Best institutions to study Business Administration
Compare 2,461 U.S. colleges offering Business Administration by graduate earnings, cost, and outcomes. Federal data across 58 states.
Business Administration programs report a median of $43,714 one year after graduation (College Scorecard, 2024), and map to CIP 52.02 and the General and Operations Managers occupation (BLS SOC).
About Business Administration programs
The Business Administration program, officially titled Business Administration, Management and Operations, equips students with essential skills for managing and leading organizations. This program is ideal for individuals seeking to understand the complexities of business operations and develop strategic decision-making capabilities in various sectors.
Students will gain knowledge in administration and management, customer service, and human resources, along with core skills such as critical thinking, active listening, and effective communication. Coursework often includes topics in logistics, operations management, and e-commerce.
Top 50 institutions, ranked by graduate earnings
Earnings = median 1 year after graduation (College Scorecard, predominant credential).
| # | Institution | Grad earnings (1 yr) | Completions | Grad rate | Net price | Median debt |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Manhattan University Riverdale, NY Private not-for-profit · Bachelor's degree | $113,777 | 43 | 64% | $26,807 | $25,328 |
| 2 | Bismarck State College Bismarck, ND Public · Bachelor's degree | $100,668 | 48 | 47% | — | $15,452 |
| 3 | Maine Maritime Academy Castine, ME Public · Bachelor's degree | $98,743 | 11 | 58% | — | $27,000 |
| 4 | Carnegie Mellon University Pittsburgh, PA Private not-for-profit · Bachelor's degree | $95,891 | 201 | 94% | $23,803 | $23,250 |
| 5 | University of Michigan - Ann Arbor Ann Arbor, MI Public · Bachelor's degree | $93,674 | 1,449 | 93% | — | $19,000 |
| 6 | University of Pennsylvania Philadelphia, PA Private not-for-profit · Bachelor's degree | $91,443 | 306 | 97% | $22,055 | $20,348 |
| 7 | University of California - Berkeley Berkeley, CA Public · Bachelor's degree | $90,008 | 430 | 93% | — | $12,195 |
| 8 | Emory University Atlanta, GA Private not-for-profit · Bachelor's degree | $85,682 | 56 | 91% | $20,586 | $19,500 |
| 9 | University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill Chapel Hill, NC Public · Bachelor's degree | $85,618 | 448 | 91% | — | $14,339 |
| 10 | City University of Seattle Seattle, WA Private not-for-profit · Bachelor's degree | $79,592 | 189 | — | $35,049 | $18,000 |
| 11 | Golden Gate University San Francisco, CA Private not-for-profit · Bachelor's degree | $77,752 | 1,214 | — | — | $33,968 |
| 12 | Georgetown University Washington, DC Private not-for-profit · Bachelor's degree | $77,479 | 399 | 95% | $22,242 | $16,422 |
| 13 | Washington and Lee University Lexington, VA Private not-for-profit · Bachelor's degree | $76,627 | 91 | 94% | $11,983 | — |
| 14 | William & Mary Williamsburg, VA Public · Bachelor's degree | $75,038 | 519 | 89% | — | $19,812 |
| 15 | Georgia Institute of Technology - Main Campus Atlanta, GA Public · Bachelor's degree | $73,557 | 497 | 94% | — | $23,000 |
| 16 | Ranken Technical College Saint Louis, MO Private not-for-profit · Bachelor's degree | $73,200 | 17 | 53% | $17,520 | $26,250 |
| 17 | Texas Christian University Fort Worth, TX Private not-for-profit · Bachelor's degree | $71,984 | 188 | 86% | $25,823 | $25,000 |
| 18 | Purdue University - Main Campus West Lafayette, IN Public · Certificate degree | $71,977 | 1,035 | 83% | — | $19,500 |
| 19 | California Polytechnic State University - San Luis Obispo San Luis Obispo, CA Public · Bachelor's degree | $71,876 | 817 | 86% | — | $17,000 |
| 20 | Boston College Chestnut Hill, MA Private not-for-profit · Bachelor's degree | $71,675 | 267 | 91% | $21,126 | $17,873 |
