Scanner operator education requirements

Updated January 8, 2025

4 min read

There are several educational requirements to become a scanner operator. Scanner operators usually study business, graphic design, or general studies. 40% of scanner operators hold a high school diploma, and 20% hold an associate degree. We analyzed 2,605 real scanner operator resumes to see exactly what scanner operator education sections show.

The most common colleges for scanner operators are the University of Phoenix and the University of Phoenix.

There are also many online scanner operator courses to help get the education required to be a scanner operator.

What education do you need to become a scanner operator?

What degree do you need to be a scanner operator?

The most common degree for scanner operators is high school diploma, with 40% of scanner operators earning that degree. The second and third most common degree levels are associate degree degree at 20% and associate degree degree at 19%.

High School Diploma, 40%

Associate, 20%

Bachelor's, 19%

Diploma, 12%

Other Degrees, 9%

What should I major in to become a scanner operator?

You should major in business to become a scanner operator. 19% of scanner operators major in business. Other common majors for a scanner operator include graphic design and general studies.

Business, 19%

Graphic Design, 14%

General Studies, 8%

Accounting, 5%

Other Majors, 54%

Most common colleges for scanner operators

Scanner operators often get their degrees at University of Phoenix, American InterContinental University, and Rochester Institute of Technology. Here are the most common colleges for scanner operators in the US based on their resumes.

Scanner operator common college	Percentages
University of Phoenix	9.59%
American InterContinental University	9.59%
Rochester Institute of Technology	8.22%
DeVry University	8.22%
Guilford College	5.48%

Show more common scanner operator colleges

Best majors for scanner operators

Rank	Major	Percentages
1	Business	18.9%
2	Graphic Design	13.5%
3	General Studies	8.1%
4	Accounting	5.4%
5	Photography	5.1%

Show more common scanner operator majors

Best colleges for scanner operators

The best colleges for scanner operators are Stanford University, Northwestern University, and New York University.

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

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. Daemen College

Amherst, NY • Private

In-state tuition

$28,580

Enrollment

1,712

4. SUNY College of Technology at Alfred

Alfred, NY • Private

In-state tuition

$8,570

Enrollment

3,721

5. University of Northern Iowa

Cedar Falls, IA • Private

In-state tuition

$8,938

Enrollment

9,391

6. Ball State University

Muncie, IN • Private

In-state tuition

$9,896

Enrollment

15,529

7. University of Charleston

Charleston, WV • Private

In-state tuition

$30,900

Enrollment

1,910

8. University of Pennsylvania

Philadelphia, PA • Private

In-state tuition

$55,584

Enrollment

10,764

9. Arizona State University at SkySong

Scottsdale, AZ • Private

In-state tuition

$10,317

Enrollment

29,636

10. Bowling Green State University

Bowling Green, OH • Private

In-state tuition

$11,105

Enrollment

13,729

20 best online courses for scanner operators

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Top 10 most affordable universities for scanner operators

The most affordable schools for scanner operators are SUNY Farmingdale, california state university - bakersfield, and california state university - los angeles.

If the best universities for scanner operators 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 scanner operators.

1. SUNY Farmingdale

Farmingdale, NY • Private

In-state tuition

$8,306

Cost of attendance

16,091

2. California State University - Bakersfield

Bakersfield, CA • Private

In-state tuition

$7,309

Cost of attendance

16,714

3. California State University - Los Angeles

Los Angeles, CA • Private

In-state tuition

$6,749

Cost of attendance

14,823

4. Brigham Young University

Provo, UT • Private

In-state tuition

$5,620

Cost of attendance

18,136

5. Fashion Institute of Technology

New York, NY • Private

In-state tuition

$5,740

Cost of attendance

17,864

6. Baruch College of the City University of New York

New York, NY • Private

In-state tuition

$7,262

Cost of attendance

14,046

7. California State University - Dominguez Hills

Carson, CA • Private

In-state tuition

$6,942

Cost of attendance

14,469

8. Brooklyn College of the City University of New York

Brooklyn, NY • Private

In-state tuition

$7,240

Cost of attendance

13,991

9. SUNY Polytechnic Institute

Utica, NY • Private

In-state tuition

$8,238

Cost of attendance

21,567

10. USF Sarasota-Manatee

Sarasota, FL • Private

In-state tuition

$5,587

Cost of attendance

13,043

Top 10 hardest universities to get into for scanner operators

The hardest universities for scanner operators to get into are Stanford University, Northwestern University, and New York University.

Some great schools for scanner operators 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 scanner operators 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. Stanford University

Stanford, CA • Private

Admissions rate

SAT average

1,497

2. Northwestern University

Evanston, IL • Private

Admissions rate

SAT average

1,508

3. New York University

New York, NY • Private

Admissions rate

20%

SAT average

1,419

4. University of Pennsylvania

Philadelphia, PA • Private

Admissions rate

SAT average

1,492

5. Northeastern University

Boston, MA • Private

Admissions rate

19%

SAT average

1,466

6. Boston University

Boston, MA • Private

Admissions rate

22%

SAT average

1,420

7. University of Southern California

Los Angeles, CA • Private

Admissions rate

13%

SAT average

1,445

8. Southern Methodist University

Dallas, TX • Private

Admissions rate

51%

SAT average

1,395

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 scanner operators

The easiest schools for scanner operators to get into are Oklahoma Wesleyan University, bluefield college, and notre dame de namur university.

Some schools are much easier to get into. If you want to start your career as a scanner operator 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 scanner operators.

1. Oklahoma Wesleyan University

Bartlesville, OK • Private

Admissions rate

68%

SAT average

964

2. Bluefield College

Bluefield, VA • Private

Admissions rate

95%

SAT average

980

3. Notre Dame de Namur University

Belmont, CA • Private

Admissions rate

82%

SAT average

983

4. University of the Incarnate Word

San Antonio, TX • Private

Admissions rate

88%

SAT average

1,044

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. LIM College

New York, NY • Private

Admissions rate

83%

SAT average

1,061

9. University of Baltimore

Baltimore, MD • Private

Admissions rate

78%

SAT average

1,020

10. Presentation College

Aberdeen, SD • Private

Admissions rate

97%

SAT average

1,050

Average scanner operator salary by education level

Scanner operator education level	Scanner operator salary
High School Diploma or Less	$34,492

Scanner operator education FAQs

What is the best college for Scanner Operators?

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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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