6 Best Business Majors for Your Goals

Business is the most popular major across all bachelor’s degrees conferred in the United States, and business majors are among the most in-demand graduates [1, 2]. However, there are many ways to major in business.

Some schools offer a general business degree, which tends to provide an overview of the many areas of business and how they all interlink. Other schools offer specialized concentrations within their business school, like finance, accounting, or marketing. Learn about your options when you're interested in majoring in business, and the best area to study to achieve your larger career goals. Afterward, build important analytical skills with the IBM Business Analyst Professional Certificate.

6 best business majors: The most in-demand options

The best business major is the one that helps you reach your career goals, but certain business degrees are associated with higher demand in the job market. According to a survey from the National Association of Colleges and Employers (NACE), business majors dominate six of the top 10 most in-demand bachelor’s degrees [2]. Those six include:

1. Finance

Finance is the area of business that has to do with assets and capital. With a finance major, you can expect to learn about asset management, investments, and the way businesses interact with and operate within financial markets.

• Entry-level job titles: Finance associate, financial advisor, investment banking analyst

• Mid-career job titles: Financial manager, financial analyst, risk manager, hedge fund investment strategist

2. Accounting

Accounting majors learn how to guide a business’s financial decisions. You can anticipate coursework that involves preparing financial documents, assessing cash flow, and strategizing spending plans.

• Entry-level job titles: Accounting associate, accounting representative, staff accountant

• Mid-career job titles: Controller, forensic accountant, management accountant, securities analyst

3. Business administration and management

Business administration and management majors examine businesses from the perspective of a general manager. Their education typically covers the various ways different areas of business interact to teach strategic decision-making skills.

• Entry-level job titles: Administrative assistant, operations analyst, management analyst

• Mid-career job titles: Consultant, business advisor, operations research analyst, sales manager

4. Logistics and supply chain management

Supply chain management majors study the operations behind moving goods from one place to another. In addition to the logistics, these courses of study tend to emphasize the role of data analytics and modeling for decision-making.

• Entry-level job titles: Supply chain associate, logistics coordinator, supply chain analyst

• Mid-career job titles: Supply chain manager, logistics analyst, purchasing manager 

5. Management information systems

Management information systems are the data mechanisms that business leaders use for decision-making. With this major, you’ll learn how to use information technologies such as data science and business analytics to guide and enhance strategy.

• Entry-level job titles: Operations research analyst, business analyst, information systems manager

• Mid-career job titles: Business intelligence analyst, director of information technology, information security director

6. Marketing

Marketing is the area of business that marries business goals with consumer needs. As a marketing major, you’ll learn how to analyze and interpret consumer behavior and leverage communication skills in order to maximize profits.

• Entry-level job titles: Marketing associate, social media marketer, assistant media planner

• Mid-career job titles: Market research analyst, digital marketing specialist, marketing manager

Additional business majors to consider

Across all business majors, NACE projects an average starting salary of $63,907 [2]. Learn more about the kinds of salaries you can command with a business degree. Regardless of your concentration, a business degree can set you up to pursue lucrative career options. Here are additional common business majors that may align with your career goals:

• Economics majors examine the intersection of business, policy, and the economy.

• Entrepreneurship majors focus on leadership strategies for new business ventures.

• Health care management majors study the business aspects of health care.

• Human resource management majors learn people operations, including recruitment, compensation, and performance management.

• Sustainable business majors study how business impacts the natural environment.

• International business majors examine business relationships and processes in the global market.

What is the most useful business major?

One of the most useful business majors is business administration, as it gives you key skills in managing, marketing, business planning, and creating financial strategies to grow businesses. 

How to build business experience beyond your major

Regardless of your specific area of study, it will be possible to move into different areas of business after graduation and throughout your career. In addition to upper-level coursework related to your major or concentration, most business schools require core business courses. This core coursework is typically designed to highlight key transferable skills across all areas of business.

Plus, there are ways to explore other areas of business throughout your undergraduate career even if you aren’t majoring in them. Here are a few ideas:

• Minors: College minors are a series of about four or five courses in a designated subject area. Minoring in an area of business can demonstrate your knowledge without requiring the full course load of a major.

• Electives: Electives are courses you take outside of your general education, major, and minor course requirements. These courses can enable you to explore areas of interest outside of your typical course of study.

• Internships: Internships are work opportunities designed to give students hands-on experience while they pursue their degrees. Through an internship, you can see how businesses operate and get a better sense of the department you’re drawn to.

• Student organizations: A few examples of student organizations that cater to business students include: Beta Alpha Psi (an international society geared toward accounting and finance), commercial banking clubs. commercial real estate clubs, marketing clubs, sales clubs.

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