# Business/Commerce, General

> A program that focuses on the general study of business, including the processes of interchanging goods and services (buying, selling and producing), business organization, and accounting as used in profit-making and nonprofit public and private institutions and agencies. The programs may prepare individuals to apply business principles and techniques in various occupational settings.

- Edition: Data verified Nov 2026 · CollegesRef 2026–27 edition
- Page: https://www.collegesref.com/programs/business-commerce-general
- CIP code: 52.01 (Business, Management, Marketing, and Related Support Services)
- Colleges offering it: 523 at its most common degree level
- Value ranking: https://www.collegesref.com/best-colleges/business

## Outcomes by degree level (College Scorecard, 2025)

| Degree level | Colleges | Median earnings 1 yr | Median earnings 4 yrs | Median federal debt |
| --- | ---: | ---: | ---: | ---: |
| Certificate | 269 | $46,065 | $50,931 | $14,250 |
| Associate's | 523 | $41,080 | $49,134 | $12,500 |
| Bachelor's | 426 | $51,735 | $64,016 | $21,500 |
| Master's | 144 | $84,133 | $106,812 | $31,317 |
| Post-baccalaureate certificate | 9 | not reported | not reported | not reported |
| Doctoral | 26 | $108,513 | not reported | $81,100 |
| First professional | 5 | $76,840 | $92,953 | not reported |
| Graduate/professional certificate | 57 | $75,796 | $113,127 | $30,750 |

## Colleges whose graduates earn the most (Bachelor's)

Only programs with at least 10 graduates are listed.

| College | Location | Median earnings 4 yrs | Median debt |
| --- | --- | ---: | ---: |
| [Baylor University](https://www.collegesref.com/college/baylor-university-194) | Waco, TX | $124,434 | $12,000 |
| [Wake Forest University](https://www.collegesref.com/college/wake-forest-university-3149) | Winston-Salem, NC | $118,167 | $19,500 |
| [Northeastern University](https://www.collegesref.com/college/northeastern-university-1923) | Boston, MA | $113,620 | $18,875 |
| [University of Notre Dame-South Bend](https://www.collegesref.com/college/university-of-notre-dame-south-bend-in-3005) | Notre Dame, IN | $111,444 | $21,375 |
| [Brandeis University](https://www.collegesref.com/college/brandeis-university-292) | Waltham, MA | $108,405 | $17,489 |
| [Lehigh University](https://www.collegesref.com/college/lehigh-university-1472) | Bethlehem, PA | $107,079 | $19,500 |
| [Indiana University-Bloomington](https://www.collegesref.com/college/indiana-university-bloomington-main-campus-1277) | Bloomington, IN | $105,583 | $18,507 |
| [Skidmore College](https://www.collegesref.com/college/skidmore-college-2428) | Saratoga Springs, NY | $93,229 | $24,774 |
| [University of Georgia](https://www.collegesref.com/college/university-of-georgia-2912) | Athens, GA | $91,970 | not reported |
| [Pace University](https://www.collegesref.com/college/pace-university-2053) | New York, NY | $89,450 | $24,625 |

## Related careers (NCES CIP–SOC crosswalk)

- [Chief Executives](https://www.collegesref.com/careers/chief-executives): $213,990 median pay
- [Chief Sustainability Officers](https://www.collegesref.com/careers/chief-sustainability-officers): $213,990 median pay
- [Sales Managers](https://www.collegesref.com/careers/sales-managers): $148,270 median pay
- [Brownfield Redevelopment Specialists and Site Managers](https://www.collegesref.com/careers/brownfield-redevelopment-specialists-and-site-managers): $141,900 median pay
- [Compliance Managers](https://www.collegesref.com/careers/compliance-managers): $141,900 median pay
- [Loss Prevention Managers](https://www.collegesref.com/careers/loss-prevention-managers): $141,900 median pay
- [Managers, All Other](https://www.collegesref.com/careers/managers-all-other): $141,900 median pay
- [Regulatory Affairs Managers](https://www.collegesref.com/careers/regulatory-affairs-managers): $141,900 median pay
- [Wind Energy Development Managers](https://www.collegesref.com/careers/wind-energy-development-managers): $141,900 median pay
- [Wind Energy Operations Managers](https://www.collegesref.com/careers/wind-energy-operations-managers): $141,900 median pay
- [Biofuels Production Managers](https://www.collegesref.com/careers/biofuels-production-managers): $126,060 median pay
- [Biomass Power Plant Managers](https://www.collegesref.com/careers/biomass-power-plant-managers): $126,060 median pay
- [Geothermal Production Managers](https://www.collegesref.com/careers/geothermal-production-managers): $126,060 median pay
- [Hydroelectric Production Managers](https://www.collegesref.com/careers/hydroelectric-production-managers): $126,060 median pay
- [Industrial Production Managers](https://www.collegesref.com/careers/industrial-production-managers): $126,060 median pay
- [Quality Control Systems Managers](https://www.collegesref.com/careers/quality-control-systems-managers): $126,060 median pay
- [Construction Managers](https://www.collegesref.com/careers/construction-managers): $114,990 median pay
- [Administrative Services Managers](https://www.collegesref.com/careers/administrative-services-managers): $114,130 median pay
- [Supply Chain Managers](https://www.collegesref.com/careers/supply-chain-managers): $107,230 median pay
- [Transportation, Storage, and Distribution Managers](https://www.collegesref.com/careers/transportation-storage-and-distribution-managers): $107,230 median pay
- [Facilities Managers](https://www.collegesref.com/careers/facilities-managers): $106,660 median pay
- [Security Managers](https://www.collegesref.com/careers/security-managers): $106,660 median pay
- [General and Operations Managers](https://www.collegesref.com/careers/general-and-operations-managers): $105,770 median pay
- [Project Management Specialists](https://www.collegesref.com/careers/project-management-specialists): $102,320 median pay

## More in Business, Management, Marketing, and Related Support Services

- [Business Administration, Management and Operations](https://www.collegesref.com/programs/business-administration-management-and-operations): 1,495 colleges
- [Accounting and Related Services](https://www.collegesref.com/programs/accounting-and-related-services): 1,096 colleges
- [Marketing](https://www.collegesref.com/programs/marketing): 820 colleges
- [Finance and Financial Management Services](https://www.collegesref.com/programs/finance-and-financial-management-services): 730 colleges
- [Business Operations Support and Assistant Services](https://www.collegesref.com/programs/business-operations-support-and-assistant-services): 669 colleges
- [Entrepreneurial and Small Business Operations](https://www.collegesref.com/programs/entrepreneurial-and-small-business-operations): 520 colleges
- [International Business](https://www.collegesref.com/programs/international-business): 426 colleges
- [Human Resources Management and Services](https://www.collegesref.com/programs/human-resources-management-and-services): 379 colleges

## Guides on this field

- [How to Compare Colleges by Major: Engineering, STEM, Pre-Med, and Business](https://www.collegesref.com/blog/how-to-compare-colleges-by-major)

## Sources

- U.S. Department of Education, College Scorecard field-of-study data, 2025: https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/data/
- NCES Classification of Instructional Programs (CIP) 2020: https://nces.ed.gov/ipeds/cipcode/