Business Degree

242 schools compared · Average earnings $48,212/yr

Students study the broad foundations of business, including management, marketing, finance, accounting, and organizational behavior. Graduates typically pursue careers across all business sectors, including corporate management, entrepreneurship, sales, and operations management. A general business degree provides maximum career flexibility and is one of the most commonly awarded undergraduate degrees.

What Business Graduates Do

Your business degree is a launchpad into the engine room of any organization. As a general or operations manager, your day might involve untangling a supply chain knot, analyzing departmental budgets, and coaching team leads to meet performance targets. Alternatively, as a management analyst, you’ll be a professional problem-solver, hired to dig into a company’s data, interview staff, and recommend ways to improve a process or cut costs. Many also become project managers, orchestrating complex initiatives like a new software launch from start to finish.

Most careers begin with hands-on roles like analyst or coordinator before you move into management and eventually set strategy as a senior leader. While some paths like management analysis are growing exceptionally fast, all face a similar technological shift. With moderate AI exposure across these careers, automation will handle significant chunks of routine work like data gathering and report generation. The jobs aren't disappearing, but your focus will shift. Success will depend less on routine tasks and more on your adaptability, strategic judgment, and ability to lead people through change.

Schools Offering
242
Avg Grad Earnings
$48,212/yr
Avg DegreeOutlook Score
62/100
AI Automation Risk
High
49% task exposure

Common Career Paths

Where Business graduates typically work, ranked by salary. Salary ranges show 25th–75th percentile spread. This field has roughly 830,800 combined openings per year.

Career Path Salary Range Openings/yr Growth AI Risk
Chief executives
$206,420
22,200 +4.3% 56%
Sales managers
$138,060
$96K$201K
49,000 +4.7% 45%
Managers, all other
$136,550
$100K$179K
106,700 +4.5% 47%
Industrial production managers
$121,440
$95K$156K
17,100 +1.9% 34%
Administrative services managers
$108,390
$84K$147K
23,200 +4.6% 39%
Construction managers
$106,980
$83K$139K
46,800 +8.7% 44%
Facilities managers
$104,690
$80K$136K
13,200 +3.8% 48%
General and operations managers
$102,950
$67K$164K
308,700 +4.4% 48%
Transportation, storage, and distribution managers
$102,010
$78K$136K
18,500 +6.1% 49%
Management analysts
$101,190
$77K$133K
98,100 +8.8% 40%
Project management specialists
$100,750
$77K$132K
78,200 +5.6% 55%
Business teachers, postsecondary
$97,270
$63K$140K
8,100 +5.7% 49%
Social and community service managers
$78,240
$62K$101K
18,600 +6.4% 39%
Entertainment and recreation managers, except gambling
$77,180
$58K$102K
5,500 +7.7% 35%
Cost estimators
$77,070
$60K$100K
16,900 -4.2% 50%
Chief executives
$206,420
22,200 openings/yr +4.3% growth 56% AI risk
Sales managers
$138,060
$96K $201K
49,000 openings/yr +4.7% growth 45% AI risk
Managers, all other
$136,550
$100K $179K
106,700 openings/yr +4.5% growth 47% AI risk
Industrial production managers
$121,440
$95K $156K
17,100 openings/yr +1.9% growth 34% AI risk
Administrative services managers
$108,390
$84K $147K
23,200 openings/yr +4.6% growth 39% AI risk
Construction managers
$106,980
$83K $139K
46,800 openings/yr +8.7% growth 44% AI risk
Facilities managers
$104,690
$80K $136K
13,200 openings/yr +3.8% growth 48% AI risk
General and operations managers
$102,950
$67K $164K
308,700 openings/yr +4.4% growth 48% AI risk
Transportation, storage, and distribution managers
$102,010
$78K $136K
18,500 openings/yr +6.1% growth 49% AI risk
Management analysts
$101,190
$77K $133K
98,100 openings/yr +8.8% growth 40% AI risk
Project management specialists
$100,750
$77K $132K
78,200 openings/yr +5.6% growth 55% AI risk
Business teachers, postsecondary
$97,270
$63K $140K
8,100 openings/yr +5.7% growth 49% AI risk
Social and community service managers
$78,240
$62K $101K
18,600 openings/yr +6.4% growth 39% AI risk
Entertainment and recreation managers, except gambling
$77,180
$58K $102K
5,500 openings/yr +7.7% growth 35% AI risk
Cost estimators
$77,070
$60K $100K
16,900 openings/yr -4.2% growth 50% AI risk

Source: BLS Occupational Employment & Wage Statistics, May 2024. Salary range shows 25th–median–75th percentile (national).

