Reporting specialist education requirements

Updated January 8, 2025

4 min read

There are several educational requirements to become a reporting specialist. Reporting specialists usually study business, accounting, or finance. 67% of reporting specialists hold a bachelor's degree, and 15% hold an associate degree. We analyzed 2,744 real reporting specialist resumes to see exactly what reporting specialist education sections show.

The most common colleges for reporting specialists are the University of Phoenix and the University of Phoenix.

There are also many online reporting specialist courses to help get the education required to be a reporting specialist.

What education do you need to become a reporting specialist?

What degree do you need to be a reporting specialist?

The most common degree for reporting specialists is bachelor's degree, with 67% of reporting specialists earning that degree. The second and third most common degree levels are associate degree degree at 15% and associate degree degree at 10%.

Bachelor's, 67%

Associate, 15%

Master's, 10%

High School Diploma, 5%

Other Degrees, 3%

What should I major in to become a reporting specialist?

You should major in business to become a reporting specialist. 31% of reporting specialists major in business. Other common majors for a reporting specialist include accounting and finance.

Business, 31%

Accounting, 18%

Finance, 12%

Psychology, 5%

Other Majors, 34%

Most common colleges for reporting specialists

Reporting specialists often get their degrees at University of Phoenix, University of Massachusetts Boston, and University of Minnesota - Twin Cities. Here are the most common colleges for reporting specialists in the US based on their resumes.

Reporting specialist common college	Percentages
University of Phoenix	15.85%
University of Massachusetts Boston	8.94%
University of Minnesota - Twin Cities	6.10%
Ohio State University	6.10%
New York University	5.69%

Show more common reporting specialist colleges

Best majors for reporting specialists

Rank	Major	Percentages
1	Business	31.1%
2	Accounting	17.9%
3	Finance	12.0%
4	Psychology	4.9%
5	Computer Science	4.2%

Show more common reporting specialist majors

Best colleges for reporting specialists

The best colleges for reporting specialists are Northwestern University, University of Pennsylvania, and University of Southern California.

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

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. SUNY at Binghamton

Vestal, NY • Private

In-state tuition

$9,808

Enrollment

13,990

5. Villanova University

Villanova, PA • Private

In-state tuition

$53,308

Enrollment

6,819

6. San Diego State University

San Diego, CA • Private

In-state tuition

$7,488

Enrollment

30,018

7. Bentley University

Waltham, MA • Private

In-state tuition

$49,880

Enrollment

4,177

8. Boston University

Boston, MA • Private

In-state tuition

$53,948

Enrollment

17,238

9. SUNY Stony Brook

Stony Brook, NY • Private

In-state tuition

$9,625

Enrollment

17,407

10. New York University

New York, NY • Private

In-state tuition

$51,828

Enrollment

26,339

20 best online courses for reporting specialists

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3. Payroll Accounting: Laws, Calculations, and Journal Entries

4.4

(1,649)

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4. Financial Accounting-Adjusting Entries & Financial Statement

4.6

(930)

Master Adjusting Entries & Financial Statements: A Comprehensive Guide for Accurate Accounting and Reporting...

5. Financial Accounting - Subsidiary Ledgers & Special Journals

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Mastering Special Journals and Subsidiary Ledgers: A Comprehensive Guide to Streamlined Accounting Practices...

6. Microsoft SQL Server Reporting Services (SSRS): 2022 edition

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Build reports in MS SQL Server Reporting Services (SSRS): Implement report layouts, add interactivity...

7. Data Entry Skills: A Complete Data Entry Course from Scratch

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8. SQL Server Reporting Services Part 2 (SSRS)

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14. SQL Server Reporting Services Part 1 (SSRS)

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Learn how to create from simple to complex reports for your business decision making needs...

15. Become an External Auditor - External Audit Process Level 1

4.5

(362)

External Audit Process : Financial Statement Accounting : Business Valuation Methods : Certified Public Accountant (CPA)...

16. Financial Reporting & Analysis: Complete Preparation

4.5

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Learn to Read, Understand, and Analyse the Financial Statements of a Company...

