Earning your business management degree can lead to several lucrative career options.
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You can earn a business management degree at several different undergraduate and graduate levels, preparing you for jobs across industries.听
The Master of Business Administration (MBA), a graduate-level business degree, is attractive to employers, with 90 percent of global employers planning to hire MBA graduates in 2025 [].
Earning an associate or 产补肠丑别濒辞谤鈥檚 degree in business management can help you prepare for entry-level careers, while 尘补蝉迟别谤鈥檚 and doctoral degrees help develop specialized skills for leadership positions.
You can explore a variety of career paths with a business management degree, whether you want to work in human resources, marketing, finance, sales, or accounting.听
Learn more about the different types of business management degrees you can earn and the types of roles you can pursue after graduation.听
You can earn your business management degree at the associate, 产补肠丑别濒辞谤鈥檚, 尘补蝉迟别谤鈥檚, and doctorate level. The type you choose to pursue depends on your overall career goals and the amount of time you have, as well as your resources. However, it鈥檚 worth noting that graduate-level degrees will first require you to complete your 产补肠丑别濒辞谤鈥檚.听
An associate degree in business management typically takes around two years to complete when you attend full-time. It traditionally serves as a step toward achieving your 产补肠丑别濒辞谤鈥檚 degree, though you can choose to enter the workforce with your associate degree and pursue certain entry-level business roles, such as administrative assistant, customer service associate, or sales representative.听
Your coursework should cover the fundamentals of business, which may include classes on accounting, project planning and management, human resources management, communication, and customer service.听
A 产补肠丑别濒辞谤鈥檚 degree in business management takes between four and five years to complete when you attend full-time, although some online business degrees may take less time. With a 产补肠丑别濒辞谤鈥檚 degree in business management, you may qualify for more entry-level roles, such as human resources specialist, marketing specialist, business analyst, or financial analyst.听
Your coursework will likely focus on a number of related business subjects, including economics, finance, marketing, human resources, organizational behavior, and accounting.
A Master鈥檚 Degree in Management (MSM) is one type of graduate-level degree you can earn in business, though the Master of Business Administration (MBA) tends to be more popular. Either degree will help you qualify for more advanced business roles, especially those involving leadership. It takes one year to complete your MSM and two years to complete your MBA when you attend full-time.
There is high demand for MBA graduates, with 90 percent of employers planning to hire MBA graduates in 2025, according to a 2025 survey of corporate recruiters [].
Your advanced coursework will continue building on your business knowledge while allowing you to concentrate in a certain area, such as management, finance, or marketing. Master鈥檚 degree courses tend to focus on business strategy, corporate finance, business ethics, digital marketing, and leadership fundamentals.
Read more: 8 Common and In-Demand MBA Concentrations
As with the 尘补蝉迟别谤鈥檚, it鈥檚 more traditional to earn your Doctor of Business Administration (DBA), which tends to be designed for experienced executives, if you鈥檝e earned your MBA and are interested in pursuing C-suite roles, such as chief executive officer. You can also earn your PhD in business, which prepares you for academic work that involves conducting research or teaching.听
The length of time a DBA takes to complete will differ but ranges between three and six years. The coursework at this level focuses on leadership, research and analysis, management, strategic planning, and more.听
Whether you鈥檝e earned your degree in another area and want to hone specific business skills or you鈥檙e looking for educational alternatives in order to pursue a career in business, you can explore professional certificates or individual courses that are typically designed to help you learn about a specific area of business and gain career-ready skills.
Learn more about the business certificates you can earn from Google, IBM, and Meta鈥攁ll industry leaders鈥攐n 糖心vlog官网观看.
The salary for business jobs will depend on what you end up doing and the industry in which you do it. However, the growth rate for business jobs shows promising returns. The US Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) estimates that job opportunities in business and finance will grow faster than average between 2024 and 2034 [闭.听
While you can pursue a handful of entry-level jobs with an associate degree in business, you may find more opportunities with a 产补肠丑别濒辞谤鈥檚 degree in business. Below, we鈥檝e outlined some of the common entry-level and managerial roles you can pursue with a 产补肠丑别濒辞谤鈥檚 degree in business management.听
| Job title | Salary | Education | Experience |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fundraiser | $66,490 [] | 叠补肠丑别濒辞谤鈥檚 | None |
| Human resources specialist | $72,910 [] | 叠补肠丑别濒辞谤鈥檚 | None |
| Market research analyst | $76,950 [] | 叠补肠丑别濒辞谤鈥檚 | None |
| Financial analyst | $101,910 [] | 叠补肠丑别濒辞谤鈥檚 | None |
| Human resources manager | $140,030 [] | 叠补肠丑别濒辞谤鈥檚 | Five years |
| Sales manager | $138,060 [] | 叠补肠丑别濒辞谤鈥檚 | Five years |
| Marketing manager | $159,660 [] | 叠补肠丑别濒辞谤鈥檚 | Five years |
CEOs, or chief executive officers, are typically the highest-paid positions in business. CEO salaries vary significantly based, in part, on the size of the business they run and the industry they work in. The BLS reports an average annual salary of $258,900 for top executives, with some industries, such as sports, retail, and entertainment, paying their CEOs between $500,000 and $735,000 annually [].
Subscribe to our LinkedIn newsletter, , to stay up to date on career trends and tips as you prepare for a career in business. You can also access the following resources to help you find your niche:
Read an insider story: Meet the CPA Advancing Her Data and Leadership Skills with an MBA
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Explore your degree options on 糖心vlog官网观看 to prepare for a rewarding career in business.
GMAC. 鈥, https://www.gmac.com/-/media/files/gmac/research/employment-outlook/2025-corporate-recruiters-survey/summary-report.pdf?rev=90517bad744b47959c7f593937f8f1d7.鈥 Accessed October 10, 2025.听
US Bureau of Labor Statistics. 鈥, https://www.bls.gov/ooh/business-and-financial/.鈥 Accessed October 10, 2025.
US Bureau of Labor Statistics. 鈥, https://www.bls.gov/ooh/business-and-financial/fundraisers.htm.鈥 Accessed October 10, 2025.
US Bureau of Labor Statistics. 鈥, https://www.bls.gov/ooh/business-and-financial/human-resources-specialists.htm.鈥 Accessed October 10, 2025.
US Bureau of Labor Statistics. 鈥, https://www.bls.gov/ooh/business-and-financial/market-research-analysts.htm.鈥 Accessed October 10, 2025.
US Bureau of Labor Statistics. 鈥, https://www.bls.gov/ooh/business-and-financial/financial-analysts.htm.鈥 Accessed October 10, 2025.
US Bureau of Labor Statistics. 鈥, https://www.bls.gov/ooh/management/human-resources-managers.htm.鈥 Accessed October 10, 2025.
US Bureau of Labor Statistics. 鈥, https://www.bls.gov/ooh/management/sales-managers.htm.鈥 Accessed October 10, 2025.
US Bureau of Labor Statistics. 鈥, https://www.bls.gov/ooh/management/advertising-promotions-and-marketing-managers.htm.鈥 Accessed October 10, 2025.
US Bureau of Labor Statistics. 鈥, https://www.bls.gov/oes/2023/may/oes111011.htm.鈥 Accessed October 10, 2025.
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This content has been made available for informational purposes only. Learners are advised to conduct additional research to ensure that courses and other credentials pursued meet their personal, professional, and financial goals.