If you’re interested in business management degree salaries, you’re in luck. The management and business categories are some of the highest-paid occupational groups out there. Pursuing a degree in business management will put you on the path to a lucrative career.
Overall Business and Management Degrees Salary Range
In general, the median annual salary for business and financial occupations was $72,250 as of May 2020, according to the United States Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS).
For management occupations, the BLS reported an even higher median yearly salary of $109,760.
Compared to the median salary for all occupations in the United States—$41,950—business people command significantly higher than average earning potential each year.
How Much Do Business Management Grads Make?
How much do business majors make? When looking at the average salary for business majors, you should explore starting salaries as well as earning potential later on in your career.
Average Business Major Salary
For the business majors in the graduating class of 2021, the National Association of Colleges and Employers projected an average starting salary of $58,869.
The median mid-career salary for business majors, according to The Wall Street Journal, is
$72,100. This figure is very close to the overall median salary that the BLS reported for the business and financial occupational group as a whole—which makes a lot of sense because the median is the midpoint measure of salaries.
Business Management Bachelor’s Degree Salary Expectations
Earning a Master of Business Administration (MBA) degree is one way to boost your earning potential, but the figures presented above prove that you don’t need to go to graduate school to make a great living in the field of business. Even in the most lucrative business roles, there are jobs available with only a bachelor’s degree.
Bachelor’s degrees remain the most commonly reported level of education for occupations like personal financial advisor, financial examiner, and budget analyst. In many other high-paying business management careers, like chief executive and management analyst, master’s degrees are more prevalent, but a solid portion of the field still has only a bachelor’s degree.
The average starting salary of $58,869 and the $72,100 median mid-career salary are specific to undergraduate business majors.
How Much Do Bachelor’s in Business Management Graduates Make a Year?
Historically, some of the top occupations for workers ages 16 to 34 with a bachelor’s degree in business have included the following, according to the BLS:
- Accountants and auditors, which in 2015 made up 11.4% of business degree holders. As of 2021, Salary.com reported a median salary of $56,400 for entry-level accountants, and the median wage for all accountants, according to the BLS, was $73,560.
- Financial managers, which accounted for 3.2% of workers in this age group with a bachelor’s degree in business. The 2020 salary data from the BLS puts the median salary for this career at $134,180.
- Marketing and sales managers, which made up 2.7% of this workforce. The BLS reported median salaries of $141,490 for advertising, promotions, and marketing managers and $132,290 for sales managers in 2020.
- Managers of all kinds except for financial managers, first-line retail supervisors, and marketing and sales managers, a group of job roles that, combined, accounted for 4.4% of bachelor’s in business degree holders.
- Human resources workers made up 2.2% of bachelor’s in business degree holders. Salary.com reported a median salary of $58,600 for entry-level human resources generalists, while the BLS reported a $63,490 overall median salary for human resources specialists and a $121,220 median annual salary for human resources managers.
- Sales representatives in wholesale and manufacturing made up 2.2% of 16- to 34-year-old bachelor’s in business degree holders in 2015 and, as of 2020, reported an overall median salary of $65,420.
It’s important to put your education to work in a business or finance job role if you want to get your money’s worth from your investment in a business degree. Staying in a job like retail salesperson or first-line supervisor, customer service representative, or administrative assistant after you earn your bachelor’s in business degree may keep you from earning the salary you want.
How Much Money Do Business People Make?
Precisely how much you can expect to earn depends on how you use your degree in management or business. Different job roles within these fields have different corresponding salaries.
In the business and financial occupations, the lowest earners are meeting, convention, and event planners, who earn a median salary of $51,560 per year. On the high side of the income range are personal financial advisors, for whom the median salary is $89,330.
On the lower end of the management occupation pay range are preschool and childcare center directors, who earn a median annual salary of $49,160, while the highest-paying management career, computer and information systems manager, has a $151,150 median salary.
Related: Ultimate Guide to Business Administration
Business Management Occupations With the Highest Salaries
Moving into senior-level management roles in business allows you to earn even more. See how much you could make when you become the boss.
