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Five Career Paths for Which DBAs Are Uniquely Qualified

Gaining your doctorate in business administration can help you increase momentum in your career and position you for executive positions in private and nonprofit industries.

A doctoral degree in business administration can help propel your career to new heights. And in the case of at least one Walden University DBA degree-holder, those heights included a top position in information technology at the Kennedy Space Center.

Using in-depth knowledge gained from online Doctor of Business Administration degree programs, graduates soar to rewarding positions within a multitude of other industries, too: program analyst for the Department of Homeland Security, university faculty member, municipal human resources director, and business systems analyst for a global media organization.

Five Career Paths for Which DBAs Are Uniquely Qualified

Online DBA programs are for experienced professionals who want to serve as global change agents in the corporate or public sector or the academic arena. If you’re wondering where a doctoral degree might take you, here are just five of the many career paths for which DBAs are uniquely qualified:

Leadership

Honing leadership skills in an online DBA program is an excellent option for management professionals who are working full-time and aspire to C-Suite positions. A DBA program will help prepare you for organizational leadership by examining the relationship between leadership and management, leadership and motivation theories, ethical dilemmas, and more. Leveraging this doctoral-level knowledge can lead to top executive jobs in diverse and fast-growing industries in both the private and nonprofit sectors.

  • The median annual wage for chief executives was $189,600 in 2018.1
  • Wages were highest for chief executives in manufacturing, professional, scientific, and technical services, with a median of $208,000 or more.1
  • Through 2028, the Bureau of Labor Statistics projects average job growth of 6% for top executives.1

Information Systems Management

An online DBA degree program can provide multiple paths to careers in the expanding information systems management industry. In-demand positions include chief technology officer, information technology (IT) director, and IT security managers. Doctoral degree programs can help boost your professional ability and skills as you learn to align business needs with technological solutions, identify new applications for technology, and leverage technological solutions to enhance an organization’s competitive position.

  • The median annual wage for computer and information systems managers was $142,530 in 2018.2
  • Wages were highest in the information sector, with a median of $157,810.2
  • Through 2028, the Bureau of Labor Statistics projects much-faster-than-average job growth of 11% for computer and information systems managers.2

Finance

Derivatives, hedging, option pricing, valuation, capital asset pricing model ... If you speak the language of finance, a doctoral degree may fuel advancement in multiple finance categories and in positions like financial manager, budget analyst, accountant, or auditor. Students pursuing doctorates in business with a finance specialization may take seminars in international finance, entrepreneurial finance, and law and compliance. Expand your career options and gain economic acumen in an accredited Doctor of Business Administration degree program.

  • The median annual wage for financial managers was $127,990 in 2018.3
  • Wages were highest for financial managers in the professional, scientific, and technical services industries, with a median of $151,610.3
  • Through 2028, the Bureau of Labor Statistics projects job growth of 16% for financial managers, much faster than average.3

Healthcare Management

Medical advances and an aging population are contributing to an exponential growth in healthcare jobs. An online DBA degree program can uniquely qualify you for new opportunities in healthcare management by deepening your core business management skills. Select a DBA healthcare management specialization to explore relevant topics such as the regulatory and ethical dynamics within the industry.

  • The median annual wage for medical and health services managers was $99,730 in 2018.4
  • Wages were highest in the hospital sector, with a median of $110,460.4
  • Through 2026, the Bureau of Labor Statistics projects job growth of 18% for medical and health services managers, much faster than average.4

Entrepreneurship

Many corporations prize innovative leaders, and many of today’s top business leaders are noted innovators: Amazon’s Jeff Bezos, General Motors chair and CEO Mary Barra, and Mary Dillon, CEO of Ulta Beauty.6 A doctorate in business can provide tools to support and develop your entrepreneurial spirit and leadership skills in an established company or at a start-up. A top DBA program will combine theory with practical strategies drawn from real-world situations. Your coursework may include classes in entrepreneurial finance, innovation management, and contemporary challenges in business.

  • The median annual wage chief executives many of whom began as entrepreneurs, was $189,600 in 2018.1
  • Wages were highest for chief executives in manufacturing, professional, scientific, and technical services, with a median annual wage of $208,000 or more.1
  • Through 2028, the Bureau of Labor Statistics projects average job growth of 6% for top executives.1

As a working professional, you can use the skills and knowledge you gain from your doctoral program to effect change in the workplace and in the world. Let a DBA advance your knowledge and advance your career.

Walden University offers a Doctor of Business Administration (DBA) degree program online with multiple specializations to choose from. Expand your career options and earn your doctoral degree using a convenient, flexible learning platform that fits your busy life.

1Source: www.bls.gov/ooh/management/top-executives.htm
2Source: www.bls.gov/ooh/management/computer-and-information-systems-managers.htm
3Source: www.bls.gov/ooh/management/financial-managers.htm
4Source: www.bls.gov/ooh/management/medical-and-health-services-managers.htm
5Source: www.institutionalinvestor.com/article/b1bsssqc9w0p5v/these-are-america-s-top-executives

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


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