What Are Popular Careers in Business Leadership?

A degree or training program in business leadership can lead to a number of careers in several different industries. Read below to learn about various career options, their duties and salaries.

Popular Careers in Business Leadership

Business leadership programs provide professionals with the skills to negotiate, lead teams and make decisions that affect their place of employment. Several career options that use business leadership training include human resources management, consulting and entrepreneurship.

Important Facts about Business Leadership

Median Salary (2021) $93,000 (for management analysts)
Required Education Bachelor’s degree (for management analysts)
Job Outlook (2021-2031) 8% (for human resource specialists)
Key Skills Active listening, making decisions, attention to detail, interpersonal communication (for human resource specialists)

Sources: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics

Human Resource Managers

Human resource managers are in charge of hiring personnel and often work with clients. They make decisions about who would be the best fit as a member of an existing team. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), human resource managers also have responsibilities in strategic planning and new policy implementation. The average salary for human resource managers was $136,590 in 2021, according to the BLS.

Consultants

According to the BLS, business consultants can assist in product development, customer service, marketing techniques, employee training, financial planning or even management. Consultants have specialized training or experience, which they offer to a client to improve sales, productivity, organization or morale. Typically, they assess the situation or environment and offer feedback on the best ways to change problem areas. According to PayScale.com, business consultants made a median annual salary of $78,712 in 2023.

Entrepreneurs

Entrepreneurs are responsible for creating many new jobs. They begin new businesses, big and small, or come up with products and ideas that meet a specific need. According to America.gov, entrepreneurs are essential for economic growth because of their ability to respond to opportunities. The salaries of entrepreneurs vary greatly.

Chief Executive Officers

Chief executives in any business or industry need leadership skills to survive. They need to direct employees and make competitive decisions that benefit the company and promote growth. According to the BLS, chief executive officers oversee entire projects, make sure everything is running effectively and make decisions affecting the company’s goals. The average annual salary for chief executives in 2021 was $213,020, according to the BLS.