1. Chief Executives: $185,950
When you reach the top of the corporate ladder, you tend to make the most money. That’s the case for chief executives like CEOs, CFOs, COOs, executive directors, and company presidents and vice presidents.
Chief executives working in the manufacturing industry and in the professional, scientific, and technical services are among the top 10% of earners in this already high-earning job role. For these industries, the BLS reported a median salary of more than $208,000 per year.
2. Computer and Information Systems Managers: $151,150
If you’re technologically inclined, you could earn a lucrative salary as a computer and information systems manager. For this role—which includes job titles like IT security manager, IT director, chief information officer (CIO), and chief technology officer (CTO)—the BLS reported a median wage of more than $151,000 per year.
The computer and information systems managers in the 90th percentile, the ones who earn the most, make upwards of $208,000. Even workers in the 10th percentile of this profession earn $90,000 per year.
3. Advertising, Promotions, and Marketing Managers: $141,490
Marketing managers earn somewhat more than advertising and promotions managers, with median salaries of $142,170 and $133,460, respectively.
For both of these high-level roles, the top 10% of earners see an income of more than $208,000 annually, the BLS reported.
4. Financial Managers: $134,180
Financial manager is a role that encompasses many job titles, including treasurer, controller, finance manager, credit manager, and risk manager.
While the median salary for this high-level role is around $134,000, the 14% of the occupation employed in the professional, scientific, and technical services industry enjoys a median wage that’s $20,000 higher, the BLS reported.
5. Sales Managers: $132,290
Sales managers have serious earning potential, and their income isn’t limited to their salaries. In addition to a six-figure median wage, many sales managers earn commissions or bonuses, according to the BLS.
The sales managers who work in the finance and insurance industry earn the most, followed by those in the professional, scientific, and technical services.
6. Purchasing Managers: $125,940
If you wind up in charge of purchasing and acquisition, you’re looking at a median salary of nearly $126,000. The vast majority of purchasing managers earn more than $75,000, and the 10% of purchasing managers who earn the most money make more than $197,630, the BLS reported.
Among the top employing industries for purchasing managers, the management of companies and enterprises industry pays the highest salaries, with a median wage of $138,890 per year.
7. Compensation and Benefits Managers: $125,130
Compensation and benefits managers are administrative leaders who focus specifically on employee pay and benefits systems. The median salary for this occupation overall was $125,130 per year in 2020, according to the BLS. Income potential tops $208,000 for compensation and benefits managers in the top 10% of earners.
The top employment industries for this career are also among the top-paying industries. Nearly one in five compensation and benefits managers works for the professional, scientific, and technical services industry, which paid a median wage of $132,560 in 2020. The 17% of the profession that worked in the management of companies and enterprises industry saw a median salary of $134,830 per year.
8. Human Resources Managers: $121,220
Higher-level roles in HR put you on the path to earning a six-figure median salary. For the top 10% of earners, annual salaries are above $200,000, the BLS reported.
The 15% of HR managers working for the professional, scientific, and technical services reported the highest salaries, with a median annual wage of $138,030.
9. Training and Development Managers: $115,640
The managers who focus on training and development still tend to earn six-figure salaries, but the $115,640 median salary that the BLS reported for this profession is somewhat lower than most management roles in the business world. While the lowest-paid 10% of training and development managers earned less than $66,270, the highest-paid training and development managers make upwards of $200,000.
If you really want to maximize your earning potential in this career path, try to become one of the 14% of the occupation that works for the professional, scientific, and technical services industry, where the median salary is $135,780.
10. Administrative Services Managers: $98,890
One business management role where the median salary misses that six-figure mark is administrative services manager. Still, a median wage just shy of $99,000 as of 2020 is nothing to scoff at.
You could make quite a bit more—$10,000 or even $15,000 more per year—by working in the right industry. The finance and insurance industry employed only 7% of the workforce but paid a median salary of $115,470, the BLS reported, and the salary for the 9% of administrative services managers working in the professional, scientific and technical services was $110,310.
