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CIP 52.0101 Business

Business/Commerce, General

IPEDS Completions, US Department of Education · 2025

中文

Total graduates

54,864

2025 · 750 schools

International share

5.4%

2,972 international students

Bachelor's degrees

27,287

4.4% international

Master's degrees

7,815

13.4% international

Overview

Business/Commerce, General is a versatile and foundational academic program that prepares students for various roles in the business world. This field covers a broad range of topics essential for understanding the complexities of business operations and management. Students typically study key areas such as accounting, finance, marketing, management, and economics, providing them with a well-rounded understanding of how businesses operate.

The curriculum often includes both theoretical and practical components, allowing students to apply their knowledge in real-world settings. Many programs also emphasize the development of critical skills such as analytical thinking, problem-solving, communication, and teamwork, which are vital in any business context.

Graduates of a General Business/Commerce program are well-equipped to pursue careers in diverse sectors, including retail, finance, healthcare, and technology. Job titles may range from business analyst and marketing manager to operations supervisor and financial consultant. Moreover, the knowledge gained in this program also lays the groundwork for those who wish to pursue further studies, such as an MBA or specialized master's programs in areas like finance or marketing.

The adaptability of a General Business/Commerce degree makes it increasingly valuable in today’s dynamic job market, where employers seek candidates who are not only knowledgeable but also versatile and capable of navigating various business challenges. Overall, this program serves as a critical stepping stone for aspiring business professionals seeking to make their mark in the industry.

Graduates by year

Graduates by degree level (first and second majors)

AssociateBachelor'sMaster'sDoctoral

From 2002 to 2025, graduates grew 6% and the international share went from 7.5% to 5.4%.

International share (%)
Graduates by group, 2025
White
50.5%
Asian
6.4%
Hispanic
16.2%
Black
13.9%
Other
7.6%
Intl.
5.4%

Colleges that award this degree

In 2025, 750 schools awarded this degree as a first major. The table lists those in the 2027 U.S. News National or Liberal Arts rankings, plus the unranked schools with the most graduates.

