What can you do with a business administration degree?
A business administration degree is one of the most flexible bachelor’s degrees. It teaches the core functions every organization needs: accounting, finance, marketing, human resources, operations and management.
That flexibility shows up in pay. In May 2025, the median annual wage was $82,660 for business and financial occupations and $126,520 for management occupations, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS). The median for all occupations was $50,980.
The 20 jobs below are split into two groups: roles you can typically enter with a bachelor’s degree, and management roles you usually reach after several years of experience.
Entry-level business administration degree jobs
BLS lists a bachelor’s degree as the typical entry-level education for each of these jobs.
| # | Occupation | Median pay (May 2025) | Related work experience typically needed |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Personal financial advisors | $105,070 | None |
| 2 | Financial analysts | $103,570 | None |
| 3 | Project management specialists | $102,320 | None |
| 4 | Management analysts | $101,860 | Less than 5 years |
| 5 | Budget analysts | $91,640 | None |
| 6 | Accountants and auditors | $83,680 | None |
| 7 | Logisticians | $82,320 | None |
| 8 | Insurance underwriters | $81,370 | None |
| 9 | Market research analysts | $78,760 | None |
| 10 | Cost estimators | $78,740 | None |
| 11 | Loan officers | $76,690 | Less than 5 years |
| 12 | Human resources specialists | $75,940 | None |
A few notes from the BLS profiles:
- Personal financial advisors typically get long-term on-the-job training, and those who sell securities or insurance may need several licenses.
- Management analysts often enter with several years of related experience, and some employers prefer an MBA.
- Loan officers who work on mortgages must hold a Mortgage Loan Originator license, which requires prelicensing courses, a national exam, and background and credit checks.
- Cost estimators in construction typically need a degree in a field such as construction or engineering, while manufacturing cost estimators typically have a degree in business or finance.
What do entry-level business jobs involve?
Here is what each entry-level job does, based on BLS descriptions:
- Personal financial advisors help individuals manage money and plan for goals such as retirement.
- Financial analysts evaluate financial data, forecast trends and write recommendations for businesses and investors.
- Project management specialists coordinate the budget, schedule and staffing of projects.
- Management analysts recommend ways to make an organization more efficient.
- Budget analysts help public and private organizations plan their finances.
- Accountants and auditors prepare and examine financial records.
- Logisticians analyze and coordinate an organization’s supply chain.
- Insurance underwriters evaluate insurance applications and decide whether to approve them.
- Market research analysts study consumer preferences and business conditions to estimate potential sales.
- Cost estimators calculate the time, money, materials and labor a product or project will take.
- Loan officers evaluate and approve or recommend loan applications.
- Human resources specialists recruit, screen and interview applicants, and may handle pay, benefits and training.
If you like numbers, start with the finance and accounting roles. If you like people and process, look at HR, project management and logistics.
Mid-career business administration careers
These management jobs also typically require a bachelor’s degree, but employers expect related experience first.
| # | Occupation | Median pay (May 2025) | Related work experience typically needed |
|---|---|---|---|
| 13 | Financial managers | $166,570 | 5 years or more |
| 14 | Advertising, promotions, and marketing managers | $165,780 | Experience in advertising, marketing, promotions or sales |
| 15 | Human resources managers | $149,280 | 5 years or more |
| 16 | Sales managers | $148,270 | Less than 5 years |
| 17 | Training and development managers | $133,000 | 5 years or more |
| 18 | Medical and health services managers | $123,860 | Less than 5 years |
| 19 | Administrative services and facilities managers | $110,500 | Less than 5 years |
| 20 | Top executives | $108,780 | 5 years or more |
About this data: Pay figures are BLS median annual wages for May 2025 from the Occupational Outlook Handbook (OOH). Median means half of workers earned more and half earned less. New graduates usually start below the median, and pay varies by industry and location.
How do you move from entry level to management?
BLS describes clear feeder roles for most management jobs:
- Financial managers usually come from jobs such as loan officer, accountant, auditor, securities sales agent or financial analyst.
- Sales managers typically have work experience as sales representatives.