The Highest-Paying Business and Finance Occupation Salaries (Non-Management)
What are the highest-paying business careers outside of management roles? Read on to explore business and finance professions by median salary.
1. Actuary: $111,030
The highest-paying non-managerial business job is technically part of the mathematics occupational group, according to the BLS. Still, actuaries are an essential part of the insurance industry, which is part of the larger field of business. The median salary for actuaries is in the six-figure range, and while the lowest-earning actuaries make less than $66,030, the highest earners make above $196,010.
Actuaries calculate risk, which is involved in the pricing and terms of all types of insurance coverage, through the use of mathematical and statistical methods and techniques. Some actuaries work in pensions and retirement rather than insurance. If you aspire to be an actuary, you must be comfortable applying math to the analysis of risk in business capacities.
Actuary is a profession that is seeing intense job growth. From 2020 through 2030, the BLS expects the opportunities for actuaries to increase by 24%—3 times the rate of growth anticipated for all occupations—to add 6,800 new jobs.
Actuaries in New York earn the most, with the BLS reported an average salary of $154,150. The next most lucrative areas for actuaries include Connecticut, New Hampshire, North Carolina, and Washington, D.C.
2. Personal Financial Advisors: $89,330
For personal financial advisors, the median wage is nearly $90,000, and the highest-paid workers in this field—generally, the 10% with exceptional experience, education, skills, or reputations—earn upwards of $208,000 per year, according to the BLS.
Personal financial advisors provide financial guidance and planning services to individuals rather than corporations. Additional job titles that fit into this occupation, according to O*NET include:
- financial planner
- wealth advisor
- investment advisor
- financial counselor
- Certified Financial Planner
The BLS expects job opportunities for personal financial advisors to increase by 5% from 2020 through 2030, which is slower than the 8% rate of job growth predicted across all occupations during that time frame.
Personal financial advisors tend to earn the most when they work in jobs that pay bonuses in addition to a regular salary. The 58% of personal financial advisors working in the industry of securities, commodity contracts, and other financial investments have the highest earning potential. The states where personal financial advisors earn the most, according to the BLS, include New York, Maine, Montana, Minnesota, and Massachusetts.
3. Management Analysts: $87,660
Nearly as lucrative is the role of management analyst. The median yearly wage for this role is in the high $80,000-range, and the top 10 percent of earners in the field make more than $156,840 per year, according to the BLS.
The 14% increase in job opportunities for management analysts anticipated from 2020 to 2030 is more favorable than the average job outlook for all occupations.
The most common alternative name for management analysts is management consultant. Other titles that can fit into this job description include:
- business analyst
- administrative analyst
- program management analyst
- employment programs analyst
- quality control analyst
- organizational development consultant, according
The professional, scientific, and technical services industry, which employs the largest share—31%—of the career, is also the highest paying, with a median salary of $93,710. Bonuses, often awarded at the end of the year, can boost earning potential for workers in this profession. Self-employed management consultants, who make up about 16% of the field, set their own rates and can charge as much as clients are willing to pay. The BLS reported that the best states for management analysts, each of which reports a six-figure average salary, are New York, Massachusetts, New Jersey, Washington, D.C., and Connecticut.
4. Financial Analysts: $83,660
The median wage for financial analysts is over $80,000 per year. The 10% of financial analysts who earn the most can make more than twice that amount, the BLS reported.
The BLS characterizes the 6% job growth rate that it predicts for financial analysts between 2020 and 2030 as about as fast as average.
Other job titles that financial and investment analysts might hold include:
- investment analyst
- planning analyst
- securities analyst
- equity research analyst
- real estate analyst
- portfolio manager
- trust officer
- credit products officer, according
There are also financial quantitative analysts, which include quantitative research analysts, quantitative strategy analysts and investment strategists.
Among the major employers for financial analysts, the securities, commodity contracts, and financial investments industry is the most lucrative, with a median salary approaching the six-figure mark. The states where financial analysts earn the most, the BLS reported, are Wyoming, New York, California, Colorado, and New Jersey.
5. Financial Examiners: $81,430
The median salary for financial examiners tops $80,000. For those in the top 10% of earners in the field, salaries can climb above $159,120.
