Post job

Senior administrative specialist education requirements

Updated January 8, 2025
4 min read

There are several educational requirements to become a senior administrative specialist. Senior administrative specialists usually study business, accounting, or psychology. 55% of senior administrative specialists hold a bachelor's degree, and 23% hold an associate degree. We analyzed 1,547 real senior administrative specialist resumes to see exactly what senior administrative specialist education sections show.

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

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

What education do you need to become a senior administrative specialist?

What degree do you need to be a senior administrative specialist?

The most common degree for senior administrative specialists is bachelor's degree, with 55% of senior administrative specialists earning that degree. The second and third most common degree levels are associate degree degree at 23% and associate degree degree at 11%.
  • Bachelor's, 55%
  • Associate, 23%
  • High School Diploma, 11%
  • Master's, 6%
  • Other Degrees, 5%

What should I major in to become a senior administrative specialist?

You should major in business to become a senior administrative specialist. 41% of senior administrative specialists major in business. Other common majors for a senior administrative specialist include accounting and psychology.

Most common colleges for senior administrative specialists

Senior administrative specialists often get their degrees at University of Phoenix, Strayer University, and Northwood University. Here are the most common colleges for senior administrative specialists in the US based on their resumes.
Senior administrative specialist common collegePercentages
University of Phoenix22.06%
Strayer University8.09%
Northwood University5.88%
Cameron University5.15%
Immaculata University5.15%

Best majors for senior administrative specialists

RankMajorPercentages
1Business41.2%
2Accounting6.9%
3Psychology5.0%
4General Studies4.6%
5Communication3.7%

Best colleges for senior administrative specialists

The best colleges for senior administrative specialists are Stanford University, Northwestern University, and Boston College.

A senior administrative 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 senior administrative 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 senior administrative specialists.

1. Western Carolina University

Cullowhee, NC • Private

In-state tuition

$3,926

Enrollment

9,835

2. Stanford University

Stanford, CA • Private

In-state tuition

$51,354

Enrollment

7,083

3. Ball State University

Muncie, IN • Private

In-state tuition

$9,896

Enrollment

15,529

4. University of Pennsylvania

Philadelphia, PA • Private

In-state tuition

$55,584

Enrollment

10,764

5. Bowling Green State University

Bowling Green, OH • Private

In-state tuition

$11,105

Enrollment

13,729

6. Cedar Crest College

Allentown, PA • Private

In-state tuition

$39,216

Enrollment

1,303

7. Morgan State University

Baltimore, MD • Private

In-state tuition

$7,900

Enrollment

6,404

8. Northwestern University

Evanston, IL • Private

In-state tuition

$54,568

Enrollment

8,451

9. Siena Heights University

Adrian, MI • Private

In-state tuition

$27,124

Enrollment

2,035

10. University of Akron

Akron, OH • Private

In-state tuition

$11,463

Enrollment

13,676

20 best online courses for senior administrative specialists

Advertising disclosure

1. Financial Reporting

coursera

The Financial Reporting Specialization focuses on the role of financial accounting principles and processes in creating and reporting an organization’s financial statements. Learners who complete this specialization will be able to (1) use financial accounting principles to create and/or process an organization’s financial statements and (2) analyze financial statements to assess an organization’s financial position...

2. India Customs and Allied laws Specialization

coursera

Want to start a career as a Customs professional in India or want to enhance your knowledge in the field of Customs? Companies seek individuals with Customs expertise to help them adopt correct compliance positions and manage imports and exports effectively. This requirement is not only from a Customs compliance standpoint but also from the perspective of guiding on the interplay of Customs compliance with the operational and logistics aspects of the business. They are responsible for preparing...

3. Audit - Financial Statement

udemy
4.4
(2,545)

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

4. Fundamentals of Logistics, Supply Chain & Customer Service

udemy
4.5
(3,822)

Learn Logistics, Supply Chain and Customer Service. 3 Courses in 1...

5. Practical Office 365 Administration

udemy
4.2
(291)

Learn in depth about Office 365 for Administrators and also find useful tips and resources to enhance your role as an Of...

6. Microsoft Office 365 Administration

udemy
4.5
(2,676)

Microsoft Office 365 Administration...

7. Project Charter Specialist (Accredited) Project Management

udemy
4.6
(552)

What is Project Charter? Components? Template? Example? Document Project Charter? Project Charter Specialist Earn PDUs...

8. Financial Accounting-Adjusting Entries & Financial Statement

udemy
4.6
(930)

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

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

udemy
4.4
(1,649)

Master the complex world of payroll with practical examples, legislation insights, and comprehensive problems...

10. Effective Legal Office Administration

udemy
4.5
(1,067)

Effective Legal Office Administration...

11. Learn how to simplified HR Reports

udemy
4.5
(398)

Simplified HR Reports with Excel...

12. Master Course in Logistics and Supply Chain Management 2.0

udemy
4.1
(250)

Fundamentals, Designs and Operations of SCM and Logistics, International Transport, Port and Shipping, Dropshipping...

13. Tableau Data Analyst/Specialist Desktop Certification

udemy
4.6
(12,896)

From beginners to skills needed for Data Analyst or Desktop Specialist certifications. Tableau 2023, 2022, 2021, 2020...

