Business & Banking
Operations Manager
Run the day-to-day of a business unit — staffing, budget, process. Promotion-path role available in every industry.
office-work
Salary progression
What you'll earn over your career
$62k
$95k
$145k
Entry
Mid-career
Senior
10-yr outlook
+6%
+6% (Faster than avg)
Open positions
38,000
Estimated nationwide
Entry paths
How to get here
Multiple paths lead to this career. Compare time, cost, online vs in-person delivery, and program links.
Fastest ROI
Degree Hybrid
BS Business / Operations
Time
4 years
Cost
$40,000 – $120,000
Top programs
Most operations managers promote from supervisor.
Affiliate disclosure: Some of the program links above may be affiliate partnerships. If you enroll, we may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. We only link to programs we have actually reviewed against our methodology. See our methodology for how we evaluate schools.
Attainability breakdown
What are the odds
you actually get there?
Six factors weighted to estimate the realistic probability a motivated person reaches this outcome. Higher = more attainable.
73
Composite
Attainability Score
Editorial estimate
Editorial estimate — based on best-available qualitative info. We're upgrading individual factors to published statistics where available.
- Educational difficultyHow hard the required schooling is to complete6520%
- Licensing & examsPass rates and difficulty of required exams10015%
- Entry-job competitionHow many applicants per open entry-level role5520%
- Career stay-rateInverse of early-career attrition / industry exit7515%
- Market demandOpenings vs available workforce7015%
- Alternative pathsHow many viable ways exist to enter the field8015%
Recommended schools
Schools known for this path
Verified high-ROI programs aligned with Operations Manager. Direct, transparent links to each school's official program page. See the full ROI shortlist →
UF Online
Online, public research university
Tuition
$111.92 / credit (in-state)
Same UF diploma, online delivery. $129.18/cr with required fees.
Programs for Operations Manager
Cost vs. Salary
Estimated cost
120 cr × $129/cr (in-state) ≈ $15.5K
Total cost
$18,000
Starting pay
$65,000
Operations Manager
Break-even
7 mo
Time for surplus earnings (above $35,000 living costs) to pay tuition back.
10-yr net (median pay)
+$994,800
Salary data: BLS Occupational Outlook. Living-cost floor ($35K) is a national approximation. Your numbers will vary by state, employer, and aid.
Georgia Tech
On-campus, elite public R1
Tuition
$10,512 in-state / $33,596 out
Elite engineering brand. In-state ROI is exceptional.
Programs for Operations Manager
Cost vs. Salary
Estimated cost
4 yrs × $10.5K (in-state); out-of-state ~$134K
Total cost
$42,000
Starting pay
$65,000
Operations Manager
Break-even
17 mo
Time for surplus earnings (above $35,000 living costs) to pay tuition back.
10-yr net (median pay)
+$970,800
Salary data: BLS Occupational Outlook. Living-cost floor ($35K) is a national approximation. Your numbers will vary by state, employer, and aid.
Purdue Global
Online, public university
Tuition
$371 / quarter credit
Built for working adults with prior college credit or experience.
Programs for Operations Manager
Cost vs. Salary
Estimated cost
Heavily reduced with transfer credit / military / prior learning
Total cost
$35,000
Starting pay
$65,000
Operations Manager
Break-even
14 mo
Time for surplus earnings (above $35,000 living costs) to pay tuition back.
10-yr net (median pay)
+$977,800
Salary data: BLS Occupational Outlook. Living-cost floor ($35K) is a national approximation. Your numbers will vary by state, employer, and aid.
Quick math
If you took the fastest path…
You'd train for
4 years
You'd spend (avg)
$80,000
Starting salary
$62,000
Mid-career
$95,000
Read more
Articles & resources
Sources: BLS OOH 2024