- Advertising, promotions, and marketing managers come from related advertising, marketing, promotions or sales jobs.
- Medical and health services managers often need administrative or clinical experience in a hospital or other healthcare facility. All states require nursing home administrators to be licensed.
- Top executives often move up from lower-level management or supervisory positions in their own organizations.
In practice, your first job decides your management track. Pick it with the end role in mind.
Which business specialization should you choose?
Most programs let you concentrate in one area. Here is where each one typically leads, based on the occupations above.
| Concentration | Common first jobs | Where it can lead |
|---|---|---|
| Finance | Financial analyst, budget analyst, loan officer, personal financial advisor | Financial manager |
| Accounting | Accountant or auditor | Financial manager, controller roles |
| Marketing | Market research analyst | Advertising, promotions, and marketing manager |
| Human resources | Human resources specialist | Human resources manager, training and development manager |
| Supply chain or operations | Logistician, cost estimator | Supply chain manager, project management specialist |
| Management or consulting | Management analyst, project management specialist | Lower-level management, then top executive roles |
| Insurance and risk | Insurance underwriter | Senior underwriter, underwriter manager |
| Healthcare administration | Administrative roles in healthcare facilities | Medical and health services manager |
Not sure which area fits? Business work often appeals to two interest types in Holland’s model: the Enterprising type, which likes leading and persuading, and the Conventional type, which likes data, order and clear processes. Our free Holland Code test shows where you land.
Which certifications help business majors?
Most certifications are optional, but they can show expertise in a specialty. The table lists certifying organizations as shown in the Department of Labor’s CareerOneStop Certification Finder.
| Credential | Certifying organization | Fits these roles |
|---|---|---|
| Certified Public Accountant (CPA) | Licensed by each state’s Board of Accountancy | Accountants and auditors, financial managers |
| Certified Management Accountant (CMA) | The Association of Accountants and Financial Professionals in Business | Accountants, budget analysts |
| Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) | CFA Institute | Financial analysts, personal financial advisors |
| Project Management Professional (PMP) or Certified Associate in Project Management (CAPM) | Project Management Institute | Project management specialists |
| SHRM Certified Professional (SHRM-CP) | Society for Human Resource Management | HR specialists and managers |
| Professional in Human Resources (PHR) | Human Resource Certification Institute | HR specialists and managers |
| Certified Supply Chain Professional (CSCP) | Association for Supply Chain Management | Logisticians |
| Certified Management Consultant (CMC) | Institute of Management Consultants USA | Management analysts |
Two credentials work differently from the rest:
- The CPA is a state license. Any accountant who files a report with the Securities and Exchange Commission must be a CPA. Candidates pass a national exam and meet their state’s other requirements, which vary.
- Securities licenses come from FINRA. Some financial analyst jobs require them, but most require sponsorship by an employer, so you are not expected to have them before you are hired.
Once you earn a credential, list it near the top of your resume. Here is how to put certifications on a resume.
Do you need an MBA?
Not to start. Every occupation in this article lists a bachelor’s degree as the typical entry-level education. BLS does note a few places where a master’s degree helps:
- Some employers prefer MBA holders for management analyst roles.
- A master’s in finance or an MBA may improve a financial analyst’s chances of becoming a portfolio or fund manager.
- Market research leadership roles often require a master’s degree.
- Top executives of large corporations may have an MBA.
Many people work for a few years first, then decide whether an MBA fits the role they want.
How to get hired with a business administration degree
- Do at least one internship. BLS notes that internships help candidates for financial analyst, human resources specialist and market research analyst jobs.
- Pick a target role from the entry-level table and tailor every application to it.
- Show numbers. Business hiring managers want results, even from class projects or part-time jobs.
Example bullet: “Built a 12-month cash flow forecast in Excel for a capstone project with Fabrikam Foods and identified $40,000 in annual savings from renegotiated supplier terms.”
- Study a real example. Our financial analyst resume example shows how to present coursework, internships and skills.
- Plan your second move. Use the “how to move into management” section above to choose experience that leads where you want to go.
Already working in another field? Our guide to a career change at 30 covers retraining and how to explain the switch.