What Can You Do with a Business Administration Degree?

Among the career paths you may consider after earning a business administration degree are supervisor or management roles. 

Please note that the BLS growth statistics included below are projected on a national level. Local growth will vary by location. BLS projections are not specific to DeVry University students or graduates and may include earners at all stages of their career and not just entry level.
 

General and operations managers are responsible for overall operations within an organization, which can include formulating policies, managing day-to-day business activities and planning for the efficient use of both financial and human resources. These are often senior-level roles within a business and require strong communication skills, an analytical mind and the ability to be decisive while still aligning a team around a shared vision.
 

A sales manager is responsible for generating new business for an organization, with the goal of increasing revenue and profitability. Someone in this role will often manage other sales professionals and is responsible for setting sales goals, analyzing data and research regarding sales patterns and implementing sales training programs. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), the overall employment of sales managers is projected to grow 4%, on a national level, from 2022 to 2032,* with about 43,200 job openings each year, on average, over this period.¹
 

Administrative services managers are detail-oriented, “get-it-done” people in charge of planning, directing and coordinating the multitude of functions needed for a business to operate efficiently. An ability to multi-task is important for someone in this role, which can include directing administrative staff, recordkeeping and monitoring facilities. The BLS projects employment of administrative services and facilities managers to grow 5% on a national level,* faster than the average for all occupations between 2022 and 2032, with about 31,400 job openings projected each year, on average, over the decade.²
 

For those who love to see the tangible results of their work, a career as a construction manager can be quite satisfying. Construction managers are responsible for planning and supervising construction projects from beginning to end. Construction managers often split their time between working in an office and at a construction site. This role requires strong project management skills and the ability to make quick decisions to keep construction projects on schedule. It is also a growing field. Citing an expected increase in construction activity over the next decade, the BLS projects overall employment of construction managers to grow 5% on a national level from 2022 to 2032* with about 38,700 job openings over this period.³
 

Looking to make a meaningful impact in your community? A career as a social and community service manager could be a gratifying choice. Working with a non-profit or human services organization, social and community service managers are responsible for coordinating and supervising a wide variety of social programs and initiatives. Examples include programming for at-risk youth, substance abuse treatment groups or initiatives to help those experiencing homelessness. A social and community service manager provides oversight to many of the functions that are critical to an organization’s ability to meet its mission, such as logistics, program implementation, budgeting and measuring organizational impact. Beyond potentially making a meaningful contribution to society, this field is also expected to experience strong demand over the next decade. 

Specifically, employment of social and community service managers is projected, on a national level, to grow 9% from 2022 to 2032, much faster than the average for all occupations* with about 16,000 job openings for these professionals each year, on average, over this period.⁴
 

Management analysts take an organization’s performance data and look for ways to increase efficiency. Working either as a consultant or full-time employee, management analysts review processes and procedures and analyze data to better understand how a business is operating and if there are areas for improvement. This is a dynamic role that requires flexibility, ambition and the ability to think critically. As organizations strive to be more efficient and control costs, the BLS projects overall employment of management analysts to grow 10% on a national level from 2022 to 2032, which is considerably faster than the average for all occupations,* with about 92,900 job openings each year, on average, over the decade.⁵
 

Human resources (HR) managers oversee many aspects of management of an organization’s human capital. They are responsible for attracting, motivating and retaining the employees that enable an organization to meet its operational goals. They plan, coordinate and direct administrative HR functions and oversee the recruiting, interviewing and hiring of new talent. Their duties may include planning and overseeing employee benefit programs, payroll, handling employee relations issues like dispute mediation and disciplinary procedures, and ensuring compliance with state and federal employment laws. HR professionals often consult with senior leadership on topics like compensation and benefits, training and diversity, equity, inclusion and belonging initiatives.

