BBA vs BA in Economics: Which is better? Career Scope, Jobs, Salary

Students passing Class 12 with Commerce stream are often confused between BBA and BA Economics. Both courses offer decent careers in business and finance. This article outlines their differences in curriculum, career scope, job roles, and salary prospects.
BBA vs BA in Economics: Bachelor of Business Administration (BBA) is a foundation course for business administration knowledge. BBA helps students to prepare for a career in management. On the other hand, a Bachelor of Arts majoring in Economics is a specialised course imparting knowledge around financial analysis and economics. Candidates with an interest in management, investments, and economy are usually confused between BBA and BA Economics. Although both programs are related to business, management, and economy, the course syllabus and specialised areas differ.
This article presents the differences between BBA and BA in Economics, including career scope, job opportunities, and salary prospects.
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- BBA vs BA Economics: Scope
- BBA vs BA Economics Salary
Difference between BBA and BA Economics
Class 12 Commerce students typically face the dilemma of choosing a course among BCom, BBA, BA Economics, or any other specialised course. Comparing BBA and BA Economics, the two courses are designed to impart knowledge around management as well as statistics. However, there are several distinctions between the economics subject curriculum under BBA and BA.
Refer to the table below for a summary of BBA and BA Economics:
Particulars |
BBA |
BA Economics |
---|---|---|
Full-Form |
Bachelor of Business Administration |
Bachelor of Arts in Economics |
Selection criteria |
Entrance exams as well as merit based |
Entrance exams as well as merit based |
Program level |
UG |
UG |
Course Fees |
INR 50,000 - 2 Lakhs |
INR 2.5 Lakh - 3 Lakhs |
Eligibility |
10+2 pass from a recognized board of examination |
10+2 pass from a recognized board of examination |
Average Salary |
INR 4 LPA |
INR 5 LPA |
Job roles |
Business Development Executive, HR Executive, Account Manager, Sales Executive, etc. |
Financial Analyst, Stock Broker, Auditor, Systems Analyst, Economist, etc. |
BBA vs BA Economics: Course Curriculum
Course curriculum for BBA and BA Economics might have some common subjects. Some of the common subjects include economics, statistics, and quantitative methods. However, the overall focus of each program is different. BBA course will emphasise on management, accounting, marketing, finance, and organisational skills. In contrast, BA Economics will dig deeper into microeconomics, macroeconomics, econometrics, and mathematics for economics.
The space below mentions a comparative analysis for course curriculum of BBA and BA Economics.
Particulars |
BBA Curriculum |
BA Economics Curriculum |
---|---|---|
Core focus |
Business administration, management, finance, and organisational skills |
Economic theory, quantitative analysis, and research in economics |
Core subjects |
Management principles, accounting, marketing, HR, operations, business law, IT, etc. |
Microeconomics, macroeconomics, econometrics, mathematical economics, statistics, etc. |
Elective subjects |
Business analytics, digital marketing, banking & insurance, entrepreneurship, etc. |
Money & banking, environmental economics, financial economics, labour economics, etc. |
Industry orientation |
Corporate, start-ups, management roles, etc. |
Policy research, financial institutions, academia, and economic consultancy, etc. |
Both BBA and BA Economics succesfully imparts problem-solving and decision-making abilities. Candidates confused between BBA and BA Economics can make an informed decision if he/she has an idea of the subjects covered.
BBA vs BA Economics: Scope
BBA and BA Economics will lead one to different careers directions. BBA provides an access to jobs in the fields of Management, Marketing, HR, Operations, among others. Whereas, BA Economics will lead one to a career in research, policy analysis, banking, consultancy, and finance.
BBA graduates typically consider a short work experience followed by an MBA degree for career progression. Whereas, BA Economics graduates prefers pursuing a PG degree such as MA Econmics, MSc Finance, etc. BA Economics graduates also consider appearing for competitive exams, such as UPSC, IES, etc.
The table below mentions a comparison between BBA and BA Economics in terms of scope and career growth:
Particulars |
BBA |
BA Economics |
---|---|---|
Career options after graduation |
Management trainee, HR executive, Marketing, Sales, Operations, Banking roles |
Research assistant, data analyst, banking associate, policy research intern, etc. |
Further Studies |
MBA, PGDM, professional courses focused at business or management |
MA Economics, MSc Finance, MSc Economics, UPSC/IES, PhD in Economics |
Industry |
Corporate sector, entrepreneurship, start-ups, business operations, etc. |
Research, public policy, finance, government and international bodies, etc. |
Growth Path |
Helps entry into corporate roles with higher growth opportunities after MBA |
Helps get jobs in roles specialising in economics. Growth primarily depends on higher qualifications. |
BBA vs BA Economics Salary
BA Economics graduates usually begin with roles such as data analyst, research associate, or financial analyst, with entry-level salaries. Their earning potential increases with higher studies. On the other hand, BBA graduates start as management trainees, marketing executives, or HR associates, with salaries similar to BA Economics graduates at the entry level. For a BBA graduate, the income growth depends on whether he/she an MBA or equivalent qualifications, which open pathways to managerial positions with lucrative payscale.
The space below indicates some of the top job roles after each course with the average salaries offered:
BBA Salary
Job Role |
Payscale (in INR) |
---|---|
Management Trainee |
4.8 LPA |
Marketing Executive |
3.5 LPA |
Human Resource Associate |
3.7 LPA |
Business Development Executive |
3.5 LPA |
Operations Executive |
9 LPA |
BA Economics Salary
Job Role |
Payscale (in INR) |
---|---|
Economist Assistant |
5 LPA |
Data Analyst |
5.5 LPA |
Policy Research Associate |
5.9 LPA |
Financial Analyst |
5.4 LPA |
Market Researcher |
4.4 LPA |
While planning education, money should have a higher weightage as it eventually leads one towards a satisfied life. However, one must also consider the course structure keeping their interests in mind.
There are differences in earnings between BBA and BA Economics graduates. Career progression is influenced by the job roles one will secure and the education they pursue after gaining entry-level work experience.
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