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Job outlook for business office directors in the United States
Business office director job growth summary. After extensive research, interviews, and analysis, Zippia's data science team found that:
The projected business office director job growth rate is 7% from 2018-2028.
About 21,800 new jobs for business office directors are projected over the next decade.
Business office director salaries have increased 13% for business office directors in the last 5 years.
There are over 44,980 business office directors currently employed in the United States.
There are 83,491 active business office director job openings in the US.
The average business office director salary is $104,370.
Are business office director jobs in demand?
Business office director job and salary trends over time
Business office director jobs over time
Business office director job growth rate over time
| Year | # of jobs | % of population |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 44,980 | 0.01% |
| 2020 | 42,463 | 0.01% |
| 2019 | 42,416 | 0.01% |
| 2018 | 39,144 | 0.01% |
| 2017 | 37,284 | 0.01% |
Average business office director salary over time
Business office director salary by year
| Year | Avg. salary | Hourly rate | % Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | $104,370 | $50.18 | +3.4% |
| 2025 | $100,965 | $48.54 | +2.0% |
| 2024 | $98,978 | $47.59 | +2.3% |
| 2023 | $96,755 | $46.52 | +4.4% |
| 2022 | $92,670 | $44.55 | +4.6% |
Business office director jobs by state
Most common states for business office directors
| Rank | State | Population | # of jobs | Employment/ 1000ppl |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | South Dakota | 869,666 | 319 | 37% |
| 2 | Alaska | 739,795 | 204 | 28% |
| 3 | South Carolina | 5,024,369 | 1,207 | 24% |
| 4 | West Virginia | 1,815,857 | 432 | 24% |
| 5 | Utah | 3,101,833 | 687 | 22% |
| 6 | Alabama | 4,874,747 | 1,030 | 21% |
| 7 | Maine | 1,335,907 | 279 | 21% |
| 8 | District of Columbia | 693,972 | 145 | 21% |
| 9 | Louisiana | 4,684,333 | 930 | 20% |
| 10 | Montana | 1,050,493 | 215 | 20% |
| 11 | Oklahoma | 3,930,864 | 766 | 19% |
| 12 | Iowa | 3,145,711 | 605 | 19% |
| 13 | Nebraska | 1,920,076 | 372 | 19% |
| 14 | Wisconsin | 5,795,483 | 980 | 17% |
| 15 | Kansas | 2,913,123 | 503 | 17% |
| 16 | Pennsylvania | 12,805,537 | 2,031 | 16% |
| 17 | Indiana | 6,666,818 | 1,065 | 16% |
| 18 | Missouri | 6,113,532 | 970 | 16% |
| 19 | Arkansas | 3,004,279 | 481 | 16% |
| 20 | Michigan | 9,962,311 | 1,379 | 14% |
Most common cities for business office directors
| Rank | City | # of jobs | Employment/ 1000ppl | Avg. salary |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Lafayette | 1 | 4% | $122,158 |
| 2 | Pasadena | 1 | 4% | $112,404 |
| 3 | Annapolis | 1 | 3% | $112,354 |
| 4 | Alpharetta | 1 | 2% | $79,884 |
| 5 | Coeur dAlene | 1 | 2% | $81,873 |
| 6 | East Lansing | 1 | 2% | $103,191 |
| 7 | Glendora | 1 | 2% | $113,224 |
| 8 | Novato | 1 | 2% | $122,547 |
| 9 | Palm Desert | 1 | 2% | $110,145 |
| 10 | Parker | 1 | 2% | $70,881 |
| 11 | Washington | 6 | 1% | $119,383 |
| 12 | Cambridge | 1 | 1% | $109,323 |
| 13 | Newton | 1 | 1% | $109,335 |
| 14 | Ontario | 1 | 1% | $112,611 |
| 15 | Denver | 1 | 0% | $70,799 |
| 16 | Fort Wayne | 1 | 0% | $82,171 |
| 17 | New York | 1 | 0% | $125,504 |
Business Office Director job outlook: Expert opinions
Our panel of business office director experts
Catawba College
Pennsylvania State University - Greater Allegheny
Landmark College
Northwestern Michigan College
University of West Georgia
Tiffin University
Brandeis University
Louisiana Tech University
What Business Office Director 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.
Dr. Elizabeth Homan Ph.D.
Professors, Department ChairCatawba College
Theatre Arts
What hard/technical skills are most important for Business Office Directors?
Dr. Elizabeth Homan Ph.D.: Organization, written and oral communication, adeptness at social media. Ability to use and manipulate data.
Bernie Cerasaro
Assistant Teaching ProfessorPennsylvania State University - Greater Allegheny
Business Department
What skills stand out on Business Office Director 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 hard/technical skills are most important for Business Office Directors?
