10 Business and Technology Careers for Graduates

November 7, 2022

Two IT technicians using a digital tablet while working in a server room.

10 Business and Technology Careers for Graduates

Two IT technicians using a digital tablet while working in a server room.

Today’s young people are entering a workplace that’s changing rapidly. Technology and automation are evolving at breakneck speed; new regulations are compelling businesses to move toward sustainability and traceability; and companies are preparing for a more flexible, less hierarchical, more team-based workplace. 

Obtaining a degree in business, such as a Bachelor of Science (BS) or Master of Science (MS) in business management, accounting, logistics, and other fields, is an excellent way to prepare for business technology careers in this exciting environment. 

Today’s workplace is radically different from last century’s, and the rate of change is set to keep increasing. New technology plays a massive role in the current business trends transforming work and the economy: 

Generational changes are also affecting the way that companies operate. Millennial and Generation Z workers desire more flexibility and tend to stay in jobs for less time than their elders. Team-based structure is replacing hierarchy, while freelancers and remote workers make up an increasing proportion of the workforce. 

The climate crisis, along with a public increasingly sensitized to environmental and social justice issues, has brought sustainability to the fore. Many companies will need to hire experts to help decarbonize their supply chains and operations and comply with new laws. Sustainability will be a massive challenge for business, yet it presents new opportunities for professionals interested in business and technology careers. 

Business Degree Salary

The median annual salary for professionals with a business degree was $65,000 in 2019, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS). However, a business degree salary can be higher or lower depending on geographic location, career track, experience, and type of degree. For business degree graduates specializing in new technologies and their applications, salaries can often be more substantial.

Skills for Business Technology Professionals

Most professionals in business technology careers have mastered a set of basic but important skills. Necessary technological skills for virtually all business professionals include the following: 

Word Processing

Whether used for preparing reports, communications, or documentation, word processing programs have become multifunctional and sophisticated. Even lower-level jobs typically require a functional grasp of Microsoft Word and Google Docs and their features for generating, formatting, and organizing text. 

Email

A large portion of internal and external business communications take place via email. Business email may take more skill with common email applications than personal email because of the greater need for mass emailing, organizing, archiving, and maintaining an especially high level of security. 

Videoconferencing

Even before the COVID-19 pandemic, videoconferencing was essential for far-flung branches of big companies to keep in touch. With the advent of remote work as a way of life even for teams in the same location, videoconferencing applications like Zoom and Microsoft Teams are now an integral part of the business tool kit.  

Some careers may require more specialized technology skills. For example, financial managers should be adept in spreadsheet technology, Structured Query Language (SQL), and the project planning program Jira, while an individual with an eye on a position as chief financial officer (CFO) should learn accounting software like FreshBooks or Zoho.

Soft Skills

In addition to technology skills, businesspeople need to cultivate their soft skills. Soft skills include the following: 

What Careers Can You Get With a Business Degree?

A bachelor’s or master’s degree in business can start aspiring professionals on the path to various satisfying careers. Here are examples of typical careers graduates can get with a business degree.

Financial Manager

Financial managers provide budgetary planning and advise top-level management on financial accounts to ensure that companies stay healthy. They’re responsible for keeping track of such factors as return on investment, data analysis, and cash flow. They ensure compliance with regulations and conduct financial reporting. Financial managers work in banks, investment companies, and insurance companies, among others. 

Financial managers typically need a bachelor’s degree, such as a BS in accounting, to enter the field. 

Skills

Salary and Outlook

As of May 2021, financial managers made a median annual salary of about $131,700, according to the BLS. Financial manager jobs are expected to grow by 17% from 2020 to 2030. 

Chief Financial Officer

The CFO makes decisions at the highest level and is often only second to the CEO and/or chief operating officer (COO). Like financial managers, CFOs are in charge of cash flow, taxation, and reporting. They create forecasts to guide a company’s financial direction and ensure its health and compliance. They’re ultimately responsible for adhering to accounting and anti-fraud standards. 