14. Financial Statement Auditing Cycles

udemy
4.3
(251)

In this course, we learn how public accountants plan and execute an audit...

15. Financial Reporting & Analysis: Complete Preparation

udemy
4.5
(1,533)

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

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

udemy
4.6
(4,019)

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

17. Financial Statement Analysis

udemy
4.7
(255)

Learn how to make understanding financial statements your superpower!...

18. SQL Server Reporting Services Part 2 (SSRS)

udemy
4.5
(956)

SQL Server Reporting Services Part 2 (SSRS): Deployment, Security, Report Builder, Mobile Report Publisher...

19. Power BI Financial Reporting & Financial Analysis: A to Z

udemy
4.6
(688)

The Ultimate Hands-On Microsoft Power BI & DAX Financial Statements, Reporting, Analytics, Visualization, & BI Course...

20. Advanced Crystal Reports 2011 Training Video

udemy
4.8
(379)

A Comprehensive Crystal Reports Training Course That Takes Your Crystal Reports Skills To The Next Level...

Top 10 most affordable universities for senior administrative specialists

The most affordable schools for senior administrative specialists are Baruch College of the City University of New York, suny farmingdale, and california state university - bakersfield.

If the best universities for senior administrative 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 senior administrative 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. SUNY Farmingdale

Farmingdale, NY • Private

In-state tuition

$8,306

Cost of attendance

16,091

3. California State University - Bakersfield

Bakersfield, CA • Private

In-state tuition

$7,309

Cost of attendance

16,714

4. University of Puerto Rico - Mayaguez

Mayaguez, PR • Private

In-state tuition

$4,094

Cost of attendance

14,302

5. Minot State University

Minot, ND • Private

In-state tuition

$7,064

Cost of attendance

15,576

6. California State University - Dominguez Hills

Carson, CA • Private

In-state tuition

$6,942

Cost of attendance

14,469

7. Clayton State University

Morrow, GA • Private

In-state tuition

$5,419

Cost of attendance

17,697

8. Brooklyn College of the City University of New York

Brooklyn, NY • Private

In-state tuition

$7,240

Cost of attendance

13,991

9. Dickinson State University

Dickinson, ND • Private

In-state tuition

$6,768

Cost of attendance

15,506

10. SUNY Polytechnic Institute

Utica, NY • Private

In-state tuition

$8,238

Cost of attendance

21,567

Top 10 hardest universities to get into for senior administrative specialists

The hardest universities for senior administrative specialists to get into are Stanford University, Northwestern University, and Boston College.

Some great schools for senior administrative 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 senior administrative 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. Stanford University

Stanford, CA • Private

Admissions rate

4%

SAT average

1,497

2. Northwestern University

Evanston, IL • Private

Admissions rate

8%

SAT average

1,508

3. Boston College

Chestnut Hill, MA • Private

Admissions rate

28%

SAT average

1,429

4. Boston University

Boston, MA • Private

Admissions rate

22%

SAT average

1,420

5. University of Pennsylvania

Philadelphia, PA • Private

Admissions rate

8%

SAT average

1,492

6. SUNY at Binghamton

Vestal, NY • Private

Admissions rate

40%

SAT average

1,376

7. New York University

New York, NY • Private

Admissions rate

20%

SAT average

1,419

8. Bentley University

Waltham, MA • Private

Admissions rate

43%

SAT average

1,338

9. University of Southern California

Los Angeles, CA • Private

Admissions rate

13%

SAT average

1,445

10. Brandeis University

Waltham, MA • Private

Admissions rate

31%

SAT average

1,398

Top 10 easy-to-apply-to universities for senior administrative specialists

The easiest schools for senior administrative specialists to get into are Oklahoma Wesleyan University, notre dame college, and lim college.

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

1. Oklahoma Wesleyan University

Bartlesville, OK • Private

Admissions rate

68%

SAT average

964

2. Notre Dame College

Cleveland, OH • Private

Admissions rate

90%

SAT average

994

3. LIM College

New York, NY • Private

Admissions rate

83%

SAT average

1,061

4. Notre Dame de Namur University

Belmont, CA • Private

Admissions rate

82%

SAT average

983

5. Holy Names University

Oakland, CA • Private

Admissions rate

70%

SAT average

849

6. Oregon Institute of Technology

Klamath Falls, OR • Private

Admissions rate

96%

SAT average

1,139

7. D'Youville College

Buffalo, NY • Private

Admissions rate

100%

SAT average

1,072

8. Presentation College

Aberdeen, SD • Private

Admissions rate

97%

SAT average

1,050

9. Lewis-Clark State College

Lewiston, ID • Private

Admissions rate

100%

SAT average

1,009

10. Fresno Pacific University

Fresno, CA • Private

Admissions rate

85%

SAT average

1,053

Average senior administrative specialist salary by education level

Senior administrative specialists with a Master's degree earn more than those without, at $46,244 annually. With a Bachelor's degree, senior administrative specialists earn a median annual income of $46,072 compared to $42,881 for senior administrative specialists with an Associate degree.
Senior administrative specialist education levelSenior administrative specialist salary
Master's Degree$46,244
High School Diploma or Less$42,039
Bachelor's Degree$46,072
Some College/ Associate Degree$42,881

Senior administrative specialist education FAQs

Search for senior administrative specialist jobs

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.

Browse office and administrative jobs