Job opportunities for financial examiners are booming, with the BLS expecting job openings to increase by 18% from 2020 through 2030. Jobs are growing faster in the financial and banking industry than they are in the federal government.
Financial examiners use their knowledge of finance to make sure financial institutions are in compliance with the laws and regulations that apply to this industry. As such, these business professionals most often work in industries like credit intermediation and securities, commodity contracts, and other financial investment activities, or in the government at the federal or state level. Some other names for financial examiners include:
- bank examiner
- compliance analyst
- internal auditor
- compliance specialist
- compliance officer
If you want to maximize your earning potential as a financial analyst, seek employment with the federal government. The BLS reported a median wage of $124,070 for financial examiners employed by the government, compared to a salary of $92,930 for those in the securities, commodity contracts, and other financial investments activities industry. Washington, D.C. has the highest average salary for financial examiners, at $162,480. Other top-paying states for this occupation include Massachusetts, New York, California, and New Jersey, according to the BLS.
6. Budget Analysts: $78,970
With a median salary of nearly $80,000 and the potential, if you make it to the highest 10% of earners, to earn upwards of $121,360, budget analysts make good money for planning and monitoring spending.
The 5% job growth rate that the BLS anticipates for budget analysts from 2020 to 2030 is slower than the average rate of growth across all occupations. Still, even when operating budgets have to be cut, this role is still crucial for government entities, educational services, and professional services, so there will still be a demand for workers in this field.
Budget analysts may also be called:
- budget officers
- budget coordinators
- financial services officers
- policy analysts, according
For budget analysts, the federal government is both the largest employer and the one that pays the best. The BLS reported that Washington, D.C. pays budget analysts the most, with a six-figure average wage, and Maryland, Virginia, Maine, and California round out the list of the states with the best average pay rates.
7. Logisticians: $76,270
While the median wage for logisticians in 2020 was $76,270, the 10% of the profession with the highest earnings made upwards of $122,580, according to the BLS.
Jobs for logisticians are growing at an explosive rate. The BLS expects a 30% increase in opportunities in this field between 2020 and 2030.
Logisticians are also called:
- supply management specialists
- client services administrators
- production planners
The work they do—coordinating and managing the supply chain over the life cycle of producing a product—is integral to businesses in all types of industries, particularly manufacturing, wholesale trade, management of companies and enterprises, and the professional, scientific, and technical services. What might surprise prospective logisticians is that the federal government is the second-largest employer of logisticians, accounting for 18 percent of the profession.
Working for the federal government in this capacity pays the most. The BLS reported a median salary of $88,280 for logisticians in this industry. Given this fact, it might be unsurprising that logisticians earn the most in Washington, D.C., where the average salary for the profession is $97,890. The next highest-paying states for this occupation are Maryland, Alaska, Delaware, and Virginia.
8. Accountants: $73,560
While the median wage for accountants and auditors was $73,840, the highest-earning 10% of the occupation made more than $128,680, the BLS reported.
The 7% growth in job opportunities that the BLS anticipates for accountants is on par with the average job growth rate across all occupations in the United States.
Most people know that accountants’ work involves financial reporting and the creation of financial statements. What you might not know is that today’s accountants do a lot more than just plug numbers into calculators or software. They also make recommendations to management to improve efficiency, operations, and financial performance, as well as identifying fraud and failures to comply with regulations.
For the highest possible earning potential, aspiring accountants should consider pursuing the Certified Public Accountant (CPA) credential. The average salaries for CPAs are in the six-figure range, according to the Journal of Accountancy. As far as geography goes, Washington, D.C. is again the highest-paying area, awarding an average salary of $110,140. The next most lucrative areas for accountants, according to the BLS, are New York, New Jersey, Massachusetts, and California.
9. Insurance Underwriters: $71,790
Underwriters, who work in all types of insurance, earned a median wage in the low $70,000-range as of 2020, the BLS reported. While the wages at the bottom of this field are significantly lower, at $43,210 or less for the lowest-paid 10% of the profession, the top 10% of earners make above$129,550 per year.
