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Job outlook for business leaders in the United States
Business leader job growth summary. After extensive research, interviews, and analysis, Zippia's data science team found that:
The projected business leader job growth rate is 6% from 2018-2028.
About 189,200 new jobs for business leaders are projected over the next decade.
Business leader salaries have increased 4% for business leaders in the last 5 years.
There are over 10,744 business leaders currently employed in the United States.
There are 117,296 active business leader job openings in the US.
The average business leader salary is $90,430.
Are business leader jobs in demand?
Business leader job and salary trends over time
Business leader jobs over time
Business leader job growth rate over time
| Year | # of jobs | % of population |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 10,744 | 0.00% |
| 2020 | 8,449 | 0.00% |
| 2019 | 8,639 | 0.00% |
| 2018 | 8,242 | 0.00% |
| 2017 | 7,962 | 0.00% |
Average business leader salary over time
Business leader salary by year
| Year | Avg. salary | Hourly rate | % Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $90,430 | $43.48 | +2.8% |
| 2024 | $87,926 | $42.27 | --0.1% |
| 2023 | $88,057 | $42.34 | +0.5% |
| 2022 | $87,604 | $42.12 | +1.1% |
| 2021 | $86,644 | $41.66 | +1.6% |
Business leader jobs by state
Most common states for business leaders
| Rank | State | Population | # of jobs | Employment/ 1000ppl |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | District of Columbia | 693,972 | 452 | 65% |
| 2 | Nebraska | 1,920,076 | 627 | 33% |
| 3 | Montana | 1,050,493 | 348 | 33% |
| 4 | South Dakota | 869,666 | 285 | 33% |
| 5 | Massachusetts | 6,859,819 | 2,195 | 32% |
| 6 | Alaska | 739,795 | 237 | 32% |
| 7 | Pennsylvania | 12,805,537 | 3,937 | 31% |
| 8 | Arkansas | 3,004,279 | 932 | 31% |
| 9 | North Dakota | 755,393 | 216 | 29% |
| 10 | Minnesota | 5,576,606 | 1,266 | 23% |
| 11 | Oregon | 4,142,776 | 937 | 23% |
| 12 | Rhode Island | 1,059,639 | 241 | 23% |
| 13 | Washington | 7,405,743 | 1,638 | 22% |
| 14 | Utah | 3,101,833 | 688 | 22% |
| 15 | Iowa | 3,145,711 | 531 | 17% |
| 16 | Kansas | 2,913,123 | 497 | 17% |
| 17 | Ohio | 11,658,609 | 1,712 | 15% |
| 18 | Missouri | 6,113,532 | 933 | 15% |
| 19 | Wisconsin | 5,795,483 | 866 | 15% |
| 20 | Nevada | 2,998,039 | 421 | 14% |
Most common cities for business leaders
| Rank | City | # of jobs | Employment/ 1000ppl | Avg. salary |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Annapolis | 6 | 15% | $75,775 |
| 2 | Dover | 5 | 13% | $95,034 |
| 3 | Hartford | 6 | 5% | $95,701 |
| 4 | Lansing | 5 | 4% | $71,712 |
| 5 | Atlanta | 12 | 3% | $64,418 |
| 6 | Baton Rouge | 6 | 3% | $60,393 |
| 7 | Little Rock | 5 | 3% | $51,447 |
| 8 | Tallahassee | 5 | 3% | $65,513 |
| 9 | Boston | 12 | 2% | $87,715 |
| 10 | Des Moines | 5 | 2% | $57,638 |
| 11 | Montgomery | 5 | 2% | $62,319 |
| 12 | San Francisco | 11 | 1% | $111,304 |
| 13 | Washington | 10 | 1% | $96,677 |
| 14 | Indianapolis | 9 | 1% | $63,803 |
| 15 | Denver | 5 | 1% | $86,790 |
| 16 | Miami | 5 | 1% | $61,256 |
| 17 | Chicago | 12 | 0% | $91,463 |
| 18 | Phoenix | 7 | 0% | $77,160 |
Business Leader job outlook: Expert opinions
Our panel of business leader experts
University Of Puget Sound
Lewis-Clark State College
Catawba College
Pennsylvania State University - Greater Allegheny
Landmark College
Northwestern Michigan College
University of West Georgia
Tiffin University
Bethel University
Louisiana Tech University
What Business Leader skills would you recommend for someone trying to advance their career?
