Business Administrators work in cities all over the country. There is a lot of flexibility in this field; Business Administrators are needed in almost every industry, and in addition, they often have the opportunity to specialize in a variety of different ways. If you’re planning to begin a career as a Business Administrator, you might be wondering which cities offer the best opportunities. This article contains information about some of the factors to consider when you’re evaluating cities, and also lists some of the top cities for Business Administrators.

What is a Business Administrator?

A Business Administrator oversees the day-to-day operations of a company. They are responsible for a number of different management and organization tasks, with the overall goal of supporting the growth and productivity of the company. Business Administrators reorganize employees or hire new ones, and also train, support, and evaluate employees. They are also responsible for managing finances and resources, which includes setting budgets, making financial goals, and negotiating contracts with vendors and suppliers. In addition, this role includes setting goals for the future, as well as implementing goals set by upper management.

Business Administrators work in many different industries including finance, healthcare, marketing, and construction. Some work for small organizations, where they are more likely to handle administrative tasks for the entire organization, while others work for large companies, where they are more likely to focus on managing a specific department such as human resources or sales.

What Makes a City Good for Business Administrators?

You’re likely to find business administration jobs in almost any city, since these types of jobs can be found in most industries. However, certain cities are a better place to work in this field than others. There are a number of factors that tend to make a city good for Business Administrators. These are: job opportunities, high salaries, a strong business administrator community, an affordable cost of living, and a good quality of life.

Job Opportunities

In order to be good for Business Administrators, a city needs to have job opportunities. If you’re comparing a number of different cities, it’s often a good idea to start by digging deeper into each city’s job offerings. You’ll want to find opportunities that are a good match for your specific interests and expertise, and it’s also desirable to find a large number of job openings in general, since that will mean that you have more options. Another thing to consider is the city’s unemployment rate. If that’s high, it’s an indicator that it might be challenging to find a job there. Big cities often have a lot of job offerings. For instance, according to data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) the metropolitan areas that have the highest level of employment for management jobs are all large cities.

High Salaries

For most people, salary is also very important. There are a few places to find salary data. A variety of websites--like Indeed and Glassdoor--provide salary estimates for specific cities. BLS also provides salary estimates for many different jobs. Its website lists the ten highest-paying metropolitan areas for each job in its database. When you’re researching salary, it’s also important to compare it to the cost of living in the city that you’re considering. If the city has a very high cost of living, then your take-home salary will be less. 

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Strong Business Administrator Community

The Business Administrator community is also something to consider. You might want to ask questions about how well the city supports individuals in that field, and whether there are opportunities for education or to meet and work with other Business Administrators. The presence of a strong community is an asset and can lead to valuable support and networking opportunities.

Cost of Living

The cost of living can vary considerably from city to city, and when you’re evaluating a location, it’s an important thing to consider. The cost of living means the cost of all your daily expenses and includes housing, food, education, and healthcare. The cost of living will have an impact on how far your salary goes. For instance, in some major cities, the cost of housing is considerable, meaning that you’ll need a higher-than-average salary to cover your living costs.

Quality of Life

Another thing that helps make a city good for a Business Administrator is a good quality of life. Exactly what adds up to a good quality of life can vary, according to your interests, but some of the things to look at might include entertainment opportunities such as dining, shopping, the arts, and outdoor opportunities. The climate is also important to most people. Another element that can impact your quality of life is whether or not you’ll have a commute, and how long it will be.

Top Cities for Business Administrators

New York City

New York City has one of the largest economies in the world, and is home to a wide range of different types of businesses. On its website, NYC International Business says, “With a market boasting 8.6 million potential customers–and more than 25 million in the metro area–the economic opportunities in NYC are endless.” Some of the city’s most important industries, according to NYC International Business, are technology and media, smart cities and clean tech, fashion, foods and beverages, and finance. The organization explains that New York City has a unique combination of employment opportunities and quality of life. For instance, it says, “A central feature of city life is the many parks and public spaces, which are spread over the five boroughs and cover about 14% of the city, adding up to almost 30,000 acres of land.”

