What Can You Do with a Business Degree?

Are you looking for a degree that can open doors to numerous career opportunities for you? One that will help you develop desirable skills that could one day command you a six-figure salary?

Then I encourage you to consider earning a business degree.

A degree in business is incredibly versatile, which means you have an array of industries and careers you can enter upon graduation! And a business degree will definitely help you get the attention of prospective employers.

In fact, according to the National Association of Colleges and Employers’ Job Outlook 2017 Report, more than 72% of all businesses in the US were aiming to hire candidates with a business degree.

Now that you recognize the potential value of getting a degree in business, let’s take a deeper dive so you have all the information you need to make the right choice for your future!

Types of Business Degrees

As with other degree programs, students are able to earn an associate, bachelor’s, master’s, or doctoral degree in business. Each type of degree will focus on a specific set of skills to prepare you for an ex citing career.

Associate Degree in Business

An associate degree in business exposes students to the foundational courses where they will discover business principles, marketing strategies, and laws and regulations that govern corporations.

They will also learn about core business fields such as human resources, marketing, and accounting, so they begin to understand where their interests and skillset may best fit.

Obtaining an associate degree typically takes two years. Graduates can choose to enter the workplace immediately or go on to pursue a bachelor’s degree in business. Understand that while there are some positions in the business field that require only an associate degree, most business careers require a bachelor’s degree to get started.

Bachelor’s Degree in Business

Earning a bachelor’s degree in business is when things really start getting exciting! Students will learn to analyze data, develop business strategies, supervise teams and more.

You’ll also have the opportunity to specialize in one particular area of business. For example, you may want to pursue a bachelor’s in business management or a bachelor’s in finance. Concentrating on your studies can help you to hit the ground running upon graduation.

A bachelor’s degree typically takes four years to complete (though there are ways to speed up that time and I’ll share some secrets in just a bit). As I mentioned, in many industries, a bachelor’s degree is the minimum requirement for entry-level positions.

What’s the Difference Between a BBA, a BA in Business, and a BS in Business?

Boy, they sure don’t make it easy with all these abbreviations! Here is a quick and simple answer to this question (that we get a lot).

A BBA stands for Bachelor’s in Business Administration. This degree really focuses on practical education, so students focus on taking more business courses and fewer general education courses, such as English and philosophy.

A Bachelor of Arts (BA) degree in business will require you to take more humanities and social science courses. So that means classes in communication, leadership, and similar disciplines. Students are also usually required to take a foreign language course. A BA may be the right choice if your ultimate goal is to work internationally or become a supervisor.

A Bachelor of Science (BS) degree in business focuses less on humanities and more on technical skills in areas of finance, database marketing or project management. If your ideal career path involves a high level of technical knowledge (STEM subjects), then a BS degree may be your best bet!

Master’s Degree in Business Administration (MBA)

A master’s degree in business administration introduces graduate students (those who have completed their 4-year undergraduate bachelor’s degree) to high-level business practices and business management concepts like leadership theory, operations management, and organizational behavior. This degree will typically take on two more years of study. Graduates with a master’s degree in business have the opportunity to pursue leadership roles in numerous fields as well as executive-level roles like CEO or COO.

Doctorate Degree in Business

For decades, an MBA degree was the gold-standard for business professionals at the executive level. But as more leaders hold MBAs, this degree no longer hold as much weight as they once did. And, as technology rapidly advances, consumer behaviors change on a dime, and business challenges in general become more complex, many CEOs are finding it useful and necessary to elevate their skills.

There are two types of doctorate degrees in business:

Theoretical doctorates are Ph.D.’s. This is the right degree for those who hope to have a career in research or who wish to teach others about business concepts and strategies on a college level.

A professional doctorate degree, also sometimes called an Applied Doctorate, is a degree that focuses on applying research and modern business concepts to bring about real-world solutions in the field. If your goal is to lead a business or become a consultant, this would be the degree you’d want to pursue.

It goes without saying that the higher your degree, the higher the salary you command. But the thing to remember is, it all really starts with a bachelor’s degree. Focus on obtaining this degree and get started on your ideal career path. You can always decide to go for a graduate degree later on.

What Can You Do with a Business Degree?

Plenty!

As I mentioned, one of the really cool things about obtaining your business degree is it sets you up for a career in multiple industries! I mean there are literally hundreds of different career paths graduates can choose from.

I don’t have enough pixels to cover ALL of your options, but I want to share a few of the most exciting industries business degree holders can go into. These industries are great because they are always expanding, which means they constantly require new employees to fill opening positions.

