What Can You Do With a Business Administration Degree?

A business administration degree can prepare you to tackle today’s most demanding business challenges by teaching you the quantitative knowledge base and management skills you need to contribute to the bottom line of any organization.

Read on to see what you can do in a career field as expansive as business.

But First: What is Business Administration, Exactly?

Before exploring the types of jobs in this field, it's important to understand what business administration is.

It's all about managing a company’s assets — including its properties, people and finances.

"Business administration is the art of coordinating and directing the various aspects of a business, ensuring that every department, team and individual works together seamlessly to achieve a common goal," said Dr. Enrique Barreiro, MBA, an associate dean of business at Southern New Hampshire University (SNHU).

Running an organization efficiently, profitably and ethically requires a variety of skills. According to Barreiro, who has worked in both federal and civilian business administration roles, some of the most important skills include:

• Analysis and strategic thinking
• Communication and relationship-building
• Leadership and team management
• Time management and adaptability

When combined, these skills can help you be successful in business roles. For example, you need strong analytical skills to make data-informed business decisions, and you need communications expertise to present those decisions effectively.

A bachelor's degree in business administration is a popular business degree that can help you build these types of skills and learn business basics.

What Do Business Majors Do?

A business administration degree helps you develop the fundamental tools you need for the profession, according to Barreiro. "Your undergraduate studies (can) equip you with a robust foundation in essential business principles," he said, including in:

• Finance
• Management
• Marketing
• Operations

Business majors may cover a wide range of topics, but they also allow you to specialize in a specific content area. For example, at SNHU, you can choose from more than a dozen business administration concentrations, such as:

• Entrepreneurship
• International business
• Organizational leadership
• Project management
• Public administration

"Business administration is a versatile field that touches every aspect of the business world," Barreiro said. "Identify what excites you the most and pursue it with vigor." Following your interests also helps you stay motivated and persist through challenges, he said.

With a bachelor's degree in business administration, you may also have the chance to build practical experience through case studies, group projects and internships, according to Barreiro.

"This hands-on approach sharpens your critical thinking, enhances your problem-solving abilities and fosters a strategic mindset," he said. This experience can prepare you for a Master of Business Administration (MBA), he said, if you wish to take your business education further.

According to a survey by the Graduate Management Admission Council (GMAC), MBA graduates tend to out-earn their undergraduate colleagues from the start.* The survey found that the estimated median starting salary of MBA grads is $120,000 in 2024, approximately 73% more than that of people with only a bachelor’s degree (GMAC PDF source).*

Other good reasons to get an MBA include an opportunity to gain new perspectives and grow your professional network.

What Does a Business Administrator Do?

Depending on your role at a particular company, you may use your business administration background in diverse fields and roles.

You might contribute to the finance, sales, human resources or operations departments, take part in long-range strategic planning or work on special projects to guide your company in making critical business decisions.

Some of the primary focuses of business administrators, Barreiro said, are:

• Communication and relationships - fostering strong and collaborative relationships within your team and beyond
• Problem-solving and adaptability - remaining agile and resilient as your organization faces challenges and changing conditions
• Resource management - managing finances, logistics and resource allocation to make sure everyone has what they need to succeed
• Strategy and planning - looking for growth opportunities and areas for improvement that maintain the forward momentum of your business
• Leadership and coordination - setting the right pace, making decisions rooted in strategy and ensuring everyone knows the role they play

A business administration degree doesn’t constrict you to a certain setting, either. Business administrators work across different types of organizations, from Fortune 500 companies to nonprofits and entrepreneurial ventures to federal sectors, according to Barreiro.

What Jobs Can You Get With a Business Administration Degree?

Here are a few jobs to consider with a business degree:

Accountant

If you enjoy crunching numbers, you can find work as an accountant in a wide variety of industries. Accountants can examine a company’s financial statements, review accounting systems, ensure regulatory compliance and analyze ways to reduce costs and increase revenue, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS).

They earned a median salary of $79,880 in 2023, BLS reported, and the field is expected to grow by 6% through 2033.*

Administrative Services Manager

As an administrative services manager, your job could include supervising a team of administrative staff or overseeing a department or facility, BLS said. Administrative service managers also analyze company operations and recommend changes to increase efficiency and ensure compliance.

According to BLS, administrative services managers earned a median salary of $104,900 in 2023.* Jobs for administrative services managers are projected to grow 6% through 2033, BLS reported.*

Financial Analyst

As a financial analyst, you look at financial data and economic forecasts to help your organization make important business and investment decisions, according to BLS. Financial analysts will also increasingly look at global investment opportunities as the economy grows and companies continue to expand internationally.

Employment of financial analysts is projected to grow 9% through 2033, and, in 2023, they earned a median salary of $99,890, according to BLS.*

Health Services Manager

If you pursue a concentration in healthcare administration, you may be prepared for roles such as health services manager. Individuals in these roles may manage an entire facility, a specific clinical area or department, or a medical practice on behalf of a group of healthcare providers, BLS said.

