Business Degree Salary Potential: Your 2026 Earning Guide

Key takeaways

• Earning an undergraduate business degree can often lead to higher-than-average salaries and a variety of career options.

• The average Bachelor of Business Administration degree salary starts at $62,856 [1], while the average Master of Business Administration (MBA) base salary is $103,000 [2].

• Jobs you can get with a business degree include management, accounting, marketing, finance, administration, and general business positions.

Business degrees that pay the most tend to be management information systems, actuarial science, and logistics/supply chain majors [1]. Learn about the salaries you may be able to earn with a business degree, and the factors that can further elevate your salary.

Average business degree salary

Business graduates have knowledge and skills that resonate with what many major employers need. According to the National Association of Colleges and Employers (NACE), six of the 10 most in-demand majors are in business [1]. There's a reason why majoring in business remains such a popular option among US bachelor's degree graduates [2]. Not only can the degree be versatile, leading to a variety of career options, but it also tends to yield higher salaries.

According to the US Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), business degree holders earn a median annual wage of $75,000 [4]. That’s higher than the median wage for bachelor’s degree holders across all fields: $70,000 [4].

However, several factors can influence salary beyond the field of your degree. Let's explore each of them.

Learn more: Is a Business Degree Worth It?

Business degree salary by major

When you earn a business degree, it's possible to choose a concentration to develop specialized knowledge in, and several of these can lead to higher incomes. The most common business majors are management and administration, general business, accounting, marketing and market research, and finance [4]. According to the BLS, about 88 percent of business degrees are in these focus areas [4].

According to the National Association of Colleges and Employers (NACE), the business majors associated with the highest average starting salaries, or entry-level salaries, are management information systems (MIS) and actuarial science [1].

The following offers a look at the average business degree starting salaries ranked by major, according to NACE [1]:

Business degree salary by occupation

You may decide to pursue several career paths with a business degree, and each is associated with different salary expectations over time. Still, most business occupations with a bachelor’s degree as the minimum education requirement are associated with salaries exceeding the national mean wage for all occupations, $49,500 [5].

Most people with a business degree will work in management or business, accounting, or financial operations occupations, according to the BLS [4]. The median salary for all careers that the BLS classifies as management occupations is $122,090 [5], while the median salary for business and financial operations occupations is $80,920 [6]. Note that management salaries tend to be higher since they are often higher-level positions requiring several years of work experience.

The following represents the median wages and job growth rates for the top-employing roles for people with a business degree, according to the BLS [4]:

Business degree salary by location

Where you live may influence your compensation. Often, employers will adjust salaries to reflect your local cost of living. Places where the cost of living is high, such as in a major city, tend to reflect higher salaries than places where the cost of living is lower, such as a less expensive suburb. Additionally, employer demand for specific roles may be higher in some areas than others, increasing the average salary.

The states with the highest average salary for business majors, according to Zippia, include [7]:

Additionally, the cities with the highest average salary for business majors include [7]:

Business degree salary by university

Degrees from certain business schools may offer higher starting salaries. Many elements can factor into this, such as a school’s reputation, the quality of education, or a robust alumni network.

The business schools associated with the highest starting salaries include the following, according to an analysis from Poets & Quants [8]:

Do you make a lot of money with a business degree?

Tip: Look for your school’s employment report to see the salary ranges your program’s previous graduates earned once they completed their degree. In the report, you may also see the specific job roles and companies where they accepted job offers.

Business degree salary: Career advancement

A bachelor’s degree is the typical entry-level education requirement for several business occupations. However, about 26 percent of business graduates continue their education with an advanced degree [4]. Earning an advanced business degree, such as a Master of Science (MS) or Master of Business Administration (MBA), can help you qualify for higher-level positions and increased salaries as you continue to grow within your field.

Consider the average base salaries in the US for business master’s degree holders, according to Payscale:

Explore a business career with free resources

Subscribe to our YouTube channel for expert guidance and no-fluff tips to help you build your skills, decide on a degree, or learn about career options. You can also explore free business career resources with the following:

• Watch on YouTube: Data Analyst vs. Business Analyst: Which Career Path Is Right for You?

• Read our Career Chat issue: Business Intelligence Analysts Explained: Duties + Skills

• Take a quiz: Career Test: What Career is Right for Me Quiz?

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