by our College Data Analytics TeamStudying Business Administration & Management involves the study of Business Administration, Management And Operations. Read on to learn the essential details every business administration & management major should know — including career paths, salary data, the skills you will develop, and the best colleges offering business administration & management programs.
Across the country, business administration & management is a popular field of study, with 402,942 degrees awarded annually.
Our 2026 Best Business Administration & Management Schools ranking analyzes these 2,497 schools to determine the best overall colleges for business administration & management students. Continue reading to check out one of our many unbiased rankings of business administration & management programs later in this article.
Studies in Business Administration & Management build a specific mix of skills, knowledge, and abilities — derived from O*NET surveys of workers in the occupations business administration & management graduates commonly enter.
Skills emphasized by a business administration & management program reflects the day-to-day work of related occupations:
According to O*NET, a business administration & management major emphasizes the following knowledge areas:
There are several business administration & management degree levels. The table below shows the typical length of the most common levels, and how many graduates earn each one.
| Degree | Typical Program Length | Graduates Annually |
|---|---|---|
| Certificate | Varies | 6,391 |
| Associate Degree | 2 years | 63,272 |
| Bachelor’s Degree | 4 years | 160,404 |
| Master’s Degree | 1-3 years | 168,442 |
| Doctorate | At least 4 years | 3,454 |
People currently working in careers related to business administration & management tend to have obtained the following education levels.
| Level of Education | Percentage of Workers |
|---|---|
| Bachelor’s degree | 48.5% |
| High school diploma or equivalent | 10.7% |
| Master’s degree | 10.6% |
| Some college courses | 8.8% |
| Associate’s degree (or other 2-year) | 8.5% |
| Postsecondary certificate | 5.5% |
| Doctoral degree | 2.5% |
| Post-baccalaureate certificate | 2.4% |
| Less than a high school diploma | 1.0% |
| Post-master’s certificate | 0.7% |
| Post-doctoral training | 0.6% |
| First professional degree | 0.2% |
View the chart below to get an idea of what level of education most of those in business administration & management careers hold.
Source: ONET Online education / training / experience requirements.*
A degree in business administration & management opens doors to numerous career paths. These are some of the most common occupations related to business administration & management.
The following options are some of the most in-demand careers related to business administration & management.
| Occupation | Projected Jobs | Expected Growth |
|---|---|---|
| First-Line Supervisors of Office and Administrative Support Workers | 1,904,234 | -0.4% |
| First-Line Supervisors of Production and Operating Workers | 877,525 | -2.0% |
| First-Line Supervisors of Retail Sales Workers | 830,802 | 5.3% |
| Security Management Specialists | 765,822 | -1.0% |
| Logistics Analysts | 688,094 | 1.5% |
| Logistics Engineers | 687,152 | 13.4% |
| Business Continuity Planners | 678,409 | 12.4% |
| Online Merchants | 677,689 | 10.1% |
College Scorecard reports median earnings of business administration & management graduates 1, 4, and 5 years after completion. Wages typically rise as graduates gain experience.
| Years Out | Median Earnings |
|---|---|
| 1 year | $62,537 |
| 4 years | $63,883 |
| 5 years | $71,749 |
Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard, field-of-study earnings tracker.
Salaries for business administration & management graduates vary widely by occupation. The following table shows the top highest-paying careers business administration & management grads often go into.
| Occupation | Median Annual Salary |
|---|---|
| Loss Prevention Managers | $165,723 |
| Geothermal Production Managers | $160,381 |
| Administrative Services Managers | $158,084 |
| Facilities Managers | $157,669 |
| Biomass Power Plant Managers | $146,025 |
| Supply Chain Managers | $138,103 |
| Medical and Health Services Managers | $129,557 |
| Security Management Specialists | $128,654 |
With 2,497 different business administration & management programs to choose from, finding the best fit can be a challenge. We have analyzed these schools to produce unbiased business administration & management school rankings to help you.
Those considering business administration & management, you may also want to explore other closely related fields of study within the same broad area.
| Related Major | Annual Graduates |
|---|---|
| Accounting and Related Services | 81,835 |
| Management Sciences and Quantitative Methods | 62,236 |
| Business/Commerce, General | 57,976 |
| Finance and Financial Management Services | 57,564 |
| Marketing | 53,750 |
| Human Resources Management and Services | 25,424 |
| Business Operations Support and Assistant Services | 16,153 |
| Entrepreneurial and Small Business Operations | 14,306 |
| Hospitality Administration/Management | 13,333 |
| Management Information Systems and Services | 12,092 |
More about our data sources and methodologies.