Insurance underwriters are the ones who analyze insurance applications and make two important decisions: whether to offer coverage and how much the company should charge.
During the 2020 through 2030 decade, the BLS anticipates that jobs for insurance underwriters will decline by 2%, or 2,200 jobs. However, the BLS also noted that an estimated 8,300 job vacancies are likely to occur each year in this career field as underwriters who are currently working decide to retire, pursue management roles, or change careers.
The state where underwriters earn the most money is New York, where the 2020 average annual salary was $104,230. Washington, D.C. follows, with an average salary of $99,560, followed by Massachusetts, Connecticut, and Colorado.
10. Claims Adjusters, Appraisers, Examiners, and Investigators: $68,270
Another insurance-related business career is claims adjuster. While the overall median wage is in the high $60,000-range, median salaries vary by employment industry. The lowest-paying of the top employment industries for claims adjusters and similar roles, direct health and insurance carriers, paid just $58,740 in 2020, the BLS reported. For comparison, the highest-paying of these industries, the federal government, paid claims adjusters and examiners a median annual salary of $79,830, putting the difference in earning potential between these industries at more than $20,000 more per year.
Insurance claims adjusters, examiners, appraisers, and investigators all perform the work of assessing and evaluating a claim and negotiating a settlement to resolve the matter. The majority of adjusters are employed by insurance companies, insurance-related services and industries, and federal government programs, but not all adjusters fit into these categories. Other adjusters are public adjusters, who work on behalf of claimants rather than insurance carriers.
Claims appraisers and similar insurance industry workers are likely to see the total number of job opportunities decline by 3%, or 9,000 jobs, from 2020 to 2030, the BLS reported. However, the BLS has also estimated that claims adjusters and related occupations will see an average of 25,200 job openings annually during this decade as a result of retirement and career changes.
Claims adjusters in Washington, D.C. earned the highest average salary, $89,830 in 2020, according to the BLS. The next most lucrative areas are the states of New Jersey, Connecticut, California, and Massachusetts.
11. Compensation, Benefits, and Job Analysis Specialists: $67,190
Earning a median salary of more than $67,000 per year in 2020, the business professionals who specialize in compensation, benefits, or job analysis contribute to an organization’s workforce and the systems and procedures used to compensate it.
The best-paid compensation, benefits, and job analysis specialists earned upwards of $111,930 per year as of 2020, the BLS reported. For the 10% of the occupation that earns the least, wages are below $41,490.
Research, data analysis, job classification determinations, and compliance with legal regulations are all part of the distinct jobs in this specialized occupational grouping that fits into the function of human resources work. Between 2020 and 2030, the BLS expected jobs for compensation, benefits, and job analysis to increase by 10%, or 8,800 new opportunities.
New Jersey pays compensation, benefits, and job analysis specialists the most, with an average salary of $94,600, the BLS reported. Washington, D.C. and Washington state are both among the top-paying states for this career, with average salaries of $82,550 and $81,260, respectively. Next most lucrative are New York, with a mean annual salary of $81,200, and Massachusetts, where the average wage for the role is $80,940.
12. Buyers and Purchasing Analysts: $66,690
Without the materials, supplies, equipment, and ingredients they need to do their work, companies couldn’t be profitable. For buyers and purchasing agents, who earn a median wage of more than $66,000, acquiring these resources is a full-time job.
There’s considerable variance in income potential for buyers and purchasing agents. While the best-paid buyers make more than $112,170 per year, those in the lowest 10% of earners make less than $39,810, the BLS reported. A median salary of $81,720 in 2020 made the government, which employs 14 percent of the profession, a particularly appealing employment industry for this field.
Prospective purchasing agents are facing a negative job outlook right now, with the BLS expecting job opportunities to decline by 23,600 from 2020 to 2030. However, if you want to follow your passion, the good news is that the BLS expects existing job opportunities to open up as established purchasing agents retire and change careers during this decade.