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 Office Director 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.
What soft skills should all Business Office Directors possess?
Dr. Jeanette Landin: The most important soft skills have a common denominator: Communication. Communicating effectively across various media and with widely varying personalities is the key to being an effective business manager. Another critical soft skill is time and information management. The amount of information business managers process on an everyday basis has grown at an increasing rate during the last couple of decades. Business managers must manage multiple priorities, meetings, written and verbal communications, and social media efficiently. Therefore, handling multiple commitments and massive amounts of information is another essential soft skill.
What skills will help Business Office Directors earn the most?
Dr. Jeanette Landin: The skill that will help you earn the most is inspiring other people to increase company productivity and high employee morale. An engaged and productive employee is the most important product of an effective manager. Managers who possess the ability to inspire colleagues and drive company objectives are invaluable.
Kristy Berak McDonald
Experiential Learning Institute DirectorNorthwestern Michigan College
Business Academic Area Faculty
What skills stand out on Business Office Director resumes?
Kristy Berak McDonald: I asked a local HR expert for this question- Jennifer Ewing. She told me, "Ability to lead and motivate, financial acumen and a strategic thinker."
I would add that experiential learning (internships, work/study, relevant class projects) any real-world application of business skills stands out!
What soft skills should all Business Office Directors possess?
Kristy Berak McDonald: This is what I teach, so I love this question. Soft skills are the hard skills to teach because they really should be taught from a young age, and many times the student has never heard of soft skills. I think all soft skills are the most important, but in terms of being a business student, Dependability, life-long learner, strong communicator, attention to detail, adaptability, and empathy are my top priority.
What hard/technical skills are most important for Business Office Directors?
Kristy Berak McDonald: All students should have strong computer skills, accounting basics, and marketing knowledge.
What skills will help Business Office Directors earn the most?
Kristy Berak McDonald: As the soft skills instructor, I believe you can teach skills, but you hire for effective human relations. Technical skills are not enough - interpersonal skills have to be strong. This means the student has been taught personal qualities like treating others with respect, making the right ethical decisions, emotional control, and the ability to work as a team. It also means that the student show thinking skills like creative problem solving, critical listening, and making effective decisions.
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 Office Director 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 Office Directors 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.
What hard/technical skills are most important for Business Office Directors?
Thomas Gainey Ph.D.: With the recent pandemic and the growing reliance on technology to perform many jobs, individuals have been forced to quickly develop or strengthen their technical skills. And these technical skills are in high demand by employers. Individuals with knowledge and experience with enterprise systems, Microsoft Office applications, and popular programming languages will have a significant advantage.
Dr. Bonnie Tiell
Professor of Sport ManagementTiffin University
School of Business
What skills stand out on Business Office Director resumes?
Dr. Bonnie Tiell: Experience and proven record of accomplishments, achievements, and added value to an organization (e.g., demonstration of increasing market shares, sales quotas, membership acquisition, etc.).
Hagit Weihs Ph.D.
Associate Professor of Accounting in the Brandeis International Business School and the Undergraduate Advising Head to the Business ProgramBrandeis University
International Business School
What skills stand out on Business Office Director resumes?
Hagit Weihs Ph.D.: Students who gained experience in summer or part-time internships doing business analysis, financial analysis, data analytics, and business development tend to stand out. Students who served as either teaching assistants or research assistants also have an advantage. In addition, working on a school team and field projects on real companies provides students with both experience and networking opportunities that the market values.
Patrick Scott Ph.D.
Assistant Professor of EconomicsLouisiana Tech University
Economics and Finance Department
What type of skills will young Business Office Directors need?
Patrick Scott Ph.D.: I think the importance of critical thinking and reasoning skills cannot be overstated enough. In this area, economics shines. Additionally, analytical and quantitative skills are more important than ever. Businesses continue to make the shift towards data-driven decision making. The ability to quickly analyze data and correctly assign an interpretation or meaning to that data is an important job market skill. With just a little bit of economic intuition, combined data science skills, business economics majors are uniquely positioned for success in the job market of tomorrow.
Are there any particularly good places in the United States for Business Office Directors 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.
How do you envision technology impacting Business Office Directors in the next 5 years?
Patrick Scott Ph.D.: I'm so glad you asked this question. COVID-19 has structurally changed the economy we knew. Technology will continue to drive these changes at a faster rate than we have seen in previous generations. While the cost of analyzing data and making fast business decisions will likely drop in the coming years due to increased efficiency, the need to have someone interpret what the numbers mean to business leaders and policymakers will continue to remain strong. Business economics majors are poised to be able to capitalize on these opportunities for the foreseeable future.