Business Administration professionals are used in every business. The core foundation of business administration is planning, leading, organizing, and controlling the aspects of a small or worldwide business. Business Administration professionals receive much of the same education as accountants and chief financial managers, but are categorized as mid-level management or operational managers. The majority of the business administration career is used for leading and controlling specialized sections of a business that help to progress the basic day-to-day operations.
Careers in business are greatly aided by advanced education, such as a degree or certificate program. Jump start your career by requesting free information today from the schools below:
Job Responsibilities
Since Business Administration professionals have a well-rounded education, they can work and function well in many different areas of a company or organization.
The majority of those that enter into business administration begin as a department manager. The role of a department manager is to plan, organize, and control the overall duties of their assigned department. A typical organization will have separate departments for sales, manufacturing, accounting, and finance. Each department works in tandem with the next and communication plays a large role in the success of each department.
The largest available promotion for a department manager is the operations manager. The duties of the operations manager is to control the entire series of individual departments and use all available resources for producing goods and services to their best ability. Operations managers usually work in the manufacturing sectors and coordinate effective processes to produce planned results.
All business administration professionals are expected to understand the local, state, and federal laws of manufacturing and business.
Training and Education Requirements
A business administration degree is the foundation of all business degrees. It provides a well structured starting point for business professionals. A bachelor of business administration degree does not require further educational training or licenses beyond its traditional 4-year length. Community colleges and technical universities typically offer business administration degrees or hybrid degrees that include a specialized curriculum in marketing or finance.
The curriculum for business administration covers a wide-range of business education. A typical course of study includes advanced accounting, business law, marketing, international business, and upper-level management studies. Higher-level degrees in business administration are available starting at the MBA level. Since most businesses utilize powerful software solutions to manage their business, specialized software training is usually included to prepare workers for on the job usage of popular software programs.
Most employers expect employees to hold a recognized accredited degree from an online college or traditional university. This requirement ensures employers that certain educational objectives have been met, and the quality of the instruction has successfully prepared potential employees to meet entry-level job requirements.
Salary and Wages
Similar to all careers, the salary always depends on education and experience. However, the national average for a newly employed graduate of a business administration degree is $35,000 to $42,000 per year. Those who have 1 or 2 years of previous business administration experience can expect to earn a starting salary of $47,000 to $50,000 per year. Employees who earn an advanced MBA degree will begin their salaries at $60,000 to $75,000 per year.
Certifications
Business administration professionals are not required to hold local, state, or federal licenses except those who choose to work in the government sector. Each state government office has special requirements for employees who provide financial or accounting services to the general public.
A simple skills assessment test is required to receive a state government license and requirements vary by state. This license assures the general public that basic skills have been certified and the employee upholds a high-level of ethics.
Software certifications are not required; however, certain software training certifications can be an asset to business administration professionals. Gaining a certification in a popular software package can increase the expected employee responsibilities and salary range for qualified persons.
Professional Associations
There are various professional associations that may be beneficial to business administration professionals. Many professional associations require a 4-year degree from an accredited college or university before membership is approved.
The Financial Management Association (FMA) brings together financial professionals and provides continuing education and training. Correctly managing the finances of a business or corporation involves many advanced financial techniques. The FMA provides in-depth training for analyzing financial statements and scenarios to develop knowledgeable professionals. The FMA membership is renewed annually.
The Business Professionals of America (BPA) is for recent graduates entering the business administration field. The support services offered in an annual membership include job search assistance and training programs to develop trained individuals. The goal of the organization is to educate young graduates and prepare them for entry-level positions with the knowledge of problem solving, leading, and controlling business personnel.
The American Society for Public Administration (ASPA) exists to serve all aspects of the public service sector. They provide networking and training services for personnel entering into public service positions. As a respected agency since 1939, employers recognize this association and high level of government standards. The ASPA continues to further education in the public service sector profession.
