What are some fields that one can work in after college with a bachelor's degree in business administration?

Greetings Oscar,

This is a great question and I hope I can shed some light. I obtained my Bachelors of Science in Business Management, but had many friends obtain their BA or BS in Business Administration. One thing to keep in mind is the specific curriculum outcomes and learning objectives of any program. If you are considering your options for a four year university, what you want to do is sit with an admissions professional. Discuss the specifics of the degree...oftentimes, in my years of experience the details are all outlined in the outcomes that you expect to receive once you have completed your degree. There are variety of career paths that could open up including those in Education, Private Sector, Public Sector, and Non Profit arenas. Business Administration is a well rounded degree, but does not have a great deal of specific focus.

Another area that you could do some research is the Bureau of Labor Statistics, although this research tool can be heavily dense with information. www.bls.gov is where you would start and you could simply do some research on different types of jobs you are considering after college and see what types of degrees are selected. Another thing you could do is find an expert, in the world of academic we call these individuals (Subject Matter Experts). One example, is a professor of business. I would however, caution you to make sure that the professor you consider speaking to has practical experience. You do not want to speak with a tenure professor whose experience relates around research and teaching (although they are needed). They will serve you little purpose given their limited experience in the real world.

Other areas is to reach out to a human resource professional and ask some questions. I would encourage you to target these types of individuals within the field your interested in. One example, if you want to work in healthcare administration and see if a Business Administration degree would serve a purpose, speaking with a director or member of human resources leadership would be helpful so long as they are located in a healthcare facility. Likewise, for banking or any industry...try to find a (field expert) in the sector you want to work.

Hope you found this helpful. Thanks.

There are a lot of fields that you can go into with a Business Administration degree. After graduating from a small 4-year school with my Business Administration Degree, I got my first job in sales, then moved into an entry-level Finance role and now do HR consulting and HR Analytics, and I have 3 recent Business graduates on my team.

Many large companies offer rotational programs for recent graduates that can give you exposure to a number of fields and jobs within a company. They can be a great opportunity to try out different jobs and see what areas interest you. If you are interested in one of these, be sure to be very proactive about contacting companies and applying, as they often fill up quickly. But the effort is worth it - you get the chance to see a lot of different jobs, and many companies offer participants permanent roles if they were successful in the program.

There are entry-level positions in almost any field, though they vary significantly depending on the field and the company. Accounting, Consulting, Sales and Finance are some of the most common fields with regular entry-level opportunities available. Another great resource is your college's career office - they will be able to connect you to companies who regularly hire Business graduates from your college. These companies make a special effort to seek out students at local colleges, so they are eager to talk to graduates about opportunities that are available.

If there's a specific topic area that interests you, consider getting a minor in addition to your Business Administration degree. For example, if you like data analysis, you could get a statistics minor. Or if you like coaching and working with people, you can get a psychology minor. These can help show a company where your interests lie before you even start working. And if you aren't sure, take different classes and see which ones you like the best!