Selection of the major for college and higher studies can be a challenging career choice. If you are struggling with deciding whether to go for a business major or an engineering one, you are not alone. Both business and engineering majors are in high demand and offer lucrative salaries in their respective job roles and industries.
In addition, both majors have their difficulties. Therefore, you should be careful before you make an informed decision about the business vs. engineering salary. Additionally, the major you’re about to pursue should be interesting.
On the other hand, this business vs. engineering guide will point out these two majors’ differences along with their perks. Let’s get started without further ado.
Perks of Selecting a Business Major
Can’t you decide between a business vs. engineering major? It’s wiser to decide on your career as soon as possible if you are about to pursue a bachelor’s or master’s degree. This will keep you more focused on your academics. Apart from that, you can finish your school quicker and faceless expenses on college and tuition fees.
On the other hand, everyone aims at a reputable and thriving job position. Is it possible through a business degree? Reportedly, the national average salary for a person with a business major can be around $51K per year in the United States! Well, that’s impressive, right?
If you are interested in studying business majors, you should know their advantages and challenges. Here’s why you should consider carving a career with a business major:
Diverse Job Opportunities
Countless job openings can be a reason to pick business majors from the business vs. engineering conflict. According to BLS reports, financial and business occupations will expand by 10% within 2026 in the United States. If you talk about the statistics, around 773K business and financial jobs will be available by that timeline.
Overall, the economy will get stronger. Consequently, people and enterprises will require business professionals to handle complex tax and associated regulations. In addition, the demand for business professionals will increase in marketing, communications, etc., to understand and research customer and product data.
Renowned Career Options & Specialties
You can earn a reputed and money-making career if you choose business majors from engineering vs. business difficulty. A business management degree can earn you competitive skills to make a professional career out of it.
What kind of job roles can you pursue with a business management degree? Here are a few designations that require a degree in business or finance majors:
Marketing Manager
A marketing manager is responsible for offering estimates for the corresponding company’s services and products. In addition, a marketing manager can determine the possible markets and targets for the company’s specific product.
As a marketing manager, you need to work closely with sales, development, and PR professionals to confirm that the company is at the right potential to supply according to customer needs.
Business Analyst
Also known as a management analyst, a business analyst strives for excellence in improving the respective organisation through research and business analysis. The professional advises managers on how the organisation can generate more revenue and escalate its efficiency.
If you like solving complicated business problems, this business position can be your pillar of interest.
Sales Manager
Among all major business jobs, this position takes an individual to be in charge of an enterprise’s sales and marketing team. Generally, a sales manager has to set sales goals, train employees in products and services, and analyse business performance.
On the other hand, a sales manager needs to work on sales budgets, handle customer complaints, and target new audiences or customers.
Financial Analyst
Are you interested in the stock market and investments’ whereabouts? If yes, then you will love the job responsibilities of a financial analyst. A financial analyst guides people and businesses that need to make important financial decisions.
Additionally, a financial analyst is responsible for maximising a company’s performance. However, they prioritise finance and money instead of business processes.
Chance to Obtain an MBA Degree
Earning an MBA degree can be easier if you opt for a business major. On the other hand, you can secure a very good salary if you have completed your MBA in business administration or similar courses.
If you have a look at engineering vs. business salary conflicts, then an MBA degree can earn you more compared to an ordinary bachelor’s degree. For example, we have collected the following data on what an MBA degree can pay you:
- A Market Research Analyst can earn up to $90,000 per year.
- Logisticians can get paid up to $82,000 per annum.
- Financial Service Sales Agents can secure a yearly salary of up to $170K per year.
If you want to achieve excellence in a particular business speciality, an MBA degree is the best option. So, check out some common MBA concentrations that involve business majors like:
- Accounting
- Information Technology
- Finance
- Marketing
- HR Management
- Healthcare
- Entrepreneurship
- Supply chain management
- Leadership
- Operations Management
- International management
- Strategy and more
Scopes of Strong Earning
A potential bachelor’s or master’s degree in business majors can earn you an enviable salary. For instance, we have mentioned what the following professionals earn per year in the United States after pursuing a degree in business majors:
- Business Analyst – up to $81K
- Marketing Manager – up to $127K
- Sales Manager – up to $117K
- Financial Analyst – up to $81K
- HR Manager – up to $63K
- Office Manager – up to $46K
- Executive Assistant – up to $51K
- Administrative Assistant – up to $35K
- Financial Controller – up to $64K
- Operations Manager – up to $60K
- CFO – up to $144,600
However, upscaling your skills and degrees can make a difference in your salary. Reviewing these remuneration ranges, business majors can be a good choice from the engineering vs. business salary point of view.
