2027 Online BS in Business Administration vs. a BS in Communication: Which Route Fits Your Career Plan?

Audited and Verified:

Imed Bouchrika, PhD

by Imed Bouchrika, PhD

Co-Founder and Chief Data Scientist

What is the difference between an online BS in Business Administration and a BS in Communication?

A BS in Business Administration generally studies how an organization allocates resources and makes decisions across functions such as accounting, marketing, operations, and management. A BS in Communication generally studies how messages are researched, produced, delivered, and interpreted. The "BS" label alone does not establish how quantitative or technical either curriculum is; compare the actual requirements at each school.

The distinction becomes clearer when you picture the work you want to do. A business student might analyze a budget or propose a process change. A communication student might research an audience and develop a campaign. Both need writing, data interpretation, and ethical judgment, and both can work in marketing or human resources. If HR is your goal, understanding human resources degree levels can help you distinguish broad undergraduate preparation from more specialized study.

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Which degree offers better career opportunities: Business Administration or Communication?

Neither degree is universally better. Business administration is usually the more direct choice when you want to explore operations, business analysis, finance-related support, or several business functions before specializing. Communication is usually the more direct choice when your target work centers on writing, content strategy, public relations, internal messaging, or media production.

For a career change, start with your existing evidence, not just the new credential. Someone who already manages customer accounts may be able to pair communication study with campaign samples. Someone with scheduling or purchasing experience may be able to pair business study with a documented process-improvement project. A substantial move into a specialized function may also require an internship, technical training, or an entry-level role. If project coordination is your specific destination, compare both degrees with lower-cost colleges for project management majors rather than assuming a general business major is the only route.

How do business and communication degree salaries and job outlooks compare?

There is no single reliable salary for either degree: pay belongs to an occupation, and people in the same occupation can have different majors and levels of experience. The following U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics figures illustrate two roles that may draw applicants from either path. They are occupation-wide medians, not offers to new graduates.

OccupationMedian annual wage, May 2025Projected employment growth, 2025-2035Degree-fit consideration
Market research analyst$78,7607%Look for research methods, statistics, and evidence of analyzing customer or audience data.
Training and development specialist$69,28011%Look for experience designing instruction, presenting, and evaluating learning needs.

For comparison, projected growth across all U.S. occupations is approximately 3.5%. That makes both occupations worth investigating, but the projections do not say which major will earn you more. Job requirements, location, industry, and prior work matter more than the degree label alone. Before borrowing based on a possible future salary, compare the remaining cost of each program; if project management is your alternative, compare aid and tuition at online project management schools on the same basis.

How can you choose an accredited online business or communication program?

First, verify the institution's recognized accreditation and the exact degree it awards. If a business school advertises AACSB, ACBSP, or IACBE accreditation, check whether the named program falls within that accreditor's scope; those claims are not interchangeable with institution-level accreditation. Then compare the required curriculum, applied work, transfer evaluation, student support, and total remaining cost for both degrees.

Request a written degree audit and ask an adviser when each remaining course is offered. For online study, verify live attendance, internships, campus requirements, and what happens if you need to slow your pace. Online business bachelor's degrees with shorter timelines may be appealing, but speed only helps if your credits apply and the schedule is sustainable. Choose the program that gives you a feasible route to graduation and credible evidence of the skills your target role requires.

Other Things You Should Know About Business Administration

Can I major in business administration and minor in communication?

Often, but not at every school. Check whether the minor is available online, whether its courses fit your degree plan, and whether it adds credits or delays graduation.

Will an online degree be identified as online on my diploma?

Diploma wording is set by the institution. Ask the registrar for the exact diploma and transcript designations rather than assuming online and campus students receive identical documents.

Can freelance communication work count toward a business degree?

It may provide useful portfolio evidence, but academic credit requires the school's approval under its transfer, prior-learning, internship, or project policies. Keep records of your work and ask which route, if any, applies.

Should I earn a second bachelor's degree if I already have one?

Not automatically. Compare the target job's requirements with your existing degree and experience. Targeted coursework, a certificate, or relevant work samples may address the gap with less additional study.