The BLS reported that purchasing agents get paid the most in Washington, D.C., where the average salary for 2020 was $105,020. Purchasing agents in New Jersey, Virginia, and Maryland all earned average wages in the $80,000-range, and the mean annual salary for this occupation in New York is just shy of that benchmark, at $79,700.
13. Cost Estimators: $66,610
If you’ve got a knack for pricing out options, analyzing methods, and digging into the details of project specifications, you might make a good cost estimator. This business occupation had a median wage in the mid-$60,000 range as of 2020, according to the BLS. The 6% of the field that works in the heavy and civil engineering construction industry see the highest earning potential, with the BLS reporting a 2020 median salary of $77,480.
Managing costs is a crucial part of any business, but this task is particularly important in areas like construction, manufacturing, and auto repair. Cost estimators do just what their job title suggests—estimate the cost of a project or a service to be provided—to help a business plan for its operations and make pricing and hiring decisions that keep the company profitable.
This career path is expected to see little growth between 2020 and 2030, but don’t let the slowdown in new job opportunities dissuade you from this career. Although the BLS predicted that just 1,200 new cost estimator jobs would be added by 2030, the agency also anticipated that there would be an average of 17,800 job openings in this role each year during that decade.
Cost estimators earned the most in Washington, D.C. in 2020, according to the BLS, which reported an average salary of $104,840. The median wage for cost estimators in Massachusetts was $90,950, and those working in Hawaii, California, and Alaska all earned mean annual salaries above $80,000.
14. Market Research Analysts: $65,810
A career analyzing qualitative and, especially, quantitative market data and trends could land you a median salary in the mid-$60,000-range. While the lowest-paid market research analysts earned annual salaries below $35,380 in 2020, the best-paid workers in this profession made upwards of $127,410, the BLS reported.
The best-paying of the top employment industries for market research analysts were the publishing industries—excluding internet publishing—and the management of companies and enterprises industry. Both of these industries paid market research analysts median salaries in the high $70,000-range in 2020.
The already large occupation of market research analyst is booming. From 2020 through 2030, the BLS has predicted a much faster than average 22% rate of job growth, which should translate to 163,600 new jobs.
Market research analysts and marketing specialists earn the most money in Washington state, where the average salary is $92,350, according to the BLS. New Jersey, Delaware, New York, and Washington, D.C. are other top-paying areas for this occupation.
15. Securities, Commodities, and Financial Services Sales Agents: $64,770
Selling financial products and services isn’t your average sales job. That’s why the $64,770 median wage that the BLS reported for securities, commodities, and financial services sales agents is more than double the $31,500 median salary for all sales occupations.
Other job titles by which you might know this occupation include investment banker, broker, and trader. To be authorized to sell certain financial products, you may need a license. For example, investment bankers must attain registration with the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA). You also need a minimum of a bachelor’s degree for most roles, according to the BLS, which is in contrast to most sales job roles.
Jobs for securities, commodities and financial services sales agents are growing at only half the rate anticipated for all occupations, but the BLS still expects this field to see an increase of 19,500 jobs between 2020 and 2030.
Interestingly, securities, commodities, and financial services sales agent is one occupation for which the BLS reported both an exceptionally high wage premium for graduate study and an unusually large gap between earners at the 10th and 90th percentiles. The wage premium for a master’s degree in this occupation was 89%, which translated to $80,000, the BLS reported in 2015. The difference between earners in the 10th percentile and the 90th percentile was $155,030, according to the BLS.
16. Loan Officers: $63,960
The median wage for loan officers works out to nearly $64,000 per year, but the 10% of the profession with the highest income makes more than $133,850 annually.
Unfortunately, now isn’t a great time to seek employment as a loan officer. The BLS expects jobs for this career path to grow by only 1% over a decade. Still, as long as people are applying for loans to finance cars, homes, personal spending, business investments or ventures, and other expenses, loan officers will still have work to do.
Loan officers may also be called loan counselors, financial aid advisors, financial aid officers, commercial bankers, corporate loan officers, and mortgage loan officers, according to O*NET.
By far, the most profitable industry for loan officers is automobile dealers. The 3% of the profession that works in this industry enjoys a median wage of $82,150 per year. New York pays loan officers the most, according to the BLS, followed by Maryland, Hawaii, Georgia, and Missouri.
