Key Information:
- Georgia Tech and University of Pennsylvania offer two of the top business administration bachelor’s degree programs.
- A degree in business administration opens doors to career paths in finance, marketing, management, and entrepreneurship.
- These best programs cover essential business topics such as economics, accounting, business law, and strategic management.
- Top programs are accredited by reputable organizations like AACSB. This assures high-quality education and recognition in the business world.
For many students, business administration is an excellent major. This is because it is one of the most in-demand majors across the board. This major is versatile and allows people to pursue a wide array of positions once they have graduated. Moreover, those who choose to work in business administration enjoy above-average growth when compared to other careers.
If you are wondering about the various benefits of studying business administration, some of them are:
- Leadership Development: While some people assert that leadership skills are innate, they can actually be learned. Therefore, if you want to become a more effective leader, majoring in business administration can be one of the best moves you’ve ever made.
- Continuing Education: Majoring in business administration allows you to continue your education to pursue bigger and better positions. In fact, by pursuing your MBA, you can go on to acquire even higher-paying jobs.
- Wide Range of Career Options: As mentioned, majoring in business administration offers a wide variety of career options. Virtually every sector can benefit from business administration. Once you have graduated, you will be able to pick and choose from a wide variety of careers that are in high demand.
- High-Paying Jobs: As mentioned, the jobs in business administration are known for being higher paying when compared to many other sectors. Even the base pay is comparably higher than many other positions. However, those who choose to stick to this career path tend to earn a great living over time. Moreover, they also have plenty of options for career advancement.
Methodology: Ranking the Best Bachelor’s in Business Management Programs
Aspiring management professionals should take return on investment seriously, and so do the editors at Bachelor’s Degree Center. We feature only reputable, accredited colleges and universities, ranking programs according to their cost, graduate salary, and student satisfaction. Data comes from IPEDS and Niche.
1. Georgia Institute of Technology, Scheller College of Business
Georgia Institute of Technology’s Scheller College of Business offers a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration (BSBA) degree program that is recognized among the best and innovative Bachelors in Business Management degree program. Classes for GIT’s BS in Business Management program include human resources, microeconomics, organizational behavior, financial management, and quantitative analysis for business professionals, to name a few. Degree candidates enrolled in Georgia Institute of Technology’s Bachelor of Science in Business Administration degree has many study-abroad opportunities from which to choose while studying for their baccalaureate business degree.
Founded in the 1880s, the Georgia Institute of Technology (Georgia Tech) was built as part of the reconstruction of the parts of the southern United States after the Civil War. The school’s distance-learning platform and various campuses serve nearly 37,000 undergraduate and graduate students each year.
What We Like: Georgia Institute of Technology is also a space-grant school that is a member of Georgia’s university system.
Program: BSBA
Georgia Institute of Technology
2. University of Pennsylvania, The Wharton School
The University of Pennsylvania’s Wharton School offers a Bachelor of Business Administration (BBA) degree program that ranked among the best Bachelors in Business Management degree programs in the nation and the world. Wharton School is considered to be among the finest graduate business schools in the nation and the world. The University of Pennsylvania’s BS in Business Management program offers students eighteen concentrations that range from business energy, accounting marketing, operations, health care management economics, analytics, real estate, statistics, social impact, and a customizable individual program, among others.
Founded in the 1740s by Benjamin Franklin, the University of Pennsylvania (UPenn) now operates as an Ivy League university with more than 22,250 undergraduate and graduate students each year studying for degrees and programs offered by Penn’s sixteen colleges/schools.
What We Like: The University of Pennsylvania is recognized to be one of the nine colonial schools in the nation, having been established prior to the American Revolution.
Program: BBA
3. Georgetown University, McDonough School of Business
Georgetown University’s McDonough School of Business offers a Bachelor of Science – BS in Business Management, Leadership, and Innovation degree program that requires students to finish a minimum of 120 undergraduate degree programs, of which 38 credits must be from the major’s curriculum. The academic concentrations available from Georgetown University’s Bachelors in Business Management degree programs include management, accounting, finance, international political economy, and operations and information management, to name a few.
Established as a college in the late 1780s, Georgetown University now operates as a Jesuit research institution of higher learning with an endowment that nears 2 billion dollars. More than 18,550 undergraduate and graduate students are enrolled and taking classes at Georgetown University every year.
