In-Demand Career Opportunities with a Business Degree

A degree may open the door to a variety of opportunities and diverse career paths. The degree programs offered at AIU will not necessarily lead to the featured careers. This collection of articles is intended to help inform and guide you through the process of determining which level of degree and types of certifications align with your desired career path.

When choosing your career path, a business degree program may offer desired versatility. To begin, business skill development can translate across a number of industries, as opposed to degree programs that focus solely on field-specific knowledge. Additionally, there are a number of in-demand career opportunities that require employees to understand the ways different aspects of a business must work together for a company to succeed, such as effective administration techniques and market analysis.

Management Analyst

Management analysts, also called management consultants, study either the entire structure of an organization or a given part of it – the budget, management structure, or market research. Analysts assess an organization’s strengths and weaknesses to offer recommendations for improvement. Certain management analysts, for instance, may focus on improving a business's profitability by advising managers on ways to improve efficiency and internal workflows. Others, however, may focus on one particular industry like healthcare or manufacturing.¹

Management analyst employment is projected to grow by 14% through 2026, which is faster than the national average. Furthermore, employment growth for analysts working in healthcare IT is projected to be significant.²

Financial Analyst

Financial analysts provide guidance on investment decisions to both businesses and people. A financial analyst’s role involves assessing stock performance and other types of investments, remaining educated on the latest economic business trends, and preparing written and verbal reports for management and investors. Depending on the type of companies (or people) you want to work with, and the investment activities you're interested in advising on, you may also find financial analyst positions listed as fund managers, portfolio managers, risk analysts, or ratings analysts.³

The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) projects growth by 11% through 2026.⁴

Marketing Manager

Marketing managers oversee market research, advertising campaigns, and promotions for a business, often collaborating with sales agents and art directors. Marketing managers may be employed by advertising agencies, though many businesses fill these positions in-house. Depending on the size of the company, the marketing and branding, advertising campaigns and ad placement, and sales promotions may all be included under role, or they may be broken up into their own specific roles or departments.⁵

The BLS projects marketing manager positions to increase by 10% through 2026.⁶

Human Resources Manager

Human resources managers are responsible for overseeing a business's administrative functions. This often includes all aspects of the recruiting and hiring process as well as collaborating with executives on strategic business planning. Human resources managers also serve as the principle point of contact between an organization's managers and its employees. As such, this position requires strong interpersonal skills. Those seeking human resource manager positions may discover opportunities across a range of fields and company types.⁷

Human resources management is expected to grow steadily at 9% through 2026.⁸

Sales Manager

Sales managers are responsible for directing a business's sales team, analyzing sales data, setting goals, and creating training courses for sales representatives. This may be a suitable occupation for those who enjoy traveling, as sales managers often meet with dealers and distributors. They also work closely with advertising and marketing managers to help roll out promotions and target particular demographics and sales areas.⁹

The BLS estimates a 7% increase in sales manager positions through 2026, which is about as fast as the national average for other occupations. Furthermore, stores and industries trying to bridge brick-and-mortar locations with online sales project a greater need than others.¹⁰

Purchasing Manager

Purchasing managers are responsible for overseeing the purchasing of products that a business uses to operate or resell as part of their product and service offerings. This position requires research to evaluate suppliers, purchase contract negotiations, and establish product quality. Job duties and the knowledge required for this position can vary depending on the industry and type of products being bought and sourced.¹¹

Employment for purchasing managers specifically is projected to grow through 2026.¹² Are you ready to learn more? Explore online business degrees at AIU today.

1. "Management Analysts: What Management Analysts Do.” U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Retrieved from: http://www.bls.gov/ooh/business-and-financial/management-analysts.htm#tab-2 (Visited 10/17/18).
2. "Management Analysts: Job Outlook.” U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Retrieved from: http://www.bls.gov/ooh/business-and-financial/management-analysts.htm#tab-6 (Visited 10/17/18). This data represents national figures and is not based on school-specific information. Conditions in your area may vary.
3. "Financial Analysts: What Financial Analysts Do.” U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Retrieved from: http://www.bls.gov/ooh/business-and-financial/financial-analysts.htm#tab-2 (Visited 10/17/18).
4. "Financial Analysts: Job Outlook.” U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Retrieved from: http://www.bls.gov/ooh/business-and-financial/financial-analysts.htm#tab-6 (Visited 10/17/18). This data represents national figures and is not based on school-specific information. Conditions in your area may vary.
5. "Advertising, Promotions, and Marketing Managers: What Advertising, Promotions, and Marketing Managers Do.” U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Retrieved from:https://www.bls.gov/ooh/management/advertising-promotions-and-marketing-managers.htm#tab-2 (Visited 10/17/18).
6. "Advertising, Promotions, and Marketing Managers: Job Outlook.” U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Retrieved from: https://www.bls.gov/ooh/management/advertising-promotions-and-marketing-managers.htm#tab-6 (Visited 10/17/18). This data represents national figures and is not based on school-specific information. Conditions in your area may vary.
7. "Human Resources Managers: What Human Resources Managers Do.” U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Retrieved from: http://www.bls.gov/ooh/management/human-resources-managers.htm#tab-2 (Visited 10/17/18).
8. "Human Resources Managers: Job Outlook.” U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Retrieved from: http://www.bls.gov/ooh/management/human-resources-managers.htm#tab-6 (Visited 10/17/18). This data represents national figures and is not based on school-specific information. Conditions in your area may vary.
9. "Sales Managers: What Sales Managers Do." U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Retrieved from: https://www.bls.gov/ooh/management/sales-managers.htm#tab-2 (Visited 10/17/18).
10. "Sales Managers: Job Outlook/” U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Retrieved from: https://www.bls.gov/ooh/management/sales-managers.htm#tab-6 (Visited 10/17/18). This data represents national figures and is not based on school-specific information. Conditions in your area may vary.
11. "Purchasing Managers, Buyers, and Purchasing Agents: What Purchasing Managers, Buyers, and Purchasing Agents Do.” U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Retrieved from: https://www.bls.gov/ooh/business-and-financial/purchasing-managers-buyers-and-purchasing-agents.htm#tab-2 (Visited 10/17/18).
12. "Purchasing Managers, Buyers, and Purchasing Agents: Job Outlook.” U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics., Retrieved from: https://www.bls.gov/ooh/business-and-financial/purchasing-managers-buyers-and-purchasing-agents.htm#tab-6 (Visited 10/17/18). This data represents national figures and is not based on school-specific information. Conditions in your area may vary.

For important information about the educational debt, earnings, and completion rates of students who attended these programs, go to www.aiuniv.edu/disclosures. AIU cannot guarantee employment or salary. Not all programs are available to residents of all states.
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