A bachelor’s in business administration is an opportunity to gain in-demand skills and insight. But what career path can you take after getting this degree?
To help you decide, we’ve compiled a list of what to do with a business administration degree, but first, let’s find out what a bachelor’s degree in business is.
What Is a Bachelor’s in Business Administration Degree (BBA)?
A bachelor’s degree in business administration is an undergraduate program that teaches accounting, administrative, management and marketing skills, helping students become better managers in the financial world and beyond.
A BBA is typically a four- or five-year degree program with an opportunity for students to learn from seasoned professors and industry professionals as they develop their skills for the real business world. Now that you know what a BBA is, what are the best jobs for business administration degree holders?
What Can You Do With a Business Administration Degree?
Graduating with a BBA is a dream come true for many university students, but that dream can quickly become confusing with one question: “What is a business administration degree good for?” With business administration being one of the top degrees in the USA, degree holders have many career opportunities. Below are some of the best jobs for business administration degree holders.
Business Consulting
With a BBA, you can take on a career path in business consultancy, where you execute and organize administrative tasks for your clients. As a business consultant, you will conduct research or interviews needed to collect client information and document an organization’s weaknesses and strengths. With insights from their research, business consultants can offer solutions and clever ideas to solve issues. You can work as a financial consultant, freelancer or for a large organization.
Tourism Coordinator
If you love the great outdoors and have a flair for organization, becoming an adventure tourism coordinator might be an exciting career choice. This role involves planning, promoting and managing adventure travel experiences such as hiking expeditions, safaris and extreme sports trips.
The skills you gain from a degree in business administration—including project management, budgeting and marketing—are invaluable in ensuring these adventure tours are safe, enjoyable and profitable. As an adventure tourism coordinator, you can create unforgettable experiences for thrill-seekers, making it one of the best jobs for business administration degrees that combine business acumen with a passion for adventure.
Business Management
Business management is one of the most common jobs that require a business administration degree. As a business manager, your day-to-day tasks involve evaluating, troubleshooting and applying sound business strategies for efficiency. You can function in roles like general manager, first-line supervisor, operations manager, chief executive officer and construction manager.
Art Management and Creative Ventures
Art management offers a perfect blend for those drawn to the arts but unsure how a business administration degree fits into this realm. Art managers are responsible for the business operations of art galleries, theaters and cultural organizations.
They apply their knowledge from business administration degree classes to handle tasks like financial planning, fundraising and marketing. This ensures that creative institutions run smoothly and remain financially viable. By bridging the gap between creativity and commerce, art managers play a pivotal role in sustaining the cultural landscape.
Human Resource Management
Human resource management is one of the most common and best jobs for business administration degrees. It deals with the hiring, firing, training, governance, development and supervision of employees. As an HR manager, you will recruit quality workers through interviews and other recruitment exercises. In some organizations, the human resource manager is tasked with handling payroll and helping onboard new staff.
Office Manager
An office manager or administrator plays a crucial role in ensuring the smooth operation of an office. This position involves managing administrative staff, overseeing office supplies, coordinating schedules and maintaining a productive work environment. Business graduates are well-equipped for this role due to their understanding of organizational behavior, management principles and efficient communication skills.
Their education enables them to implement effective office policies, enhance operational efficiency and foster a positive workplace culture. Office managers often serve as the backbone of a company, ensuring that all administrative functions run seamlessly, directly contributing to the business's overall productivity and success.
Marketing Manager
A marketing manager or specialist is responsible for planning, executing and launching promotional strategies and campaigns for businesses. Their roles may also extend to analyzing past marketing campaigns or conducting market research.
Marketing management is one of the top-paying jobs for business administration degree holders, as they can work in virtually any industry or for any type of organization. However, marketing specialists typically work for agencies that manage the marketing needs of various clients.
Event Planning
Event planning is another exciting career that benefits greatly from a business background. As an event planner, you coordinate various aspects of events, from corporate conferences to weddings and large public festivals. The project management, organizational and financial planning skills developed through meeting business administration degree requirements are essential in this field.
Event planners must negotiate contracts, manage budgets and coordinate logistics to ensure events run smoothly. A bachelor's degree in business administration equips you with the tools needed to handle these responsibilities effectively, allowing you to create memorable events that leave a lasting impression on clients and guests alike.