| 21 | University of Southern California Los Angeles, CA Private not-for-profit · Bachelor's degree | $71,668 | 535 | 92% | $26,873 | $17,375 |
| 22 | Boston University Boston, MA Private not-for-profit · Bachelor's degree | $71,545 | 1,958 | 89% | $21,956 | $25,000 |
| 23 | Michigan State University East Lansing, MI Public · Bachelor's degree | $71,253 | 662 | 81% | — | $23,250 |
| 24 | Brigham Young University Provo, UT Private not-for-profit · Bachelor's degree | $71,163 | 292 | 81% | $13,712 | $11,000 |
| 25 | Stevens Institute of Technology Hoboken, NJ Private not-for-profit · Bachelor's degree | $70,694 | 168 | 87% | $34,827 | $27,000 |
| 26 | Excelsior University Albany, NY Private not-for-profit · Bachelor's degree | $70,191 | 461 | — | — | $9,875 |
| 27 | Babson College Wellesley, MA Private not-for-profit · Bachelor's degree | $69,970 | 1,245 | 93% | $30,326 | $23,000 |
| 28 | Colorado State University Global Denver, CO Public · Bachelor's degree | $69,863 | 935 | — | — | $33,530 |
| 29 | Pepperdine University Malibu, CA Private not-for-profit · Bachelor's degree | $69,751 | 596 | 83% | $41,986 | $28,000 |
| 30 | Lehigh University Bethlehem, PA Private not-for-profit · Bachelor's degree | $69,289 | 53 | 88% | $26,912 | $20,500 |
| 31 | Thomas Edison State University Trenton, NJ Public · Bachelor's degree | $69,147 | 277 | — | — | $12,500 |
| 32 | Capella University Minneapolis, MN Private for-profit · Bachelor's degree | $68,701 | 1,641 | 20% | $19,369 | $33,750 |
| 33 | University of Illinois Urbana - Champaign Champaign, IL Public · Bachelor's degree | $68,442 | 1,655 | 85% | — | $19,175 |
| 34 | University of Richmond University of Richmond, VA Private not-for-profit · Bachelor's degree | $68,151 | 277 | 85% | $24,049 | $20,500 |
| 35 | Bentley University Waltham, MA Private not-for-profit · Bachelor's degree | $67,903 | 297 | 87% | $31,677 | $25,000 |
| 36 | Miami University - Oxford Oxford, OH Public · Bachelor's degree | $67,823 | 136 | 80% | — | $25,000 |
| 37 | University of Wisconsin - Madison Madison, WI Public · Bachelor's degree | $67,699 | 248 | 90% | — | $20,500 |
| 38 | Asbury University Wilmore, KY Private not-for-profit · Bachelor's degree | $67,117 | 56 | 65% | $19,816 | $16,125 |
| 39 | Embry - Riddle Aeronautical University - Prescott Prescott, AZ Private not-for-profit · Bachelor's degree | $66,999 | 15 | 68% | $38,461 | $20,508 |
| 40 | Embry - Riddle Aeronautical University - Daytona Beach Daytona Beach, FL Private not-for-profit · Bachelor's degree | $66,999 | 135 | 67% | $38,899 | $20,508 |
| 41 | Embry - Riddle Aeronautical University - Worldwide Daytona Beach, FL Private not-for-profit · Bachelor's degree | $66,999 | 951 | 21% | $21,266 | $20,508 |
| 42 | Western Governors University Salt Lake City, UT Private not-for-profit · Bachelor's degree | $66,432 | 8,683 | 46% | $11,580 | $22,087 |
| 43 | The University of Texas at Austin Austin, TX Public · Bachelor's degree | $66,289 | 674 | 89% | — | $20,750 |
| 44 | University of Minnesota - Twin Cities Minneapolis, MN Public · Bachelor's degree | $65,996 | 463 | 85% | — | $20,160 |
| 45 | Weber State University Ogden, UT Public · Bachelor's degree | $65,966 | 157 | 46% | — | $23,500 |
| 46 | James Madison University Harrisonburg, VA Public · Bachelor's degree | $65,931 | 218 | 80% | — | $19,750 |
| 47 | Clarkson University Potsdam, NY Private not-for-profit · Bachelor's degree | $65,887 | 104 | 75% | $27,281 | $24,757 |
| 48 | University of Maryland - College Park College Park, MD Public · Bachelor's degree | $65,842 | 223 | 89% | — | $20,500 |
| 49 | University of Illinois Chicago Chicago, IL Public · Bachelor's degree | $65,781 | 409 | 62% | — | $20,832 |
| 50 | Dominican University of California San Rafael, CA Private not-for-profit · Bachelor's degree | $65,611 | 101 | 78% | $48,448 | $27,000 |
Offered across 58 states & territories
The same program, compared state by state. Pick a state for in-state earnings and institutions.
