How is this for job security? As long as companies are growing, skilled managers will be needed to oversee their employees and business decisions.

That fact alone is a No. 1 reason why degrees in business administration remain among the most popular college programs available today.

Hundreds of successful companies launch in the United States every year. When you couple that with the many thousands of longstanding businesses that have thrived for decades, it’s no wonder there is a demand for talented administrators to guide their operations.

Business administration programs ultimately prepare students to become active – and effective – members of the business community. In the United States alone, there are hundreds of colleges that have business administration programs available. Wherever you choose to pursue a degree – an actual college campus or an online program – you will be working collaboratively with other students to put business theories into action.

So, what factors make a business administration degree such a popular option? The answer depends on your talents as well as what you want to do with your degree upon graduation. Here are five factors that continue to make the program an appealing degree choice:

• Exciting opportunities – This degree path creates a number of exciting possibilities. If you complete a two-year associate’s program, you could be hired on as a business administration management trainee in the retail industry. Likewise, you could also find yourself in an office management or project coordinator position. You will have the skills to be successful in any of these roles, choosing to take a positive that you fill fits your strong suits.
• Concentrations – Many schools offering this program also allow students a “concentration,” which is the ability to focus within the business administration major. Some popular concentration choices include finance, advertising, and international business. This option will allow you to focus on an area of business that is your passion.
• Leadership potential – One commonality among those who succeed in this program is a hunger to be a leader. Among those skills you’ll need are solid communication, planning, and problem-solving abilities. Along with those attributes, you should be a “big picture” person — considering not only how your decisions impact the entire company, but also how your company interacts with larger influences such as the economy.
• Getting off to a fast start – Did you know most students with a business administration major enter the business world right after graduation? This is because most possess the skills to impact a company right away and want to put those skills to use. Many students also choose to enroll in a master's degree in business administration (M.B.A.) program, but this doesn’t typically occur until they’ve been in the workforce a few years.
• Attention to detail – Many top business administration graduates are known for their attention to detail – a quality that makes them excellent managers. If this is a quality you possess, then you already have one of the key traits of a successful business leader.

Working your way up!
Graduates with this degree rarely start at the top. In fact, top executives often share stories about how their business administration careers began in less glamorous areas of corporate work. But carrying out every day office duties are an excellent way to learn an organization, from top to bottom.

No matter where you start, your degree can land you a business administration job that eventually gets you where you want to go in your career. If you’re like most of these graduates, you are motivated, full of energy, with a mind for business. And, you will have what it takes to lead your company to success.