The job growth outlook for these professionals is also favorable. The BLS projects overall employment of HR managers to grow 5% on a national level from 2022 to 2032, faster than the average for all occupations,* with about 15,500 jobs added each year, on average, over the decade.⁶
 

Project managers define the scope and/or goals of various kinds of projects, from launching a new software program to building a commercial center, improving a business process or expanding sales of products or services into new markets. They assemble and motivate project teams, manage budgets, identify and manage risks, coordinate with staff and stakeholders and select vendors to meet project needs, all with a watchful eye on the project timeline. They also monitor the progress of their projects, troubleshooting problems and making adjustments as project parameters evolve. They’re required to be excellent multi-taskers and communicators as they balance multiple project elements and report progress to clients, department heads or other organizational stakeholders.  

Citing a substantial need for project management specialists in computer systems design services, the BLS projects employment in this occupation to grow 6% on a national level from 2022 to 2032, faster than the average for all occupations,* with about 68,100 job openings for these professionals each year, on average, over the decade.⁷
 

Collaborating with department heads, financial staff and creative partners such as writers and art directors, marketing managers develop the marketing strategies that generate interest in products or services and acquire and retain customers. They may plan promotional campaigns to boost brand loyalty or plan advertising campaigns consisting of traditional media and digital, email and social media executions. Typical duties for a marketing manager also include hiring and overseeing the daily duties of an organization’s advertising, promotions and marketing staff. They may also be involved in market research to gain an understanding of consumers’ buying habits or preferences to unlock new marketing opportunities.

Noting that marketing managers will continue to be in demand as businesses use marketing campaigns to expand their market share, the BLS projects employment of advertising, promotions and marketing managers to grow at a faster-than-average rate of 6% on a national level from 2022 to 2032,* with about 34,000 openings each year, on average, over the decade.⁸
 

Generally focusing on trends that affect a particular geographical region, industry or type of product, financial analysts help organizations and individuals make a profit. They typically do this by recommending individual investments or portfolios, examining financial statements to determine a company’s value and evaluating current and historic financial data. Types of financial analysts include financial risk specialists, portfolio managers, ratings analysts, securities analysts and fund managers.

Buy-side analysts develop strategies for institutional investors like hedge funds insurance companies and private equity firms. Sell-side analysts work as advisors to financial services professionals like sales agents who sell stocks, bonds and other investments. Financial analysts may also work independently of the buy or sell side, for the business media or research institutions.   

The BLS projects the overall employment of financial analysts to grow 8% on a national level from 2022 to 2032, faster than the average for all occupations,* with about 27,400 openings for these professionals each year, on average, over the decade.⁹

In making this job growth projection, the BLS cites that these increased opportunities are driven by new global investment opportunities, “big data” and technological improvements that will enable the high-quality analyses necessary for businesses to manage their finances, identify investment opportunities and deliver new products.
 

Supply chain managers, who are also called logistics managers or logisticians, use their knowledge of transportation, economics and accounting, administration and management, production, processing and customer service to keep materials and products moving. 

Many of the supply chain manager’s duties are focused on getting the raw materials required for production processes to arrive at the right time, in the right amounts and at the right cost. Their responsibilities may also include creating supply chain strategies, analyzing shipment and delivery data to identify bottlenecks and other issues, maintaining supply chain inventory and records, and finding cost-effective solutions for supply chain processes.

The BLS projects employment of logisticians to grow 18% on a national level from 2022 to 2032, much faster than the average for all occupations,* with about 21,800 openings for logisticians each year, on average, over the period.¹⁰ The BLS further notes the growth of e-commerce has made logistics more dynamic and complex, requiring companies to move products more efficiently as they strive to meet market demands for timely delivery.  

Business administration involves supervising various aspects of an organization’s operations. At DeVry, our Bachelor’s in Business Administration degree program will expose you to many of the concepts that drive today’s business practices, including accounting, marketing, management and the analytical skills that inform effective decision-making.

The core courses in this degree program are intended to help you build a strong foundation of skills in administration and people management, critical thinking, mathematical reasoning, judgement and decision-making that will help you feel confident in analyzing business opportunities and risks, while management-focused courses will help fortify your leadership, teamwork and interpersonal skills. 

If you’re considering one of the career opportunities described in this article, keep in mind that an industry-focused education may help you to stand out as a candidate. 

