What do business and administrative studies graduates do?

Nisha Menon, lecturer in business skills and module leader for internships at London South Bank University, examines the destinations of graduates from subjects in the field of business and administrative studies

Business and administrative studies continue to be one of the UK's most popular degree subjects, with graduates playing a key role across a variety of industries. And employers continue to seek graduates with business acumen, leadership potential and strong digital skills.

The outcomes data, collected 15 months after graduation, illustrates the variety of roles and pathways graduates take after completing their studies, as shown below:

• 61.2% were in full-time work
• 8.8% were in part-time roles
• 12.3% were working and studying
• 3.4% were in further study
• 6.8% were unemployed
• 7.4% were engaged in other activities such as volunteering or internships.

These figures closely mirror the wider graduate population, demonstrating the broad employability of the subject

Industries and sectors

Graduates entered a wide range of employment sectors, but the largest share worked in business, HR and finance roles. Marketing, PR, and sales attracted another significant proportion, while a sizeable group worked in management roles across sectors including retail and consultancy. Smaller numbers moved into IT, education, and health-related fields. This spread highlights the subject's versatility and the transferability of its skills.

Occupations

Common roles included:

• Business and management associate professionals
• Sales and marketing executives
• Financial managers
• Human resources officers
• Logistics and supply chain coordinators.

Some began in customer service or retail roles before progressing into specialist business careers. The diversity of roles shows how business graduates contribute across both private and public sectors.

Graduate salaries

In the UK, business graduates earned average salaries ranging from £26,545 to £36,100, depending on factors such as gender, specific subject area, and whether they pursued further study. Salary levels varied by subject, with male economics graduates earning the highest average of £36,100, while female graduates in hospitality, tourism, and transport earned the lowest at £26,545.

Graduates who undertook further study reported similar earnings, and only a small proportion pursued additional qualifications or Masters degrees. Overall, these figures place business graduates at or slightly above the graduate median, highlighting the versatility of their skills and their value across a wide range of industries.

Further study

Around 3.4% of graduates continued into further study after completing their degree. Among these, the most common qualifications were professional qualifications (47.4%) and Masters degrees (36.1%). Smaller proportions undertook postgraduate diplomas or certificates (8.7%) or Doctorates (1.5%), with the remaining 6.4% pursuing other types of qualifications. Professional qualifications were particularly common among finance and accountancy graduates (64.8%), highlighting the emphasis on accreditation in that field.

Written by

Nisha Menon

Lecturer in business skills and module leader for internships

London South Bank University