What We Like: Georgetown’s notable alumni include US Diplomats, members of US Congress, Supreme Court Justices, and 2 United States presidents, among many other distinguished individuals
Program: BS in Management, Leadership, and Innovation
4. University of Virginia, McIntire School of Commerce
The University of Virginia’s McIntire School of Commerce offers a completion Bachelor of Science in Commerce, delivering a cutting-edge liberal arts and business curriculum that prepares students for a career in leadership and success. The University of Virginia’s AACSB-accredited Bachelors in Business Management degree as a completion program can be completed in as few as two years. This BS in Business Management degree from UVA offers degree candidates immersive education by way of opportunities to study abroad in many locations.
Chartered as a public research school in 1819, the University of Virginia was founded by Thomas Jefferson, who originally conceived the first architecture courses. As a space-grant school, the University of Virginia is home to more than 24,850 undergraduate and graduate students vying for degrees and programs offered by t UVA’s eleven schools/colleges.
What We Like: The original governing board of UVA included Thomas Jefferson, James Monroe, and James Madison.
Program: BS in Commerce
5. University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign, Gies College of Business
The University of Illinois’s Gies College of Business offers a Bachelor of Science, a BS in Business Management degree that is ranked among the twenty best Bachelors in Business Management degree programs in the nation. Classes for UIUC’s business administration baccalaureate degree include management decisions models, professional responsibility and business, leading individuals and teams, professional responsibility and industry, business in a global perspective, and operations management, to name a few.
The UC campus of the University of Illinois was established under the Morrill Act in the 1860s. In addition, the University of Illinois is a sea and space-grant (and land-grant) institution of higher learning with a student enrollment that exceeds 52,150 undergraduate and graduate students each year.
What We Like: The University of Illinois also maintains a research and innovation park where nearly 100 startup companies and well-known corporations have worked together in the research field.
Program: BS in Management
6. University of California, Berkeley, Haas School of Business
The University of California, Berkeley’s Haas School of Business offers a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration (BSBA) degree program is one of the most competitive programs in the nation. The University of California’s BS in Business Management degree program includes 38 upper-division business classes, including business communications, microeconomic analysis for business decisions, marketing, and finance, to name a few. Graduates of UC Berkeley’s AACSB-accredited Bachelors in Business Management degree program find rewarding careers as analysts, consultants, product managers, credit analysts, and accountants, among others.
The University of California’s Berkeley campus (UC Berkeley) was established as a result of the Morrill Land Grant in the late 1860s – the state of California’s first land-grant institution of higher learning. The school’s distance learning platform and central California campus are home to more than 42,250 students each year.
What We Like: Many education publications recognized the University of California at Berkeley among the top of the globe’s universities.
Program: BSBA
University of California, Berkeley
7. University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Ross School of Business
The University of Michigan’s Ross School of Business offers a Bachelor of Business Administration (BBA) degree program that is ranked by US News and World Report as the third-best Bachelors in Business Management degree program in the country. Classes for UM’s AACSB-accredited BS in Business Management degree program include accounting, introduction to finance, leading change, human resource management, and a culminating capstone project, to name a few. Additionally, students have the option of participating in study abroad opportunities.
The University of Michigan’s Ann Arbor campus was originally founded in Detroit in 1817 but moved to its current location about two years later. The University of Michigan is also a space and sea-grant institution of higher education with a student enrollment that exceeds 45,950 undergraduate and graduate students.
What We Like: The university is the state’s flagship campus that began with forty acres and has grown to more than 96- acres, with academic satellite facilities in Dearborn, Flint, and Detroit.
Program: BBA
8. Virginia Tech, Pamplin College of Business
Virginia Tech’s Pamplin College of Business & Management offers a Bachelor of Science in Management that is recognized to be the sixth-best Bachelors in Business Management degree program in the nation, according to Great Business Schools. Virginia Tech’s BS in Business Management degree program offers academic tracks in Entrepreneurship Innovation and Technology (EIT), Human Resource Management (HRM), and Management Consulting and Analytics. Virginia Tech’s business management core includes classes in leadership, problem-solving, and communication skills, to name a few.
