Are you a leader? Do you enjoy working with people and problem solving? If you answered yes to both of these questions a degree in business administration and management would be great fit for you. A program in Business Administration & Management teaches you how to organize, plan, direct, and control the functions and process of an organization or firm. In addition to learning these functions, you will be taking classes in Purchasing and Logistics, Marketing, Business Decision-making, Accounting, Human Resources, Management, and Organization and Production.
There are many different concentrations within this major. They include Research and Development Management, Project Management, Customer Service Management, Office Management and Supervision, Purchasing Management, Project Management, and Organizational Leadership. This major is commonly offered as a Bachelor's Degree.
Business Administration & Management was the 2nd most popular major in the 2020-2021 school year. Colleges in the United States reported awarding 416,590 degrees in this year alone. This is a difference of 11,856 over the prior year, a growth of 2.8%.
Our 2023 Best Business Administration & Management Schools ranking analyzes 1630 of these schools to determine the best overall colleges for business administration and management students. Explore this or one of our many other custom business administration rankings further below.
Leadership skills are important when working in the field of business. The majority of careers will require you to effectively organize and oversee others. Problem-solving and solid communication will help you succeed. There is an emphasis on group work, therefore being able to manage time and work well with others is necessary.
Students should have some interest in math, as you will be taking a lot of mathematical courses. This program is not only offered as a Bachelor's Degree, but students can continue onto higher education and receive a Master's or Doctorate in this major.
New students will need to have completed high school or a GED program and each school will have their own minimum GPA and SAT/ACT test requirements. In addition to these basic business administration and management program qualifications, to serve in some business administration careers, special certification may be required outside of your degree.
There are various different levels of business administration degrees. Business Administration & Management programs offered by schools range from a to a , which is the highest business administration degree you can get. How long it takes to complete some common business administration degree levels is shown below.
Degree | Credit Requirements | Typical Program Length |
---|---|---|
Associate Degree | 60-70 credits | 2 years |
Bachelor’s Degree | 120 credits | 4 years |
Master’s Degree | 50-70 credits | 1-3 years |
Doctorate | Program required coursework including thesis or dissertation | At least 4 years |
A bachelor's degree is the most common level of education achieved by those in careers related to business administration, with approximately 47.6% of workers getting one. Find out other typical degree levels for business administration workers below.
Level of Education | Percentage of Workers |
---|---|
Bachelor’s Degree | 44.6% |
High School Diploma | 12.0% |
Master’s Degree | 10.9% |
Some College Courses | 9.2% |
Associate’s Degree (or other 2-year degree) | 8.9% |
68.1% of business administration workers have at least a bachelor's. The chart below shows what degree level those who work in business administration and management have obtained.
The education level required is different depending on the business administration career you are seeking.
A graduate with a degree in this major could enter into many different fields. The majority of these careers are in a management role; therefore you will be leading groups of people to meet a common goal. You have the opportunity to become a Financial Manager, Human Resources Manager, Medical and Health Service Manager, or an Advertising, Marketing, and Public Relations Manager. If you do not wish to become a manager, there are opportunities to become a Top Executive of a company, or an Education Administrator.
Want a job when you graduate with your business administration degree? Business Administration & Management careers are expected to grow 7.0% between 2016 and 2026.
The following options are some of the most in-demand careers related to business administration and management.
Occupation Name | Projected Jobs | Expected Growth |
---|---|---|
General and Operations Managers | 2,468,300 | 9.1% |
Retail Sales Supervisors | 1,590,100 | 3.8% |
Office and Administrative Support Worker Supervisors | 1,557,400 | 3.4% |
Managers | 1,071,700 | 8.0% |
Management Analysts | 921,600 | 14.3% |
Business Administration & Management graduates between 2017-2019 reported earning an average of $48,940 in the 2019-2020 timeframe. Earnings can range from as low as $16,809 to as high as $179,063. As you might expect, salaries for business administration graduates vary depending on the level of education that was acquired.
Salaries for business administration and management graduates can vary widely by the occupation you choose as well. The following table shows the top highest paying careers business administration grads often go into.
Occupation Name | Median Average Salary |
---|---|
Chief Executives | $200,140 |
Computer and Information Systems Managers | $152,860 |
Sales Managers | $140,320 |
Natural Sciences Managers | $139,680 |
Purchasing Managers | $125,630 |
With over 9,591 different business administration degree programs to choose from, finding the best fit for you can be a challenge. Fortunately you have come to the right place. We have analyzed all of these schools to come up with hundreds of unbiased business administration school rankings to help you with this.
Business Administration & Management is one of 21 different types of Business, Management & Marketing programs to choose from.
Major | Annual Graduates |
---|---|
General Business Administration and Management | 353,401 |
Organizational Leadership | 15,171 |
Interior Design Management | 14,326 |
Supply Chain Management | 10,986 |
Operations Management | 7,153 |
Related Major | Annual Graduates |
---|---|
Accounting | 99,265 |
Finance & Financial Management | 57,778 |
General Business/Commerce | 56,042 |
Marketing | 52,916 |
Management Sciences & Quantitative Methods | 43,382 |