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Concentration · CIP 52

Business, Management, Marketing, and Related Support Services

CIP 52 is the largest academic family in American higher education, covering everything from broad Business Administration degrees to focused tracks in Accounting, Marketing, Finance, Supply Chain, and Human Resources. With 92 distinct majors offered across 2,282 colleges and more than 472,000 completions annually, this is where most undecided students who know they want a 'business degree' eventually land. The family spans two-year technical programs and four-year management degrees alike, so the real question isn't whether to study business — it's which slice of it fits your goals.

Majors
95
Colleges
2,281
Annual completions
499,575
Top career
General and operations managers
Majors in this concentration

Sorted by popularity

Business Administration and Management, General

Top career: General and operations managers

2,281 colleges · 202,383 completions/yr

Business/Commerce, General

Top career: General and operations managers

841 colleges · 46,274 completions/yr

Finance, General

Top career: General and operations managers

752 colleges · 45,800 completions/yr

Accounting

Top career: Accountants and auditors

1,364 colleges · 44,908 completions/yr

Marketing/Marketing Management, General

Top career: Market research analysts and marketing specialists

1,004 colleges · 43,711 completions/yr

Management Science

Top career: General and operations managers

189 colleges · 8,516 completions/yr

Management Information Systems, General

Top career: Computer and information systems managers

354 colleges · 7,940 completions/yr

Logistics, Materials, and Supply Chain Management

Top career: Industrial production managers

330 colleges · 7,483 completions/yr

Human Resources Management/Personnel Administration, General

Top career: Human resources specialists

374 colleges · 7,420 completions/yr

Business Administration, Management and Operations, Other

226 colleges · 6,829 completions/yr

Accounting Technology/Technician and Bookkeeping

Top career: Bookkeeping, accounting, and auditing clerks

495 colleges · 5,836 completions/yr

Organizational Leadership

Top career: Managers, all other

293 colleges · 5,456 completions/yr

Hospitality Administration/Management, General

Top career: Food service managers

423 colleges · 5,414 completions/yr

International Business/Trade/Commerce

Top career: General and operations managers

454 colleges · 4,428 completions/yr

Entrepreneurship/Entrepreneurial Studies

Top career: General and operations managers

369 colleges · 4,393 completions/yr

Management Sciences and Quantitative Methods, Other

91 colleges · 4,193 completions/yr

Construction Management, General

Top career: Construction managers

152 colleges · 4,055 completions/yr

Business/Managerial Economics

Top career: Management analysts

238 colleges · 3,816 completions/yr

Business, Management, Marketing, and Related Support Services, Other

114 colleges · 3,291 completions/yr

Operations Management and Supervision

Top career: First-line supervisors of production and operating workers

179 colleges · 3,203 completions/yr

Fashion Merchandising

Top career: Sales representatives, wholesale and manufacturing, except technical and scientific products

96 colleges · 2,480 completions/yr

Human Resources Development

Top career: Training and development specialists

31 colleges · 2,405 completions/yr

Real Estate

Top career: Property, real estate, and community association managers

158 colleges · 2,368 completions/yr

Sales, Distribution, and Marketing Operations, General

Top career: Sales representatives, wholesale and manufacturing, except technical and scientific products

140 colleges · 2,065 completions/yr

Organizational Behavior Studies

Top career: Human resources specialists

91 colleges · 1,810 completions/yr

Administrative Assistant and Secretarial Science, General

Top career: Secretaries and administrative assistants, except legal, medical, and executive

