Learn the biggest reasons to choose a bachelor’s in the business, including the salary, the demand, and the skills you’ll learn
When most of us think of business degrees, we picture a Mad Men-Esque scenario of dapper gentlemen in high-end suits, sitting around conference tables talking about paradigm shifts.
While this may be true for a small percentage of people, most business degree holders do it for a myriad of other reasons. And there are plenty of good reasons to choose a bachelor’s degree in business. Here are just a few.
Business Degrees Are in High Demand
And when we say they’re in high demand, we mean really high demand. How in demand, you say? The National Association of Colleges and Employers conducted a survey to figure out the top ten most sought-after degrees in the country for 2018.
A whopping eight out of the 10 degrees were in the field of business. These included bachelor’s degrees in finance, management, marketing, and accounting. Finance topped the list, with accounting and business administration/management coming in at a close second and third, respectively.
Business Degrees Are Where the Money’s At
Let’s face it — a lot of people choose a degree and career path simply because of the payday. Nothing wrong with that.
Even if that’s not your goal, choosing a business degree does increase your likelihood of bringing home a paycheck with some extra zeroes. Let’s take a look at some of the most common job titles in business and see what people in these roles are banking in terms of median annual salary:
- Accountants and auditors: $70,500
- Financial analysts: $85,660
- Personal financial advisors: $88,890
- Management analysts: $83,610
- Sales engineers: $101,420
- Human resource managers: $113,300
- Advertising, promotions, and marketing managers: $132,620
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
All of these business careers are attainable with just a bachelor’s degree in a business field, which is quite remarkable: salaries like these are rare in other fields at this level.
Advanced positions in the field might require a master’s degree, which brings us to our next point.
A Bachelor’s in Business Prepares You for Advanced Degrees
If a business is your thing, a bachelor’s in business will give you the educational and experiential foundation you’ll need to succeed at the masters or doctoral level. Yes, you’ll learn how to calculate numbers, how to look at market trends, how to understand the consumer, and how to balance a budget sheet.
But undergraduate business degrees teach skills that are arguably more important than these. As a business major, you’ll learn skills like listening, communication, negotiation, teamwork, problem-solving, and, most importantly, leadership.
These soft skills are the lubrication that really keeps the gears of the business world spinning, and they’re what’ll catapult you to success at the graduate level and beyond.
You’ll Always Find a Job with a Bachelor’s in Business
Unlike other fields, where finding a job can mean beating out all sorts of competition, jobs in business are everywhere. That’s partly because business is such a varied field. Love sitting in the dark crunching numbers (and who doesn’t)?
You can become an accountant or auditor. Like the idea of forecasting trends and watching investments grow? Being a financial analyst or personal financial advisor might be exactly what floats your boat.
Want something where creativity is valued right alongside math? Advertising, promotions, and marketing is a huge field with a diverse range of job options. You get the idea.
Okay, so finding a job might not always be as easy-breezy as we’re making it sound, but things are looking pretty rosy for most business fields.
To give you an idea, let’s take a gander at the projected job growth from 2018 to 2018 for all the business careers we looked at earlier. The average rate of growth for all occupations is 5%.
- Accountants and auditors: 6%
- Financial analysts: 6%
- Personal financial advisors: 7%
- Management analysts: 14%
- Sales engineers: 6%
- Human resource managers: 7%
- Advertising, promotions, and marketing managers: 8%
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
Get a Bachelor’s Degree – Are Practical and Versatile
Business degrees are one of the most practical, “safe” degrees out there. With it, you could start a business and be your own boss, you could decide to teach, or you could apply for jobs in a massive range of business occupations.
In fact, you can find a job in almost any field because employers love the leadership, communication, and hard-work skills that business majors typically possess.
Even if you decide business isn’t for you, what you learn with a bachelor’s in business can be applied to almost any role in almost any industry.
