Earning a business degree comes with many benefits: learning technical and practical skills in finance and accounting, how to lead a team, and how to evaluate and cater to the consumer’s needs. Having a business degree can also help you market yourself more competitively once you enter the job market.
What Do Students Learn?
By earning a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration, students can gain an understanding of each major aspect of business. Topics of study include accounting, finance, economics, management, marketing and international business. Through business courses, you can also gain transferrable skills such as the ability to manage a team, communicate to others through oral and written methods, plan a project, and resolve conflicts.
Some of the classes you can take in a business program include:
- Microcomputer Applications (CIT 1503) — This course allows you to hone your skills in applications relevant to careers in business.
- International Financial Management and Banking (FIN 3813) — This course focuses on banking and financial concepts on a global scale, as well as how they can be applied in specific business situations.
- Consumer Behavior (MKTG 4043) — This marketing course gives you the opportunity to assess the consumer through research and evaluation.
- Financial Institutions and Markets (FIN 3763) — This course provides an analysis of financial institutions, including savings and loans, banks, and insurance companies.
What these courses provide is a broad overview of the many facets of business, allowing for diverse career possibilities as you graduate and enter the job market. Through the business core courses, major requirements and general education requirements courses, you can build a strong foundation in applicable areas of business in as few as 120 credit hours.
What Are the Career Benefits?
Earning a business degree can make you a highly sought-after candidate for a wide range of career paths. The degree shows that you have a broad understanding of business topics and the flexibility to work in many areas. Along with opening up an array of opportunities for you, the degree can also increase your earning potential once you enter the job market.
How Can a Business Degree Improve Your Salary Potential?
Having a business degree shows determination and the ability to apply business knowledge to the workplace. All of these combined allow for a competitive salary when applying for jobs. The chart below shows how a business degree can improve your salary with each level of education.
| Educational Attainment | Median Yearly Earnings |
| Some college, no degree | $41,704 |
| Associate degree | $44,824 |
| Bachelor’s degree | $62,296 |
| Master’s degree | $72,852 |
The largest difference in salary is between an associate degree and a bachelor’s degree: $17,524 per year. This statistic shows a significant difference in the annual salary that someone can make from earning a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration.
Learn more about Arkansas State University’s online Bachelor of Science in Business Administration program.
Sources:
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics: Measuring the Value of Education