How much do business administrators actually make?
Businesses have many moving parts. Without someone overseeing day-to-day operations and taking care of issues that arise, a business wouldn't be able to function. The person who keeps everything on track is called a business administrator.
Business administrators are in demand for all kinds of businesses. But is it a worthwhile career choice? How much do business administrators get paid, anyway?
This article answers these questions and more about working as a business administrator.
What is a business administrator?
A business administrator oversees business operations and ensures that things are running smoothly.
While upper management is busy worrying about the overarching goals of the organization, the business administrator helps turn those goals into reality by managing day-to-day tasks. Every business administration job is a bit different.
Business administrators might be involved in aspects of the business, like onboarding new employees, overseeing finances and bookkeeping, developing organizational systems, or managing vendor contracts.
What does a business administrator do?
Depending on the organization, a business administrator might manage operations across the entire company or in a single department.
It’s typically a fast-paced job that’s a little different every day. Good business administrators thrive on wearing many hats in the company and are good multitaskers.
Some examples of what a business administrator might do include:
Monitoring business processes to improve efficiency
Scheduling meetings and travel
Keeping records and meeting notes
Building relationships with customers and vendors
Drafting internal and external communications
Budgeting and financial planning
Filing expense reports
Performing employee evaluations and training
Purchasing software, tools, or supplies for the business
Creating and presenting reports on business operations
What skills does a business administrator need?
A day in the life of a business administrator includes a wide variety of tasks. One minute they might be scheduling meetings, while the next, they’re negotiating with a vendor.
To be successful at the entire range of business administrator responsibilities, you need a broad skill set. Let’s take a look at three types of skills you’ll need.
1. Administrative skills
Administrative skills, as you can guess from the name, are at the heart of business administration. Administrative skills are all about helping a business run smoothly.
Someone with strong administrative skills will be highly organized and manage their time well.
They know how to communicate effectively over the phone, email, and in person. Someone like this would have basic computer skills, like knowing how to use Microsoft Office. They’re also efficient at filing electronic and paper files.
2. Interpersonal skills
Business administrators collaborate with coworkers in various departments. They may also build relationships with customers and vendors.
To succeed, they need interpersonal skills. Interpersonal skills are verbal and non-verbal skills that help you communicate and work well with others.
They include:
Communication
Conflict resolution
Negotiation
Empathy
Leadership
Teamwork
3. Problem-solving skills
A business administrator’s job is to keep business operations on track.
Sometimes, that means solving problems that arise.
Being a business administrator requires flexibility and creativity. You can quickly understand and analyze an issue and come up with a solution.
What is the average business administrator's salary?
The national average salary for someone with the job title “business administrator” is $55,264. But there’s a wide salary range, with jobs on the lower end paying under $35,000 and jobs on the higher end paying over $90,000.
What factors affect the salary of a business administrator?
How can two business administration professionals make such different salaries? There are several factors that affect how much you earn. Let’s look at four of them.
1. Education and certifications
Most business administrator jobs require a bachelor’s degree. Many business administrators also have a master’s degree, usually an MBA.
While not all business administrator jobs require that level of education, people with an MBA are likely to make more money. Some certifications can also improve your job prospects. One useful credential that can lead to higher-paying jobs is a Certified Manager (CM) certificate.
2. Years of experience
As with most jobs, entry-level jobs pay less than senior positions. A business administrator in their first year of work makes an average of $51,301. Someone who has 15 or more years of experience makes $61,722.
3. Industry
One great thing about the business administrator career path is that you can work in many different industries, from healthcare to banking.
But some industries pay better than others.
For example, business administrators working in the beauty and fitness industry make an average annual salary of $37,541. But business administrators working in aerospace and defense make an average of $68,622.
4. Size of business
Large corporations have bigger budgets and tend to pay more than small companies.
A business administrator working for a company with fewer than 50 employees is likely to make around $52,661, while one who works for a business with more than 5,000 employees makes an average of $60,190.
There are plenty of reasons a business administrator might like to work for a small business, like a broader range of responsibilities and greater flexibility. But if a high salary is your goal, larger companies usually pay more.
Become a business administrator
Business administrators are the superstars who work behind the scenes to keep businesses running effectively. If you have excellent administrative and interpersonal skills and you’re looking for a new job, consider becoming a business administrator.
To get your business administration career started — or make your next career move — find a business administrator job on Jobcase.