A wealth of careers exist for students who obtain an associate’s in business administration, and earning this degree may prove useful for getting hired in an entry-level management position. A degree in business administration may open doors well beyond those in classic environments like business offices, as well as offer a student the educational background he or she needs to move up the ladder of management. Down the line, it may prove beneficial to consider enrollment in a bachelor’s degree program or a Master of Business Administration program, but many jobs don’t require those advanced degrees and are available with a two-year degree. Here are some careers open to graduates of associate’s in business administration programs.
Store Manager
One path to managing a store is through the acquisition of on-the-job training, and a manager may begin his or her career as an entry-level employee in retail or sales. With an associate’s degree in business administration, additional avenues may open at the management level. Managerial work in large establishments like grocery stores and national department stores may require that managers have some formal education in accounting, marketing, business analytics, and human resources. Many associate’s degree programs feature classes in these essential areas, as well as economics, management, and the basic principles of business administration. Working as a store manager at the local level may eventually open doors to work at the corporate level in jobs with greater scope and responsibility.
Funeral Services Manager
Advanced colleges degrees may lead to work in the highest-paying professions, but students do not need to enter a graduate degree program or a professional degree program to earn a salary that meets or exceeds $75,000 a year. According to a recent article from CNBC, steady work that pays well is available to workers willing to learn on the job, attend a technical college, or earn an associate’s degree. One such profession is a funeral service manager, which features a diverse set of responsibilities that range from business-oriented tasks like staffing and marketing to preparing the funeral arrangements for the deceased. The median annual wage for funeral service managers is more than $78,000 a year and job growth for the profession in the next decade should reach around 7 percent.
Account Executive
There are account executives that work in all sorts of environments and industries. Job openings can exist at companies as varied as pharmaceutical companies to public relations businesses to radio stations. Account executives must interact with many people each day within the company, as well as those outside the company who are clients, customers, or contractors. The one thing in common many account executives have is that they understand how business works and have the skills to communicate in such environments. Some of the most important classes a future account executive should take while in an associate’s degree in business administration program are public speaking, communication, and writing.
The Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) shares that students who want to enter business careers can start as early as high school to get experience in internships, as well gain experience in entry-level employment opportunities. Participating in activities like student government and getting on-the-job training while enrolled in an associate’s degree program can help, too, with gaining access to future job opportunities. Prospective students interested in working in business should explore associate’s in business administration programs online, as well as through local community colleges and career colleges in their communities.
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