Seattle

Seattle also has a large and diverse economy that offers many different options if you’re interested in business administration. The Seattle Chamber of Commerce explains, “The Seattle metro area has it all: globally recognized companies – including Amazon.com, Boeing Commercial Airplanes, Microsoft Corporation, Starbucks Coffee Company, Costco, Weyerhaeuser, Nordstrom, REI, Alaska Airlines, The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, and more - growing small and minority-owned businesses, highly skilled workers, cutting-edge research and thriving industry clusters.” According to the chamber, one thing that helps this city thrive when it comes to business is its highly educated population; it reports that 56 of its residents have at least a bachelor’s degree, which makes Seattle one of the most highly educated cities in the world.

Washington, D.C.

The Washington, D.C. economy is one of the largest in the United States. The Washington DC Economic Partnership (WDCEP) states, “DC is renowned for attracting top global talent, resulting in a robust and diverse workforce.” Some of the most common industries for employment in this city include the government, business, education, and health services. WDCEP also notes, “The District also offers incredible quality of life. Ranked as the #1 Park System in the US, 98% of DC residents live within a 10-minute walk to a park. 24 DC restaurants received Michelin stars in 2023. And our 74 historic and world-class museums, along with 60 theater and performing arts venues—21 free Smithsonian institutions—is unparalleled.”

Houston

In recent years, Houston has become a top U.S. city for business. In an article on the Greater Houston Partnership website titled, “Why Houston is a Top City for Professionals,” the author says, “Boasting an extensive range of thriving industries, including energy, life sciences, aerospace and technology, Houston offers an abundance of career opportunities and pathways, catering to professionals with varied interests or those seeking to transition into new fields.” Houston also offers a great quality of life and an affordable cost of living. According to the Greater Houston Partnership, the cost of living is 20 to 30 percent lower than in many other large U.S. metropolitan areas.

Los Angeles

Los Angeles is an international trade center with a large consumer market and a thriving tech scene, and offers a wide range of different business opportunities. The Los Angeles County Economic Development Corporation discusses the combination of opportunity and livability that the area offers. It says, “Let’s face it: You can’t beat the climate here in Los Angeles. From our weather to our beaches and mountains, there are many selling points to Los Angeles. However, we’re more than sunny days and famous faces.” For instance, it says, “Our industry clusters are known for innovation as creative collisions occur where industries overlap, driving new business concepts, making the Los Angeles Region the creative capital of the nation. Los Angeles is where high technology and manufacturing super sectors employ hundreds of thousands of workers.”

Why Become a Business Administrator?

Two reasons that many people choose to work in business administration are pay and job security. Most business administration jobs are expected to experience strong growth in the future. The Bureau of Labor Statistics is a government agency that collects U.S. labor market statistics and releases analyses of those statistics. It reports a strong job outlook for all management jobs. It says, “Overall employment in management occupations is projected to grow faster than the average for all occupations from 2023 to 2033. About 1.2 million openings are projected each year, on average, in these occupations due to employment growth and the need to replace workers who leave the occupations permanently.” According to the agency, “The median annual wage for this group was $116,880 in May 2023, which was higher than the median annual wage for all occupations of $48,060.”

Another reason to get into business administration is that there are a lot of different job options in this field. Business Administrators work in a wide range of different industries, since almost every business needs administrators. In addition, there are a lot of options within different businesses. Some Business Administrators work in a broadly-focused position, while others focus on a specific sector, like marketing, human resources, or finance. Not only does the flexibility that comes with this role give you a lot of different choices, but it also allows the potential to change your career path later in life.

