TL;DR: BSBA (Bachelor of Science in Business Administration) is a four-year CHED-regulated degree with five official majors — Human Resource Management, Marketing Management, Financial Management, Operations Management, and Business Economics — built on a minimum 122-unit curriculum under CMO No. 17, series of 2017. It has no licensure exam, unlike BS Accountancy (CPA) or BS Psychology (psychometrician). Tuition runs roughly ₱20,000–₱45,000/year at budget schools and ₱35,000–₱80,000+ at mid-range and premium universities, or free at SUCs under RA 10931. Entry-level BSBA-track roles (HR, marketing, financial analysis) typically start between ₱18,000 and ₱30,000 per month.
BSBA is one of the most-searched degree programs in the Philippines, and for good reason: it is broad, widely offered, and leads to a large range of office and management-track jobs. But "business administration" as a label hides a fair amount of structure that CHED has actually standardized, from the five official majors down to the exact unit count. This guide walks through what the degree covers, how it differs from its closest cousins (BS Accountancy, BS Entrepreneurship), what it costs, and what graduates actually earn starting out. Students choosing between BSBA and a related path should also read the ABM strand guide, since ABM in senior high is the direct on-ramp into this degree.
What Is a BSBA Degree?
BSBA (Bachelor of Science in Business Administration) is a four-year undergraduate degree regulated by CHED under CMO No. 17, series of 2017 ("Revised Policies, Standards and Guidelines for the Bachelor of Science in Business Administration Program"), which took effect for entering freshmen starting Academic Year 2018-2019. It sits at Level 6 (Baccalaureate) on the Philippine Qualifications Framework, the same tier as any other four-year bachelor's degree.
The degree trains students in general management, covering how businesses plan, organize, staff, and control operations, with a required professional major that narrows the focus in the third and fourth year. Every accredited BSBA program in the country has to build its curriculum around the same CHED-mandated core, though individual schools are free to add units, rename majors for marketing purposes, or bolt on additional tracks.
Disclaimer: curriculum details, unit counts, and specific course offerings vary by school and change over time. Confirm the current curriculum with your target school's registrar or prospectus before enrolling.
What Are the Official BSBA Majors?
CHED's CMO No. 17, s. 2017 recognizes five majors under BSBA. A school's marketing name for a track (Entrepreneurial Management, Human Capital Management, Economics with Law, and similar labels seen at different universities) is usually a rebrand of one of these five, sometimes blended with elective focus areas.
| CHED-Recognized Major | What It Covers | Typical Entry Roles |
|---|---|---|
| Human Resource Management | Recruitment, training, labor relations, compensation | HR assistant, recruiter, L&D associate |
| Marketing Management | Branding, market research, consumer behavior, campaigns | Marketing associate, brand assistant, digital marketing |
| Financial Management | Corporate finance, investment analysis, budgeting | Financial/business analyst, credit analyst |
| Operations Management | Supply chain, logistics, quality and process control | Operations associate, supply chain analyst |
| Business Economics | Economic analysis, forecasting, policy impact | Business/research analyst, junior economist |
Some schools market additional tracks such as International Business, Entrepreneurship, or Legal Management as electives within one of these five majors rather than as separate CHED-recognized specializations, so read the specific major requirements in the school's prospectus rather than assuming the marketing name maps one-to-one to a CHED major.
What Subjects Will You Take in a BSBA Program?
CHED's CMO No. 17, s. 2017 sets a minimum of 122 units for the BSBA program, split across general education, a shared business core, the chosen major, and a mandatory internship.
| Curriculum Component | Minimum Units |
|---|---|
| General Education | 36 |
| NSTP | 6 |
| Physical Education | 8 |
| Common Business/Management Courses | 6 |
| Business Administration Core | 24 |
| Professional Major | 24 |
| Electives | 12 |
| Internship (OJT) | 6 |
| Total | 122 |
The Business Administration core typically covers subjects like principles of management, business law, marketing principles, financial and managerial accounting, business statistics, and organizational behavior, before students specialize in their chosen major in the third and fourth year. The internship component is described in CHED's own policy as a program that "integrates the theory and knowledge of the course content with the application of principles and practices in a work environment," and many schools implement it as roughly 600 hours of supervised practicum in the final year, on top of the 6 required units.
How Is BSBA Different From BS Accountancy?
The core difference is licensure: BS Accountancy exists specifically to prepare graduates for the CPA Licensure Examination administered by the PRC's Board of Accountancy, while BSBA has no equivalent board exam. BS Accountancy's curriculum is narrower and deeper in financial accounting, auditing, taxation, and business law, following its own 2018 CHED curriculum as a four-year program. BSBA is broader by design, covering general management functions across HR, marketing, finance, and operations rather than concentrating entirely on accounting and audit.