Careers & outlook
The payoff after graduation: occupation 11-1021, General and Operations Managers, and its national outlook.
Graduates of the Business Administration program can pursue a variety of careers in management and operations. The job outlook is promising, with an expected growth rate of 4.4% and approximately 308,700 annual openings. The median wage for positions in this field is around $102,950, typically requiring a bachelor's degree.
Top-paying metros
Related careers
CIP-to-SOC crosswalk for Business Administration
The SOC occupations NCES officially maps to CIP 52.02.
Under the NCES CIP 2020 to SOC 2018 crosswalk, CIP 52.02 (Business Administration, Management and Operations) maps to 43 Standard Occupational Classification (SOC) occupations, the jobs the U.S. Department of Labor links to this field of study.
| SOC code | Occupation |
|---|---|
| 11-1011 | Chief Executives |
| 11-1021 | General and Operations Managersprimary |
| 11-2022 | Sales Managers |
| 11-2033 | Fundraising Managers |
| 11-3012 | Administrative Services Managers |
| 11-3013 | Facilities Managers |
| 11-3021 | Computer and Information Systems Managers |
| 11-3031 | Financial Managers |
| 11-3051 | Industrial Production Managers |
| 11-3061 | Purchasing Managers |
| 11-3071 | Transportation, Storage, and Distribution Managers |
| 11-3111 | Compensation and Benefits Managers |
| 11-3121 | Human Resources Managers |
| 11-3131 | Training and Development Managers |
| 11-9021 | Construction Managers |
| 11-9033 | Education Administrators, Postsecondary |
| 11-9039 | Education Administrators, All Other |
| 11-9041 | Architectural and Engineering Managers |
| 11-9072 | Entertainment and Recreation Managers, Except Gambling |
| 11-9111 | Medical and Health Services Managers |
| 11-9121 | Natural Sciences Managers |
| 11-9151 | Social and Community Service Managers |
| 11-9179 | Personal Service Managers, All Other |
| 11-9199 | Managers, All Other |
| 13-1011 | Agents and Business Managers of Artists, Performers, and Athletes |
| 13-1023 | Purchasing Agents, Except Wholesale, Retail, and Farm Products |
| 13-1051 | Cost Estimators |
| 13-1071 | Human Resources Specialists |
| 13-1081 | Logisticians |
| 13-1082 | Project Management Specialists |
| 13-1111 | Management Analysts |
| 13-1131 | Fundraisers |
| 13-1141 | Compensation, Benefits, and Job Analysis Specialists |
| 13-1199 | Business Operations Specialists, All Other |
| 13-2053 | Insurance Underwriters |
| 13-2054 | Financial Risk Specialists |
| 13-2099 | Financial Specialists, All Other |
| 15-2011 | Actuaries |
| 25-1011 | Business Teachers, Postsecondary |
| 41-1011 | First-Line Supervisors of Retail Sales Workers |
| 43-1011 | First-Line Supervisors of Office and Administrative Support Workers |
| 49-1011 | First-Line Supervisors of Mechanics, Installers, and Repairers |
| 51-1011 | First-Line Supervisors of Production and Operating Workers |
Source: National Center for Education Statistics, CIP 2020 to SOC 2018 Crosswalk.