RankSchoolStateGraduatesInternational
#3 Harvard University Massachusetts 53 22
#7 University of Pennsylvania Pennsylvania 15 0
#9 University of Chicago Illinois 13 7
#20 University of Notre Dame Indiana 42 3
#31 New York University New York 41 21
#34 Wake Forest University North Carolina 98 3
#34 University of Wisconsin-Madison Wisconsin 106 13
#42 Northeastern University Massachusetts 1,250 283
#44 Ohio State University-Main Campus Ohio 3 0
#44 Lehigh University Pennsylvania 40 1
#49 University of Maryland-College Park Maryland 15 11
#52 University of Georgia Georgia 19 0
#52 Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University Virginia 9 2
#59 George Washington University D.C. 1 0
#59 Florida State University Florida 227 2
#59 Tulane University of Louisiana Louisiana 139 76
#59 Brandeis University Massachusetts 61 15
#59 University of Pittsburgh-Pittsburgh Campus Pennsylvania 4 0
#69 Michigan State University Michigan 107 7
#73 University of Connecticut Connecticut 18 0
#73 Indiana University-Bloomington Indiana 3,701 349
#73 Worcester Polytechnic Institute Massachusetts 39 4
#80 Drexel University Pennsylvania 11 1
#85 Fordham University New York 6 0
#90 Baylor University Texas 63 0
#90 Gonzaga University Washington 296 24
#95 University of Missouri-Columbia Missouri 967 10
#95 Rochester Institute of Technology New York 4 1
#100 University of South Florida-Main Campus Florida 341 48
#109 Loyola Marymount University California 37 7
#109 University of New Hampshire-Main Campus New Hampshire 162 12
#109 Temple University Pennsylvania 154 6
#116 University of Oregon Oregon 598 15
#116 Brigham Young University-Provo Utah 64 2
#121 University of Denver Colorado 229 7
#121 University of Central Florida Florida 794 35
#121 University of South Carolina-Columbia South Carolina 52 6
#121 George Mason University Virginia 1,128 113
#137 Saint Joseph's University - Philadelphia Pennsylvania 149 11
#148 Mercer University Georgia 10 1
#148 University of Kansas Kansas 165 4
#148 University of Kentucky Kentucky 404 12
#148 University of Massachusetts-Lowell Massachusetts 8 0
#148 University of Rhode Island Rhode Island 4 2
#156 The University of Alabama Alabama 262 2
#156 Kansas State University Kansas 36 0
#156 Duquesne University Pennsylvania 4 0
#156 Virginia Commonwealth University Virginia 330 31
#179 University of Louisville Kentucky 391 32
#179 University of Mississippi Mississippi 290 3
#179 University of Utah Utah 1 0
#179 Seattle University Washington 2 0
#186 Texas Tech University Texas 327 4
#191 University of Arkansas Arkansas 30 0
#191 Florida Atlantic University Florida 15 0
#191 Georgia State University Georgia 247 28
#191 Drake University Iowa 10 0
#191 Hofstra University New York 1 0
#202 University of St. Thomas (TX) Texas 7 0
#208 University of La Verne California 3 2
#208 Belmont University Tennessee 71 4
#208 University of North Texas Texas 186 14
#219 Indiana University-Purdue University-Indianapolis Indiana 512 23
#219 University of Nevada-Reno Nevada 183 2
#219 Gannon University Pennsylvania 3 0
#227 Ball State University Indiana 280 3
#227 West Virginia University West Virginia 250 6
#236 University of North Florida Florida 40 3
#250 University of Massachusetts-Dartmouth Massachusetts 28 0
#250 University of Missouri--Kansas City Missouri 266 13
#250 New Mexico State University-Main Campus New Mexico 98 2
#250 Pace University-New York New York 111 11
#250 La Salle University Pennsylvania 16 2
#262 University of Alabama--Huntsville Alabama 14 0
#262 Suffolk University Massachusetts 3 3
#262 Western New England University Massachusetts 30 0
#262 University of Texas--El Paso Texas 22 1
#262 Seattle Pacific University Washington 61 8
#276 University of Missouri--St. Louis Missouri 399 28
#276 Bowling Green State University-Main Campus Ohio 34 1
#276 Widener University Pennsylvania 4 1
#288 Biola University California 43 10
#288 Utah State University Utah 6 0
#288 University of Wisconsin--Milwaukee Wisconsin 70 0
#299 Azusa Pacific University California 8 0
#299 Boise State University Idaho 310 3
#299 University of Toledo Ohio 10 0
#299 Concordia University Wisconsin Wisconsin 11 1
#308 Oakland University Michigan 69 1
#308 Maryville University of Saint Louis Missouri 105 10
#308 Montana State University Montana 456 1
#317 Marshall University West Virginia 218 10
#317 Augusta University Georgia 97 0
#328 University of North Texas at Dallas Texas 75 0
#332 University of South Alabama Alabama 14 0
#332 Jacksonville University Florida 47 9
#332 University of Baltimore Maryland 82 0
#332 Texas A&M University--Kingsville Texas 20 0
#342 Missouri State University Missouri 76 1
#342 Cleveland State University Ohio 48 1
#342 University of Texas--Tyler Texas 29 1
#353 Plymouth State University New Hampshire 84 5
#353 Youngstown State University Ohio 188 4
#353 University of Houston--Clear Lake Texas 87 0
#353 University of Puerto Rico-Rio Piedras Puerto Rico 49 0
#353 Pennsylvania Western University Pennsylvania 15 1