17. Human Resources Specialists: $63,490
With a median salary in the $60,000 range, human resource specialists can make a good living planning for, interviewing, and recruiting workers. The highest-paid 10% of HR specialists earn upwards of $109,350.
Jobs for human resources specialists are likely to grow by 10% between 2020 and 2030, according to the BLS. Because this occupation is already so large, that translates to 70,200 new jobs.
Some of the other job titles that HR specialists might hold include:
- human resources analyst
- human resources representative
- human resources generalist
- employment representative
- recruiter, personnel officer
- human resources coordinator
The industry in which you work plays a big part in how much you can expect to earn as a human resources specialist. HR specialists in employment services and healthcare and social assistance earn the least, with median wages in the $54,000 range. The government and the professional, scientific, and technical services industry pay median salaries above $70,000. Washington, D.C., pays HR specialists the most by far, with a six-figure average salary, according to the BLS. The next highest paying locations—California, New Jersey, and New York—pay average salaries in the $79,000 range.
18. Training and Development Specialists: $62,700
Workers who aren’t trained the right way will never reach their full potential, and neither will the organizations for which they work. Training and development specialists earn a median wage in the $60,000 range, but the highest-earning 10% of the profession makes more than $107,060, the BLS reported.
The job outlook for training and development specialists is favorable, with the BLS predicting a faster than average rate of job growth for this role.
Trainer, training specialist, E-learning developer, technical trainer, and management specialist are all job titles that business people specializing in training and development might hold, according to O*NET.
Working in the professional, scientific, and technical services, which pays a median salary that’s $10,000 above the overall median wage, can boost your earning potential in this career. New Jersey pays training and development specialists the most, with a median wage more than $20,000 higher than the national median salary, according to the BLS. Washington, D.C., Washington state, Massachusetts, and Vermont are other top-paying areas for this occupation.
19. Fundraisers: $59,610
You might not think of fundraising for nonprofit organizations as part of the same field of business that encompasses managing the finances of a for-profit corporation. However, fundraisers have a lot in common with the marketers, strategic leaders, budget analysts, and other types of business professionals commonly found in the for-profit sector.
The overall median annual wage for professional fundraisers in 2020 was just shy of $60,000, with the 25% of the occupation employed by the educational services industry earning a median salary of $65,220, the BLS reported. Fundraisers in the 10th percentile made less than $34,320 per year, while those in the 90th percentile earned more than $103,320 per year.
For fundraisers, the job prospects are favorable. The BLS has predicted that jobs for fundraisers will increase by 16 percent—twice the average job growth rate expected across all occupations—between 2020 and 2030. This job growth would lead to 16,100 new jobs.
Professional fundraisers earn the most money in Washington, D.C., where the average salary was $76,030 in 2020, according to the BLS. Massachusetts and New York are close behind, with mean salaries of $76,020 and $75,770, respectively. A few hundred dollars per year is all that separates the fourth- and fifth-highest paying states for fundraisers, Rhode Island and California, where the respective average salaries are $73,630 and $72,900.
20. Property Appraisers and Assessors: $58,650
Real estate and finance go hand in hand. A more business-oriented option, if you’re interested in real estate but you don’t want to be a real estate agent or broker, is to become a property appraiser or assessor. The median salary for property appraisers overall was $58,650 in 2020, but those working directly for the finance and insurance industry reported earning a median wage of $65,730 per year, the BLS reported.
Property appraisal is an interesting career field because it combines the analytical work of comparing the numerical value of property sales in the area, the detail-oriented observations of property features, photography skills, and research into public records.
As an occupation, property appraisers and assessors are seeing slower than average job growth, but there should still be 3,400 new job opportunities added between 2020 and 2030, according to the BLS.
Property appraisers in Washington, D.C. earn the most, with the BLS reporting an average salary of nearly six figures. The next highest-paying areas—all reporting average salaries in the mid- to high-$80,000 range—are California, New Jersey, Colorado, and Nebraska.
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