Dr. Kim Roberts: Business professionals lead organizations by focused efforts that revolve around products/services, processes, and people. Business professionals work to ensure the firm's products and/or services meet customer expectations, with an eye toward an ever-changing market. They manage processes that produce or support the firm's products. This requires the ability to analyze data to make informed decisions, to drive continuous improvement, and to solve problems through critical thinking. Successful business professionals must also create climates that promote teamwork and foster collaboration.
Andreas Udbye Ph.D.
Associate ProfessorUniversity Of Puget Sound
School of Business and Leadership
What skills stand out on Business Leader resumes?
Andreas Udbye Ph.D.: In my main fields of expertise, supply chain management, and international business, it never hurts to point to accomplishments, successes, projects completed and targets achieved. My general experience, however, is that resumes must contain information on your hard and technical skills just to make it through the first cut and get the interview, and then your softer skills and personality can be brought to life during the actual interview. Most hiring managers tend to hire or recommend people based on whether they like their attitudes and see a good fit. In interview situations, it is often productive to bring up hobbies and activities that you are passionate about if you get a chance.
What soft skills should all Business Leaders possess?
Andreas Udbye Ph.D.: Collaboration and teamwork skills are crucial, as well as the ability to focus and meet deadlines. Although it is nice to mention that you are a good multi-tasker, most people are these days, and employers seem to like people who can stay the course and complete tasks on time and with high quality. Tenacity and accuracy are other attractive attributes.
What hard/technical skills are most important for Business Leaders?
Andreas Udbye Ph.D.: Job listings in supply chain management will typically list more technical skills than what can realistically be possessed by one person (SQL, Python, ERP, project management, etc.), but at a minimum, an applicant needs strong spreadsheet skills and at least some exposure to database management.
What skills will help Business Leaders earn the most?
Andreas Udbye Ph.D.: If you are only after the money, computer programming skills will most likely provide you with the most immediate payback, but not all of us like to be glued to the computer and keyboard all day, so being paid a little less for a job with more variety and interaction is probably worth it for most who aim for management or leadership positions in the longer run.
What skills will help Business Leaders earn the most?
Jenny Scott: -Emotional Intelligence
-Relevant industry experience (expertise)
-Written and oral presentation communication
-Ability to relate and connect . . .the best strategy in the world will live on paper only if the leader is not able to relate to their people (all stakeholder groups) and connect. Leadership involves three key elements: People - Influence - Goals. The most effective leaders are able to ethically influence their followers for the purpose of attaining the organization's mission and goals.
Dr. Elizabeth Homan Ph.D.
Professors, Department ChairCatawba College
Theatre Arts
What soft skills should all Business Leaders possess?
Dr. Elizabeth Homan Ph.D.: Networking, networking, networking. And being a nice, friendly, honest human being. Flexibility and a level head in the face of persistent change. Resilience and an ability to work with the conditions in which you find yourself. Working with what you have, not what you wish you had.
Bernie Cerasaro
Assistant Teaching ProfessorPennsylvania State University - Greater Allegheny
Business Department
What skills stand out on Business Leader resumes?
Bernie Cerasaro: Skills employers would be looking for would be functional skills and interpersonal skills. Functional skills should stand out on a resume and be aligned to the business job in question. For example, if focused on marketing positions, marketing skills such as data analytics, market research, consumer behavior, global marketing, and professional selling skills would be areas for which employers would be looking. If the job market is looking for someone in accounting, then functional skills that would stand out would be intermediate financial accounting skills and courses on taxation and auditing. For those seeking positions in project management or supply chain management, skills that would stand out would encompass subject matter such as project management, portfolio management, operations planning and control, purchasing and materials management, and knowledge of ERP type systems and other business processes.