According to the BLS, medical and health services managers earned a median salary of $110,680 in 2023.* The job is projected to grow 29% through 2033 — much faster than the national average for all occupations, BLS reported.*

Human Resources Specialist

As a human resources specialist, you could help shape your organization's future by recruiting and retaining workers essential to the growth of your organization. Human resources specialists may also communicate company policies and procedures, maintain employment records and administer benefits, BLS said.

According to BLS, human resources specialists earned a median salary of $67,650 in 2023.* Additionally, BLS reported that jobs for human resources specialists are projected to grow 8% through 2033.*

Management Analyst

Management analysts or consultants look for ways to improve an organization’s efficiency and profitability, according to BLS. By interviewing people, analyzing data and making recommendations, they help companies stay competitive and enter new markets.

According to BLS, management analysts earned a median salary of $99,410 in 2023, and jobs in this field are projected to grow 11% through 2033.*

Market Research Analyst

Market research analysts examine and evaluate market conditions to determine how products or services will perform, according to BLS.

In 2023, market research analysts earned a median of $74,680, BLS said, and jobs are projected to grow 8% through 2033.*

Marketing Manager

As a marketing manager, you can help define a company’s target market, build its brand and set the stage for increased sales. Marketing managers conduct studies, plan promotional campaigns and evaluate email marketing and website content development and analytics, BLS reported.

Marketing managers earned a median salary of $156,580 in 2023, according to BLS, and the field is expected to grow by 8% through 2033.*

How Long Does It Take to Earn a Business Administration Degree?

Earning a bachelor’s degree in business administration might not take as long as you think. While bachelor's degrees are often referred to as "four-year degrees," the amount of time it takes to earn your bachelor's in business administration will vary.

For example, the number of courses you take each term, the number of terms your program offers each year, and the number of college credits you've already earned will factor into how long it will take you to finish.

If you already have some classes done and are looking to transfer credits to another college, you'll want to look for a transfer-friendly university. For example, SNHU accepts up to 90 transfer credits toward a bachelor's in business administration program, which may help you finish your bachelor's degree faster.

Enrolling in an online business administration program may allow you greater flexibility to fit classes into your schedule, too. You can complete coursework each week at the times that make sense for you, as well as slow down or speed up your pacing by switching between part-time and full-time course loads. Discussing your plans with your advisor is important, as any breaks or pacing changes could impact your financial aid.

And if you're interested in advancing your education further and are wondering how long it takes to get an MBA, some programs can be completed in just a year if your bachelor's degree is in business.

So, is a Business Administration Degree Worth It?

While working as a document technician training coordinator, Kaela Belli '23 earned her bachelor's in business administration at SNHU. She enrolled in the program a few weeks after hearing about her friend's positive experience with the university.

With the goal of furthering her career, Belli found she could apply what she was learning in her degree program to her job.

"I was talking to my boss the other day about how my classes (and) what I do at work — I feel like they mesh well together," she said. "I feel like the classes really do align with what you can do in a business setting."

When she finished her degree, she traveled from Connecticut to New Hampshire with her 7-year-old son to mark the achievement at her commencement ceremony. She said she wanted to show her son he can achieve his goals, even if it takes time.

According to the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES), business continues to be one of the most popular undergraduate degree programs in the U.S. Of the 2 million students who completed bachelor’s degrees in the 2021-2022 school year, 19% were business majors.

Several of the top undergraduate majors in demand by employers were business majors, according to results of a 2024 survey published by the National Association of Colleges and Employers (NACE).*

Of those majors, business administration/management ranked among the top five, according to NACE, with 59% of employers intending to hire from that educational background.

And, according to GMAC, 79% of global recruiters plan to hire the same amount or more MBA graduates in 2024 as they did in 2023.

In addition to analytical insight, employers seek complex problem solvers and professionals who exhibit strategies for active learning and can quickly adapt to changing situations, according to the World Economic Forum. These are all soft skills you can expect to further develop in a business administration program.

Whether you’re looking to enter the job market or step up to a management role, a business administration degree can help equip you with the knowledge and skills many of today’s hiring managers seek.

*Cited job growth projections may not reflect local and/or short-term economic or job conditions and do not guarantee actual job growth. Actual salaries and/or earning potential may be the result of a combination of factors including, but not limited to: years of experience, industry of employment, geographic location, and worker skill.

Krysten Godfrey Maddocks ’11G is a writer who covers K-12 and higher education topics, including policy and the role of digital technology in education. She spent almost a decade working in various marketing roles at an educational assessment company before launching a strategic marketing company. Maddocks earned a master's degree in marketing from Southern New Hampshire University and a bachelor's degree in English/ journalism from the University of New Hampshire. Connect with her on LinkedIn.