Our Bachelor’s Degree in Business Administration offers 11 specializations that align with a rich variety of fields and industries:
 

When you choose our Accounting Degree Specialization you’ll explore the accounting tools, strategies, principles and laws that apply to businesses in the private sector, government and nonprofits. Coursework covers financial accounting and auditing, accounting information systems, federal income taxation, financial advising and other topics that are essential to the accounting management of today’s businesses.

If you’ve completed a general business degree program outside of the United States or Canada, our Business Administration General Plan II Specialization allows you to apply what you’ve learned to a DeVry Bachelor’s Degree in Business Administration and put you on a path to earning your MBA from our Keller Graduate School of Management. Coursework in this degree specialization covers topics that include project planning, execution and communication, administration and management, budget management and much more.
 

Learn to use big data analytics to help organizations make the decisions that keep them growing and innovating with our Business Intelligence and Analytics Management Specialization. Coursework in this degree specialization covers technical skills and the use of analytics software, complex problem-solving, analysis and execution, IT administration and management. Experienced faculty lead your deep dive into aspects of the field that include supply chain support, database concepts and the managerial and business applications for data analytics.

Our online Finance Degree Specialization is designed to help you navigate the global economy in small business settings all the way up to international enterprises. Coursework in this degree specialization will cover data analysis, statistics, federal tax accounting, financial planning, credit management, economics, credit analysis and more taught by professors with real industry experience.

Our Global Supply Chain Management Degree Specialization can help put your business skills to work on an international level in industries like agriculture, manufacturing, energy and IT, and understand how raw materials, production processes, costs and controls come together to optimize the manufacture and distribution of goods in our global economy. Coursework explores the cultural, political and economic circumstances associated with global markets and is intended to help you develop skills in critical thinking, the analysis of systems and how they’re affected by conditions, operations and environments, complex problem-solving, strategic decision-making and more.

Our Health Services Management Specialization can help you advance your ambition while you activate your passion for helping others. Today’s healthcare system is influenced, enabled and challenged by a range of social, economic and technical factors, and this hands-on program can help you chart a course in this complex industry. Coursework and experienced faculty offer real-world perspectives on the innovations, regulations, practices and procedures of today’s healthcare system, in areas that include human resource planning, technology, billing and collection, patient flow and business affairs.
 

Covering topics ranging from food safety and sanitation to the economics of hotel management and structure of major tourism delivery systems, our Hospitality Management Degree Specialization can help you prepare to oversee the operations of hospitality industry venues like resorts, hotels, casinos and banquet facilities. Coursework in this specialization covers foundations of hotel management, meetings and events management, customer and personal service and more as you build the skills to compete in the international tourism industry.

The coursework in our Human Resource Management Degree Specialization can help you learn to manage the human capital of today’s organizations. Covering employment law, HR information systems, compensation and benefits, conflict resolution and other HR-specific topics, this specialization can nurture your passion for working with people as you learn to design HR policies and meet hiring and employment goals.

Coursework in our Project Management Degree Specialization exposes you to the most current technologies and processes in project management, helping you to understand various approaches and techniques in the discipline and develop proficiency in areas like contracts, cost estimates, risk assessment and budgets. Program and course objectives are aligned with the A Guide to the Project Management Body of Knowledge (PMBOK® Guide) and students enrolled in select courses¹¹ receive complimentary Project Management Institute student memberships.

Coursework in our Sales and Marketing Degree Specialization focuses your education on the market-facing side of business, developing knowledge and skills in the research and tracking of consumer behavior, creation of advertising and sales promotion initiatives, and analysis of market trends. Real-world case studies and interactive tutorials help you develop knowledge in crucial marketing areas like management and planning, advertising and public relations, salesmanship, international marketing, new product development and others.

Big things can be achieved in small business, and our Small Business Management and Entrepreneurship Specialization can help you develop the skills to help small businesses start up and grow into larger ones. Coursework concentrates on small business topics like budgeting, financing and forecasting, e-commerce, customer relations, business plan writing, marketing strategies and tactics, and operational issues.