A degree in business can be a good start to a lucrative career.
In the United States, those who have an understanding or education in the business world have a multitude of opportunities after completing a bachelor's degree in business management. Common careers for these graduates include accounting, cost-estimating, financial management, executive jobs, budget analysts, human resources managers and retail store managers. The starting salary for those holding a bachelor's degree in business management can vary greatly depending on many factors.
Qualifications
In general, a person with a bachelor's degree in business management will have studied all functions of business. These will almost certainly include accounting, finance, human resources, marketing, information systems, data processing, computer technology, and general core studies such as math and English. Certain jobs obtained with this degree may also require other credentials. For example, becoming an accountant will require certain certifications, and food service managers will likely possess licenses. Higher-level positions such as human resources management or operations management are usually held by those with a certain amount of experience.
Location
Starting salaries for jobs related to business management may be greatly affected by location, commonly due to level of demand for the service and cost of living. In Olympia, Washington, a human resources manager can expect an average annual wage of $83,930. However, in the Wilmington, Delaware, metropolitan area, the concentration of human resource managers is much lower and the average salary is $139,820 a year. The highest-paying location in the United States for HR managers is the San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara metro area in California, averaging $152,830 a year for these positions.
Job
The type of work being performed may be the greatest influence when determining the starting salary of an individual with a bachelor's degree in business management. At the low end of the spectrum is the salary of a personal banker, who can expect a national average wage of $41,100. The position of officer manager may be the most common job for a business management graduate, and these positions pay an average of $42,200. Human resources managers make significantly more, averaging $70,300 annually. Some of the most well-paid business management graduates are those who become sales directors, earning an average of $138,000 a year.
Industry
Certain employers may have vastly different wages than others for positions held by business management school graduates. A human resources manager working for the government at the state level can expect a salary of $79,930 a year, but at the local government level, the number jumps up to $91,510 annually. Management of a company, the most common type of employment, can bring in $120,750 a year. One of the highest-paying industries for human resource managers is in the computer and peripheral equipment manufacturing field, providing an average salary of $139,730 a year.
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