Last Updated August 21, 2024 Start fulfilling your professional goals. Business schools provide the opportunity to learn essential skills that can improve your ability to reach the level of success you're striving for. At a business college, university, or vocational school, you'll gain exposure to concepts that are fundamental to achieving good outcomes for almost any type of organization. Whether it's learning how to evaluate financial data, make realistic projections, or manage teams of other professionals, you'll get the chance to develop a core set of tools that serves you well for years to come. And you'll enhance your credibility in the eyes of many potential employers, clients, and customers. In short, a business education is highly valuable. It can clear the way for working in a huge range of possible industries, from technology to real estate to financial services. The possibilities are extensive. The business schools on this page offer a compelling variety of programs. Business administration, accounting, and Internet marketing are just a few popular examples. And it's easy to pinpoint the options near you. Simply enter your zip code in the search box below to begin your journey today! 7 Top Business Career Areas Worth Training For
Succeeding in business can take many different forms. Some people want to rise to top leadership positions. Others strive to create value or improve efficiencies as managers or administrators. And many are happiest when they are contributing their talents in an important support role. How you choose to approach a career in business is up to you.
But whatever you decide to pursue, it helps to know that opportunities are abundant. That's especially true in the world of small business, which consists of organizations with fewer than 500 employees. In 2021, according to the U.S. Small Business Administration, such companies:
Of course, it's possible to succeed in any size of organization. Business skills are just as valuable to a sole entrepreneur as they are to a manager or executive of a big multinational corporation. The key is to find a career area that capitalizes on your natural abilities and provides fulfillment and room to grow. Here are seven broad areas of business and organizational management that are known for satisfying career opportunities:
This area is mostly about putting the goals of an organization's leadership team into action and coordinating the day-to-day operations that make them happen. That can involve daily, weekly, and monthly planning as well as motivating employees, directing their activities, and keeping them accountable.
Business management skills are very marketable. And project management abilities, which are closely related, are increasingly sought by employers that need professionals who know how to coordinate important projects through all stages of development.
Managers usually enjoy very good income potential. In 2021, the median salary for a general manager or operations manager in the U.S. was $97,970.* And those who help manage companies or corporate enterprises earned median salaries of $150,696.
Like management, the area of administration is generally about carrying out high-level tasks that help an organization produce its desired outcomes. In this case, that often means refining or coming up with new processes or policies that will help make those goals more attainable. Although some overlap often exists with management, administrators generally aren't as involved in overseeing the daily activities of other employees.
Many people choose to focus on just one or a few areas of business administration. For example, it's common in many businesses to have different administrators who specialize in areas like finance, logistics, or human resources.
Salaries for people with business administration degrees can be very good, particularly for those who choose to emphasize a specific area. For instance, human resources managers in the U.S. earned a median salary of $126,230, in 2021.*
In this area, people complement their general business skills with additional abilities that are specific to a particular field or industry. The most popular example might be healthcare administration, which requires special knowledge related to managing organizations like medical clinics, hospitals, and community health agencies. Other prominent examples include:
The pay and career outlook for people with such specialized management training is generally quite good. In fact, several jobs that pay over 100K are in this area of business. For example:
Keeping good financial records is crucial to any organization's long-term success. And things like how taxes are filed or financial transactions are reported can make a big difference to a company's overall bottom line. That's why professionals like accounting specialists and bookkeeping clerks are consistently in strong demand across almost all industries. And the median pay is compelling: In 2021, it was $77,250 for accountants and $45,560 for bookkeepers.*
Identifying the right customers, pricing products and services strategically, and getting the word out is all vital if a company wishes to succeed. As a result, people who have the smarts and creativity to plan and create compelling marketing campaigns or clearly communicate an organization's message to the public are highly sought-after.
The field of marketing is one of the most exciting areas of business because new forms of communicating are always being created. For instance, just think about the impact that social media has had on the way organizations now promote themselves. Plus, it's possible to specialize in fun areas like fashion marketing or sports management and marketing. You could even learn how to become a sports agent.
Careers in this lively field often come with good pay. Look at these examples of median salaries from 2021:*
Executives, managers, and administrators often count on the reliable support of business professionals skilled in performing important clerical tasks. Whether it involves creating reports, gathering research, coordinating meetings, greeting visitors, or handling phone calls, the role of an administrative assistant is often varied, but always essential. In the U.S., an executive assistant can make a median salary of about $62,060 or up to $98,280 or more with experience.*
Specializing in global commerce is a way to open up an even broader variety of opportunities. When you understand international business and trade and the special considerations involved in conducting business abroad, you can often find positions that pay higher salaries and come with the chance to travel to locations in some of the most fascinating parts of the world.
* Unless otherwise noted, salary information is based on May 2021 data from the Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) program. Job growth estimates are from the Bureau of Labor Statistics and are for the 2021 to 2031 period.