17. Financial Statement Analysis

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18. Accounting & Financial Statement Analysis: Complete Training

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19. Audit - Financial Statement

4.4

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

20. Mastering SQL Server Reporting Services (SSRS) From Scratch

4.6

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Learn How to Create Reports using SSRS 2017 From Scratch Step By Step...

Top 10 most affordable universities for reporting specialists

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

If the best universities for reporting specialists 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 reporting specialists.

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. USF Sarasota-Manatee

Sarasota, FL • Private

In-state tuition

$5,587

Cost of attendance

13,043

3. SUNY Farmingdale

Farmingdale, NY • Private

In-state tuition

$8,306

Cost of attendance

16,091

4. Brooklyn College of the City University of New York

Brooklyn, NY • Private

In-state tuition

$7,240

Cost of attendance

13,991

5. California State University - Dominguez Hills

Carson, CA • Private

In-state tuition

$6,942

Cost of attendance

14,469

6. University of Florida

Gainesville, FL • Private

In-state tuition

$6,381

Cost of attendance

21,034

7. Brigham Young University

Provo, UT • Private

In-state tuition

$5,620

Cost of attendance

18,136

8. California State University - Long Beach

Long Beach, CA • Private

In-state tuition

$6,798

Cost of attendance

18,306

9. University of Puerto Rico - Mayaguez

Mayaguez, PR • Private

In-state tuition

$4,094

Cost of attendance

14,302

10. Florida International University

Miami, FL • Private

In-state tuition

$6,556

Cost of attendance

19,434

Top 10 hardest universities to get into for reporting specialists

The hardest universities for reporting specialists to get into are Northwestern University, University of Pennsylvania, and University of Southern California.

Some great schools for reporting specialists 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 reporting specialists 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. Boston University

Boston, MA • Private

Admissions rate

22%

SAT average

1,420

5. New York University

New York, NY • Private

Admissions rate

20%

SAT average

1,419

6. Villanova University

Villanova, PA • Private

Admissions rate

29%

SAT average

1,407

7. Vanderbilt University

Nashville, TN • Private

Admissions rate

10%

SAT average

1,514

8. Bentley University

Waltham, MA • Private

Admissions rate

43%

SAT average

1,338

9. George Washington University, The

Washington, DC • Private

Admissions rate

42%

SAT average

1,380

10. University of Rochester

Rochester, NY • Private

Admissions rate

29%

SAT average

1,422

Top 10 easy-to-apply-to universities for reporting specialists

The easiest schools for reporting specialists to get into are Oklahoma Wesleyan University, holy names university, and barry university.

Some schools are much easier to get into. If you want to start your career as a reporting specialist 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 reporting specialists.

1. Oklahoma Wesleyan University

Bartlesville, OK • Private

Admissions rate

68%

SAT average

964

2. Holy Names University

Oakland, CA • Private

Admissions rate

70%

SAT average

849

3. Barry University

Miami, FL • Private

Admissions rate

91%

SAT average

1,006

4. Notre Dame College

Cleveland, OH • Private

Admissions rate

90%

SAT average

994

5. University of North Texas at Dallas

Dallas, TX • Private

Admissions rate

83%

SAT average

992

6. La Roche College

Pittsburgh, PA • Private

Admissions rate

99%

SAT average

1,008

7. Ottawa University

Ottawa, KS • Private

Admissions rate

78%

SAT average

1,024

8. Holy Family University

Philadelphia, PA • Private

Admissions rate

72%

SAT average

1,017

9. Saint Joseph's College of Maine

Standish, ME • Private

Admissions rate

84%

SAT average

1,069

10. Kean University

Union, NJ • Private

Admissions rate

86%

SAT average

991

Average reporting specialist salary by education level

Reporting specialists with a Doctorate degree earn more than those without, at $65,922 annually. With a Master's degree, reporting specialists earn a median annual income of $63,989 compared to $57,805 for reporting specialists with an Bachelor's degree.

Reporting specialist education level	Reporting specialist salary
Master's Degree	$63,989
Bachelor's Degree	$57,805
Doctorate Degree	$65,922

Reporting specialist education FAQs

What is the best college for Reporting Specialists?

Have more questions? See all answers to common business and financial questions.

Search for reporting specialist jobs

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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