Virginia Tech is a land, sea, and space-grant designated higher learning institution that was established in the 1870s. Virginia Tech is also recognized as one of the nation’s senior military schools – through its Corps of Cadets ROTC program, with a student enrollment of more than 36,150 students on its college-town campus and through its distance-learning platform.
What We Like: Virginia Tech’s eight colleges/schools offer nearly 300 academic and certificate programs at the bachelor’s, masters, and doctoral levels.
Program: BS in Business
9. Texas A&M University, Mays Business School
Texas A&M’s Mays Business School offers a Bachelor of Business Administration (BBA) degree program that is among Texas’s top AACSB-accredited Bachelors in Business Management degree programs. This BS in Business Management degree from Texas A&M offers academic emphases in accounting, supply chain, business honors, management information systems, marketing, finance, and management. Texas A&M offers its BBA students study abroad opportunities to help inspire future leaders, with grads entering the workforce in government agencies, Fortune 500 countries, and retail/services industries, to name a few.
Established in the 1870s, Texas A&M is the flagship school of the A&M system and a senior military college with a student enrollment that nears 70,000 each year. In addition, Texas A&M is a space and sea-grant designated school with a systemwide endowment of more than 13 billion dollars.
What We Like: Texas A&M is consistently ranked among the best and most affordable schools in the Lone Star State and beyond.
Program: BBA
10. University of Texas, Austin, McCombs School of Business
The University of Texas, Austin’s McCombs School of Business offers a Bachelor of Business Administration (BBA) degree program that US News ranks as the fifth-best Bachelors in Business Management degree program in the country. The McCombs School of Business’s BS in Business Management degree offers these specialties, entrepreneurship, accounting, analytics, marketing, management information systems, management, and finance. More than 4,500 students attend classes offered by UT’s business school in Austin.
The University of Texas’s campus in the state’s capital is the flagship campus of the state’s university system. Founded in 1883, UT Austin is also a space-grant school with a student enrollment that exceeds 51,000 undergraduate and graduate students each year.
What We Like: The student athletes play as the Longhorns within the Big 12 conference, with an impressive array of national championships across sports.
Program: Texas BBA
University of Texas, Austin
11. University of Wisconsin Madison, School of Business
The University of Wisconsin School of Business offers a Bachelor of Business Administration (BBA) degree program that is ranked by US News and World Report among the seventh-best Bachelors in Business Management degree programs in the nation. The University of Wisconsin’s BS in Business Management degree offers degree candidates eleven majors that include, in part, real estate, information systems, finance, investment and banking, risk management and insurance, international business, management, risk management and insurance, and human resource management, to name a few.
The University of Wisconsin, located in Madison, is the state’s flagship school campus. UW was founded in 1848, the same year Wisconsin became a state. In addition, UW is a sea-grant designated institution of higher education with more than 45,350 students each year.
What We Like: The University of Wisconsin also maintains an arboretum located a few miles for nearly 100 years that is considered a National Historic Landmark.
Program: BBA
12. William & Mary, Raymond A. Mason School of Business
The William & Mary’s Mason School of Business offers a Bachelor of Business Administration (BBA) degree program that has received AACSB accreditation. William & Mary’s Bachelors in Business Management degree program offers majors in supply chain analytics, data analytics, accounting, marketing, and finance. This BS in Business Management degree also offers degree candidates an international emphasis, enhancing the student’s academic knowledge with a global study option in their field of interest.
Chartered in the 1690s by King William III and Queen Mary II, William & Mary has educated some of the most influential individuals since its inception, including three presidents. More than 8,550 undergraduate and graduate students attend classes online or on the Williamsburg campus.
What We Like: William & Mary is recognized to be the country’s second-oldest institution of higher learning, with Harvard being the oldest.
Program: BBA
William & Mary
13. University of Notre Dame, Mendoza College of Business
The University of Notre Dame’s Mendoza College of Business offers a Bachelor of Business Administration (BBA) degree program that is recognized to be the fifth-best BS in Business Management degree program by Poets and Quants. Additionally, the University of Notre Dame’s AACSB-accredited Bachelors in Business Management degree program offers students more than three dozen study abroad opportunities in twenty international locations. Students have these concentrations from which to choose, marketing, management consulting finance, accountancy, business technology, and business analytics.