Skill sets can be enhanced via various types of certification. For example, those interested in accounting might pursue a CPA (Certified Public Accountant) license, which requires 150 credits. As most universities require 120 credits for a bachelor's degree in business, a CPA would require just an additional 30 credits, which students can start accumulating while still at college. Project management certification is also an opportunity to enhance the aforementioned skills and would certainly stand out on an applicant's resume. The Project Management Institute (PMI) promotes PMP certification, which validates that you are highly skilled in soft skills to lead project teams and have the required technical aspects of managing projects. Some universities are working with the PMI to have PMI-approved courses. Approved courses are used toward the PMP training hours required to sit for the exam. For example, Penn State University has received approval for two such courses, Portfolio Management and Organizations and Project Planning and Resource Management.
Due to the high rate of interaction with the global marketplace and the complexity of international business, managers are looking more closely at applicants who have some familiarity with global markets and international culture, such as applicants who may have study abroad experience, traveled internationally, speak a foreign language or have lived or worked in another country.
What soft skills should all Business Leaders possess?
Bernie Cerasaro: Soft skills or conceptual skills are critical in today's business world. Lack of such interpersonal skills is a major reason highly qualified professionals are not promoted (Lee, n.d.)
As a former recruiter for Xerox Corporation, I looked for problem-solving, decision-making, and time management skills. Problem-solving supports creativity allowing workers to evaluate and prioritize options to determine the best solution. Much time and money can be wasted in selecting the wrong option.
Proper decision-making allows companies to quickly react to internal problems, customer concerns, changing market trends, and the use of ever-advancing technology in the workplace. The increased use of empowerment in the workplace, which has been enhanced due to the pandemic, has allowed employees to make more decisions, which requires strong decision-making capability. In addition, the pandemic has caused many businesses to use alternate work structures such as working from home, leading to less direct supervision. Consequently, employers are looking for people who are self-motivated, self-directed, and who employ good time management skills.
Teamwork is one of the most commonly required skills in the work environment. The ability to work together is essential. Due to downsizing, there are fewer managers within companies. Since few individuals possess all the knowledge and skills needed, teamwork has become essential. Getting along and working together to achieve objectives and meet deliverables is critical to project completion. Managers are also looking to teams to provide a greater range of ideas and innovation. Teams can also motivate each other for the timely completion of tasks.
Conflict management enhances decision-making abilities and increases creativity which produces innovative solutions for ongoing problems. The ability to handle conflict productively helps solve problems resulting in demoralization, absenteeism, and turnover. Productive resolution of such problems leads to increased trust and increased employee involvement.
For those aspiring to management positions, leadership is key. Leaders need to promote the company's mission and vision among their subordinates. They need to influence employees to achieve goals by motivating them, resulting in a higher level of performance. This type of leadership is paramount in today's marketplace for company advancement, expansion, and survival.
Other important soft skills include verbal and written communication, persuasive skills, negotiation, and listening skills. Communication is vital to company performance. The ability of company personnel to communicate clearly, succinctly, and accurately will increase productivity. Good communication requires being observant of both verbal and nonverbal signals.
Persuasion and negotiation, two other soft skills, require good listening skills. In today's work environment, employees are no longer subject to a hierarchical structure, a structure of non-questioning of their manager's requests. This requires managers to be more persuasive. Negotiation is practiced by all of us on a day-to-day basis, and more so in business. Strong negotiation skills are essential internally (managers and employees) and externally (sales negotiations, contract negotiations, etc.).
We often forget the skill of listening, as most of us prefer to talk rather than listen. However, it is essential to understand what your company and customers want. This is not just "hearing" but actually practicing listening skills by asking questions, confirming content heard, and providing feedback. Listening requires effort; it requires concentration and attention to what is being said.
What hard/technical skills are most important for Business Leaders?
