A solid business education promotes personal, professional and national growth

During a 2009 visit to Oxford University in the United Kingdom, superstar Shakira did not shake her hips to the contagious rhythms of her globally popular music. Instead, Shakira Mebarak Ripoll dazzled students at one of the world's top universities by showing up in a sharp outfit and emphasizing the importance of education.

Mebarak explained how providing youth from low-income areas in her native Colombia school and university education, through her Barefoot Foundation, could be keeping them from joining groups promoting instability. "Education promotes peace and stability worldwide," Mebarak said, emphasizing the main reason why going to school and later to university is fundamental.

In its Education Pays 2010 report, the College Board confirms that "the knowledge, fulfillment, self-awareness, and broadening of horizons associated with education transform the lives of students and of those with whom they live and work." In addition, the College Board reports that adults with higher levels of education make more money, suffer less unemployment, and are more engaged in their communities and in their children's education. The gap between the earnings of high school and college graduates has only increased over time, the College Board adds. Completing postsecondary education, therefore, makes sense.

What types of degrees are available?

Once students decide to attend college, what should they study?

Certificate or Diploma. Employers could require certificates or diplomas to enter fields such as computer science and teaching.

Associate Degrees. Community colleges or universities offer two-year Associate of Arts (AA) and Associate of Science (AS) degrees.

Bachelor's Degrees. Four- or five-year colleges offer Bachelor of Arts (BA), Bachelor of Science (BS) and Bachelor of Business Administration (BBA).

Master's Degrees. A popular master's degree is the Master of Business Administration (MBA).

Executive Degrees. Company executives usually enroll in Executive MBA programs to update their management skills and connect with peers worldwide.

What are the most popular subject areas?

Accounting. Business growth, changes in financial laws and scrutiny of company finances are already triggering faster than average growth in the number of accounting jobs, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS). Certified Public Accountants, or CPAs, usually land plum jobs.

General Management. The BLS expects 24 percent growth in the number of management analyst jobs between 2008 and 2018. Holders of bachelor's degrees may optimize government and non-profit processes and once they get their master's degrees move on to analyze business processes.

Human Resources. The human resources field is also growing much faster than average and due to the diversity of positions available--from training to labor relations--and levels of responsibility--from specialists to managers--draws candidates from various backgrounds. However, the BLS reports that college graduates with professional certifications usually land the best positions.

Health care Management. Jobs as medical and health services managers should be ideal for students with health care experience and strong business and management skills, according to the BLS. Although the BLS describes a master's degree as "the standard credential" to break into this booming industry, job seekers with bachelor's degrees could opt for entry-level positions.

Operations Management. Scientists and engineers with strong communication and business management skills have the best opportunities in operations management, the BLS reports. More than a third of the jobs are in manufacturing industries, while another third are in professional, scientific and technical services.

Executive MBA. A substantial number of applicants may compete fiercely for top management jobs between 2008 and 2018, according to the BLS. Top executives benefit from being among the highest paid workers. However, long hours, constant travel, and pressure to meet investor demands require stamina, yet prudence. A growing number of executives are enrolling in executive MBA programs.

What are the most popular degrees?

Accounting Degrees. To work as accountants and auditors, the BLS reports, job seekers should have at least a bachelor's degree in accounting or a related field. Candidates with master's degrees in accounting or an MBA with specializations in accounting are increasingly sought. Universities are now offering more specialized accounting degrees to prepare students to work in growing areas, such as internal auditing.

General Management Degrees. Management analysts in the private sector usually possess at least a master's degree in business administration or a related discipline and experience in the industry they analyze, according to the BLS. Some candidates could enter the field with a bachelor's degree and move into positions of responsibility as they acquire more experience. Students interested in management consulting could study business and management, computer and information science, or engineering.

Human Resources Degrees. Candidates for entry-level human resources jobs should possess at least a bachelor's degree in human resources or a related area. Managers usually possess master's degrees in human resources, labor relations, or business administration with a concentration in human resources management. Law degrees are useful for executives engaging in contract negotiations, mediation and arbitration, the BLS reports.

Health care Management Degrees. Medical and health services managers usually graduate with master's degrees in health services administration, long-term care administration, health sciences, public health, public administration or business administration, the BLS reports. Job seekers may pursue entry-level positions after graduating with a bachelor's degree.

Operations Management Degrees. Operations managers usually have at least a bachelor's degree in some specialty of engineering, according to the BLS. Many also complete master's degrees in engineering management (MEM) or business administration. It is not unusual to find some operations managers with doctoral degrees who started their careers as scientists.

Executive MBA Degree. Top executives usually complete a master's in business administration prior to embarking in management careers. Those who rise through the ranks usually combine an executive MBA with their professional activities. Some possess doctoral degrees in their fields of expertise as well. Business professionals usually pursue executive MBA programs part-time or online.

Where are the top jobs?

Accounting Careers. The number of accounting jobs is expected to jump by 22 percent or much faster than average between 2008 and 2018, according to the BLS. CPAs who are experts in auditing computer software and information systems, international business, international financial reporting standards, or current laws should land the best jobs. In May 2010, the mean annual wage for accountants and auditors stood at $67,430. However, federal executive branch employees made $88,190, standing out as the highest paid.

General Management Careers. The number of management analyst positions is also expected to grow much faster than average between 2008 and 2018, the BLS reports, adding that international consulting companies and smaller specialized firms will be responsible for much of the hiring. Technology, health care, environmental and internationalization experts are in demand. In May 2010, management analysts earned a mean annual wage of $84,650.

Human Resources Careers. Employment of human resource managers is also slated to expand 22 percent or much faster than average between 2008 and 2018, the BLS reports. Specialists may adopt new human resources standards, work on compensation packages, and engage in conflict resolution. Training may also keep human resources managers busy. In May 2010, human resources managers were making a mean annual wage of $105,510. The highest paid human resources managers were in the San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara area of California, where annual mean wage was $152,830.

Health care Management Careers. Between 2008 and 2018, the BLS reports, medical and health services management employment opportunities could expand by 16 percent or faster than average. Hospitals and medical practices could recruit health care managers to control costs while delivering quality health care. In May 2010, the mean annual wage of health care managers stood at $90,970. The top paying industry is pharmaceutical and medicine manufacturing, where annual mean wage stands at $156,050.

Operations Management Careers. Employment of engineers and natural sciences managers is expected to grow 8 percent or as fast as average between 2008 and 2018. Candidates with strong communication and management skills, as well as environmental and biomedical engineering or medical and environmental science expertise should land the best jobs, according to the BLS. In May 2010, the mean annual wage of engineering managers was $122,810, while natural sciences managers made $127,000. With an annual mean wage of $194,860, the highest-paid operations managers were engineers managing projects in the spectator sports industry.

Executive MBA Careers. The best CEO jobs should be in booming industries, such as technology, energy, and health care. Successful CEOs need to possess vast industry experience and strong leadership skills. To succeed in a global market, CEOs must also speak several languages, feel comfortable working with new technologies and know about international economics and marketing. In May 2010, the BLS reports that the mean annual wage of chief executives stood at $167,280. The top paying industry was the securities and commodity contracts intermediation and brokerage where CEOs made $220,180.

Why does getting an education make sense?

In a knowledge economy, postsecondary education is fundamental. It allows graduates to compete for top jobs in exciting areas and to establish their own businesses, promoting needed innovation, employment and economic growth. Higher education enables citizens to provide a better life for themselves and their loved ones and to promote positive changes within their communities.