What is Business Administration?

Business administration is a broad field that includes many different roles, professional settings and opportunities for growth. In simple terms, business administration is the work of managing an organization's resources, time and people.

Business administration professionals work to ensure that businesses and organizations are run effectively, efficiently and profitably. This is a balancing act that requires knowledge and skills in a range of disciplines.

According to Dr. Enrique Barreiro, MBA, 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

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.

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 Do in Business Administration?

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 is likely to be a job in business that fits you.

If you are a "people person," you might be interested in pursuing human resources. If you love competition, a sales role might be a good fit for you. 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.

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

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.

According to BLS, financial analysts earned a median salary of $99,890 in 2023 with an expected job growth of 8% between 2022 and 2032.*

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 reported that human resources specialists had a median salary of $67,650 in 2023 with an anticipated 6% job growth between 2022 and 2032.*

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.

In 2023, market research analysts earned a median salary of $74,680 with a predicted job growth of 13% between 2022 and 2032, said BLS.*

Where Do Business Professionals Work?

Business administration professionals can work in many different fields and settings including businesses, nonprofit organizations and in healthcare fields. You might imagine business professionals working primarily in small, medium and large for-profit companies, but in fact, just about every kind of organization, from hospitals to higher education, has a need for professionals who can effectively manage business practices and resources.

One major area that employs many business professionals is healthcare administration, with a job growth of 28% through 2032, according to BLS.*

Roles Beyond the Office

Is the office setting not for you? Many people in business administration also work in other environments:

• Client-facing sales
• Construction management
• Hospitality management
• Retail management
• Sports entertainment

Crandall said her BS in Business Administration helped her in her role 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. All of these careers and many more have a business component and present possible opportunities for people with a business background.

Future Prospects in Business Administration

Companies and organizations of all kinds have a great demand for skilled business professionals, and people who hold bachelor’s degrees in business go on to earn more money and enjoy greater job security than high school graduates. According to BLS, the overall unemployment rate among high school graduates was 3.9% in 2023 and 2.2% among holders of bachelor’s degrees.*

BLS states that jobs in business and finance professions earned a median annual wage of $79,050 in 2023.* Professions in these fields are also expected to grow faster than average between 2022 and 2032, adding over 911,400 new jobs to the economy.*

Whether you are looking to step up to a leadership role or make a complete career change, or you are dreaming of one day starting your own business, a bachelor's degree in business administration is a versatile and flexible choice that will serve you well in today's job market.

*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.