10 High-paying Business Degree Jobs

Demand for people majoring in business is growing as the Job Outlook 2019 Report from the National Association of Colleges and Employers shows that 87 percent of businesses in the Finance, Insurance, and Real estate industries intend to hire employees with a business degree - an increase of 15% compared to 2017 statistics. 

A business degree helps you obtain skills required in many jobs, not to mention the rising trend of skill-based hiring in the current job market. Whether you are graduating with a business degree or looking for business degree jobs, the following guide on high-paying business jobs is for you.

Studying for a business degree means you are equipped with knowledge of finance, marketing, business management, administration, and a great number of transferable skills. Business programs can be general studies of business functions and how they relate to other fields, or they can be more specialized and focus on teaching a specific business area. 

Such in-school qualifications give you countless business degree job opportunities within the world of business, and can also help you prepare for a fast-paced and fast-changing business world. If you don't get business major jobs, you can still find jobs in adjacent areas such as marketing or finance with a business degree.

There is a wide range of choices if you are seeking business degree jobs, especially high-paid ones. Below are 10 business major job opportunities that you can consider applying for. 

1. Investment Banker 

Duties & responsibilities: The main responsibilities of investment bankers (also called Financial and Investment Analysts) include raising capital for individual and business clients by issuing debt or selling equity, developing financial models for mergers and acquisitions (M&As), and sometimes taking the role of a financial advisor.

Average salary: The mean annual wage of Financial and Investment Analysts is $103,020, as recorded by BLS.

Requirements: Suitable candidates should have a degree from a top university, with banking/finance-related majors, and preferably experience in the banking industry.

Projected growth: The job demand for the financial services category is projected to grow by 10% from 2014 through 2024 - a faster rate than most other occupations.

2. Management Consulting

A management consultant is one of the most potential careers when searching for business major jobs.

Duties & responsibilities: A management consultant helps companies and businesses improve their performance and grow by providing consultation and solutions on specific issues that those companies and businesses are facing. The issues can be in different fields such as marketing, operation, finance, business, etc.

Average salary: This is one of the high-paid positions with a median annual wage of $93,000 in May 2021, according to BLS.

Requirements: Having a bachelor's degree in business is preferable for a management consultant.

Projected growth: In the BLS 2022 report, the employment rate of management consultant positions is forecasted to grow by 14% by 2030, faster than the average for all occupations.

3. Accountant

Duties & responsibilities: Accountant positions are the most popular in terms of jobs with a finance degree. An accountant is in charge of all financial aspects of a company such as bookkeeping, preparing financial records, and financial statements. Sometimes the responsibilities may also expand to reconciling bank statements or filling in tax forms.

Average salary: As reported by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) in 2021, auditors and accountants have an average annual salary of $83,980.

Requirements:  You will be required to have a financial background meaning either a finance degree or a business degree with a finance major. Depending on specific positions and levels, you may also need a practicing certificate such as ACCA or CPA.

Projected growth: According to BLS, the employment rate of accountants and auditors is projected to increase by 7% from 2020 to 2030, with an annual opening of 135,000 positions.

4. Business Analyst

Duties & responsibilities: Business analysts are a promising career choice among business major jobs. They are in charge of conducting analyses of market prospects, product lines, and the overall profitability of the business. They may also take care of developing and monitoring data assessment metrics for reports.

Average salary: The annual average salary in the U.S for a Business Analyst is $74,171, according to Glassdoor.

Requirements: To be a business analyst, you need to have a business analyst degree or a related field or sometimes an MBA, depending on the job level.

Projected growth: The hiring demand for business analysts has increased in recent years with promising growth potential. The hiring growth rate for such positions ranges from 7% to 25%, according to BLS.

5. Marketer 

Marketing roles are often choices of jobs for marketing degrees, but they are also a potential career for people with a business degree. 

Duties & responsibilities: The duties of marketers include a wide range of data-driven tasks such as studying targeted audiences, monitoring market trends, planning and executing advertising campaigns for targeted audiences, and developing pricing strategies. Their responsibilities may vary depending on their job levels, whether it is internships, executives, or managers.

Average salary: According to Glassdoor, the annual average salary for marketing positions is $56,074.