Bernie Cerasaro: Most technical skills required in today's marketplace are associated with task requirements in specific functional areas. However, some skillsets can be considered general, such as using Word, Excel, or Zoom. Technical skills relevant to social media are also critical. The ability to construct a web page and post on social media platforms such as Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter is essential. For [CBC1] functional areas, examples of needed technical expertise would be Microsoft Project for project management and SAP for supply chain management.
What skills stand out on Business Leader resumes?
Dr. Jeanette Landin: Skills that stand out on contemporary business manager resumes are soft skills. Business managers indeed need insight and knowledge about the business and hard skills, including financial and other technical skills. What stands out on contemporary, successful business manager resumes are their soft skills. Interpersonal skills are atop the list because business is all about people working with other people to achieve a common goal: The business's mission. The people skills of communication, collaboration, and delegation are a vital part of the manager's ability to influence colleagues, delegate work, and achieve the company's mission.
Kristy Berak McDonald
Experiential Learning Institute DirectorNorthwestern Michigan College
Business Academic Area Faculty
What hard/technical skills are most important for Business Leaders?
Kristy Berak McDonald: All students should have strong computer skills, accounting basics, and marketing knowledge.
Thomas Gainey Ph.D.
Chair and ProfessorUniversity of West Georgia
Department of Management in the Richards College of Business
What skills stand out on Business Leader resumes?
Thomas Gainey Ph.D.: Given the recent pandemic, many employers are looking for employees who can easily adjust to changing conditions and adapt to working online if necessary. Thus, resumes that demonstrate a candidate is flexible, creative, and self-disciplined are going to be attractive. Additionally, the extent to which a candidate can show excellent time-management skills will likely create more opportunities in the job market.
What soft skills should all Business Leaders possess?
Thomas Gainey Ph.D.: Soft skills are critical as many workers continue to work from home or at least work more of a hybrid schedule. The ability to work effectively with other individuals, sometimes from a distance, has never been more critical. Those individuals who exhibit excellent communication, teamwork, and interpersonal skills will likely be in high demand.
Dr. Bonnie Tiell
Professor of Sport ManagementTiffin University
School of Business
What skills will help Business Leaders earn the most?
Dr. Bonnie Tiell: Skills helping managers earn the most are those that impact the bottom line - it depends on the organization's needs, but those that can produce or increase revenue will earn more --- sales!
Jessica Tangen Daniels Ph.D.
Associate Provost - Innovation and Partnerships, Program Director/Professor, Ed.D. Leadership in Higher EducationBethel University
Education Leadership
What soft skills should all Business Leaders possess?
Jessica Tangen Daniels Ph.D.: With the rapid rate of change, accelerating information turnover, and boundless access to knowledge, certain new soft skills may now be prioritized in our current society. So we all have to be learners, seeking new information, anticipating that we will need to change our mind, and striving for a disposition of curiosity. The specific skill of asking good questions cannot be underestimated.
Employers may be seeking skills like imaginative bridging, humbly and curiously connecting dots. Or the skills of facilitation and curation, with so many different perspectives and lived experiences, and an overabundance of information, an educational leader, must manage people, perspectives, and content like never before.
Employers are looking for skills that relate to not only the day-to-day tactical aspects of educational leadership but also imaginative problem-solving for a thriving future.
What skills will help Business Leaders earn the most?
Jessica Tangen Daniels Ph.D.: For educational leaders, I'm not convinced discrete skills equate to salary. Working hard and working well with others, with a disposition of humility and curiosity, is really powerful. Perhaps the combination of soft and hard skills gained through diverse experiences, positions, and institutional contexts results in the highest earning potential.
Patrick Scott Ph.D.
Assistant Professor of EconomicsLouisiana Tech University
Economics and Finance Department
Are there any particularly good places in the United States for Business Leaders to find work opportunities?
Patrick Scott Ph.D.: We have had success in placing our candidates from the College of Business at Louisiana Tech University in all portions of the country. Small towns, to large cities, to graduate programs, and beyond are all able to benefit from the skills learned by these majors.