It may take some years of experience to become a CFO. An advanced degree, such as a Master of Accountancy (MAcc), is a solid foundation to launch a CFO career. 

Skills

Salary and Outlook

The median annual salary of CFOs was about $141,000 as of August 2022, according to Payscale. The BLS estimates that jobs for all top executives will grow by 8% between 2020 and 2030, as fast as average. 

Supply Chain Manager

Supply chain managers, or logisticians, oversee the shipping and warehousing of components and materials for manufacturing and items destined for customers. They’re responsible for logistics (storage and transportation) and coordinating all the activities involved in the supply chain (sourcing, manufacturing, selling, and returns, for example). Good management of the supply chain keeps costs down and results in satisfied customers. 

A bachelor’s degree in logistics and supply chain management can prepare professionals for a career in supply chain management. Some aspiring supply chain managers pursue certification or a higher degree, such as an MS in logistics and supply chain management. 

Skills

Salary and Outlook

As of May 2021, logisticians made a median annual salary of about $77,000, according to the BLS. Jobs for logisticians are projected to rise by 30% from 2020 to 2030. 

Market Research Analyst

Market research analysts provide invaluable analysis determining demand and other market conditions for a new product or service. Companies in many industries turn to these analysts to gather and interpret information about potential customers. Market research analysts may use surveys, focus groups, and internal data to explore how best to market a product or service. 

A BS in business, marketing, communications, or social science can launch a career in market research. 

Skills

Salary and Outlook

As of May 2021, market research analysts earned a median annual salary of about $63,900, according to the BLS. Market research analyst positions are expected to grow by 22% from 2020 to 2030, much faster than average. 

Human Resources Manager

The complicated tasks of overseeing personnel issues fall to human resources managers, who make sure that a company’s staffing needs are met and that employees’ skills are put to the best use. In addition to recruiting and hiring, human resources managers serve as intermediaries between management and staff and between employees. They also administer benefits, help resolve disputes, and support other departments. 

Human resources managers usually need a bachelor’s degree, for example, a BS in human resource management. Some roles may also require a master’s degree, like an MS in strategic human resource management.  

Skills

Salary and Outlook

As of May 2021, the median annual salary for human resources managers was about $126,200, according to the BLS. Jobs in human resources are expected to grow by about 9% between 2020 and 2030, about as fast as the average for all jobs. 

What Do Technology Jobs Pay?

A degree in business can also prepare students for technology careers. What do these technology jobs pay? Earnings vary widely depending on experience, location, field, company size, and other factors. The median annual salary for individuals with a degree in IT was about $85,000 as of 2019, according to the BLS. However, high-paying business technology careers — like data scientist or chief information officer (CIO) — can command median salaries of well over $100,000. 

Careers in Technology

Aspiring professionals desiring a job at the forefront of the changing workplace may wish to prepare for a career in technology. The following business technology careers are rewarding, dynamic roles expected to expand over the next decade: 

Data Scientist

Mobile phones, internet browsers, and other ubiquitous forms of technology gather information that data scientists can use to predict consumer behavior. These professionals write algorithms to create models that help their companies meet market needs. 

Prospective data scientists and other IT researchers often need a master’s degree, such as an MS in business analytics. 

Skills

Salary and Outlook

As of May 2021, the median annual salary of data scientists was about $100,900, according to the BLS. Computer and IT research jobs as a whole are expected to expand by 22% between 2020 and 2030.

Information Assurance Analyst

Information assurance analysts are experienced professionals with expertise in how updates to hardware and software systems will affect performance and security. These IT specialists take charge of the security of all of a company’s data, so this position comes with extensive responsibility.      

Prospective information assurance analysts should obtain a bachelor’s degree in cybersecurity or a related field and potentially a master’s degree for certain positions. 

