Find Out Where a Business Administration Degree Can Take You
If you’ve always considered a career in business or a related field like marketing or finance, completing a business administration degree can provide you with a solid business foundation. At Saint Mary’s University of Minnesota, a Lasallian Catholic university, we offer a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration degree, a Master of Business Administration (MBA) degree, as well as a Doctorate of Business Administration (DBA). These programs can lead to a wide range of career opportunities in different business fields. Here, we discuss the various career paths you can pursue with a business administration degree.
What Is a Business Administration Degree?
A business administration degree features a comprehensive curriculum on different aspects of the business industry to provide students with a solid foundation in business practices and skills. The degree encompasses subjects like finance, accounting, marketing, business law, ethics, and more to prepare graduates to seek a wide range of careers in business. Some business administration degrees offer specializations like marketing, finance, or data analytics. Business administration degrees can be obtained at the bachelor level, graduate level (MBA), and doctorate level (DBA).
Career Paths to Explore With a Business Administration Degree
Business administration degrees are versatile because they provide education in several different areas of the business field. Graduates of a business administration program can find work in a wide range of business careers and fields, including:
Marketing Manager
Graduates of business administration programs may consider pursuing careers as marketing managers, especially if they have specialized in marketing. Marketing managers help plan promotional and advertising campaigns, estimate demand and markets for a business’s products or services, develop marketing strategies, and more.
They have a strong earning potential and job outlook, with the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) estimating the median annual wage for marketing managers at $157,620 as of May 2023. Their employment is projected to grow 8% through 2033, faster than the average for all occupations.
Business Consultant
Another career opportunity for people with business administration degrees is working as business consultants. This career involves providing guidance and advice to businesses on issues like financial management, market trends, operational efficiency, and more.
BLS doesn’t provide job growth or salary data specific to business consultants, but similar job titles like management analysts have strong job growth and earning potential. The job outlook for management analysts, who also recommend ways to improve a business’s efficiency, shows an estimated job growth of 11% through 2033 and a median annual wage of $99,410 as of May 2023.
Financial Advisor
Thanks to courses in finance and accounting, those with business administration degrees can pursue financial advisor careers. Financial advisors help counsel individuals and businesses on money management and financial planning, including advice on investments, taxes, retirement planning, etc. Financial advisors benefit from a strong job outlook and earning potential, with BLS projecting employment growth for financial advisors at 17% through 2033 and a median annual wage of $99,580 as of May 2023.
Data Analyst
If you enjoy working with data, becoming a data analyst can be a possible career option with a business administration degree. Data analysts collect, clean, and interpret data for businesses to help them make strategic business decisions. According to ZipRecruiter, the average salary for data analysts is $82,640 per year.
Human Resources Specialist
A business administration degree can lead to a career as a human resources specialist. HR specialists help businesses with recruiting and evaluating job applicants, training new employees, and providing compensation and benefits. Human resources offers solid career growth and earning potential, with an estimated growth of 8% through 2033 and a median annual wage of $67,650 as of May 2023, according to BLS.
These are just a few careers a business administration degree can lead to. As you can see, many business careers offer strong earning potential and job outlooks, and many also provide opportunities for career advancement.
About Saint Mary’s University of Minnesota Business Administration Degrees
At Saint Mary’s University of Minnesota, you can launch a career in business through our business administration degree programs. We offer both online programs and in-person programs at campuses for adult learners in Minneapolis and Rochester. Saint Mary’s University of Minnesota programs feature aspects of our Catholic Lasallian mission, providing students with an ethical foundation to prepare them to be empowered leaders upon graduation. We offer three types of business administration degrees:
- A Bachelor of Science in Business Administration degree
- A Master of Business Administration (MBA) degree, either online or in-person at our Minneapolis campus
- A Doctor of Business Administration (DBA)degree
All these programs are accredited by the International Accreditation Council for Business Education (IACBE). This accreditation signifies our dedication to a business education that aligns with our mission of developing confident, proficient, and ethical leaders capable of changing the business environment. For more insight into our business programs, check out our School of Business and Technology, read about the admission requirements, or schedule a campus visit.
Our B.S. in Business Administration Program
If you have previously started a bachelor’s degree but didn’t finish it, you can complete it at Saint Mary’s University of Minnesota with our bachelor’s completion program. If you have at least 30 transferrable credits, you can enroll and finish your degree. Our B.S. in Business Administration degree is offered online and can be completed in one year. Students will learn about various business principles, including management, finance, and business law. Topics covered in this program include:
- Operation practices in today’s global economy
- Financial principles for business decisions and projects
- Economic factors shaping business operations
- Management and leadership skills for organizations
- Marketing strategies for business success
- Business intelligence techniques for operations
- Business decision-making methods
Students in this program can specialize their degree in Business Intelligence and Data Analytics or Marketing for just six more credits. Saint Mary’s University of Minnesota also offers a fast track to a graduate degree by providing courses that can count toward both your bachelor’s and master’s degrees.
With a versatile transfer policy that allows you to transfer up to 90 credits, including those from associate degrees, technical colleges, military experience, and more, we make it easier to finish your degree and get ready to pursue various business careers.
Our Master’s in Business Administration Program
Saint Mary’s University of Minnesota also offers a Master’s in Business Administration program. Students will learn effective communication skills, ethical leadership skills, critical thinking, and decision-making skills, enhancing their business acumen for organizational success.
We offer a hybrid MBA program at our Minneapolis campus that combines in-person and online learning and can be completed in 2.5 years. Also accredited by IACBE, this program offers opportunities to customize your degree by adding six credits in areas such as Accounting Leadership, Business Analytics, Cybersecurity Technology, and more. You can tailor your degree to help achieve your career goals.
Our Doctor of Business Administration (DBA) Program
Saint Mary’s University of Minnesota also offers a four-year Doctor of Business Administration program at our Minneapolis campus. This program is designed for working professionals who already have a solid foundation in business and want to advance their careers even further. It offers convenient part-time schedules to accommodate busy individuals. The DBA program helps expand the knowledge, skills, and business strategies of working professionals to prepare them for higher-level positions, such as executives, higher education teaching, and other senior roles.
Explore Business Career Opportunities With a Degree From Saint Mary’s University of Minnesota
If you’re ready to complete a business administration degree and explore different career paths, Saint Mary’s University of Minnesota is here to help. Apply to the right business administration degree program for you, whether it’s a B.S. in Business Administration, an MBA, or even a DBA. Thanks to our person-centered education grounded in Lasallian Catholic principles, our students graduate ready to succeed in the workforce and their lives. To learn more about our business administration programs, request more information and connect with a counselor today.