Founded in the 1840s, the University of Notre Dame is a Catholic higher learning institution that is often recognized among the top schools in the nation. The university’s student enrollment nears 13,000 students studying for degrees offered by Notre Dames’ six colleges/schools.
What We Like: The University of Notre Dame’s athletes play as the Fighting Irish football team, which historically includes seven Heisman Trophy winners and more than five dozen members of the College Football Hall of Fame.
Program: BBA
14. University of Minnesota, Carlson School of Management
The University of Minnesota’s Carlson School of Management offers a Bachelor of Science in Business that offers business majors/students ten academic majors. The University of Minnesota’s AACSB International-accredited BS in Business Management degree program offers an impressive 16 to 1 student to faculty ratio for its business classes. Core immersion curriculum for UM’s Bachelors in Business Management degree program includes finance fundamentals, the principle of economics, contemporary management, supply chain and operations, principles of marketing, and business strategy, to name a few.
Founded in the 1850s under the Morrill Land Grant Act, the University of Minnesota is also the state’s flagship campus that is home to nearly 50,000 undergraduate and graduate students each year.
What We Like: The University of Minnesota is also a multiple campus school and the oldest institution of higher education in Minnesota.
Program: BS in Business
15. Boston College, Carroll School of Management
Boston College’s Carroll School of Management offers a Bachelor of Science in Management that is a top Bachelors in Business Management degree program in New England and beyond. Classes for BC’s AACSB-accredited BS in Business Management degree program include business statistics, digital technology, introduction to law, business analytics, fundaments of finance, and operations management, to name a few. Degree candidates must finish 120 undergraduate credit units to meet program criteria that include eleven business-related concentrations.
Chartered in the 1860s as a Jesuit Institution of Higher Education, Boston College that serves about 14,500 students online and on its various Boston-vicinity campuses. Boston College is consistently recognized among the top schools in the United States and the world.
What We Like: The men’s ice hockey team plays as the Eagles and has won five national ice hockey championships.
Program: BS in Management
16. Washington University in St. Louis, Olin Business School
Washington University in St. Louis’s Olin Business School offers a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration (BSBA) degree program that offers twenty study-abroad opportunities across fifteen international locations. Washington University in St. Louis’s AACSB-accredited Bachelors in Business Management degree program provides eight business majors — all offered on the number college campus, according to Business Insider. This BS in Business Management degree program also offers a 97% placement rate for business major graduates within 90 days after graduating.
Founded in the 1850s as a private university, Washington University in St. Louis (WUSTL) now operates as a multiple campus institution of higher education that is home to more than 12,440 students each year.
What We Like: Washington University in St. Louis has held a number of presidential and vice-presidential debates – more than any other institution of higher education.
Program: BSBA
Washington University in St. Louis
17. Wake Forest University
Wake Forest University’s School of Business offers a Bachelor of Science in Business with a variety of academic concentrations. Wake Forest University’s BS in Business Management degree program includes academic tracks in accountancy, finance, math business, or business & enterprise management. In addition, several ranking services rank Wake Forest University’s Bachelors in Business Management degree program among the top in teaching quality and overall undergraduate programs. The school’s four-year graduation rate is 98%, and a student-to-faculty ratio of 12 to 1.
Founded as a Baptist-affiliated higher learning institution, Wake Forest University now operates as a nonsectarian research school with a student enrollment of nearly 9,000 students. Wake Forest University is consistently recognized among the top universities in the nation and the area’s top employer.
What We Like: Wake Forest University’s notable alumni include two senators, Phillip Griffiths (a distinguished mathematician) and Maya Angelou.
Program: BS in Business
18. Cornell University, Dyson School of Applied Economics and Management
Cornell University’s Dyson School of Applied Economics and Management offers a Bachelor of Science in Applied Economics and Management, one of the finest BS in Business Management degrees from an Ivy League university. Cornell University’s AACSB-accredited Bachelors in Business Management degree program offers ten academic business-related concentrations in accounting, applied economics & management, agribusiness management, strategy, marketing entrepreneurship, international trade & development, environmental energy & resource economics, finance, and food industry management.
