If you’re considering earning a degree in business management, you likely have questions about the career options and salaries you can expect to receive after graduation.
Job opportunities for business management graduates are vast, including careers in marketing, finance, and sales, and management positions across various industries. Below, we take a look at the skills business management graduates can expect to gain and explore the top jobs in business management along with their salaries.
What is Business Management?
Business management refers to the administration of an organization’s business activities. Managers are responsible for making important business decisions, developing strategies, and leading teams or departments to meet organizational goals.
A degree in business management equips individuals with the skills and knowledge needed to respond to complex business problems and manage teams effectively. Business management degrees typically feature courses in accounting, business law, marketing, finance, project management, communications, and information systems. Students gain technical skills in multiple business functions, making them highly qualified for management and supervisory positions post-graduation.
There are numerous certificate and degree programs available in management, ranging from associate degrees to PhD programs.
Bachelor’s degree programs, such as Northeastern’s Bachelor of Science in Management, are ideal for individuals looking to broaden their management skills and begin a career in business management.
In choosing a degree, it’s important to select one that is properly accredited. Northeastern’s program is accredited by the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB), meaning that students receive the highest quality level of business education throughout the program.
A management degree will prepare you for countless business management roles across a variety of industries. Below are some of the top business management careers, along with how much money you can expect to earn.
Top Business Management Careers and Salaries
Business management graduates enjoy strong job prospects across various industries, including the private sector, healthcare management, manufacturing, and nonprofits. By pursuing a degree in business management, you’ll expand your career horizons and create countless opportunities for yourself.
Below is a list of the top business management careers along with salary information.
1. Finance Manager
Average Salary: $129,890 per year
10-Year Job Outlook: 15% (Much faster than average)
Finance managers oversee an organization’s finances, compile financial reports, monitor investment activities, determine an organization’s profitability, and develop financial strategies for the future. In addition to technical knowledge, financial managers are expected to possess strong analytical skills, be effective communicators, and be proficient in financial software such as Excel and Quickbooks.
2. Sales Manager
Average Salary: $126,640 per year
10-Year Job Outlook: 4% (As fast as average)
Sales managers lead an organization’s sales teams. They are tasked with developing sales plans, establishing sales territories, setting sales goals and quotas, and training the sales staff. Additionally, most sales managers also have hiring and firing responsibilities. The most effective sales managers possess superior leadership capabilities, strong interpersonal skills, and strategic planning abilities, in addition to necessary industry-specific knowledge.
3. Management Analyst
Average Salary: $85,260 per year
10-Year Job Outlook: 11% (Much faster than average)
Management analysts, also referred to as management consultants, work toward improving an organization’s efficiency and boosting profitability. These professionals consult with and advise managers on potential ways to decrease costs and improve profits. A management analyst’s specific duties typically include analyzing financial data, conducting organizational studies, designing new procedures, and recommending organizational changes.
4. Budget Analyst
Average Salary: $76,540 per year
10-Year Job Outlook: 3% (As fast as average)
Budget analysts analyze an organization’s finances to develop budgets, either for the company as a whole or on a departmental basis. They collaborate with project managers and department heads to establish budgets, monitor spending, and forecast the company’s future financial needs. Budget analysts need to possess strong finance and accounting skills, be adept at working with numbers, and be able to analyze data to make decisions.
5. Market Research Analyst
Average Salary: $63,790 per year
10-Year Job Outlook: 18% (Much faster than average)
Market research analysts help organizations determine whether a product or service is likely to be profitable before bringing it to market. These professionals monitor and predict marketing and sales trends, collect and analyze data using techniques like surveys and statistical software, and determine the products and services consumers are interested in. Market research analysts play a pivotal role in the overall profitability of an organization.
Business Management Job Outlook
There are many exciting career opportunities available to business management graduates, and these opportunities continue to grow year after year. Management positions boast the highest average salary of all major occupation groups, at $105,660 per year. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, these positions are expected to grow five percent by 2029, generating just over half a million new jobs.
As the number of available management positions grows, so does the demand for individuals with the related skills and qualifications. Though the specific skills needed for each management position vary, foundational knowledge of business principles combined with strong management skills and a degree from an accredited university can make you an attractive candidate to potential employers.
Pursuing a Bachelor’s in Management at Northeastern
By completing your bachelor’s degree in management, you’ll gain the knowledge and skills needed to begin a fulfilling career. Northeastern University’s Bachelor of Science in Management program is designed to prepare students for management careers with some of the best employers in the world.
Students in Northeastern’s BS in Management program are able to immerse themselves in real-world experiential opportunities with top-rated employers in a variety of industries. Northeastern’s signature experiential learning model allows students to put their learning into practice, helping them to apply technical knowledge to real-world situations.
Are you interested in pursuing a career in management? Learn more about the Bachelor of Science in Management offered by Northeastern University to see how advancing your education can help you reach your goals.