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Doctor of Business Administration Careers

Earning a Doctor of Business Administration (DBA) can give you the skills you need to be a business leader.

 

The businesses that succeed are the businesses that can innovate and change. In our globalized business environment, that’s more true than ever before. This is why more and more businesses are seeking out leaders who can serve as change agents. In many cases, they are turning to professionals who hold a Doctor of Business Administration (DBA).

Where a PhD in Management and other business-oriented PhDs are focused on addressing business and management from an academic perspective, a DBA degree is focused on using research to investigate and solve real-world business problems. In short, it’s a business doctorate for those who want to advance their business careers. And the career outlook for those with a DBA degree is strong.

Doctor of Business Administration Careers

A Variety of Industries Want People With DBA Degrees

The top levels of business management need people who can foresee business trends and develop key innovations. In some cases, in-house management training can help develop leaders with high-level skills. But in many other cases, businesses look outside their own company to find people who can navigate—and inspire—change. Often, they turn to professionals with DBA degrees.

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, the largest employers of executive-level employees in 2021 were:1

  • Judgment and decision-making
  • Complex problem-solving
  • Personnel management
  • Time management

Those With a DBA Degree Offer In-Demand Skills

When you earn your Doctor of Business Administration, you can choose to specialize in a wide variety of business fields. A specialization can help you become an expert in that area, which in turn can help you qualify for leadership positions at top companies. Skills often found in those holding executive-level positions are often learned or enhanced when earning a degree. These skills include:2

Judgment and decision-making
Complex problem-solving
Personnel management
Time management

Critical thinking
Social perceptiveness
Negotiating
Management of material resources

Those With DBA Degrees Hold a Variety of Titles

Professionals with a DBA degree often hold top-level positions. Some common job titles for professionals with a DBA are:*

  • Business consultant
  • Chief executive officer
  • College or university professor
  • Entrepreneur
  • Executive administrator
  • Healthcare executive
  • Human resources director
  • Management consultant/analyst

Regions Throughout the United States Are Hiring Professionals With a DBA

Business happens everywhere, so it shouldn’t be a surprise that businesses all over the U.S. are hiring professionals with DBA degrees. Nevertheless, it’s interesting to consider the geographic profiles of top executives. Here are some interesting geographic statistics, using the title of chief executive as an example:3

States with the highest employment level in chief executives:
California
Florida
Georgia
Minnesota
Illinois

States with the highest concentration of jobs and location quotient in chief executives:
Alaska
Vermont
Nebraska
Maine
Idaho

States with the highest annual mean wages of chief executives:
New Jersey
South Dakota
New York
North Carolina
Texas

How Can You Earn Your DBA Degree?

The Doctor of Business Administration is intended for professionals who already have an established business career. But how can you earn a doctorate while you’re working? The answer is: online education.

Unlike campus-based DBA programs, many online DBA programs are designed for working adults. When you enroll in a top DBA program that offers online learning, you can complete the majority of your coursework from home. Plus, an online DBA degree program allows you to attend class at whatever time of day works best for you. It’s this level of convenience and flexibility that makes an online DBA such a good choice if you have a full-time job and established career.

The business world needs top-level talent in leadership roles. Earning a DBA at an online university can put you in position to fill one of those roles.

Walden University is an accredited institution offering a Doctor of Business Administration degree program online. Advance your professional knowledge and earn your degree in a convenient, flexible format that fits your busy life.

1Source: www.bls.gov/ooh/management/top-executives.htm#tab-3
2Source: www.careeronestop.org/Toolkit/Careers/Occupations/occupation-profile.aspx?keyword=Chief%20Executives&location=US&onetcode=11-1011.00
3Source: www.bls.gov/oes/current/oes111011.htm

Walden University is accredited by The Higher Learning Commission, www.hlcommission.org.

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