459 colleges · 1,769 completions/yr

Office Management and Supervision

Top career: First-line supervisors of office and administrative support workers

228 colleges · 1,380 completions/yr

Project Management

Top career: Managers, all other

61 colleges · 1,373 completions/yr

Accounting and Finance

Top career: Accountants and auditors

97 colleges · 1,326 completions/yr

Hotel/Motel Administration/Management

Top career: Business operations specialists, all other

87 colleges · 1,100 completions/yr

Actuarial Science

Top career: Insurance underwriters

147 colleges · 994 completions/yr

Business Statistics

Top career: Data scientists

60 colleges · 922 completions/yr

Insurance

Top career: Insurance sales agents

69 colleges · 919 completions/yr

Labor and Industrial Relations

Top career: Compliance officers

36 colleges · 871 completions/yr

Accounting and Business/Management

Top career: Accountants and auditors

93 colleges · 856 completions/yr

Financial Planning and Services

Top career: Securities, commodities, and financial services sales agents

64 colleges · 816 completions/yr

Marketing, Other

Top career: Market research analysts and marketing specialists

74 colleges · 753 completions/yr

Small Business Administration/Management

Top career: Managers, all other

133 colleges · 723 completions/yr

Retailing and Retail Operations

Top career: First-line supervisors of retail sales workers

32 colleges · 651 completions/yr

Business/Corporate Communications, General

Top career: Public relations specialists

57 colleges · 573 completions/yr

Tourism and Travel Services Management

Top career: Managers, all other

48 colleges · 540 completions/yr

Non-Profit/Public/Organizational Management

Top career: General and operations managers

74 colleges · 518 completions/yr

Selling Skills and Sales Operations

Top career: First-line supervisors of retail sales workers

55 colleges · 509 completions/yr

Banking and Financial Support Services

Top career: Tellers

69 colleges · 477 completions/yr

Hospitality Administration/Management, Other

Top career: Managers, all other

37 colleges · 415 completions/yr

Restaurant/Food Services Management

Top career: Food service managers

41 colleges · 405 completions/yr

Digital Marketing

Top career: Market research analysts and marketing specialists

63 colleges · 376 completions/yr

Meeting and Event Planning

Top career: Meeting, convention, and event planners

34 colleges · 356 completions/yr

Human Resources Management and Services, Other

Top career: Human resources specialists

22 colleges · 289 completions/yr

Entrepreneurial and Small Business Operations, Other

35 colleges · 274 completions/yr

Science/Technology Management

Top career: Managers, all other

21 colleges · 240 completions/yr

Business/Office Automation/Technology/Data Entry

Top career: Data entry keyers

63 colleges · 239 completions/yr

E-Commerce/Electronic Commerce

Top career: First-line supervisors of office and administrative support workers

33 colleges · 197 completions/yr

Traffic, Customs, and Transportation Clerk/Technician

Top career: Dispatchers, except police, fire, and ambulance

1 colleges · 195 completions/yr

Retail Management

Top career: General and operations managers

53 colleges · 186 completions/yr

Accounting and Related Services, Other

31 colleges · 185 completions/yr

Executive Assistant/Executive Secretary

Top career: Secretaries and administrative assistants, except legal, medical, and executive

69 colleges · 182 completions/yr

Information Resources Management

Top career: Computer and information systems managers

27 colleges · 168 completions/yr

Risk Management

Top career: General and operations managers

9 colleges · 162 completions/yr

Investments and Securities

Top career: Securities, commodities, and financial services sales agents

10 colleges · 161 completions/yr

Hotel, Motel, and Restaurant Management

Top career: Food service managers

41 colleges · 147 completions/yr

Transportation/Mobility Management

Top career: Transportation, storage, and distribution managers

26 colleges · 147 completions/yr

International Marketing

Top career: Market research analysts and marketing specialists

8 colleges · 142 completions/yr

Resort Management

Top career: Lodging managers

12 colleges · 136 completions/yr

Knowledge Management

Top career: Computer and information systems managers

13 colleges · 126 completions/yr

Business Operations Support and Secretarial Services, Other

Top career: Business operations specialists, all other

19 colleges · 123 completions/yr

Purchasing, Procurement/Acquisitions and Contracts Management

Top career: Administrative services managers

31 colleges · 120 completions/yr

Management Information Systems and Services, Other

Top career: Computer and information systems managers

25 colleges · 110 completions/yr

Specialized Merchandising, Sales, and Marketing Operations, Other

8 colleges · 108 completions/yr

Finance and Financial Management Services, Other

Top career: Financial managers

24 colleges · 90 completions/yr

General Office Occupations and Clerical Services

Top career: Office clerks, general

27 colleges · 87 completions/yr

Social Entrepreneurship

Top career: General and operations managers

7 colleges · 74 completions/yr

Customer Service Support/Call Center/Teleservice Operation

Top career: Customer service representatives

15 colleges · 67 completions/yr

General Merchandising, Sales, and Related Marketing Operations, Other

Top career: First-line supervisors of retail sales workers

13 colleges · 66 completions/yr

Special Products Marketing Operations

Top career: First-line supervisors of retail sales workers

7 colleges · 66 completions/yr

Labor Studies

Top career: Human resources managers

11 colleges · 51 completions/yr

Vehicle and Vehicle Parts and Accessories Marketing Operations

Top career: Market research analysts and marketing specialists

5 colleges · 46 completions/yr

Hospitality and Recreation Marketing Operations

Top career: Market research analysts and marketing specialists

6 colleges · 43 completions/yr

Tourism and Travel Services Marketing Operations

Top career: Market research analysts and marketing specialists

23 colleges · 37 completions/yr

Research and Development Management

Top career: Managers, all other

4 colleges · 31 completions/yr

Apparel and Accessories Marketing Operations

Top career: Sales representatives, wholesale and manufacturing, except technical and scientific products