Data Analyst
Data analysts are quickly becoming a necessity for many organizations. As such, working as a data analyst with a bachelor of business administration degree means translating sales figures and market research into useful information. Business managers can craft a unique strategic plan to combat threats or weaknesses.
Armed with software like SQL, Excel and Tableau and critical thinking skills, data analysts will provide the information needed for future campaigns or projects. However, if you want to pivot into data analysis, you’d need to take a diploma course in data analysis to understand how to use these pieces of software.
Financial Analyst
This role involves analyzing financial data, forecasting economic trends and advising on investment decisions. It’s best suited for business graduates with strong analytical skills and an understanding of financial markets. Financial analysts help organizations maximize their financial performance and navigate complex economic landscapes, making their insights invaluable for achieving long-term financial stability and growth.
Top-paying jobs with a business administration degree in this sector involve analyzing market trends, predicting consumer preferences and building relationships with suppliers to ensure stores are stocked with appealing and profitable items. This career allows you to blend your passion for fashion with strategic business decision-making.
Project Managers
Project managers are highly efficient individuals trained to plan, organize, coordinate and direct business projects. Sometimes, they supervise a team of other professionals, set up meetings, measure company goals and milestones and complete projects within budget and deadline requirements they are given. With the help of modern software and technology, some project managers even work remotely.
Film Production Management
With a passion for movies and a talent for organization, a career in film production management could be a perfect fit. Film production managers are responsible for movie making and related logistical and financial aspects, ensuring that productions run smoothly and stay within budget. The BBA degree program provides essential knowledge in project management, budgeting and strategic planning—all crucial for this role.
As a bachelor of business administration, you can manage schedules, coordinate with various departments and handle the financial planning needed to bring a film project to fruition. This career combines your business acumen with your love for cinema, enabling you to contribute to creating compelling stories on screen.
Sales Representative
A sales representative's career is dedicated to communicating with new and existing clients to discuss services and products they may be interested in purchasing. Their roles don’t stop at convincing customers to buy; they also perform follow-up tasks to ensure they are satisfied with the product or service rendered. Sales representatives can work in any business or organization or with an individual employer.
Leading Charitable Organizations
As a non-profit manager, you are important in charitable organizations' operational and strategic leadership. You oversee fundraising, program development and financial management to ensure the organization fulfills its mission. These roles are among the most essential jobs that require a business administration degree, as they demand strategic planning, budgeting and organizational behavior skills.
A business administration background equips nonprofit managers to navigate the challenges of running a nonprofit organization, from securing funding to managing volunteers and staff. By applying business principles to social causes, you can enhance the effectiveness and reach of these organizations, making a substantial impact on the communities they serve.
Skills Top-Paying Jobs With a Business Administration Degree Search For
By now, you know that a bachelor's degree in business administration teaches various accounting, administration, marketing, analytical and entrepreneurship courses designed to help students thrive in the real world. But what skills are recruiters looking for the most across all industries? Below, we outline a few of these skills that BBA degree holders display:
- Digital marketing and business marketing skills
- Data analysis and numeracy skills, with the ability to use relevant analytical tools
- Problem-solving and strategic thinking
- Ability to function in a team, handle negotiations and communicate efficiently
- Knowledge of organizations, systems and market behaviors
Business Administration Degrees at Belmont University
We’ve answered the question, “What can you do with a business administration degree?” So, how do you get one? For starters, you need to enroll in an institution that not only offers a BBA but has a great program, history and facilities to give you a competitive edge.
Belmont University is one of the leading colleges in Nashville, Tennessee, and globally, offering an incredible business administration degree. Upon graduation, Belmont University alumni are exposed to a range of career opportunities, including jobs as marketing specialists, customer account specialists, project managers, recruiters, human resources administrators and purchasing managers, among others.
The University’s BBA requires students to complete over 120 credit hours of exciting and stimulating coursework where they will learn:
- Venture management
- Marketing research techniques and their applications
- Economic principles in labor markets
- Basic negotiation skills for business
- Law fundamentals related to business transactions
- A wide variety of financial topics
So, if you are ready to embark on a journey toward a thriving career in business and get access to some of the best jobs for business administration degree holders, apply here for further information on a BBA degree.
Take the next step to your future in business!