Whether you’re going into your freshman year of college and trying to decide on a major, or are mid-career and looking to make more money or qualify for a promotion, if you enjoy business, management, accounting, marketing or finance there are several degree options available that can put you in a position to embark on a business career that is both personally satisfying and rewarding financially.

While many people might think that all business degrees are basically the same, the truth is that there are several different types of business degrees that each have their own specialization. Whether you’re looking to gain skills before starting a small business, or are interested in a career change within the financial industry, read below to find out about the basic types of business degrees and which business degree’s career path might be right for you.

Once you know which type of business career you are interested in, make an appointment to talk to an advisor at your college or university, either online or in person, to find out what their specific program entails, how long the program will take, what its cost is, and whether you might have transferrable credits from a past degree program.

Business Administration Degrees

A business administration degree is perhaps the most popular and most diversified of all business degrees. These degrees are available at the associates, bachelors and masters degree levels from just about any college or university. Many schools offer concentrations in specific areas of business administration, including health care administration, human resources, accounting, finance and information systems. Through classes that concentrate in certain areas, these degree programs can help students build the skills and business background knowledge they need to qualify for a variety of careers.

Accounting Degrees

To begin a career as a certified public accountant, as an accountant for a large firm or even to be able to successfully keep track of your own accounting systems as a small business owner, a bachelors degree in accounting is what you will need at a minimum. Once they are established in their careers, many people who work as accountants choose to earn a masters in accounting degree. A masters degree in accounting will allow you to advance further in your career as an accountant and earn a higher salary.

Finance Degrees

A bachelors degree in finance will allow you to begin a career in banking, tax preparation, financial analysis, or even in a more specialized role. Interesting careers, like those of a commercial truck trader or college loan officer, are also possible with a finance degree. A masters of business administration (MBA) with a concentration in finance will help give you an edge over other job candidates, will make it possible for you to earn more money, and will help you qualify for high level management positions within the financial industry.

Like a business administration degree, a degree in finance will help you qualify for a wide variety of jobs in both the for-profit and nonprofit sectors. People with finance degrees are also in demand at colleges and universities, in the health care sector, in government, and in the field of professional sports.

Marketing Degrees

If you are a creative person who is interested in a career in the business world, a degree in marketing might be right for you. A bachelors degree in marketing will allow you to begin a career developing, promoting and selling products and services, either for a corporation or a nonprofit, or for yourself as a business owner.

With a marketing degree, a career in just about any type of industry will be open to you, as marketing is a vital aspect of any successful business or nonprofit. A marketing degree can also help you get into the fields of sales, merchandising and product placement, advertising or public relations, all of which are good career options for creative people.

Some marketing degree programs at the masters level concentrate on the psychological aspects of marketing, such as understanding the reasons for specific consumer behavior patterns, how and why people make buying decisions, and how people from different ethnic and cultural groups might make purchasing decisions differently from one another.

Specialized degrees are now available in the fields of social media marketing and international marketing. The rise of the global economy has made having international marketing skills essential. And in recent years, social media platforms have become one of the most important marketing and advertising tools available.