In practice, this means a BSBA graduate can move into HR, marketing, or operations roles right away, while a BS Accountancy graduate is on a track toward becoming a Certified Public Accountant (CPA), a credential that's legally required for certain accounting and audit functions in the Philippines. For a detailed look at what that license is worth in pesos, see accountant and CPA salary in the Philippines.
How Is BSBA Different From BS Entrepreneurship?
BS Entrepreneurship is built around founding and running a business from scratch, with coursework weighted toward feasibility studies, venture financing, and starting a company as the end goal, rather than preparing graduates to step into an existing organization's management structure. BSBA, by contrast, trains students to manage functions inside an existing company, whether that's HR, marketing, finance, or operations, which is why its five majors map so directly onto standard corporate departments. Students who already know they want to start their own business tend to gravitate toward Entrepreneurship; students who want the widest range of corporate job options after graduation tend to choose BSBA.
How Much Does BSBA Tuition Cost?
Based on SchoolFinderPH's own cost-of-college research, BSBA is one of the more affordable four-year degrees because it is lecture-based rather than lab- or clinical-heavy, which keeps facility costs down relative to programs like Nursing or Engineering.
| School Tier | Approx. Annual Tuition (BSBA) | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Budget private school | ₱20,000–₱45,000 | Large classes, minimal lab fees |
| Mid-range private university | ₱35,000–₱80,000 | More electives, better facilities |
| Premium private university | ₱90,000–₱250,000+ | Smaller classes, stronger placement networks |
| State university or college (SUC) | Free under RA 10931 | Subject to admission and retention requirements |
Disclaimer: tuition figures are approximate ranges and change by school year. Confirm the current rate directly with the admissions office of your target school before budgeting.
What Jobs Can You Get With a BSBA Degree?
BSBA opens the door to entry-level corporate roles across HR, marketing, finance, and operations, plus management trainee programs run by larger companies and BPOs. Actual starting pay depends heavily on the specific role, industry, and whether the employer is a large corporation, an SME, or a BPO.
| Entry-Level Role | Approx. Monthly Pay | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Financial/Business Analyst | ₱22,000–₱30,000 | Bossjob.ph fresh-graduate salary guide |
| Digital Marketing Associate | ₱20,000–₱28,000 | Bossjob.ph fresh-graduate salary guide |
| General fresh graduate (any field) | ₱18,000–₱25,000 | iScale Solutions Philippine salary report |
| BBA/BSBA overall average, all career stages | ~₱354,000/year | PayScale Philippines |
Pay climbs meaningfully with certifications and further study: HR majors who pursue SHRM certification, finance majors who sit for the CFA exams, or anyone who later completes an MBA typically move into higher-paying roles faster than those who stop at the bachelor's degree alone. For a broader framework on choosing between BSBA and other business-adjacent courses, see what course to take in college and the top in-demand courses in the Philippines.
Which Schools Offer BSBA?
BSBA is one of the most widely offered degrees in the country, available at large universities like University of Santo Tomas, De La Salle University Manila, Far Eastern University, Adamson University, and Polytechnic University of the Philippines, as well as at hundreds of smaller regional colleges. Business-economics-focused schools like University of Asia and the Pacific offer a more specialized economics track within the same broad business-education family.
How to Decide If BSBA Is Right for You
Before committing to BSBA, weigh these questions:
- Do you want a specific corporate function, or flexibility? If you already know you want accounting/audit work specifically, BS Accountancy is the more direct (and legally required) path to a CPA license. If you want to keep HR, marketing, finance, and operations all open as options, BSBA's breadth is the advantage.
- Do you want to start your own business, or manage someone else's? BS Entrepreneurship leans toward founding; BSBA leans toward managing.
- Which major fits your strengths? Numbers-oriented students often gravitate to Financial Management or Business Economics; people-oriented students often choose Human Resource Management or Marketing Management.
- Have you checked the specific major's curriculum at your target school? Since CHED sets a floor, not a ceiling, verify the exact courses, internship placement partners, and any board-exam-adjacent certifications (like a CPA bridging track some schools offer) directly with the school.
Ready to find the right school? Browse schools or compare tuition and reviews across hundreds of Philippine colleges and universities on SchoolFinderPH.
Sources
- CHED CMO No. 17, s. 2017 — Revised Policies, Standards and Guidelines for BSBA (via Legaldex)
- CHED CMO No. 39, s. 2006 — earlier BSBA policy document (PDF)
- Far Eastern University — Bachelor of Science in Business Administration (official program page)
- Far Eastern University — Bachelor of Science in Accountancy (official program page)
- PayScale — Bachelor of Business Administration (BBA) Salary in Philippines
- Bossjob.ph — Top 10 Highest Paying Jobs in the Philippines for Fresh Graduates
- iScale Solutions — Average Salary in the Philippines
- SchoolFinderPH — Average Cost of College in the Philippines
