A business major can launch you into leadership positions, help you start a company, and even land you a high-paying job. Common coursework includes business management, marketing, accounting, statistics, and human resources management.
There are many types of business degrees. For example, you could specialize in business administration, business management, finance, or accounting.
Top undergraduate business programs offer a quality education and high student success rates. Here, we round up the best schools for business majors and the best jobs you can get with a bachelor's in business.
Featured Online Business Programs
Learn about start dates, transferring credits, availability of financial aid, and more by contacting the universities below.
Accounting
A bachelor's program in accounting prepares you to work as an accountant in areas such as corporate finance, nonprofit accounting, and government accounting. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), the median salary for accountants and auditors was $79,880 in May 2023.
In addition to business core courses, common accounting coursework includes financial accounting, business finance, auditing, and accounting information systems.
A bachelor's in accounting prepares you to take the certified public accountant (CPA) exam. CPAs can build expertise in many areas of accounting, including taxation, financial planning, and company management. To earn your CPA credential, you'll need to complete a total of 150 semester hours, which is about 30 credits beyond a standard bachelor's degree.
Business Administration
Business administration is one of the most popular business degrees. A bachelor of business administration, or BBA, prepares you for many business careers, including as a financial analyst, HR manager, marketing, and financial advisor.
Many business majors go on to earn a master of business administration (MBA). Potential jobs range from tax collector to financial advisor to business manager.
Common courses for business administration majors include management tools and principles, microeconomics, macroeconomics, corporate finance, and supply chain management.
Business Management
A bachelor's in business management prepares you for management positions in an array of industries. This degree equips you with the practical skills needed to manage a team and lead organizations.
While similar to business administration degrees, business management degrees have a broader focus on running a business and managing staff.
According to BLS data, the median salary for management analysts was $99,410 in May 2023, while labor relations specialists earned a median of $89,980. Common coursework includes business statistics, HR management, managerial accounting, marketing, and organizational leadership.
Construction and Project Management
If you want a career involving leading projects, consider getting a bachelor's in construction or project management.
Common project management courses include financial accounting, organizational management, and project leadership. Construction management coursework may include construction technology, regulatory and built environment law, and facilities management.
After graduation, you could become a construction manager, IT project manager, engineering project manager, or marketing project manager. Project management specialists earned a median annual salary of $98,580 (BLS, May 2023).
Entrepreneurship
A bachelor's in entrepreneurship prepares you to start your own business. In this program, you'll hone critical skills like leadership, risk management, creativity, and communication. Courses you might take include social entrepreneurship, entrepreneurial management, venture creation, and entrepreneurial finance.
Entrepreneurship careers can involve extreme risk but also offer big rewards. In addition to creating a company, entrepreneurs can work as business managers, finance managers, financial analysts, or CEOs.
According to the BLS, CEOs earned a median salary of $206,680 in 2023.
Finance
Simply put, a bachelor's in finance prepares you for a career in finance. With a finance degree, you could become a financial analyst, investment analyst, financial manager, or financial director. Financial analysts earned a median annual salary of $99,890 (BLS, May 2023).
In a finance program, you can specialize in various areas, including corporate, personal, or nonprofit finance. Common course topics include capital markets, macroeconomics, microeconomics, mergers and acquisitions, and risk and mitigation strategies.
Human Resources
Human resources encompasses the human aspects of a business, from a company's culture to employee satisfaction. HR specialists and managers are responsible for recruiting new employees, overseeing employee benefits programs, coordinating professional development, and ensuring compliance with labor laws.
To succeed as an HR manager or specialist, you'll need strong communication and active listening skills. Coursework includes a core business curriculum and topics such as employment and labor law, talent acquisition and rewards, and strategic training and development.
According to BLS data, HR specialists earned a median salary of $67,650 in 2023, whereas HR managers earned a much higher median salary of $136,350.
Marketing
Marketing allows you to apply your business skills to diverse industries to help businesses grow. You can consider diverse specializations within marketing, such as content marketing, product marketing, internet marketing, and event marketing.
Marketing coursework includes standard business courses, with a strong emphasis on mastering various marketing mediums. You'll study market research, campaign management, performance analysis, and customer relations management.
According to BLS data, marketing managers earned a median salary of $157,620 in 2023.
Sports, Hospitality, and Other Management
Business management is a popular degree — but you can narrow your expertise even further with a specialization like sports management, hospitality management, supply chain management, or nonprofit management.
In these programs, you'll learn basic business fundamentals in addition to taking courses in your chosen specialization.
For a hospitality management degree, for example, coursework may include leadership in hospitality management and management and organizational behavior. In a sports management program, you might take classes on social issues in sports, sports operations and facility management, and revenue generation in sports.
Sports agents and talent managers earned a median salary of $84,900 in 2023, according to the BLS. Hotel and lodging managers, meanwhile, earned a median salary of $65,360.
What Are the Highest-Paying Business Majors?
According to a 2023 Payscale report, some of the highest-paying business majors include economics and management, public accounting, and corporate finance. Each of these majors boasts a median mid-career salary of around $150,000 or higher.
A double major in two business-related subjects — such as business management and economics — can help you stand out when applying for jobs. If your school offers it, you might also consider an interdisciplinary business major, like business and IT or business and finance.
| Major | Median Early Career Salary | Median Mid-Career Salary |
|---|---|---|
| Applied Economics and Management | $76,500 | $164,400 |
| Managerial Economics | $74,700 | $153,300 |
| Public Accounting | $69,700 | $151,200 |
| Corporate Accounting and Finance | $76,800 | $149,600 |
| Marine Transportation Management | $78,700 | $148,000 |
| Entrepreneurship and Marketing | $63,200 | $145,800 |
| Business and Information Technology | $71,400 | $134,700 |
| Energy Management | $70,100 | $134,100 |
| Business and Economics | $66,500 | $131,700 |
| International Business and Finance | $69,000 | $130,800 |
Is a Business Degree Worth It?
Compared to other majors, business often has a higher return on investment because of the possibility of above-average entry-level and mid-career salaries.
Additionally, you can use a bachelor's in business in many types of industries, from technology to sports to hotel management.
To determine whether a bachelor's in business is right for you, think about your interests, career goals, and budget.
Pros of a Business Degree
A bachelor's in business can prepare you for an MBA or leadership position.
Business grads can earn high salaries in the six figures based on mid-career median salaries reported by Payscale.
A business degree is flexible — you can use it in many industries and roles.
Cons of a Business Degree
It doesn't prepare you for a more specialized role in a field like IT or medicine.
Some businesses prefer applicants with an MBA, which means an additional 1-2 years of school.
Some business jobs are extremely competitive.
If you don't like math, spreadsheets, or statistics, a business curriculum could feel tedious.
Frequently Asked Questions About Business Degrees
A business degree isn't usually considered the most difficult college major — or the easiest. Its math-heavy curriculum can make it a less attractive option if you don't like or are not particularly skilled at math.
That said, if you're willing to work through anything you don't understand or ask your professors and peers for help, you can succeed. Business professors are generally happy to spend extra time helping students.
Strong communication, quantitative reasoning, financial analysis, leadership, management, and negotiation skills can help you excel in a business major.
Note: The insights on this page were reviewed by an independent third party compensated for their time by BestColleges. Page last reviewed July 13, 2024.
