What is Business Administration?

Thinking about earning a degree? You may have seen "business administration" listed as a possible major. But what exactly does business administration mean?

According to Mona Stephens, associate dean of accounting and business analytics at Southern New Hampshire University (SNHU), business administration refers to the management of business operations and decision-making processes to achieve organizational goals. "It involves overseeing various functions such as marketing, finance, human resources and operations," she said.

Stephens worked in business for over 25 years and has been teaching for another two decades. She said professionals in this field work to ensure that businesses and organizations are run effectively, efficiently and profitably. It's balancing act that requires knowledge and skills in a range of disciplines.

What Does Business Administration Cover?

According to Dr. Enrique Barreiro, MBA, senior associate dean of business at Southern New Hampshire University (SNHU), business administration involves:

• Analyzing data to make informed decisions
• Communicating effectively
• Coordinating resources and finances
• Leading and managing teams
• Strategizing and planning for future success

A good bachelor's in business administration program will help you gain skills in all of these areas.

Barreiro has held a variety of roles within business administration in both the health and wellness industry and higher education and notes that working in business administration requires quantitative skills and "soft skills" such as sharing ideas, guiding others, thinking strategically and producing creative solutions to problems.

Business professionals generally need at least a basic understanding of accounting, finance, marketing, human resources and information technology, and they often specialize in a practice area. People who are successful in business must also be effective communicators. Business administration very frequently calls for working in teams and on collaborative projects.

"Clear communication with your team is essential to ensure everyone is on the same page and working towards the same objective," said Barreiro.

Handling the workload is only part of the challenge: being a team member your peers and supervisors can count on is a crucial part of business success.

Business Administration Concentrations

If you're looking for a more specialized education in business, SNHU's bachelor's in business administration offers a total of 16 concentrations to choose from, including:

• Accounting
• Business analytics
• Customer experience
• Marketing
• Project management

If you already have a bachelor's and are considering an advanced degree, SNHU's Master of Business Administration (MBA) also offers a number of concentrations to choose from, such as:

• Healthcare management
• Information technology management
• International business
• Music business
• Sustainability and environmental compliance

Explore the types of MBA degrees.

Is a Business Administration Degree Worth It?

In the United States, business degrees — like a bachelor's in business administration — are one of the most popular type of degree programs for undergraduates. The National Center for Education Statistics reports that of the 2 million bachelor's degrees conferred in 2021–22, degrees in business were the most popular category, accounting for 375,400 degrees.

Morgan Crandall '22 earned her Bachelor of Science (BS) in Business Administration online. Both the course content and the communication she engaged in throughout her degree program have proven beneficial to her professional path.

"The value I got from the classes was incredible, but the level of communication I had with my advisor and all my professors was something that I'm carrying into the workforce nowadays," Crandall said.

The increase in remote work over the past few years has greatly changed the way we all communicate, but Crandall felt prepared. "(In) my company, a lot of our communications are over Zoom and phone calls ... to have kind of an elevated sense of communication with everybody that I learned at SNHU has been super valuable," she said.

Earning a bachelor’s degree in business administration can offer you many benefits, and provides the skills and knowledge to position yourself well in the job market. Indeed ranks business administration in the top five on its list of college majors in demand.

What Jobs Can You Get With a Business Administration Degree?

A strong foundation in business practices paired with relevant experience can make you an asset to almost any type of company or organization. Whether you prefer interfacing with customers, solving problems or crunching numbers, there's likely a job in business that fits you.

If you're a "people person," you might be interested in pursuing human resources. If you love competition, a sales role might be a good choice. If you love solving tough problems and coming up with strategies, you might be interested in becoming a business analyst or consultant. If you are a math whiz, you might explore possible paths in accounting or data analytics.

"This degree (can open) doors to careers in virtually any industry, offering flexibility and growth potential," Stephens said.

According to Stephens and the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), some business occupations include:

Business Analyst

A degree in business administration could prepare you for a career working with data and statistics to make recommendations as a business analyst, said Stephens.

According to BLS, management analysts earned a median salary of $99,410 in 2023 with 11% growth projected by 2033.*

Financial Analyst

Financial analysts help businesses and individuals make decisions about spending money to help them earn profits by studying the performance of stocks, bonds and other investments, BLS reports.

According to BLS, financial analysts earned a median salary of $99,890 in 2023 with an expected job growth of 9% between 2023 and 2033.*

Human Resources Specialist

Human resources specialists find, screen and interview job applicants. They inform applicants about employee benefits and place newly hired workers into jobs, BLS said.

BLS reported that human resources specialists had a median salary of $67,650 in 2023 with an anticipated 8% job growth between 2023 and 2033.*

Market Research Analyst

Market research analysts evaluate consumer preferences to help companies understand what products people want, who will buy them and what they are willing to pay, BLS said.

In 2023, market research analysts earned a median salary of $74,680 with a predicted job growth of 8% between 2023 and 2033, said BLS.*

Operations Manager

According to Stephens, a business administration degree can also prepare you to work as an operations manager, running day-to-day operations of a business or organization.

BLS reports that operations managers earned a median annual salary of $101,280 in 2023.*

Read more about what you can do with a business administration degree.

What is the Job Outlook for Business Administration?

You might imagine business professionals working primarily in small, medium and large for-profit companies. However, just about every kind of organization has a need for professionals who can effectively manage business practices and resources.

Business administration professionals can work in many different fields and settings including businesses, nonprofit organizations and in healthcare fields. You could also explore business and management positions in sports, entertainment, hospitality, construction or a variety of other industries.

And according to BLS data, several of the fastest growing occupations are business related.* For example:

• Healthcare administration: BLS projects growth of 29% by 2033*
• Operations research: BLS projects 23% growth by 2033*
• Supply chain management: BLS projects 19% growth by 2033*

Crandall noted that her BS in Business Administration helped her before she even finished her program. She was easily able to take what she was learning in her coursework and apply it to her job.

"I'm currently working at a consulting firm, and I feel like I can already see all the ways my degree has been useful,” she said.

All of these possibilities mean that you can potentially use business administration as a pathway to work in almost any arena, even finding a way to turn a passion into a career. Whether you're looking to step up to a leadership role or make a complete career change or you're dreaming of one day starting your own business, a degree in business administration is a versatile and flexible choice that can serve you well.

*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.

Alexa Gustavsen ’21 is a content facilitator and writer at Southern New Hampshire University. Based in New Hampshire, she completed her bachelor's in creative writing and English on campus at NH. Currently, she is pursuing her master's in marketing online at the university. Connect with her on LinkedIn.