# Business Continuity Planners

> Develop, maintain, or implement business continuity and disaster recovery strategies and solutions, including risk assessments, business impact analyses, strategy selection, and documentation of business continuity and disaster recovery procedures. Plan, conduct, and debrief regular mock-disaster exercises to test the adequacy of existing plans and strategies, updating procedures and plans regularly. Act as a coordinator for continuity efforts after a disruption event.

- Edition: Data verified Nov 2026 · CollegesRef 2026–27 edition
- Page: https://www.collegesref.com/careers/business-continuity-planners
- SOC code: 13-1199.04
- Career family: Business and finance
- Median annual pay: $83,050 (10th percentile $47,880, 90th percentile $150,010)
- Projected growth: As fast as average, +3.9%
- Openings a year: 98,700
- Typical entry education: Bachelor's degree
- Bright outlook: yes
- Data years: BLS 2025 wages · 2025–35 projections
- Pay and outlook are for the broader BLS group "Business operations specialists, all other".

## Interest profile (code ECI)

| Interest area | Score (0–100) |
| --- | ---: |
| Realistic (R) | 17 |
| Investigative (I) | 56 |
| Artistic (A) | 11 |
| Social (S) | 34 |
| Enterprising (E) | 71 |
| Conventional (C) | 68 |

## What you'd do

- Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates (importance 91/100)
- Getting Information (importance 88/100)
- Working with Computers (importance 88/100)
- Making Decisions and Solving Problems (importance 80/100)
- Documenting/Recording Information (importance 80/100)
- Establishing and Maintaining Interpersonal Relationships (importance 80/100)
- Organizing, Planning, and Prioritizing Work (importance 77/100)
- Analyzing Data or Information (importance 76/100)
- Evaluating Information to Determine Compliance with Standards (importance 75/100)
- Developing Objectives and Strategies (importance 74/100)

## Skills

Active Listening, Complex Problem Solving, Critical Thinking, Judgment and Decision Making, Active Learning, Reading Comprehension, Speaking, Systems Analysis, Systems Evaluation, Writing

## Knowledge

English Language, Public Safety and Security, Administration and Management, Customer and Personal Service, Computers and Electronics, Education and Training, Communications and Media, Administrative, Personnel and Human Resources, Telecommunications

## Also called

Business Change Advisor, Business Consultant, Business Continuity Administrator (Business Continuity Admin), Business Continuity Analyst, Business Continuity and Disaster Recovery Consultant, Business Continuity And Disaster Recovery Specialist, Business Continuity Consultant, Business Continuity Coordinator, Business Continuity Planner, Business Continuity Professional

## Majors that lead here (NCES CIP–SOC crosswalk, 4-digit CIP)

- [Business Administration, Management and Operations](https://www.collegesref.com/programs/5202) (CIP 5202, 2,372 colleges)
- [Business Operations Support and Assistant Services](https://www.collegesref.com/programs/5204) (CIP 5204, 758 colleges)
- [Hospitality Administration/Management](https://www.collegesref.com/programs/5209) (CIP 5209, 641 colleges)
- [International Business](https://www.collegesref.com/programs/5211) (CIP 5211, 569 colleges)

## Colleges with strong outcomes (College Scorecard, 2025)

| College | Program | Earnings 1 yr | Earnings 4 yrs | Median debt |
| --- | --- | ---: | ---: | ---: |
| [Carnegie Mellon University](https://www.collegesref.com/college/carnegie-mellon-university-406) | Business Administration, Management and Operations | $97,419 | $160,783 | $19,000 |
| [Georgetown University-DC](https://www.collegesref.com/college/georgetown-university-dc-1068) | International Business | not reported | $159,452 | $13,500 |
| [University of Michigan-Ann Arbor Main Campus](https://www.collegesref.com/college/university-of-michigan-ann-arbor-main-campus-2956) | Business Administration, Management and Operations | $96,806 | $144,654 | $19,500 |
| [University of California-Berkeley CAL](https://www.collegesref.com/college/university-of-california-berkeley-cal-2881) | Business Administration, Management and Operations | $94,811 | $144,599 | $10,656 |
| [University of Pennsylvania UPENN](https://www.collegesref.com/college/university-of-pennsylvania-upenn-3009) | Business Administration, Management and Operations | $108,743 | $136,806 | $19,250 |
| [Emory University-Main Campus](https://www.collegesref.com/college/emory-university-main-campus-916) | Business Administration, Management and Operations | $87,830 | $136,731 | $15,000 |
| [University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill Main Campus](https://www.collegesref.com/college/university-of-north-carolina-at-chapel-hill-main-campus-2990) | Business Administration, Management and Operations | $88,182 | $135,874 | $9,250 |
| [Northeastern University](https://www.collegesref.com/college/northeastern-university-1923) | International Business | $76,290 | $125,162 | $18,258 |

## Related careers

- [Emergency Management Directors](https://www.collegesref.com/careers/emergency-management-directors): $93,330 median pay
- [Project Management Specialists](https://www.collegesref.com/careers/project-management-specialists): $102,320 median pay
- [Information Technology Project Managers](https://www.collegesref.com/careers/information-technology-project-managers): $116,580 median pay
- [Financial Risk Specialists](https://www.collegesref.com/careers/financial-risk-specialists): $117,330 median pay
- [Compliance Managers](https://www.collegesref.com/careers/compliance-managers): $141,900 median pay
- [Security Management Specialists](https://www.collegesref.com/careers/security-management-specialists): $83,050 median pay

## Sources

- [O*NET Database](https://www.onetcenter.org/database.html), version 31.0 (CC BY 4.0)
- [BLS Employment Projections](https://www.bls.gov/emp/tables.htm), version 2025-35, data year 2025 (Public domain (U.S. government work))
- [BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics](https://www.bls.gov/oes/tables.htm), version 2025, data year 2025 (Public domain (U.S. government work))
- [NCES CIP 2020 to SOC 2018 crosswalk](https://nces.ed.gov/ipeds/cipcode/resources.aspx?y=56), version 2020, data year 2020 (Public domain (U.S. government work))

O*NET 31.0 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA). Used under the CC BY 4.0 license. CollegesRef has modified all or some of this information.