Healthcare

Medical professionals get all the glory in the healthcare industry, but the truth is, that hospitals, nursing homes, and urgent care clinics are all businesses, and as such, they need someone to run them. What are some of the roles business graduates might hold in the healthcare industry? Some may decide to oversee the teams that provide the medical care while others may choose to be in charge of managing medical records. Still, others may have gotten their degree in healthcare administration and will spend their career making sure the organization runs smoothly and follows all applicable laws and regulations.

Whether you wish to become a nursing home administrator, healthcare executive, pharmaceutical sales rep, marketing consultant, budget analyst or more, it all starts with a business degree!

Technology

You may assume that a career in technology would require you to have a degree in computer science. But that’s not the case.

Many technology professionals hold a degree in business and work in supervisory positions. If you dream of being involved in the ever-evolving field of technology and love the idea of overseeing projects for the latest-greatest game, app or piece of software, then a degree in business is your first step toward this dream!

Financial Services

The financial services industry is perhaps the biggest employer of graduates with business degrees. Graduates can have a rewarding and exciting career working in accounting, business administration, financial management, investment banking, economics, financial consulting and more!

If you think you might be interested in a career in finance, consider having a degree concentration in finance. You may also want to minor in economics or accounting to get your foot in the door of your dream career.

What Kind of Salary Can I Earn with a Business Degree?

Are you starting to get excited at the different career opportunities that await you with a business degree? Well, wait until you hear some of the salaries that could be in your future!

The following are some of the most common career paths graduates take with a business degree and the median earnings potential, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS):

• Computer and Information Systems Managers – $146,360
• Marketing Managers – $135,900
• Financial Managers – $129,890
• Sales Managers – $126,640
• Logisticians – $74,750
• Purchasing Agents – $69,600
• Human Resource Specialist – $61,920

Is this the kind of salary that could help you and your family? Well, here’s some more good news: you don’t have to break the bank to earn your degree just so that you can one day earn this kind of salary.

A college education can be FAR MORE AFFORDABLE than most people think, if you know how to hack the system. I’ll share some secrets at the end of this article that will blow your mind and get you even MORE excited about your future!

Benefits of Earning a Business Degree

Still, wondering if obtaining a business degree is the right choice for you?

Here are some benefits of getting a degree in business:

You Gain Highly Marketable Skills

A business degree equips graduates with an in-demand skillset that will help them stand out come job hunting. Plus, these skills translate across multiple roles and industries. And speaking of…

Countless Employment Opportunities

A business degree is incredibly flexible and gives graduates access to multiple industries, fields, and career paths. In fact, according to data collected from Burning-Glass.com, an analytical software company, there were more than 950,000 business-related job postings between the year 2016 and 2017. That number has no doubt risen over the last few years. That’s a lot of employment potential!

Significant Earning and Advancement Potential

As you saw from the data I shared from the BLS, many median salaries earned by those holding a business degree are enviable, to say the least. And remember, you can choose to continue your education to have even more opportunities for advancement and salary increase.

Recession-Proof Career

Does anyone really know what the economy will do from one year to the next? Many Americans live in fear that they will lose their job due to cutbacks. But when you have a business degree and the opportunity to work in industries like healthcare, technology, and finance, you put yourself and your family in a secure position, as these industries will always have in-demand products and services and will always require those with business acumen.

Are You Ready to Hack Your Business Degree?

We’ve just covered a lot of information and hopefully you are seeing the huge opportunities getting your business degree offers. Now you may be thinking, “I love the idea of getting my business degree, but as a working adult with a family, I don’t see how I can manage it.” I am here to tell you that getting your business degree can be far cheaper, faster and easier than you ever imagined!

You’ve probably heard of life hacking or health hacking. This is when you get your hands on important and sometimes secret information that allows you to get incredible outcomes you never thought possible. Well, degree hacking works the same way!

I learned a long time ago that there was indeed a way for busy working adults with families to go back to school without racking up a bunch of debt, without having to drive to campus multiple times a week, and without having to take an entire four years to complete their degree. And that’s exactly why I started OnlineDegree.com. Because I don’t want people to struggle in their effort to improve their lives.

OnlineDegree.com is 100% free for you to use. We provide you the tools to meet your education goals so you can degree hack your way to a more satisfying and prosperous life. By using our Smartplan, you can easily find ways to save time and money in just a few mouse clicks.

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