Choosing a major can feel like picking a road without seeing the map. You’re trying to balance income, job security, and work you won’t hate by year two.
This guide is for founders, marketers, and small business owners who want a practical answer to one question: which highest paying business degrees tend to produce the strongest earning paths, and what can you actually do with them (including business ideas you can run on the side)?
If you want more context on career paths tied to business majors, this roundup of top-paying business majors and career paths is a helpful companion read.
What “top paying” really means (and what it doesn’t)
A degree doesn’t pay you, the role you land does. Pay rises faster when three things line up:
- Revenue proximity: You’re close to money, risk, or high-stakes decisions (finance, pricing, risk, ops).
- Skill scarcity: Fewer people can do the work well (actuarial exams, systems, regulated accounting).
- Transferability: The skill travels across industries (analytics, accounting, supply chain).
One more reality check: geography and employer type swing salaries hard. A finance grad in New York will see a different market than a finance grad in a smaller city, even with the same GPA.
Highest paying business degrees in 2025 (salary ranges to expect)
Below is a simple snapshot based on 2025 US pay data for new grads and typical mid-career ranges seen in related roles.
| Business degree | Typical starting salary (US) | Common mid-career range |
|---|---|---|
| Management Information Systems (MIS) | $73,695 | $110K to $150K |
| Actuarial Science | $69,677 | $120K to $200K |
| Finance | $64,887 | $100K to $160K |
| Logistics/Supply Chain | $64,538 | $95K to $140K |
| Accounting | $64,092 | $90K to $130K |
| International Business | $62,988 | $95K to $150K |
| Business Administration/Management | $62K to $65K | $120K to $200K+ |
| Investments/Securities | $62K to $67K | $110K to $180K |
| E-commerce | $60K to $68K | $90K to $140K |
| Entrepreneurship | $60K to $65K | Wide range, founder outcomes vary |
If you want a broader view of high-ROI degrees across majors (not just business), BestColleges keeps an updated overview here: https://www.bestcolleges.com/online-schools/highest-paid-degrees/.
Top paying business degrees (plus the business ideas they support)
1) Management Information Systems (MIS)
MIS blends business and tech, often feeding into business systems, product ops, and tech consulting.
Why it pays
- You translate business needs into systems people actually use.
- You can move into product, analytics, or IT leadership.
Who it’s for: builders who like process, tools, and problem-solving.
How to start: learn SQL basics, take an internship in ops or IT.
Tools: Jira, Airtable, Power BI.
Business idea: a systems setup service for small teams (CRM plus automations).
2) Actuarial Science
Actuarial paths pay well because the work is math-heavy and the credentialing is real.
Why it pays
- Exams create a clear skill moat.
- Insurance, benefits, and risk teams rely on accuracy, not opinions.
Who it’s for: patient, detail-focused people who don’t mind long study cycles.
How to start: pass Exam P or FM early, join an actuarial club.
Tools: Excel, R, Python.
Business idea: niche risk consulting for small insurance brokers (later-stage).
3) Finance
Finance is broad, which is good and risky. The upside is strong, but you need a direction.
Why it pays
- Roles tie directly to capital decisions and growth.
- Paths include corporate finance, banking, FP&A, and advisory.
Who it’s for: people who like numbers plus negotiation.
How to start: build a valuation model portfolio, target analyst internships.
Tools: Excel, Bloomberg-style research habits, PitchBook-type workflows.
Business idea: bookkeeping-to-CFO service ladder for small businesses.
CNBC’s overview of majors with strong mid-career pay is useful context: https://cnbc.com/2025/04/16/highest-paying-college-majors.html
4) Logistics and Supply Chain Management
Supply chain pay climbs when you can reduce costs, prevent stockouts, and speed delivery.
Why it pays
- Operations savings are measurable and valued.
- The skill applies to manufacturing, retail, e-commerce, and healthcare.
Who it’s for: planners who like moving parts and hard deadlines.
How to start: learn forecasting basics, do an ops internship.
Tools: SAP basics, Excel, inventory planning templates.
Business idea: fulfillment and procurement consulting for growing e-commerce shops.
5) Accounting
Accounting is still one of the cleanest paths to stable income, and it’s a strong base for ownership.
Why it pays
- Compliance and reporting don’t go away.
- Clear credentials (CPA track) open higher ceilings.
Who it’s for: structured thinkers who like rules and clarity.
How to start: aim for a public accounting internship, map CPA requirements early.
Tools: QuickBooks, Xero, Excel.
Business idea: a niche accounting firm for creators, agencies, or contractors.
6) Investments and Securities
This major points toward wealth management, research, and portfolio work, often with performance pressure.