7 colleges · 25 completions/yr

Customer Service Management

Top career: First-line supervisors of office and administrative support workers

16 colleges · 25 completions/yr

Business and Personal/Financial Services Marketing Operations

Top career: Market research analysts and marketing specialists

3 colleges · 21 completions/yr

Auditing

Top career: Accountants and auditors

5 colleges · 20 completions/yr

Public Finance

Top career: Financial managers

1 colleges · 20 completions/yr

Tourism Promotion Operations

Top career: Market research analysts and marketing specialists

4 colleges · 16 completions/yr

Parts, Warehousing, and Inventory Management Operations

Top career: Production, planning, and expediting clerks

3 colleges · 15 completions/yr

Taxation

Top career: Accountants and auditors

7 colleges · 12 completions/yr

Telecommunications Management

Top career: Managers, all other

13 colleges · 8 completions/yr

Marketing Research

Top career: Market research analysts and marketing specialists

7 colleges · 6 completions/yr

Financial Risk Management

Top career: General and operations managers

2 colleges · 5 completions/yr

Casino Management

Top career: First-line supervisors of gambling services workers

7 colleges · 4 completions/yr

Construction Project Management

Top career: Project management specialists

1 colleges · 2 completions/yr

Franchising and Franchise Operations

Top career: Managers, all other

2 colleges · 1 completions/yr

Merchandising and Buying Operations

2 colleges · 1 completions/yr

Section 9 · Frequently asked

Common questions

How do I choose between the majors in this concentration?
Start with the career outcome, not the major name. General and operations managers — the top career linked to several majors in this family — earn a median wage of $102,950, but accountants and auditors, human resources specialists, and market research analysts each follow different degree paths. If you can name a specific job title you're aiming for, work backward from that to the major; if you can't, Business Administration and Management, General gives you the most flexibility while you figure it out.
What's the difference between Business Administration and Management, General and Business/Commerce, General?
Business Administration and Management, General (CIP 52.0201) is the dominant credential in this family, with 193,432 completions and availability at all 2,282 colleges in the dataset — it typically emphasizes organizational management and operational decision-making. Business/Commerce, General (CIP 52.0101) is offered at 838 colleges and produced 42,906 completions; it tends to be a broader, less management-focused framing that some schools use for foundational or pre-transfer business coursework. In practice, the distinction matters most when you're evaluating a specific school's curriculum rather than comparing majors in the abstract.
Which majors in this family are most common at the associate's level?
Business Administration and Management, General and Accounting are the two CIP 52 majors most frequently offered as associate's programs, given that Business Administration appears at all 2,282 colleges in the data — a number that includes a large share of community colleges — and Accounting is available at 1,377 institutions. These credentials are often designed as either workforce-entry pathways or transfer bridges into four-year programs. Students pursuing an associate's in this family should confirm early whether their specific program is designed to transfer, because curriculum alignment varies significantly.
What do graduates from this concentration typically earn?
The median earnings across the CIP 52 family sit at roughly $48,051, but that number masks a wide spread. The top career linked to several majors here — general and operations managers — carries a median wage of $102,950, while roles like customer service representatives ($42,830) and office clerks ($43,630) anchor the lower end. Specialty majors such as Finance, Accounting, and Management Information Systems tend to channel graduates toward higher-paying roles than the broad Business Administration path does, though individual outcomes depend heavily on employer, industry, and location.
Is a broad business degree worth it, or should I specialize?
The honest answer depends on how certain you are about your direction. Business Administration and Management, General produced 193,432 completions in a single year, which signals strong employer acceptance — but it also means you're entering a crowded credential pool. Majors like Management Information Systems (7,648 completions, 367 colleges) or Logistics and Supply Chain Management (6,935 completions, 318 colleges) produce far fewer graduates annually, which can be a real differentiator in hiring. Specializing makes most sense when you can clearly connect the credential to a job family you actually want.
Which majors in this family lead to the most clearly defined career paths?
Accounting points most directly toward a single career cluster — accountants and auditors — and is one of the few business majors with a formal licensure track (the CPA exam). Human Resources Management similarly aligns tightly with human resources specialists. Marketing/Marketing Management maps to market research analysts and marketing specialists. By contrast, Business Administration and Management, General is intentionally diffuse, which is a feature if you want options but a liability if you need a recruiter to immediately understand what you studied.