Meet Your Future Self: Business Administration & Management Careers

If you could look ahead in time and see yourself as a success in the career of your choice, what would you look like? More importantly, what would the path that led from college to your rewarding career look like? What were your choices in college degrees? Which classes best prepared you for the challenges of the workplace?

Let's say that accounting/finance, marketing, or business administration appeal to you now as you look forward. Perhaps you're already working in a related field, but you're earning too little to meet your career aspirations. Should you return to college to earn one the bachelor degrees in business or management? Or do you already hold an undergraduate degree in a career where professionals with master's degrees hold the best positions?

Careers in Accounting/Finance

The Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) reports that most employers require you to hold at least a bachelor's degree for employment today. The better jobs between 2008 and 2010, however, are projected for accountants who hold a master's degree in accounting or business administration. Many states require accountants to complete 60 hours beyond their bachelor's degree to qualify for passing the test to become a Certified Public Accountant (CPA).

Investigate accounting degree programs to see whether they offer the courses in taxation, management accounting, auditing, and financial reporting that you need. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, jobs for accountants are expected to rise by 22 percent between 2008 and 2018. The median 2009 annual salary for accountants and auditors was $60,340.

Marketing Careers

Many marketing professionals enter the field with bachelor degrees, however those who rise to department heads or creative managers often return to college for their master degrees. Advanced college degrees in advertising, PR, or business management can boost your earnings potential and help you rise into leadership roles.

The BLS predicts a 12 percent increase in positions for marketing managers between 2008 and 2018. The median 2009 annual salary was $110,030, with top managers earning at least $166,400.

Evaluate college degrees carefully to see if your program includes courses in business law, economics, audience development, statistics, brand management, graphics design, and consumer behavior that can boost your credentials.

Business Administration Careers

You may begin a management career with as little as a bachelor degree in business administration. But individuals who want to excel in management roles in finance, technology, health care, education, and other fields most often advance only after they combine extensive job experience with a masters degree in business administration. MBA degrees can often focus on your professional sector, qualifying you for management in the field.

Evaluate business administration college degree programs to see if they offer the key courses in management, leadership, finance, technology, statistics, economics, human resources, or international commerce to increase your business savvy.

The median 2009 annual salary for business managers was $92,650, with top earnings of $166,400 or higher. The BLS predicts tough competition for operations managerial jobs between 2008 and 2018, underlining the need for masters degrees or professional certifications in leadership or technology to bolster your credentials. Locate an MBA in Operations Management progam to truly focus your skill set.