Sales is an excellent profession for many businesspeople, especially those who enjoy the adrenaline rush of closing a deal. While it’s possible to make strides in sales without a bachelor’s degree, you may find the lack of a bachelor’s limits your range of opportunities. Several high-paying sales roles, including sales engineer, advertising sales agent and pharmaceutical sales representative, require or prefer a bachelor’s degree.
For many, pursuing a traditional bachelor’s degree comes at the cost of disrupting their careers and losing income. With the online Bachelor of Science in Business Administration (B.S.B.A.) in Marketing program from Northern Kentucky University (NKU), that’s no longer an issue. You can continue progressing in your career while you earn your degree on your own schedule.
How Does Earning a Bachelor’s Degree Help Your Sales Career?
Pursuing a bachelor’s degree offers a number of benefits, including a wider range of job opportunities substantially higher earning potential and the development of skills that will serve you well in your career. Here are just a few things you can do with a bachelor’s degree:
Move your career forward
In the current economic climate, higher education is vital if you want to qualify for a leadership role in your current organization or find a new opportunity with another company. The lack of a college degree can hold you back, no matter how many deals you close. This is especially true if you wish to enter a more lucrative sales field like pharmaceutical or medical sales. When you obtain your bachelor’s, you expand the range of options for yourself, with possible advancement to positions like territory manager or vice president of sales.
Earn more
Sales salaries can be lower for those without a bachelor’s degree. For some sales positions, compensation is based purely on commission, which can technically amount to a minimum wage income, or less. Data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) makes a compelling case for earning a bachelor’s degree: The median weekly earnings jump from $1,099 for associate degree holders to $1,543 for those with a bachelor’s degree as of 2024, a 40% increase. The difference will add up over time.
Add to your skill set
Sales professionals without a bachelor’s degree may be able to get by with on-the-job training. However, they may find they need a stronger skill set when they take on additional responsibilities or if they lack the skills required to advance or land a new job.
What Will You Learn in NKU’s Online B.S.B.A. Program?
The knowledge you’ll gain in NKU’s online B.S.B.A program can help boost your effectiveness as a sales professional. A number of courses, including Selling Skills, Applied Consumer Behavior and Consumer Insights, provide you with the tools and skills you need to succeed as a sales professional.
After you decide that you want to earn a bachelor’s degree to help further your career, you’ll need to think about which major to pursue. Of the many options available, one stands out for its versatility and growth potential: Marketing.
Why a Marketing Degree Is a Natural Fit for Sales Professionals
In many companies, sales and marketing functions align closely. Both have the same ultimate goal of converting leads into customers. Through coursework in your bachelor’s degree program, you will learn how to elevate your sales game from tactical to strategic. This can lead to greater success in closing deals.
Online degree programs like Northern Kentucky University’s marketing-focused B.S.B.A. provide the flexibility working students need. Professionals across the country have embraced this format. According to data from the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES), well over half of all postsecondary students in the U.S. were enrolled in at least some distance education courses in fall 2021. If you’re ready to step up your sales game but want to continue in your profession as you advance your education, consider earning a career-enhancing degree online.
Learn more about NKU’s online Bachelor of Science in Business Administration – Marketing program.
