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Business Administration
What you'll do in college
Business administration covers the full picture of running a company: accounting, finance, marketing, operations, organizational behavior, strategy, and ethics. Many programs require team projects, case studies, presentations, and an internship.
The major emphasizes communication, leadership, and teamwork as much as technical knowledge, and many programs let you concentrate in general management, international business, or a specific functional area.
What you'll do after college
Grads go into virtually every industry—consulting, tech, retail, manufacturing, finance, healthcare, nonprofits, and government. Common entry roles include analyst, associate, account manager, operations specialist, and management trainee.
Pay varies widely by industry and city, with consulting and tech among the highest. The degree is valued as a generalist credential that opens doors across sectors.
Famous graduates
- Warren Buffett — CEO of Berkshire Hathaway; B.S. in Business Administration from University of Nebraska
- Doug McMillon — CEO of Walmart; B.S. in Business Administration from University of Arkansas
Selectivity vs. earnings
By acceptance rate
Acceptance rate · bar = degree-weighted adjusted 5-year earnings
By SAT median
Median SAT · bar = degree-weighted adjusted 5-year earnings
Majors in this category
| Major | Colleges | Degrees ▼ | Male/Female | Intl | 5yr Earn |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Business Administration | 1,274 | 130,180 | 56% / 44% | 6% | $77,821 |
| Business Administration | 981 | 72,915 | 57% / 43% | 6% | $75,000 |
| Business Management and Administration | 75 | 16,134 | 55% / 45% | 3% | $86,227 |
| General Business | 146 | 13,912 | 59% / 41% | 6% | $72,746 |
| Management | 96 | 9,836 | 57% / 43% | 3% | $88,137 |
| Business | 107 | 4,456 | 59% / 41% | 6% | $70,631 |
| International Business | 302 | 3,895 | 46% / 54% | 17% | $78,824 |
| Business Management | 51 | 1,598 | 55% / 45% | 2% | $75,963 |
| Management Science | 35 | 1,470 | 60% / 40% | 22% | $88,616 |
| Management Sciences and Quantitative Methods | 21 | 990 | 58% / 42% | 6% | $93,496 |
| Administration | 1 | 726 | 50% / 50% | 7% | $68,845 |
| Integrated Business | 1 | 610 | 61% / 39% | 5% | $81,563 |
| Business Studies | 24 | 549 | 66% / 34% | 4% | $73,062 |
| Applied Economics and Management | 1 | 243 | 55% / 45% | 7% | $121,009 |
| Business Honors | 1 | 223 | 55% / 45% | 1% | $143,656 |
| Strategic Design and Management | 1 | 221 | 17% / 83% | 52% | $80,807 |
| Management Sciences | 13 | 195 | 61% / 39% | 21% | $98,724 |
| Global Business | 2 | 192 | 46% / 54% | 18% | $102,903 |
| Management and Leadership | 2 | 140 | 67% / 33% | 8% | $140,313 |
| Business and Political Economy | 1 | 121 | 67% / 33% | 41% | $94,533 |
| Business Administration, Management and Operations | 10 | 111 | 35% / 65% | 0% | $84,639 |
| Business (Entrepreneurship) | 1 | 110 | 58% / 42% | 5% | |
| General Management | 1 | 106 | 53% / 47% | 9% | $107,242 |
| Business of Beauty and Fragrance | 1 | 100 | 11% / 89% | 20% | |
| Business Communication | 6 | 99 | 36% / 64% | 3% | $69,665 |
| Office Management and Supervision | 6 | 99 | 51% / 49% | 3% | $88,501 |
| Business and Management | 15 | 95 | 72% / 28% | 13% | $92,492 |
| Consumer Science | 3 | 82 | 27% / 73% | 0% | $61,386 |
| Business, Management, Marketing, and Related Support Services | 8 | 78 | 64% / 36% | 0% | $62,080 |
| Office Administration | 11 | 75 | 7% / 93% | 0% | $64,088 |
| Economics (Business) | 1 | 73 | 78% / 22% | 14% | $90,098 |
| Consumer Sciences | 2 | 60 | 53% / 47% | 2% | $65,521 |
| Public Management, Leadership and Policy | 1 | 59 | 36% / 64% | 0% | $75,511 |
| Leadership Studies | 1 | 53 | 30% / 70% | 0% | $81,134 |
| Management and Operations | 1 | 52 | 77% / 23% | 17% | $58,454 |
| Office Management | 11 | 51 | 25% / 75% | 2% | $71,333 |
| Global Management | 1 | 48 | 48% / 52% | 17% | $99,258 |
| Applied Business Administration | 4 | 41 | 61% / 39% | 7% | $60,460 |
| Business and Management Systems | 1 | 41 | 68% / 32% | 0% | $72,249 |
| Organizational Supervision | 1 | 41 | 51% / 49% | 0% | $86,102 |
| Funeral Direction/Service | 1 | 38 | 16% / 84% | 0% | |
| Business Administration and Operations | 4 | 33 | 55% / 45% | 3% | $75,348 |
| Administrative Management | 2 | 31 | 16% / 84% | 0% | $41,541 |
| Business and Economics | 1 | 31 | 87% / 13% | 0% | $78,741 |
| Business and Leadership | 1 | 25 | 88% / 12% | 8% | |
| Business Informatics | 1 | 20 | 70% / 30% | 10% | $97,743 |
| Consumer Affairs | 2 | 19 | 32% / 68% | 0% | $58,835 |
| Business Economics | 1 | 13 | 54% / 46% | 8% | |
| Leadership and Strategic Management | 1 | 12 | 17% / 83% | 0% | |
| Executive Secretary | 3 | 10 | 0% / 100% | 0% | |
| Applied Management | 2 | 10 | 90% / 10% | 20% | |
| Management Science (Course 15) | 1 | 9 | 56% / 44% | 0% | |
| Business/Commerce | 4 | 7 | 86% / 14% | 0% | |
| Community Leadership | 1 | 5 | 20% / 80% | 0% | |
| Executive Assistant | 1 | 3 | 0% / 100% | 0% | |
| Global Business Management | 1 | 3 | 33% / 67% | 33% | |
| International Business/Trade/Commerce | 1 | 3 | 0% / 100% | 0% | |
| Business, Economics, and Management | 1 | 2 | 50% / 50% | 0% | |
| International Management | 1 | 2 | 100% / 0% | 0% | |
| Leadership | 1 | 2 | 100% / 0% | 0% | $127,037 |
| Policy and Management | 1 | 1 | 100% / 0% | 0% | $179,647 |
| Public Administration and Policy | 1 | 1 | 100% / 0% | 0% | $60,901 |