Skills & knowledge in Business Administration programs
From the U.S. Dept. of Labor for the occupation this program most leads to.
Skills you'll build
Knowledge areas
What graduates do on the job
- Review financial statements, sales or activity reports, or other performance data to measure productivity or goal achievement or to identify areas needing cost reduction or program improvement.
- Direct and coordinate activities of businesses or departments concerned with the production, pricing, sales, or distribution of products.
- Direct administrative activities directly related to making products or providing services.
- Prepare staff work schedules and assign specific duties.
- Direct or coordinate financial or budget activities to fund operations, maximize investments, or increase efficiency.
- Plan or direct activities, such as sales promotions, that require coordination with other department managers.
Concentrations within Business Administration
Specializations under this field (NCES CIP 2020).
- Business Administration and Management, GeneralCIP 52.0201
A program that generally prepares individuals to plan, organize, direct, and control the functions and processes of a firm or organization
- Purchasing, Procurement/Acquisitions and Contracts ManagementCIP 52.0202
A program that prepares individuals to manage and/or administer the processes by which a firm or organization contracts for goods and services to support its operations, as well as contracts it to sel
- Logistics, Materials, and Supply Chain ManagementCIP 52.0203
A program that prepares individuals to manage and coordinate all logistical functions in an enterprise, ranging from acquisitions to receiving and handling, through internal allocation of resources to
- Office Management and SupervisionCIP 52.0204
A program that prepares individuals to supervise and manage the operations and personnel of business offices and management-level divisions
- Operations Management and SupervisionCIP 52.0205
A program that prepares individuals to manage and direct the physical and/or technical functions of a firm or organization, particularly those relating to development, production, and manufacturing
- Non-Profit/Public/Organizational ManagementCIP 52.0206
A program that prepares individuals to manage the business affairs of non-profit corporations, including foundations, educational institutions, associations, and other such organizations, and public a
- Customer Service ManagementCIP 52.0207
A program that prepares individuals to supervise and monitor customer service performance and manage frontline customer support services, call centers/help desks, and customer relations
- E-Commerce/Electronic CommerceCIP 52.0208
A program that prepares individuals to plan, manage, supervise, and market electronic business operations, products, and services provided online via the Internet
- Transportation/Mobility ManagementCIP 52.0209
A program that focuses on the theory, policy, law, and practices required to administrate and operate public transportation facilities, networks, services, and systems
- Research and Development ManagementCIP 52.0210
A program that prepares individuals to manage projects, programs and organizations involving basic and applied research, or specialized technology applications, in the public or private sectors
- Project ManagementCIP 52.0211
A program that prepares individuals to apply quantitative and qualitative knowledge, skills, tools, and techniques to manage projects in a wide range of fields and occupations
- Retail ManagementCIP 52.0212
A program that prepares individuals to manage the operations of a wide variety of retail businesses, including department stores; independent and chain stores; fashion, food and beverage, and pharmace
Common questions
What is the focus of the Business Administration program?+
The program focuses on management and operations within various business sectors.
What skills will I develop in this program?+
You will develop skills in critical thinking, communication, and management.
What are the career prospects after graduation?+
The job outlook is strong, with a growth rate of 4.4% and many opportunities available.
What level of education is typically required?+
A bachelor's degree is typically required for careers in this field.
How much do Business Administration graduates earn?+
Business Administration graduates report median earnings of $43,714 one year after graduation, per College Scorecard (2024); the General and Operations Managers occupation pays about $134,940 on average nationally (BLS OEWS May 2025).
What is the CIP code for Business Administration?+
Business Administration maps to CIP 52.02 in the Classification of Instructional Programs (CIP), the U.S. Department of Education taxonomy used for College Scorecard Field of Study earnings and IPEDS completions.
About the data on this page
Every figure comes from an official federal or public source. Here is each one and the release it is currently on.
Explore every U.S. college in one conversation
Clema turns plain-language questions into sourced answers across every U.S. institution — earnings, aid, acceptance, graduation, safety, and athletics from IPEDS, College Scorecard, and 10+ federal datasets, built in.
Free for teams up to 3 · No credit card