Founded in 1865, Cornell University is a land-grant private school that ranks among the finest institutions of education that serves more than 24,000 students across its campuses in Upstate New York (Ithaca), New York City, and Doha, Qatar. The university operates satellite facilities in each of New York counties
What We Like: Cornell University is comprised of fourteen undergraduate and graduate colleges/schools that include programs from sciences to the classics.
Program: BS in Applied Economics and Management
19. Ohio State University, Fisher School of Business
The Ohio State University’s Fisher School of Business offers a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration (BSBA) degree program that is among the top Bachelors in Business Management degree programs in Ohio. This AACSB-accredited BS in Business Management degree from OSU includes twelve concentrations that include, in part, economics, finance, accounting, aviation management, insurance, and international business, among others. The total coursework required to complete Ohio State University’s undergraduate degree program in business is 121.
Established in the 1870s as an agricultural & mechanical on the edge of Columbus in what was then a farming community. Ohio State University is a sea, land, and space-grant institution of higher education that serves more than 67,550 undergraduate and graduate students every year.
What We Like: The Ohio State University is a multiple campus institution of higher learning that operates as Ohio’s flagship university.
Program: BSBA
20. Babson College
Babson College offers a BS in Management that offers degree candidates 27 academic tracks from which to choose as a business major. These concentrations in Babson College’s AACSB-accredited BS in Business Management degree range from real estate to international business to quantitative methods, and social & cultural studies, to name a few. Foundational business core classes in Babson’s Bachelors in Business Management degree program include socio0ecological systems, foundations of management and entrepreneurship, plus an advanced experiential practicum, among others.
Babson College is a business school that was founded as Babson Institute in 1919, a school exclusively for men but became a coeducational school fifty years later. The college’s suburban campus in Wellesley and online platform serves more than 3,000 undergraduate and graduate students.
What We Like: Babson College is a part of BOW – a three school consortium that includes Olin College & Wellesley College.
Program: BS in Management
21. University of Southern California, Marshall School of Business
The University of Southern California’s Marshall School of Business offers a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration (BSBA) degree program that is among the country’s top BS in Business Management degree programs. Classes for the University of Southern California’s AACSB-accredited Bachelors in Business Management degree program include entrepreneurship, finance, business economics, data science & operations, business communication, marketing, management & organization, and accounting to name a few. Additionally, USC offers specialized pathways in international relations, cinematic arts, computer science, and real estate.
Founded as a private university in 1880, the University of Southern California (SC) is recognized as the oldest research school that operates privately. The University’s Los Angeles campus and online programs serve about 48,100 students each year. USC is comprised of 24 undergraduate and graduate schools/colleges.
What We Like: The University of Southern California’s scholars have been involved in significant technological and scientific breakthroughs.
Program: BBA
University of Southern California
22. University of Maryland, Robert H. Smith School of Business
The University of Maryland’s Smith School of Business offers a Bachelor of Science in Business and Management that is among the most innovative Bachelors in Business Management degree programs in Maryland. This undergraduate management degree requires degree candidates to complete 121 credit units. Classes of the University of Maryland’s AACSB-accredited BS in Business Management degree program include fraud examination advanced auditing theory and practice, business value chain, public speaking, and ethics and professional, among others.
The University of Maryland’s campus in College Park was established in the 8150s as a land-grant agricultural school. The College Park campus is the state’s flagship school and is also a sea and space-grant university with more than 41,140 students.
What We Like: The campus’s proximity to Washington, DC has set up research partnerships with many government agencies.
Program: BS in Management
23. Pennsylvania State University, Smeal College of Business
Pennsylvania State University’s Smeal Undergraduate College of Business offers a Bachelor of Business Administration (BBA) degree program that offers business majors nine academic business-related specializations. Pennsylvania State University’s AACSB-accredited BS in Business Management degree program includes actuarial science, finance, management information systems, supply chain and information systems, risk management, and marketing, among others. Each year, more than 300 business and corporate businesses recruit from that year’s graduating Bachelors in Business Management degree program.
Chartered as a high school in 1855, Pennsylvania State University now operates academic facilities throughout Pennsylvania, in addition to its main campus in University Park. Pennsylvania State University is a four-designation school (sea, space, land, and sun) that is home to nearly 90,000 students each year.