View the complete Business school rankings — 242 programs analyzed →

Best Schools for Business

Top 20 of 242 schools ranked by DegreeOutlook Score. Click any row for full AI scenario analysis and earnings projections.

# School DW Score Earnings ROI
1 Indiana University-Bloomington
Bloomington, IN
84
80–84
$71,100/yr 21.4x
2 CUNY Graduate School and University Center
New York, NY
81
76–81
$65,520/yr 24.6x
3 University of Houston-Clear Lake
Houston, TX
81
76–81
$56,494/yr 26.6x
4 Bellevue University
Bellevue, NE
77
72–77
$58,128/yr 18.5x
5 Empire State University
Saratoga Springs, NY
77
72–78
$57,225/yr 21.2x
6 University of Missouri-Columbia
Columbia, MO
75
70–76
$55,999/yr 13.3x
7 University of Baltimore
Baltimore, MD
75
70–76
$52,329/yr 17.3x
8 The University of Texas at Austin
Austin, TX
74
71–75
$94,041/yr 19.1x
9 New York University
New York, NY
74
71–75
$77,828/yr 4.7x
10 Indiana University-East
Richmond, IN
74
69–74
$54,860/yr 17.8x
11 Tarleton State University
Stephenville, TX
74
69–75
$49,471/yr 20.2x
12 Montana State University
Bozeman, MT
74
69–75
$48,164/yr 20.1x
13 California State University-San Marcos
San Marcos, CA
74
69–74
$46,958/yr 21.1x
14 Wright State University-Lake Campus
Celina, OH
74
69–75
$46,523/yr 21.9x
15 Indiana University-Indianapolis
Indianapolis, IN
73
68–74
$52,467/yr 15.1x
16 University of Wisconsin-Whitewater
Whitewater, WI
73
68–74
$49,965/yr 18.3x
17 University of Houston-Downtown
Houston, TX
73
68–73
$47,469/yr 19.7x
18 Florida State University
Tallahassee, FL
73
68–74
$47,342/yr 26.0x
19 University of Wisconsin-Parkside
Kenosha, WI
73
68–73
$45,679/yr 20.2x
20 University of Central Florida
Orlando, FL
73
69–74
$45,050/yr 25.2x

Highest Earning Business Programs

Schools where Business graduates earn the most in their first year after graduation.

School 1-Year Earnings DW Score
The University of Texas at Austin $94,041/yr 74
New York University $77,828/yr 74
Wake Forest University $76,722/yr 71
Baylor University $74,886/yr 68
Northeastern University $74,868/yr 71
University of Notre Dame $73,170/yr 68
University of Redlands $72,664/yr 66
Indiana University-Bloomington $71,100/yr 84
Regis University $66,739/yr 59
CUNY Graduate School and University Center $65,520/yr 81

Best ROI for Business

Schools with the highest earnings-to-tuition ratio for Business.

School ROI Multiple Earnings DW Score
College of Coastal Georgia 35.9x $33,940/yr 60
Georgia Gwinnett College 31.8x $39,700/yr 68
Abraham Baldwin Agricultural College 28.9x $38,173/yr 61
University of Houston-Clear Lake 26.6x $56,494/yr 81
Florida State University 26.0x $47,342/yr 73
University of Central Florida 25.2x $45,050/yr 73
Clayton State University 24.9x $33,735/yr 60
CUNY Graduate School and University Center 24.6x $65,520/yr 81
Columbus State University 22.6x $37,852/yr 64
University of South Florida 22.3x $45,357/yr 71
Want to compare two Business programs side by side? Use the comparison tool →

Related Majors

Explore similar fields of study.

Consider the Trade Route

Not sure a 4-year degree is the right path? Trade programs in Business offer shorter timelines, lower debt, and strong AI resilience for hands-on careers.

Frequently Asked Questions

How much do Business graduates earn?
First-year earnings for Business graduates average $48,212 annually, based on data from 242 programs. The range spans $26,372 at the low end to $94,041 at the top.
Will AI affect Business careers?
AI exposure for Business is rated "High." With 49% of tasks potentially affected by large language models, some career functions face meaningful automation pressure in the coming decade.
What's the top-ranked school for Business?
Based on our DegreeOutlook Score (combining earnings, AI resilience, job market size, and ROI), Indiana University-Bloomington ranks #1 for Business with a score of 84/100 and graduate earnings of $71,100/yr.
What's the outlook for a Business degree?
The average 10-year earnings multiple is 10.0x tuition. This is a strong return on investment. The spread between the best and worst programs is wide, so individual school selection has a major impact.
Scores use College Scorecard earnings, BLS employment projections, and AI task-exposure research. See full methodology →