BBA vs. BS in Business Administration: Which Degree is Right for You?
You’ve decided to pursue a business administration degree, so you start researching programs that align with your career interests. As you look at the programs, you notice there are two majors you can choose from: a Bachelor of Business Administration (BBA) and a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration (BS). Both degree programs will equip you with skills to become a well-rounded business professional in whatever field you choose—but in different ways.
Here’s a breakdown of the similarities and differences between a BBA and a BS, so you have all the information you need to choose the right degree.
What is a BBA?
A Bachelor of Business Administration (BBA) covers the fundamentals of business (e.g., communication, management, marketing, and entrepreneurship) and how they apply to the real world. It is designed to prepare students for leadership roles across different sectors.
A few courses you can expect to take with a BBA include:
- Accounting
- Business Communication
- Business Ethics
- Finance
- International Business
- Leadership and Organizational Behavior
- Marketing
- Strategic Management
After completing core courses, most BBA programs offer specializations (focused areas of study supplementing required major courses) you can pursue, such as:
- Accounting
- Finance
- Healthcare
- Management
- Marketing
What is a BS in Business Administration?
A Bachelor of Science in Business Administration (BS) focuses more on the analytical and technical approaches to business. If you like working with numbers and technology, you’re in luck—this degree is very data-driven, emphasizing the development of decision-making, problem-solving, and quantitative skills.
Some courses you may come across with a BS in Business Administration include:
- Accounting
- Business Analytics
- Business Law
- Finance
- Information Analytics
- Information Systems Management
- Managerial Accounting
- Marketing
Specializations for a BS in Administration are:
- Accounting
- Business Management
- Entrepreneurship
- Finance
- Healthcare Administration
- Project Management
What are the differences between a BBA and a BS in Business Administration?
While both degrees give you a foundation on business principles, there are a few differences to take note of:
Curriculum
A BBA program usually focuses more on liberal arts courses to give you a broad understanding of business principles. In contrast, a BS in Administration hones in on the more analytical and technical aspects of business, so you can expect to expand your knowledge in STEM topics like economics and statistics while learning business fundamentals.
Program length
Typically, the BBA degree program takes only three years to complete. In contrast, a BS in Administration can take the full four years—the usual length of an undergraduate degree—to complete. With a BS in Administration, students often study general business courses for the first two years before transitioning into specialization courses.
Skill set
Both programs will give you different skills. A BBA degree focuses more on broader business education, so you’ll develop skills in communication, management, and financial acumen (the ability to understand financial information to make business decisions).
With a BS in Business Administration being more data-driven, you can expect to gain skills in strategic thinking, digital intelligence, and research and analytics.
Careers
Regardless of what degree you choose, they’ll open the door to a vast amount of career opportunities across different fields. A BBA degree can set you up for management, human resources, marketing, and entrepreneurship roles.
A BS in Administration gives you the skills and knowledge to tackle more complex problems, allowing you to pursue leadership roles. This degree can make you a candidate for roles in data analysis, consultancy, research, and marketing.
What career paths can I pursue?
As you may already know, the degree you choose strongly influences the types of roles you are best suited for after you cross the stage.
Here’s a look at what careers a BBA or a BS in Administration could take you, plus the mean annual wages (as of 2023):
Careers with a BBA:
Human resources specialist
Annual median wage: $76,060
Job description: Human resources specialists are responsible for recruiting, screening, and interviewing job applicants and onboarding new hires. They may also handle compensation and benefits and employee relations.
Project management specialist
Annual median wage: $98,580
Job description: As a project management specialist, you’ll coordinate the budget, schedule, and other aspects of a project. You’ll lead a team of technical staff and may also be the point of contact for clients or customers.
Market research analyst
Annual median wage: $74,680
Job description: Market research analysts gather and analyze data on their company’s consumers and competitors. They look at consumer buying habits, preferences, needs, and demographics data.
BS in Administration careers
Search marketing specialist
Annual median wage: $73,618
Job description: A search marketing specialist manages and optimizes pay-per-click (PPC) advertising campaigns on popular search engines like Google, Bing, and Yahoo. Their main objective is to place targeted advertisements in search engine result pages (SERPs) to drive traffic to their company’s website.
Account manager
Annual median wage: $118,000
Job description: Also known as a strategic account manager, an account manager is responsible for ensuring customer and client needs are being met by every department in your company. Your duties may include addressing customer complaints, finding solutions for client issues, and managing other departments to encourage a positive client-company relationship.
Data analyst
Annual median wage: $110,000
Job description: As a data analyst, you’ll help your company by interpreting various types of data and putting it in a simplified, easy-to-understand format. Your responsibilities may include collecting, deciphering, and analyzing data and other analytics.
How to choose the right degree for you
Now that you have all the details for both degrees, the next step is to choose which program best aligns with your interests and career goals.
Here are some questions to ask yourself as you research a BBA and a BS in Administration:
- Would I prefer working with people or numbers?
- Am I more interested in leading a team or solving more technical and analytical problems?
- What types of career opportunities do I want to pursue?
Know which degree you want to pursue?
If you’ve chosen to apply for a BBA or a BS in Administration, the next step is to start researching colleges and universities that offer the best programs for these majors.
With a free Appily account, you'll access information about colleges and universities, including tuition costs, scholarship opportunities, application deadlines, and acceptance rates. You can even get curated lists of colleges that would be perfect for you- just by sharing your GPA and test scores.
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