What Can You Do with a Certificate in Business Management?
4 December, 2025
There are a few common themes that come up when people talk about effective leadership. In addition to a high degree of business acumen, we often name qualities like exceptional communication skills, creative problem solving, and conflict resolution when discussing the leaders who made the greatest impact on our lives.
There are a number of ways you can develop those softer skills, but you should be ready to step out of your comfort zone — for example, you could pursue more opportunities to lead presentations at work to help build your communication and persuasion skills. We also recommend exploring professional development opportunities through your employer and gaining skills outside of your immediate job via collaboration with other departments.
Here, we’ll focus on the outcomes and benefits of our online Business Management Certificate, which is designed for current and aspiring business leaders interested in pursuing roles ranging from manager-level to the C-Suite.
What Is a Business Management Certificate?
Certificate programs offer a more focused path of study, which means you can pick a program based on the specific skills you want to develop. In our Business Management Certificate program, you’ll complete coursework in business fundamentals, like finance and accounting, while gaining tools to be a more effective communicator who can lead change within your organization.
According to data from Lightcast, a top labor analytics firm, demand for business management skills continues to grow. From 2022 to 2025, job postings calling for experience in business management jumped by more than 30%. This rise in demand is evident across many different industries and applies to job titles that range from data scientist to sales representative.
One of the main benefits of developing business skills is their transferability. These are evergreen skills that will be valuable throughout your career, whether you’re a non-manager, an employee, or pursuing executive positions.
How Is a Business Management Certificate Different From a Graduate Degree?
- Time commitment: You can complete a certificate in less than a year, making it a fast, flexible option for professionals at any career stage.
- Gain insight into master’s-level coursework: A certificate program can give you a sense of MBA-level coursework and can help you decide whether to pursue a full degree.
- Earn CEU credits: You can earn continuing education credits by completing a program that’s certified by the International Accreditors for Continuing Education and Training (IACET).
- Driving the adoption of innovative ideas
- Engaging in and influencing strategic business decisions
- Evaluating a firm’s financial performance
- Designing and leading successful projects
- Managing risk proactively
- Practicing the most effective techniques for both self-leadership and leadership of teams
Business Management Program Outcomes
One of the quickest ways to see if a program is aligned with your goals is to review the learning outcomes. We’ve designed our online business management certificate around building your aptitude in:
Careers with a Certificate in Business Management
A business certificate can be applied to a wide range of careers. The table below highlights several of the top jobs you can get with a Business Management Certificate, based on the number of individuals in the role who have reported earning one.
| Job Title | Average Business Certificate Salary* |
|---|---|
| Chief Executive Officer | $174,532 |
| Director of Operations | $107,186 |
| Executive Director | $95,068 |
| Operations Manager | $75,930 |
| Sales Manager | $73,485 |
| Marketing Manager | $75,758 |
*The average salary data reflect base salary for individuals in these roles who have earned a business management certificate and do not include additional compensation, such as annual bonuses.
Source: PayScale
Should You Get a Certificate in Business Management?
The value you get out of earning a business management certificate depends on a number of factors, including where you are in your career now and your future goals. If you want to hone a specific skill or further refine your leadership style, a business management certificate will provide you with tools you can use right away.
It’s important to take some time and establish clear goals that identify what you want to achieve by earning a certificate. For example, if you’re looking to advance within your organization, think about what skills you would need to be promoted. These are the skills and competencies you should look for in the program’s curriculum and learning objectives.
You should also think about the value of those skills to your career and consider how you can really take advantage of them. If you don’t have much management experience yet, you could pursue opportunities within professional mentoring programs and apply what you learn to mentorship. On the other hand, if you’re already in management, you’ll be able to leverage what you learn to improve your team’s performance, inspire their creativity, and help them grow as business professionals.
About the Vanderbilt Business Management certificate
Our online Business Management Certificate program is designed to equip current and aspiring leaders with practical management skills they can use in their jobs immediately, as well as a framework for refining their personal leadership styles.
By completing the program, you will build a foundation in operations, marketing, finance, accounting, analysis, leadership, and more. You’ll hone your soft skills and learn best practices for managing teams, your supervisors, and yourself.
We also work with you to identify your existing strengths, cultivate them, and pitch them—so you can become more confident in your skills and be a stronger advocate for your ideas.
Considering a business degree? Find more information about our Master of Business Administration here.
Request
Information
To learn more about the Vanderbilt Business Management Certificate, contact an enrollment specialist at 629-284-0124 or fill out the form to download a free brochure.