Why it pays
- Compensation can include bonuses tied to outcomes.
- Expertise compounds with licenses and track record.
Who it’s for: people comfortable with markets and client trust-building.
How to start: join an investment club, study FINRA license paths.
Tools: Excel, financial statement analysis, research workflows.
Business idea: a paid investor education newsletter (compliance-aware).
7) International Business
International business can pay well when paired with language skill and a hard function (finance, ops, sales).
Why it pays
- Cross-border work needs cultural and regulatory awareness.
- Global teams pay for coordination that prevents costly mistakes.
Who it’s for: communicators who like travel, trade, and negotiation.
How to start: add a language minor, pursue study abroad with internships.
Tools: Notion, HubSpot CRM, market research tools.
Business idea: import-export sourcing for niche products, done ethically.
For a quick overview of different business degree types (helpful if you’re still deciding), see: https://und.edu/blog/types-of-business-degrees.html
8) Business Administration and Management
This is the “Swiss Army knife” degree. It can pay well if you stack it with a specialty.
Why it pays
- Fast paths exist into leadership, sales management, and operations.
- Works best when paired with measurable skills (analytics, finance, systems).
Who it’s for: people who want options and like leading teams.
How to start: pick a concentration, run real projects, get internship reps.
Tools: Asana, Google Analytics, Excel.
Business idea: start a local service business and build SOPs from day one.
9) E-commerce
E-commerce degrees earn more when you can drive revenue, reduce CAC, or improve conversion rates.
Why it pays
- E-commerce blends marketing, ops, and analytics.
- Skills translate to agency work or brand ownership.
Who it’s for: builders who like testing, product pages, and customer insights.
How to start: run a small store project, learn paid ads basics and CRO.
Tools: Shopify, Klaviyo, GA4.
Business idea: a micro-brand with one product and strong retention.
10) Entrepreneurship
Entrepreneurship isn’t a guaranteed paycheck, but it’s a direct route to building asset value.
Why it pays
- Upside comes from ownership, not salary.
- Teaches sales, finance, and leadership in one package.
Who it’s for: self-starters who can sell and learn fast from feedback.
How to start: validate with pre-orders, keep costs low, document learning.
Tools: Stripe, Webflow, Zapier.
Business idea: a productized service (like a “done-for-you” landing page sprint).
A quick tool stack that supports most degree paths
| Tool/platform | Best for | Starting cost | Key benefit |
|---|---|---|---|
| Internships, hiring | Free | Network effects compound | |
| Coursera | Skill gaps | Free or paid | Structured learning |
| Excel or Google Sheets | Analysis | Free or paid | Still the workhorse |
| Power BI or Tableau Public | Dashboards | Free options | Shows insight fast |
| Notion | Portfolio, notes | Free | Organizes your proof of work |
How to choose the right degree if pay is your priority
Use this short checklist before you commit:
- Pick a high-pay core, then add a skill badge (MIS + SQL, Finance + modeling, Accounting + CPA path).
- Pressure-test the day-to-day by shadowing, interviewing, or doing a small project.
- Choose the path that stays relevant even if one industry slows down. This guide on how to pick a future-proof career can help you think longer-term.
- Don’t ignore time and cost. A two-year start can still be a smart move, see the benefits of earning an associate degree if you’re optimizing for speed.
AI image prompts (ready for your designer or generator)
- Hero image prompt: “A modern, branded blog hero image showing a diverse group of business students in a bright classroom, subtle finance charts and supply chain icons in the background, clean blue and white color palette, professional editorial style, soft lighting, high resolution, 16:9.”
- Comparison graphic prompt: “A simple infographic comparing 10 business degrees with icons (laptop, calculator, globe, truck, storefront), minimal style, readable typography, blue and gray palette, 4:3.”
- Workflow illustration prompt: “A clean flow diagram: Degree -> Skill stack -> Internship -> Job role -> Business idea side hustle, minimal vector style, white background, brand blue accents.”
Conclusion
A “best” degree isn’t a universal answer, it’s the one that matches your strengths and puts you close to revenue, risk, or ownership. If you want the safest mix of options and upside, MIS, finance, accounting, and supply chain are hard to beat, and they pair well with real-world business ideas you can test while you learn.
Choose one of these highest paying business degrees, then build proof of work early. The market rewards competence you can show, not just coursework you can list.
Adeyemi Adetilewa leads the editorial direction at IdeasPlusBusiness.com. He has driven over 10M+ content views through strategic content marketing, with work trusted and published by platforms including HackerNoon, HuffPost, Addicted2Success, and others.