The Different Business Degrees Available

A prospective business student interested in a business degree must look at all the different options available to help determine which campus-based or online business program is right for them.

The following will go over different business degrees available. For example degrees available in each of the different levels, and potential income from an occupation acquired with the given degree. You'll find that a huge variety of business degrees are available for almost any specialty.

Vocational Training

Vocational training is the modern-day apprenticeship. A business student that receives vocational training might be certified in a very narrow, entry-level field. This kind of narrow post-secondary education cannot be applied towards a future degree like an associate's degree can and is generally not recommended for business students that are considering a Bachelor of Science or Master in Business Administration in the future. Everest College offers a Business Operations Certificate Program that provides basic experience with office operations, business writing, business presentations, desktop publishing, and records and data management.

Different jobs and reported median incomes for vocational training/certification with 0-2 years experience:

CAD Drafter: $31,129 to $52,675
Real Estate Agent: $34,890 to $45,429
Systems Administrator: $53,320

Associate's Degree

An associate's degree is a 2-year degree that involves principle ideas surrounding a specific subject and a broad college-level general education. Unlike vocational training, an associate's degree allows room for improvement if the business-oriented student chooses to continue school and further their career. An associate's degree can later be built upon with a bachelor's degree or master's degree. Ashworth College offers associate degrees in accounting and business management for entry-level business positions.

Different jobs and reported median incomes for an associate's degree with 0-2 years experience:

Employment Placement Specialist / Recruiter: $34,585
Administrative / Office Manager: $37,616
Executive Secretary: $43,234

Bachelor's Degree

The bachelor's degree is the 4-year degree or "traditional college degree." A bachelor's degree focuses on a specific subject, or "major," and spends two years on general education and two years on the major selected. It is also known as the "undergraduate degree." Business bachelor degrees include, but are not limited to: accounting; administrations; bookkeeping; entrepreneurship; finance; general business; management; and marketing. Saint Leo University, a military-friendly school, offers bachelor degree programs in accounting, business administration, computer information systems, entrepreneurship and family business, and other valuable business degrees that will launch your career into success.

Different jobs and reported median incomes for a bachelor's degree with 0-2 years experience:

Accountant: $40,247 to $61,381
Human Resources (HR) Manager: $56,213
Sr. Software Engineer / Programmer: $86,85

Master's Degree

The master's degree is an additional two years of school beyond the bachelor's degree. The most common master's degree for business-oriented college students is the Master of Science in Business Administration, or the M.B.A. The M.B.A. typically involves an internship in place of a thesis paper. American Sentinel University offers a general M.B.A. and an M.B.A. that focuses in the healthcare industry. Other great online MBA degree programs include Hawai'i Pacific University.

Different jobs and reported median incomes for a master's degree with 0-2 years experience:

Executive Director, Non-profit Organization: $68,054
Architect: $60,471
Sr. Software Engineer / Developer / Programmer: $92,855

For prospective students interested in small business ventures (entrepreneurship), the U.S. Department of Labor has a division specifically designated to small business firms that discusses potential income and future prospects. In today's market, small business ventures are one of the largest generators of jobs and providers to future economic stability.

Once you understand the different kinds of degrees available to you, you should ask yourself the following questions to determine what is best for you:

This should steer you in the right direction when selecting your degree. For example, if you are going back to school because you want to go into management, and management is definitely our career goal, vocational training is not for you. You should look into a higher degree like a bachelor's or master's degree. If your previous educational experience is a bachelor's degree and you need that extra educational kicker to get into management, then pursue an M.B.A.

References

[1] http://www.salary.com
[2] http://www.payscale.com