BBA vs. BSBA: Jobs, Career Opportunities, and Salaries

If you’re interested in the business world, you’ve likely heard about different bachelor’s degrees, but you may not understand what they mean. BBA vs. BSBA—what’s the difference? They both prepare individuals for a career in business administration, but they have different focuses and can, therefore, lead to different career opportunities.

Whether you’re just starting or you’re already working in a business-related field and wish to advance in your career, business administration is a lucrative field with considerable earning potential. With the right training, you can succeed in areas such as accounting, finance, marketing, economics, and information systems.¹ Median pay for business occupations is impressive, such as $93,000 per year for a management analyst and $133,380 for a marketing manager.^2,3

An online bachelor’s degree in business administration can open doors to a lot of possibilities. In this article, we explain the difference between BBA and BSBA degrees and examine the career options for those with a bachelor’s degree in business administration. We also look at the types of occupations BBA and BSBA graduates can look forward to, as well as the median salaries of BSBA and BBA jobs.

When you earn a degree in business administration, you’ll find that you have access to greater opportunities. In either a Bachelor of Business Administration (BBA) or Bachelor of Science in Business Administration (BSBA) degree program, you’ll gain deep knowledge in a broad area of business skills, from soft skills like communications and human resources to more data-driven, analytical skills.⁴

One difference between BBA vs. BSBA programs is that Bachelor of Science degrees place a stronger emphasis on science and math.⁵ In business administration, this may include courses in micro- and macroeconomic analysis, statistics, database design and financial accounting, in addition to human resources management, leadership, and strategic decision-making.⁶

The amount of compensation you can earn will depend on not just your degree (BBA vs. BSBA) but your work experience, location, and other factors. Note that the salaries below for Bachelor of Business Administration jobs and Bachelor of Science in Business Administration jobs are median salaries in the United States.

Examples of BBA jobs and average salaries include:

• Human resources (HR) director—$88,048⁷
• Financial controller—$86,931⁷
• Project manager—$72,014⁷
• Senior accountant—$70,552⁷
• Operations manager—$68,941⁷

Examples of BSBA jobs and salaries include:

• Chief financial officer—$140,827⁸
• Finance manager—$124,520⁹
• Financial analyst—$95,570¹⁰
• Financial planning manager—$93,774¹¹
• Financial advisor—$81,243²

A BSBA degree offers a wider variety of career options and generally higher salaries, due to its more technical focus. In addition to BBA-level jobs, BSBA graduates will also be prepared for positions that require mathematical and analytical skills.

What kind of BSBA jobs are out there? A number of top-paying occupations that are available to BSBA graduates, with a description of professional responsibilities, follow here. Although the titles of several of these BSBA jobs may sound similar to each other, each position has its own focus and responsibilities and certain careers may be more suitable for you, depending on your strengths and interests.

A CFO directs and oversees an organization’s financial activities. This includes preparing financial reports and creating forecasts to predict future financial growth. As a chief financial officer, you’ll oversee the company’s accounting staff, budgeting, and auditing activities. As part of the executive team, you’ll work with other department leaders to monitor the company’s departments and make recommendations. An individual in this position requires exceptional managerial, supervisory, organizational, and analytical skills, in addition to communication skills and proficiency with financial software applications.¹³

Like a CFO, a finance manager oversees a company’s financial operations. However, the scope of responsibilities for this position is different. While the CFO is involved with the strategic management of the business, the finance managers handle daily financial operations and keep the financial department running smoothly. They translate the company’s business goals and strategies into financial practices to achieve those goals. Finance managers ensure legal compliance, perform data analysis to produce financial projections, and conduct financial audits to maintain investor confidence. They also implement cost-cutting practices when needed.¹⁴

As a financial analyst, you’ll analyze your company’s past financial statements to predict future performance, so that you can provide key insights and make recommendations on financial strategy. In this role, you do not supervise a team but rather work on your own to analyze financial and business data, create financial models to support the company’s decision-making, and develop reports and financial plans to present to business leaders. Other duties include evaluating capital expenditures and developing automated tools for forecasting and reporting. You’ll need strong communication skills, expertise in accounting and auditing, organizational skills, and analytical skills.¹⁵

Sometimes referred to as a Financial Planning and Analysis Manager, the role of this finance professional is to collaborate with a company’s senior management to make the business more efficient and profitable. Job responsibilities may include working with department heads to create budgets and forecasts, producing business models to predict long-term growth, and delivering reports on market trends and competitor analysis. The work involves operational and financial analysis and in-depth review of prior expenditures, budgets, and existing procedures. To thrive and succeed in this position, you’ll need significant analytical experience as well as strong interpersonal and communication skills.¹⁶

As a financial advisor, you’ll be working with individual clients to help them to manage their assets and make plans for their financial future. You may work independently or for an organization in the finance and insurance field. This career requires that you’re a ‘people person,’ as you’ll be working directly with your clients, discussing their financial goals and explaining investment options and risks. You will select or recommend investments and help them to plan for education costs, retirement, and other needs.¹⁷

You can develop the skills and expertise you need to advance your career while still being able to work and enjoy your personal and family life.

Chico State's AACSB-accredited Online BSBA program provides a comprehensive education in accounting, business law, economics, statistics and analytics, communications, management, marketing, supply chain management, finance, and more … and it’s designed to fit in with your schedule and your budget.

Start your career advancement today. Contact an Admissions Advisor to learn more.