

SAT average

1,492

10. Columbia University in the City of New York

New York, NY • Private

Admissions rate

SAT average

1,512

Top 10 easy-to-apply-to universities for reference assistants

The easiest schools for reference assistants to get into are Notre Dame de Namur University, bluefield college, and oklahoma wesleyan university.

Some schools are much easier to get into. If you want to start your career as a reference assistant 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 reference assistants.

1. Notre Dame de Namur University

Belmont, CA • Private

Admissions rate

82%

SAT average

983

2. Bluefield College

Bluefield, VA • Private

Admissions rate

95%

SAT average

980

3. Oklahoma Wesleyan University

Bartlesville, OK • Private

Admissions rate

68%

SAT average

964

4. D'Youville College

Buffalo, NY • Private

Admissions rate

100%

SAT average

1,072

5. Holy Names University

Oakland, CA • Private

Admissions rate

70%

SAT average

849

6. Notre Dame College

Cleveland, OH • Private

Admissions rate

90%

SAT average

994

7. Kean University

Union, NJ • Private

Admissions rate

86%

SAT average

991

8. Gwynedd Mercy University

Gwynedd Valley, PA • Private

Admissions rate

92%

SAT average

1,031

9. Mount Saint Mary's University

Los Angeles, CA • Private

Admissions rate

84%

SAT average

1,031

10. Wayland Baptist University

Plainview, TX • Private

Admissions rate

98%

SAT average

1,003

Average reference assistant salary by education level

According to our data, reference assistants with a Master's degree earn the highest average salary, at $29,817 annually. Reference assistants with a Bachelor's degree earn an average annual salary of $29,390.

Reference assistant education level	Reference assistant salary
Master's Degree	$29,817
High School Diploma or Less	$27,916
Bachelor's Degree	$29,390
Some College/ Associate Degree	$28,457

Reference assistant education FAQs

What is the best college for Reference Assistants?

Have more questions? See all answers to common office and administrative questions.

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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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