Requirements: You must acquire a bachelor's degree in marketing, business, or any related field.

Projected growth: According to BLS, the overall employment rate of advertising, promotions, and marketing managers is forecasted to increase by 10% from 2020 to 2030.

6. Medical/Health Services Manager

Duties & responsibilities: Health services managers (also called health care administrators) are a potential choice on the business management careers list. They are people who oversee the delivery of healthcare and take care of administrative work in a healthcare facility or department. Their scope of work is related mainly to laws, policies, procedures, and protocols rather than medical practice aspects.

Average salary: The average salary of the position is around $101,340 per year, according to BLS.

Requirements: You are to acquire a business degree with a minor in medical services or a healthcare-related degree.

Projected growth: The job outlook is projected to grow 30% between 2020 and 2030 - a faster rate than the average of all other positions.

7. Information System Manager

If you want to pursue business administration careers but not the business world, becoming an information system manager is a path worth considering.

Duties & responsibilities: An information system manager is responsible for overseeing the implementation and operation of technology within a business or a single department. Their main duties are designing, managing, and monitoring the entire information system by leading a team of IT specialists in installing and maintaining software updates.

Average salary: The annual average salary for the position is around $92,252, as reported in 2021.

Requirements: You need a degree in computer or information science or a business degree with a concentration in information systems management.

Projected growth: The hiring demand for computer and information system managers is projected to increase by 11 percent from 2020 to 2030.

8. Project Manager

Becoming a project manager is among the choices of business management careers that align with your business degree.

Duties & responsibilities: A project manager is in charge of leading and managing a team through a project life cycle with main duties focusing on planning, budgeting, scheduling, and tracking the project’s progress. They are also a workflow owner, meaning that they are completely responsible for the progress and outcome of the project.

Average salary: The average salary for the position is $72,985 per year, according to Glassdoor.

Requirements: You should have a business background or any related field.

Projected growth: From 2020 to 2027, employment for this position is projected to grow by 22%.

9. Business Development Manager

This is one of the highest paying jobs with a business degree that one should consider heading for after graduation.

Duties & responsibilities: Business development managers (BDMs) focus on building sales lead data and pitching to these potential customers to sell the company’s products or services. They help move the targeted audience from the top of the sales funnel to the bottom of the funnel, which is to convert them into signed customers.

Average salary: The salary for this position ranges from $110,709 to $150,013 per year.

Requirements: Candidates are required to have a bachelor’s degree in business (administration & management), finance, accounting, marketing/communications, or other related fields.

Projected growth: The hiring rate for the position is projected to grow by 11% by 2030.

10. Human Resource Specialist

Duties & responsibilities: Human resource specialists are in charge of the day-to-day tasks, such as recruiting new employees, processing termination papers, producing pay packages under the company/business regulations, and supporting healthy working practices throughout all departments.

Average salary: Although this is not one of the highest paying jobs with a business degree one can get after graduation, this is an open position for fresh graduates. The annual average salary for the position is $53125.

Requirements: Ideal candidates should have a bachelor’s degree in human resources or other relevant fields like finance, business, education, or training.

Projected growth: The employment for the position is projected to grow by 9% by 2030.

Do business degrees pay well?

Business degrees help students become more flexible, strategic, and employable job seekers, compared to other degrees, since the degree prepares them with knowledge across fields and a great number of transferable skills.

You can easily get the highest-paying jobs with a business degree. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, the annual average salaries for business major jobs were higher than most other majors. The mean medium is often around $50000 per year.

What jobs can you get with a business degree?

With a business degree, you can work in almost all industries, as you have a broad range of knowledge and transferable skills. You can either consider a position in the business management careers list, go for an industry of your interest, or join the industry that aligns with your business degree’s specializations.

What would be a good minor to accompany my business major?

The following specializations are highly recommended for any business major to land business degree jobs right after graduation. You can pick one out of your interest or go for minors that always have great hiring demand, for example:

Looking for business degree jobs after graduation is not an easy journey, especially when you want to pursue a career with a promising outlook and a high-paid salary. With degree specialization suggestions for the most popular in-demand positions and their job details, we hope that this article helps you make a suitable career choice in your business major job hunt.

--- Originally written by May Luong ---