What Can You Do with a Business Administration Degree?

Business administration, sometimes called business management, is the management of a company’s assets. This includes (but is not limited to) its people, properties and finances. Contrary to what some may think, business administration does not only cover office management. It also covers marketing, accounting, business law, information systems and ethics.

Business administration professionals are crucial to the business world. They bring structure and leadership to an organization, which impacts the success of a business in terms of profits and culture. Business administration graduates contribute analytical decision-making and critical thinking to solve problems and improve the efficacy of teams, projects and systems.

A business administration degree is a highly versatile and in-demand career path in the business world and other areas. After all, even sports teams and artists need to outsource management skills. Six out of 10 Furman graduates (from all degree programs) go on to work in the business field, proving that business skills are critical to keeping the economy running smoothly.

With a business administration degree, you’ll learn valuable skills in various business-related topics. Business administration majors participate in classes such as finance, accounting, marketing, international business, communications, business law, statistics, market research and analytics, business ethics and human resources. Each of these courses prepares students with a wealth of knowledge related to running a business.

Throughout their studies, students learn crucial skills needed for many career paths – not just business. Skills like problem-solving, teamwork, communication, leadership and creativity can be applied to any career.

In fact, employers across all industries are searching for candidates with these skills. According to the National Association of Colleges and Employers Job Outlook survey, the top three skills employers are looking for in a candidate are

1. Problem-solving skills
2. Critical thinking skills and
3. The ability to work in a team. 

Speaking of getting a job, how can a business administration degree shape your career, and how do these skills apply to your future? Let’s explore the possibilities.

What can you do with a business administration degree? There are so many possibilities. Nearly every organization that exists needs strong business-related leaders to continue running successfully. From the back office of a baseball team to an ice cream shop at the beach, companies large, small, international and local need business administration skills to operate.

Unlike degree programs that teach technical skills, such as nursing or engineering, the skills learned with a business administration degree can be adapted to different career opportunities across many industries, meaning you can change your mind about your career path whenever you want. The transferable skills don’t follow one particular career path, giving you more options.

Entry-level roles for business administration majors

What can you do with a business administration degree after graduating? The complete list is long, but some of the most popular entry-level positions best suited for recent business administration graduates include:

• Sales representative
• Social media marketing coordinator
• Accounting clerk
• Financial analyst
• Human resources specialist

Entry-level positions can even expand your business interest as you learn skills from other departments. For example, a social media marketing coordinator who works closely with the graphic design team may find a renewed interest in design. Fortunately, the skills learned with a business administration degree can easily transfer between departments.

These entry-level roles serve as stepping stones into more advanced positions with high earning potential, more leadership opportunities and more responsibility.

Management and leadership opportunities

As you gain experience, opportunities for leadership and management arise. Showcasing your communication, teamwork and problem-solving skills will quickly lead to new roles managing other people and leading teams through the decision-making process. 

Effective leaders are among the most valuable business assets; organizations constantly search for the best new leaders to take charge. Employers want to hire leaders with emotional intelligence and refined communication skills who are team players. These skills can be learned and developed starting with a business administration degree.

Entrepreneurship and innovation

What can you do with a business administration degree if you want to work for yourself? Anything you want! Because business administration students take courses in all aspects of the business world, they are primed to start their own business.

A business administration degree encourages an entrepreneurial mindset by cultivating the hard skills to run a solo business or start a company with a team. Business administration majors learn the accounting, finance, marketing and administration basics required to form business plans, solve problems and account for profit generation.

Self-assessment

If you think business administration might be the degree path for you, consider how your personal interests match the coursework and how your goals align with a future in business. If you enjoy solving problems, communicating and working with others, leading a team or leaning into your creativity, business administration might be the direction for you.

If you aspire to be a part of the inner workings of a big (or small) company’s success, a business administration degree can get you there. Or, if you simply want to make money and remain an in-demand part of the workforce, a business administration degree will do that for you, too. The average starting salary for a business administration degree in 2022 was $59,514.

Exploring specializations

As you research a business administration degree can help you build a career, certain business courses may interest you more than others. This is where specialization takes place. Specialty business administration tracks allow you to dive deeper into an aspect of business during your studies.

At Furman, students choose between five business administration tracks: business finance, business marketing, business entrepreneurship, international business or business administration (general). While all business administration majors will learn general knowledge in these courses, choosing a specialty track allows you to become an expert in the latest hard skills related to an area of interest.

Furman offers five focused business administration degree tracks in business administration (general), finance, marketing, business entrepreneurship and international business. In these programs, you’ll learn how to solve complex management problems while stretching your creativity, working effectively in teams and learning critical communication skills.

Business administration majors at Furman benefit from hands-on education with an average class size of 14 students and a student-to-faculty ratio of 9:1. Our faculty has years of real-world experience guiding the curriculum based on real business applications. All students must complete seven core business courses studying topics such as accounting, economics, statistics, marketing and finance, plus a capstone course in strategic management. 

So, what can you do with a business administration degree from Furman? Business administration students at Furman are fully prepared for success in the business world; 95% of graduates are placed in a role within six months of graduation. Our graduates leave with a robust knowledge of business management that places them in careers such as market research, financial analysis, human resources and advertising and sales. Many on the entrepreneurship track go on to run their own successful businesses. 

If you’re considering a major in business administration at Furman, don’t hesitate to reach out to the department office or admissions office with questions regarding the curriculum or admissions. 

Business administration is a broad program offering incredible opportunities in various fields. Business skills, like problem-solving, communication and teamwork, are crucial skills employers are looking for in their next hire. No matter what the industry, business administration graduates contribute to an organization’s overall profitability and day-to-day management. Because of their versatile skills and knowledge base, business administration graduates will continue to be in high demand.

We encourage prospective business administration students to explore all of the specialty track options to find one that will be most enjoyable for years to come. But remember – business administration degrees arm graduates with a versatile knowledge base with transferable skills for all kinds of opportunities in various industries.