Business Management and Administration
Careers in this cluster
Cluster definition
Do you enjoy working with other people?Are you good at working with numbers?
Do you like to plan and organize activities?
Have you started your own business?
Do you keep your checkbook balanced?
Are you an officer of an organization?
If you answered yes to two or more of the questions above, you might be interested in considering a career in business management and administration.
If you are interested in the Business Management and Administration cluster, there are many career options. You may provide the needed support to keep a business in operation. Or you might keep track of the expenses and income. You could manage the financial activities of a business. Another option is to be sure that a business has qualified employees who are trained to do their jobs. Or after years of education or experience, you might direct the operations of a business.
Pathways
Administrative support
If you were to work in the Administrative Support pathway, you would manage the activities of an office. You would use computers to perform clerical activities. One of your goals would be to ensure that information is collected and shared with staff and clients.
Business information management
Employees in the Business Information Management pathway help collect, analyze, organize, and share information.
Computer and Information Systems Managers
General management
Employees working in management do a variety of activities to keep a business in operation. The size of the company affects the work you might do as the manager. In a large company, you might supervise other managers. In a small company, you might directly supervise all the employees. Or you might direct the work in one area of a business such as marketing or finance.
As a manager, there could be many tasks to your job. You might build relationships with people outside the company or department and with employees. Your might negotiate with or hire employees. Another part of the job might be to assure there are equipment, supplies, and money to operate the business.
Human resources management
In the Human Resources Management pathway, you would be responsible for finding and keeping employees. To do this, you would interview and hire the most qualified applicant. In addition, you would have to be familiar with labor laws and wages and benefits. Your duties might include providing training and doing things to keep employees happy.
Operations management
In the Operations Management pathway, you help organizations get the resources they need. You plan, organize, coordinate, and schedule the delivery of resources.
Level of education and earnings
The training and education requirements to work in the occupations included in the Business Management and Administration cluster depend on the specialty and the type of work performed. Some occupations require less than one month of on-the-job training; however, some researchers and statisticians require a master's degree.
The information provided in the table below, presents the level of education or training required to work in the occupations related to this cluster and the national and state median wages for those occupations. Note that some occupations may have more than one required level because the type of work performed may vary in specific jobs.
Also, keep in mind that there are non-wage benefits that workers receive. For example, these types of benefits are health insurance, paid vacation, sick leave, and retirement plans. It is important to consider these benefits when you are looking at pay. Some benefits, such as health care, are worth a lot of money. You should carefully weigh a job that pays well but does not have many benefits against one that has good benefits and lower pay. Remember, how much an occupation pays is only one factor to consider when making career choices.
| National Annual Median Wage |
Washington Annual Median Wage |
|
|---|---|---|
| Short-Term, On-the-Job Training (Less than One Month) | ||
| Copy Machine Operators | $32,790 | $31,560 |
| Customer Service Representatives | $33,750 | $37,960 |
| Data Entry Keyers | $32,170 | $36,880 |
| File Clerks | $31,700 | $38,560 |
| General Office Clerks | $32,730 | $37,780 |
| Interviewing Clerks | $34,060 | $37,910 |
| Library Assistants and Bookmobile Drivers | $26,500 | $32,870 |
| Mail Carriers | $55,210 | $55,460 |
| Mail Clerks | $30,430 | $35,570 |
| Meter Readers | $40,360 | $47,470 |
| Postal Clerks | $55,280 | $46,630 |
| Receptionists | $29,140 - $29,420 | $33,230 - $34,100 |
| Secretaries | $36,630 | $41,970 |
| Shipping and Receiving Clerks | $33,030 | $37,500 |
| Stock Clerks | $25,700 | $31,660 |
| Telephone Operators | $37,240 | not available |
| Typists and Word Processors | $39,750 | $42,580 |
| Moderate-Term, On-the-Job Training (One to Twelve Months) | ||
| Computer Operators | $45,840 | $54,000 |
| New Accounts Clerks | $35,800 | $39,520 |
| Payroll and Timekeeping Clerks | $45,050 | $50,570 |
| Work Experience in a Related Occupation | ||
| Executive Secretaries | $59,340 | $61,190 |
| Office Managers | $55,810 | $61,130 |
| Postsecondary Vocational Training (Certificate or Diploma) | ||
| Bookkeeping and Accounting Clerks | $40,240 | $44,450 |
| Order Clerks | $33,460 | $43,220 |
| Associate Degree | ||
| Geothermal Production Managers | $103,380 | $119,780 |
| Human Resources Assistants | $40,390 | $44,860 |
| Sustainability Specialists | $70,530 | $72,750 |
| Bachelor's Degree | ||
| Human Resources Specialists | $60,880 | $65,710 |
| Meeting and Convention Planners | $49,370 | $49,690 |
| Operations Research Analysts | $83,390 | $91,840 |
| Supply Chain Managers | $107,480 | $116,700 |
| Work Experience Plus a Bachelor's or Higher Degree | ||
| Administrative Services Managers | $96,180 | $111,640 |
| Business Executives | $189,600 | $206,560 |
| Computer Information Systems Managers | $142,530 | $148,060 |
| Employee Training Specialists | $60,870 | $74,790 |
| General and Operations Managers | $100,930 | $104,160 |
| Human Resources Managers | $111,340 - $121,010 | $123,150 - $134,340 |
| Hydroelectric Production Managers | $103,380 | $119,780 |
| Industrial Production Managers | $103,380 | $119,780 |
| Job Benefits and Analysis Specialists | $63,000 | $70,680 |
| Management Analysts | $83,610 | $97,910 |
| Purchasing Managers | $118,940 | $130,890 |
| Regulatory Affairs Managers | $107,480 | $116,700 |
| Wind Energy Operations Managers | $107,480 | $116,700 |
Employment & outlook
There will be job opportunities in business, management, and administration in the future. Most of the opportunities will be in management. New management jobs will be added. Other openings will be the result of workers retiring or leaving their jobs. To qualify for these higher paying jobs, you will probably have to attend college and have several years of work experience.
The increased use of technology in the storage and use of information will mean fewer job openings in some pathways in this cluster. Businesses will need fewer employees to do support work. Business owners will be able to do their own business analysis using the latest software programs.