Skills

Salary and Outlook

The median annual salary of information assurance analysts was about $73,000 as of June 2022, according to Payscale. The BLS estimates that software quality assurance jobs will grow by 22% from 2020 to 2030. 

IT Technician

Employees and customers turn to IT technicians for support with computer and information systems. Depending on where they work, IT technicians may have diverse duties in addition to troubleshooting, such as installing and updating systems, configuring systems and hardware, and overseeing databases.

Aspiring IT technicians may be able to get a position with just a GED and work experience, but a bachelor’s degree undoubtedly boosts the chances of finding an IT technician job. 

Skills

Salary and Outlook

The BLS reports that the median annual salary of computer support specialists was approximately $57,900 as of May 2021, with a projected growth rate of 9%. 

IT Security Manager

IT security is a highly in-demand field that involves safeguarding online information from hacking, viruses, and other risks. Companies look to IT security managers to keep their computer systems safe and their data private. If a breach occurs, IT security managers must lead the response and control the damage. 

IT security managers should have at least a bachelor’s degree in cybersecurity. Some jobs may require a master’s degree. 

Skills

Salary and Outlook

As of 2021, the median annual salary of IT security analysts was $102,600, according to the BLS. This career sector is expected to grow rapidly, with the number of jobs for IT security analysts forecast to increase by 33% from 2020 to 2030. 

Chief Information Officer

CIOs run IT departments and form a link between IT personnel and executive decision-makers. Their wide-ranging duties include managing budgets, supervising IT staff, monitoring and improving performance, updating technology, developing IT standards and regulations, and strategic planning. 

CIOs represent the highest executive level of business technology careers and are expected to have at least a bachelor’s degree. They may also have a master’s degree in a relevant IT or business field, and they usually need to have at least five years’ experience in IT management. 

Skills

Salary and Outlook

As of August 2022, CIOs earned a median annual salary of about $170,000, according to Payscale. The BLS estimates that jobs for all top executives will grow by 8% between 2020 and 2030, as fast as average. 

Choose a Business Degree to Unlock Your Future

What careers can you get with a business degree? Thanks to an economy that technology is transforming, countless opportunities are available for exciting business technology careers. To find out what opportunity is right for you and how to get the skills you need, check out Athens State University’s online  business and technology programs today. From accounting to aerospace, a bachelor’s or master’s degree from Athens State University could be your next step toward a rewarding lifelong career.  

Recommended Readings

What Is a Technology Management Degree?

Data-Driven Leadership: How to Maximize Data in Business and Healthcare

Types of Business Degrees: Which Path Is Right for Your Career?

Sources:

Forbes, “The 8 Biggest Business Trends in 2022”

Houston Chronicle, “List of Jobs That Use a Bachelor of Science in Business Management”

Indeed, Chief Information Officer (CIO) Job Description: Top Duties and Qualifications

Indeed, “10 Essential Technology Skills (Plus Why They’re Important)”  

Investopedia, “The 10 Best Tech Jobs”

Investopedia, “What Is a Chief Financial Officer (CFO)?”

Payscale, Average Chief Information Officer (CIO) Salary

Payscale, Average Information Assurance Analyst Salary

Payscale, Salary for Industry: Information Technology (IT) Services

Recruiter.com, “How Long Are Workers Staying at Their Jobs? Not Very.”

U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Computer and Information Research Scientists

U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Computer and Information Systems Managers

U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Computer Support Specialists

U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Data Scientists

U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Field of Degree: Business

U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Field of Degree: Computer and Information Technology

U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Financial Managers

U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Human Resources Managers

U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Information Security Analysts

U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Logisticians

U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Market Research Analysts

U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Software Developers, Quality Assurance Analysts, and Testers

U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Top Executives

World Economic Forum, 3D Printing Is Enabling More Customized Production

ZipRecruiter, Business Technology Jobs — What Are They and How to Get One

ZipRecruiter, What Is an IT Technician and How to Become One

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