What We Like: PSU’s Nittany Lions play in the Big Ten, Division 1 NCAA league, with students having won more than 50 Olympic medals.
Program: BBA
Pennsylvania State University
24. Boston University, Questrom School of Business
Boston University’s Questrom School of Business offers a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration (BSBA) degree program that is ranked among the nation’s best AACSB-accredited BS in Business Management degree programs offering impressive study abroad opportunities to business/management majors. Boston University’s Bachelors in Business Management degree program includes coursework in managerial accounting, modeling business decisions and market outcomes, management communication, probabilistic and statistical decision-making for management, macro analysis theory, and measuring financial value, to name a few.
Established in the 1830s in Vermont, Boston University now operates with multiple campuses in Boston and beyond, with its main campus along the Charles River on the opposite side from MIT. Nearly 35,000 students attend classes online and the Boston University’s various campuses.
What We Like: Boston University’s men’s ice hockey is world-renowned and has won a number of national ice hockey championships.
Program: BSBA
25. University of Connecticut School of Business
The University of Connecticut’s School of Business offers a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration (BSBA) degree program that is recognized as one of New England’s most innovative BS in Business Management degree programs. Classes for the University of Connecticut’s AACSB-accredited Bachelors in Business Management degree program include contemporary issues in finance, real estate principles, investments & security analysis, commercial real estate appraisal, financial derivatives, and entrepreneurial finance, among others.
The University of Connecticut was founded as the result of the Morrill Land Act in the 1880s as an agricultural school. UConn now operates as a sea, land, and space-grant school and the state’s flagship campus with more than 27,100 students each year.
What We Like: The University of Connecticut is a founding member of what is known as New England’s Knowledge Corridor – from Hartford to Springfield, Massachusetts.
Program: BSBA
What is Business Administration and Management?
For those who are yet unfamiliar, business administration and management is a sector that allows those who choose to work in this sector to direct the operations of an organization. Studying this field may mean being exposed to material in relation to finance, economics, human resource functions, statistical analysis, and much more. Upon graduation, those who choose to work in this field can work in a wide array of sectors and for organizations of all sizes. This is because the skills learned when studying this major are vast and can be applied to business models of all kids.
Types of skills learned:
- How to lead and motivate others
- How to communicate effectively with people from all walks of life
- How to negotiate and get better deals for your company
- How to think critically
- How to create simple solutions for complex issues
- Financial intelligence
- Information technology skills
- Supervision and management
Is Business Administration a Good Major?
Depending on which sector you choose to work in, you will see more or less growth. For instance, the following sectors offer a great level of growth:
- Appraising and Assessing of Real Estate: 3% growth
- Management Analysis: 11% growth
- Market Research Analysis: 18% growth
- Fundraising: 14% growth
- Personal Financial Advisement: 4% growth
Moreover, those who major in business administration also enjoy great salaries. Here is an overview of how the salaries add up depending on the job you choose:
- Appraisers and Assessors of Real Estate $57,010
- Personal Financial Advisor $87,850
- Fundraiser $57,970
- Financial Analyst $81,590
- Management Analyst $85,260
- Budget Analyst $76,540
- Logisticians $74,750
- Insurance Underwriter $70,020
- Accountant or Auditor $71,550
- Market Research Analyst $63,790
Therefore, there is a variety of high-paying jobs available to those who choose to major in business administration.
What Kinds of Business Accreditation Are There?
If you are wondering about the various types of accreditation, they are as follows:
- AACSB: This is an international accreditation and they have been accrediting MBA and other business-related degree programs in the US and abroad since 1916. Therefore, those who choose this accreditation enjoy the benefits of being backed by one of the most well-known types of accreditation in the world. The emphasis is on management, above all. Therefore, this is ideal for anyone who wants to be a manager at an array of businesses and may want to drive business and help them achieve greater profits and longevity.
- ACBSP: This type of accreditation was formed in 1989. They emphasize teaching over academic research. Therefore, this is ideal for anyone who wants to go directly into teaching rather than conducting research.
- IACBE: This was created in 1997. The purpose of this accreditation is to provide business programs with accreditation that works in the following way, “The vision of the IACBE is to be the leader in mission-driven and outcomes-based programmatic accreditation for business and management education.”
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