Business Administration Education and Career Guide

• Overview
• Degrees
• Associate in Business Administration
• Business Administration Bachelor's
• Career Paths
• Salaries

Education: Advanced Degrees Can Lead to Higher Salaries

You can begin your career in business administration with an associate, bachelor's, or master's degree. While you can launch your career with any of these degrees, but the higher the degree, the higher your salary likely will be.

As a general rule, you'll earn more with a bachelor's degree than you will with an associate degree. If you earn a master's degree, you'll have the potential to earn even more. In fact, survey data published by the Graduate Management Admission Council shows that earning a Master of Business Administration (MBA) can increase your salary by an average of 77% over what professionals with a bachelor's degree might earn.

Experience and Certification Showcase Your Skills, Create Opportunities for Advancement

As with most careers, your salary in business administration can increase as you gain more experience. As you build your knowledge, expertise, and skills, you may be tapped for leadership positions or to manage projects. Responsibilities like these generally come with higher salaries.

Additionally, job performance can be a large factor in earning salary increases.

"There's a funny little saying we use: 'Make your boss look good, make your boss's job easier.' It's a way of just saying go in and do your job, knock it out, and‌ always ask for more," says Ralph Griffith, BA, MBA, DBA, an associate professor of entrepreneurship at Lenoir-Rhyne University. "When I'm mentoring young men and women, I always advise them to be ambitious and see what else they can be working on. It's a way to get exposure across the organization. [Your boss] will see someone who's excited, can handle their current workload, and can take on smaller projects as part of multifunctional teams. They'll remember that when they're looking to fill roles and advance people."

"There's a funny little saying we use: 'Make your boss look good, make your boss's job easier.' It's a way of just saying go in and do your job, knock it out, and‌ always ask for more."

Certification is a great way to demonstrate expertise and skill in business administration and stand out among your peers and job candidates. In some cases, employers might help pay the fees for the courses and tests you need to earn a certification, or they might compensate you after you pass a certification exam.

Certifications can prove you have the knowledge to oversee essential aspects of business administration. For example, becoming a Certified Supply Chain Professional (CSCP) can help show an employer you're the right candidate for a related role. Similarly, Salesforce Administrator Certification (SAC) can help a resume for a marketing manager position rise to the top.

Different Workplaces Tend to Have Different Salaries

The industry you work in can also make a big difference in your pay. For instance, you'll generally make more working with investment accounts and portfolios than you will preparing taxes.

However, keep in mind that average salaries are not a rule. There will always be exceptions, and factors such as experience and education will still make a significant difference in your pay.

Top-Paying Industries for Business Administrators

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Learn what you may be able to earn in your state, how the cost of living and other factors could impact your pay, why education matters—especially in business administration leadership roles—and much more.