Transferable Business Skills to Obtain
Apart from securing a handsome salary, a business major can help you to get profitable skills. In addition, you can get more flexibility compared to an engineering job. Well, majoring in business will offer the following skills to be adopted by an individual:
- Project management
- Accounting
- Sales
- Microsoft Office
- Customer service
- Budgeting and forecasting
- Business administration
Additionally, you can learn the following managerial skills along with your business major:
- Ways to collect and interpret industry data
- How to manage projects and lead teams
- How one can hire the right people
- Steps to improve a company’s sales and performance and maintain them
- How to keep an organisation’s finances healthy
Reasons to Choose Engineering
Reportedly, students are more enthusiastic about engineering and straight go for it from the engineering vs. business majors conflict. Are you more interested in engineering? So, you can confirm your academics by going through the points below:
Lots of Technical Career Openings & Streams
Engineering opens up a wide range of career paths for you. Therefore, you can choose from a bundle of technical streams, such as
- Aerospace engineering
- Civil engineering
- Chemical engineering
- Mining engineering
- Electrical engineering
- Bioengineering
- Biochemical engineering
- Computer & software engineering
- Nuclear engineering
- Mechanical engineering and so on
So, you can make a prestigious and profitable career out of your favourite engineering stream if you make an informed decision after reviewing your capabilities, interests, and objectives.
Challenging Perspectives
The main difference between engineering vs. business is the challenge imposed by diverse engineering jobs and roles. As an engineer, you have to develop unique solutions to real-life problems. And, those solutions are not found online or on the pages of any book.
Additionally, engineering requires consistency with Mathematics, Statistics, and analysis. Moreover, you should have the leading qualities to convince your team about a solution that will benefit the company or society.
High-Paying Jobs
On average, you can declare engineering the winner in the conflict of business vs. engineering salary. The national average salary of an engineer is more or less $84K per year in the USA. Engineering jobs will increase by 7% within 2026. So, you can expect over 195K new positions to be opened for newly graduated engineers.
How much does an engineer earn per annum, by the way? Here’s what professionals have to say about the following engineers’ mid-career salary ranges:
- Civil engineer – up to $117K
- Electrical engineer – up to $100K
- Mechanical engineer – up to $92,800
- Chemical engineer – up to $114K
- Geospatial Science & Technology expert – up to $68K
- Computer engineer – up to $117K
- Geological and Mining Engineering and Sciences expert – up to $98K
Intuitive Thinking & Scientific Discovery
Does inventing something on your own give you thrills? If yes, engineering might be the right choice if the business vs. engineering salary puzzles you. Well, engineering provides you with the chance to persuade your creative thinking. Additionally, it’s a very fast-paced field.
If you can adopt its dynamic nature, engineering majors are the best option. On the other hand, engineering will keep your curiosity to its maximum potential. If you crave a logical answer behind everything, then an engineering degree will be better. After all, this will help you secure a lucrative career.
Intellectual Encouragement
Another benefit of choosing an engineering major over business is that problems associated with engineering will keep you on your toes. Regardless of your engineering major, you can experience intellectual development.
An engineering degree will keep your brain exercising. Thus, you will experience your problem-solving skills boosted.
Business Major or Engineering Major: What Should You Choose?
If you are looking for the highest-paying job roles, then engineering and business majors are trending. A master’s degree in Information Technology, Project Management, Data Analytics, Business Analytics, Finance, Accounting, and Supply Chain Management can be the most beneficial.
However, what’s more, important is to learn what you want to pursue in your career. Thus, determine what you want to select from business vs. engineering salary and other perspectives. Otherwise, switching to another career option midway might be more difficult than you think. So, think fast to avoid unnecessary disruptions in your career. All the best!