Salaries School

Starting Salaries for Business School Graduates

Earning a business degree is the first step to a stable and lucrative career.

With your completed degree in business administration, you can expect substantial starting salaries. Associates Degree in Business Administration

Associate degree programs are generally two-year programs offered by technical institutes or community colleges. They are designed to give students a general education in business, and there are many satisfying careers available to the holder of an associate's degree in business:

Office Manager $37,380

Executive Assistant $41,850

Retail Store Manager $41,850

Administrative Assistant $29,893

Human Resources $49,821

Customer Service Representative $31,886

Bachelor in Business Administration

There are many rewarding careers available to the proud graduate of a bachelor's program in business administration. Remember, salaries vary considerably with experience, so you can assume starting salaries are somewhat lower:

Controller (Financial) $87,777

Human Resources Manager $61,526

Project manager, Construction $76,908

Human Resources Director $72,806

Executive Administrative Assistant $36,454

Senior Accountant $51,272

Masters in Business Administration

Just as recruiting has increased in the United States, MBA salaries also have risen--as have tuition costs. Consulting $101,736

Energy Utility $100,263

Finance $103,122

Health Care $111,477

High Tech $ 98,621

Manufacturing $ 98,417

Nonprofit/Government $ 73,125

Products/Service $ 94,558

The Business PhD

Earning a doctorate in business can help you get ahead of the competition and land a high paying business or teaching job. Many CEO's today have a business administration doctorate degree, but there is also a more traditional PhD program available in business as well. Here are the differences in the two degrees and the salaries available:

This degree PhD program in business focus intensively on preparing candidates to conduct highly specialized scholarly research. Most holders of a business PhD become faculty at Business schools. An Associate Professor at a Business School can expect a starting salary of about $110,000 a year, with a full professor eventually earning closer to $150,000 a year.

o Doctor of Business Administration (which is not a PhD, but a DBA degree) programs focus on the application of theory rather than on the development of new theory. Lawyers make up one of the highest paying professions available. Their investment of time and money, though, is part of what allows them to command such high salaries, so let's talk for a minute about the salary increase for lawyers and the commitment required.

Shadow

Before you officially start law school, shadow several lawyers. Have you shadowed a lawyer?

Is the salary increase worth all that work?