#365 University of Central Arkansas Arkansas 101 6
#365 Indiana State University Indiana 32 1
#365 Northern Kentucky University Kentucky 463 65
#365 Liberty University Virginia 204 2
#376 University of Bridgeport Connecticut 29 4
#382 Grand Canyon University Arizona 8 0
#382 Colorado Technical University Colorado 198 0
#382 Post University Connecticut 244 40
#382 Saint Leo University Florida 1 0
#382 St. Thomas University (FL) Florida 7 1
#382 Southeastern University Florida 11 4
#382 Columbus State University Georgia 48 1
#382 Valdosta State University Georgia 13 0
#382 Idaho State University Idaho 35 1
#382 Wright State University-Main Campus Ohio 35 1
#382 Southwestern Oklahoma State University Oklahoma 15 1
#382 Texas A&M University--Corpus Christi Texas 80 0
#382 East Texas A&M University Texas 22 0
#382 Lamar University Texas 81 0
#382 Tarleton State University Texas 194 1
#382 Regent University Virginia 3 0
#382 Pontifical Catholic University of Puerto Rico-Ponce Puerto Rico 2 0
LAC #41 Skidmore College New York 95 9
LAC #54 Centre College Kentucky 30 1
LAC #62 Lake Forest College Illinois 74 2
LAC #62 Gustavus Adolphus College Minnesota 54 7
LAC #68 Lawrence University Wisconsin 26 5
LAC #72 Saint Anselm College New Hampshire 28 1
LAC #74 Kalamazoo College Michigan 59 0
LAC #85 Randolph-Macon College Virginia 60 0
LAC #91 Washington and Jefferson College Pennsylvania 40 1
LAC #91 Southwestern University Texas 74 1
LAC #97 Austin College Texas 19 0
LAC #106 Transylvania University Kentucky 31 0
LAC #109 Hanover College Indiana 47 4
LAC #119 Albion College Michigan 18 0
LAC #119 Ripon College Wisconsin 11 0
LAC #132 Eckerd College Florida 17 1
LAC #132 Saint Norbert College Wisconsin 37 0
LAC #142 Covenant College Georgia 33 1
LAC #142 Houghton University New York 5 0
LAC #146 Fisk University Tennessee 17 0
LAC #150 Sweet Briar College Virginia 19 1
LAC #154 SUNY Old Westbury New York 19 0
LAC #157 Randolph College Virginia 6 0
LAC #160 Wittenberg University Ohio 22 0
LAC #160 Albright College Pennsylvania 7 0
LAC #160 University of Virginia's College at Wise Virginia 38 3
LAC #166 Gods Bible School and College Ohio 14 1
LAC #170 Western Oregon University Oregon 70 0
LAC #184 Fort Lewis College Colorado 58 0
LAC #184 College of Coastal Georgia Georgia 66 4
LAC #184 Holy Cross College Indiana 27 2
LAC #184 Indiana University-Southeast Indiana 156 1
LAC #184 CUNY Medgar Evers College New York 47 2
LAC #184 Southern Virginia University Virginia 38 0
LAC #184 Glenville State University West Virginia 32 3
— Strayer University-Global Region D.C. 1,258 0
— Lone Star College System Texas 832 48
— American Public University System West Virginia 782 9
— San Jacinto Community College Texas 700 6
— DeVry University-Illinois Illinois 677 1
— Strayer University-Georgia Georgia 607 0
— Montgomery College Maryland 433 63
— Strayer University-North Carolina North Carolina 423 0
— Austin Community College District Texas 390 10
— University of Maine at Presque Isle Maine 348 0
— Columbia College Missouri 345 17
— University of Wisconsin-Whitewater Wisconsin 343 3
— Strayer University-Virginia Virginia 340 0
— Strayer University-Texas Texas 327 1
— Georgia Gwinnett College Georgia 314 14
— South Texas College Texas 308 2
— Empire State University New York 307 2
— Strayer University-South Carolina South Carolina 301 0
— Lindenwood University Missouri 286 23
— Dallas College Texas 281 1
— College of Staten Island CUNY New York 255 5
— Purdue University Global Indiana 254 3
— Central State University Ohio 245 9
— Sam Houston State University Texas 244 4
— Strayer University-Maryland Maryland 243 0
— Salt Lake Community College Utah 240 11
— Campbellsville University Kentucky 239 168
— Pennsylvania State University-World Campus Pennsylvania 239 2
— West Texas A & M University Texas 234 7
— University of the Cumberlands Kentucky 226 21

Purple: international students are 25% or more of the school's graduates.

Related jobs and pay

OccupationUS employmentMean hourly wageMean annual wage
General and Operations Managers 3,503,020 $64.87 $134,940
Project Management Specialists 1,066,670 $53.24 $110,740
Management Analysts 898,280 $54.71 $113,790
Sales Managers 637,080 $79.02 $164,350
Managers, All Other 622,190 $73.99 $153,890
Construction Managers 380,360 $59.79 $124,360
Administrative Services Managers 263,960 $62.44 $129,870
Industrial Production Managers 246,250 $64.50 $134,170
Cost Estimators 224,220 $41.06 $85,390
Transportation, Storage, and Distribution Managers 221,180 $58.46 $121,600
Social and Community Service Managers 209,330 $42.73 $88,880
Chief Executives 204,350 $129.63 $269,630
Facilities Managers 156,180 $56.20 $116,890
Business Teachers, Postsecondary 82,150 — $114,720
Entertainment and Recreation Managers, Except Gambling 37,980 $43.15 $89,750
Personal Service Managers, All Other 10,450 $37.59 $78,190

Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025.

Graduate counts: IPEDS Completions, US Department of Education, 2002–2025. Rankings: 2027 U.S. News.