How to Find a Business Administrator Job

Working in business administration generally requires both education and experience. When it comes to education, you have a few different options. You can follow the traditional route and pursue a college degree in business administration or a related field like finance or accounting. A bachelor’s degree is the most common type of college degree for people who plan to work in business, and typically takes four years, but you could also decide to devote extra time and earn a master’s degree. A downside to a degree is that it will require a considerable investment of both time and money. Another option--one that has become increasingly popular in recent years--is to enroll in a bootcamp or certificate course. These are accelerated programs that are designed to cover all the skills that you’ll need to work in business administration. Most include lots of hands-on training too, and they are designed to get you career-ready as quickly as possible, usually in less than a year. Bootcamps and certificate programs are usually much cheaper than college; most cost less than $20,000 to $30,000 on average. 

In addition to an education in business administration, if you want to find a job in this field, you’ll need experience. This includes experience in management generally. You’ll also need experience in the specific industry where you plan to work so that you can gain an understanding of things like policies, regulations, and best practices in that industry. Most people start gaining the necessary experience by taking an entry-level job in business administration. After one-to-two years, you may have the opportunity to move up to a higher position. You can also gain experience before that, by volunteering or participating in an internship.

Learn the Skills to Become a Business Administrator at Noble Desktop

Noble Desktop is based in New York City and offers many different business classes. You can learn in person at its Manhattan facility, or in a live online classroom. At Noble Desktop, you’ll find a number of short classes that only take a day or two, where you can master essential business skills like Excel or financial modeling. You’ll also find a variety of comprehensive, hands-on bootcamps and certificate programs, where experienced instructors will guide you through all the skills you’ll need in business administration, getting you career-ready in less than a year. Noble Desktop is licensed by the New York State Education Department.

  • One popular Noble Desktop option is the “MBA” Business Certificate. This course is an “MBA-style” program and it includes some of the skills taught in MBA programs. In this class, you’ll learn tools and strategies for finance, project management, marketing, and data analysis. You’ll also learn about the practical applications of generative AI, and will get access to a self-paced class that covers the basics of business insurance, employment law, and business law. This class includes the option to take electives that match your specific area of interest. Finally, it comes with eight one-on-one mentoring sessions.
  • Noble Desktop also runs many different business-related bootcamps. The Project Management Bootcamp is a popular option. This class is designed for students who want to learn more about project management. It is a combination of the school’s Level I and Level II classes and is offered at a discount. When you take the Project Management Bootcamp, you’ll learn the five phases of project management and will receive a slide deck that contains a variety of exercises. You’ll also learn about Waterfall, Critical Path, and Agile methods of project management, including popular Agile frameworks. You’ll receive a certificate of completion at the end of the class.
  • Another popular certificate program is the Data Analytics Certificate. In this course you’ll learn about gathering, wrangling, analyzing, and visualizing data, and you’ll work on a number of real-world projects. Both predictive and prescriptive analytics are covered, in addition to Python, Excel, Tableau, and SQL. All students also receive eight one-on-one mentoring sessions, which can be used to work on challenging concepts or for resume and portfolio advice.
  • One of Noble Desktop’s newest offerings is the Chat GTP & AI for Business Bootcamp. This course is designed to give you the skills you’ll need to utilize AI in your daily business tasks. You’ll learn how to create effective prompts, manage conversations, and use advanced features like memory settings. You’ll also learn about the ethical considerations of AI. In addition, the course focuses on ways to use AI for task management, communication, and project planning. You’ll learn about automating repetitive tasks, optimizing schedules, and improving collaboration and administrative workflows.
  • Noble also offers many shorter classes focused on a number of different business skills. For example, it has a variety of short Excel classes: Excel Level 1,Level 2, and Level 3. Level 1 is focused on getting familiar with the interface, entering data, using essential formulas and functions, and creating charts. You’ll also learn how to format and print. Level 2 covers splitting and joining text, adding data validation, named ranges, database functions, adding logical statements, and using Pivot Tables. In addition, you’ll learn to use statistical functions and create advanced combo charts. In Level 3, instructors cover advanced concepts including cell locking, auditing, hotkeys, formatting for calculating dates, advanced functions, advanced analytical tools, Pivot Charts, and advanced database functions.