Business
Business
Build a Solid Foundation in Key Business Disciplines
Program Overview
Imagine starting your business education journey at College of Western Idaho (CWI), where the focus is on you and your success. In our Business program, you are not just learning about business; you are preparing to make a real impact in the world. You will dive into vital areas like management, marketing, and finance, gaining skills essential for today’s business world. We are here to ensure your first two years of college are not just fulfilling but set a strong foundation for your future studies.
Your journey at CWI is about more than textbooks and lectures. With smaller class sizes and accessible instructors, you get a personalized learning experience where your ideas and ambitions are nurtured. We are dedicated to helping you reach higher whether that is pursuing a bachelor's degree or aiming further. Be a success story and start your path in the business world with confidence and a solid academic foundation.
Learning Opportunities
- Solid Business Foundations: Build your knowledge in key business areas.
- Real-World Applications: See how business theories work in real situations.
- Skill Enhancement: Grow skills that matter in business and beyond.
- Stepping Stone to Higher Degrees: Use this program as a launchpad for further studies.
- Personalized Support: Enjoy learning in small classes with teachers who support your goals.
- Professional Software Skills: Master Microsoft Office applications, earning MOS certifications. Gain expertise in QuickBooks, enhancing job marketability and software skills.
Areas of Study
Degrees & Certificates
Business – Associate of Arts Degree
Accounting & Tax – Academic Certificate
Cost:
$2,656
Business Analytics – Academic Certificate
Cost:
$2,741
Entrepreneurship & Small Business Management – Academic Certificate
Cost:
$2,092
Below are the student outcomes for the Business Associate of Arts program at College of Western Idaho.
| Year | Retention Goal | Retention Results | Graduate Goal | Graduate Results |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 48% | 49.9% | 71 – 77 | 74 |
| 2025 | 48% | TBD | 72 – 78 | 89 |
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Career Opportunities
Plan, direct, or coordinate the operations of public or private sector organizations, overseeing multiple departments or locations. Duties and responsibilities include formulating policies, managing daily operations, and planning the use of materials and human resources, but are too diverse and general in nature to be classified in any one functional area of management or administration, such as personnel, purchasing, or administrative services. Usually manage through subordinate supervisors.
1697
Annual Openings*
$
36.69
Hourly Median Wage*
$
76,315
Annual Median Salary
12.2
%
Growth (2025 – 2035)*
779
Annual Openings*
$
36.02
Hourly Median Wage*
$
74,921
Annual Median Salary
10.07
%
Growth (2025 – 2035)*
Examine, analyze, and interpret accounting records to prepare financial statements, give advice, or audit and evaluate statements prepared by others. Install or advise on systems of recording costs or other financial and budgetary data.
631
Annual Openings*
$
31.59
Hourly Median Wage*
$
65,707
Annual Median Salary
18.54
%
Growth (2025 – 2035)*
Analyze and coordinate the schedule, timeline, procurement, staffing, and budget of a product or service on a per project basis. Lead and guide the work of technical staff. May serve as a point of contact for the client or customer.
434
Annual Openings*
$
39.58
Hourly Median Wage*
$
82,326
Annual Median Salary
17.55
%
Growth (2025 – 2035)*
Conduct organizational studies and evaluations, design systems and procedures, conduct work simplification and measurement studies, and prepare operations and procedures manuals to assist management in operating more efficiently and effectively. Includes program analysts and management consultants.
377
Annual Openings*
$
39.51
Hourly Median Wage*
$
82,180
Annual Median Salary
22.9
%
Growth (2025 – 2035)*
All managers not listed separately.
345
Annual Openings*
$
35.92
Hourly Median Wage*
$
74,713
Annual Median Salary
20.72
%
Growth (2025 – 2035)*
Determine and formulate policies and provide overall direction of companies or private and public sector organizations within guidelines set up by a board of directors or similar governing body. Plan, direct, or coordinate operational activities at the highest level of management with the help of subordinate executives and staff managers.
251
Annual Openings*
$
78.91
Hourly Median Wage*
$
164,132
Annual Median Salary
12.19
%
Growth (2025 – 2035)*
Plan, direct, or coordinate, usually through subordinate supervisory personnel, activities concerned with the construction and maintenance of structures, facilities, and systems. Participate in the conceptual development of a construction project and oversee its organization, scheduling, budgeting, and implementation. Includes managers in specialized construction fields, such as carpentry or plumbing.
176
Annual Openings*
$
42.55
Hourly Median Wage*
$
88,504
Annual Median Salary
25.43
%
Growth (2025 – 2035)*
Plan, direct, or coordinate the actual distribution or movement of a product or service to the customer. Coordinate sales distribution by establishing sales territories, quotas, and goals and establish training programs for sales representatives. Analyze sales statistics gathered by staff to determine sales potential and inventory requirements and monitor the preferences of customers.
162
Annual Openings*
$
60.56
Hourly Median Wage*
$
125,964
Annual Median Salary
17.01
%
Growth (2025 – 2035)*
Develop and implement a set of techniques or analytics applications to transform raw data into meaningful information using data-oriented programming languages and visualization software. Apply data mining, data modeling, natural language processing, and machine learning to extract and analyze information from large structured and unstructured datasets. Visualize, interpret, and report data findings. May create dynamic data reports.
100
Annual Openings*
$
52.25
Hourly Median Wage*
$
108,680
Annual Median Salary
39.09
%
Growth (2025 – 2035)*
Prepare cost estimates for product manufacturing, construction projects, or services to aid management in bidding on or determining price of product or service. May specialize according to particular service performed or type of product manufactured.
85
Annual Openings*
$
36.09
Hourly Median Wage*
$
75,067
Annual Median Salary
11.6
%
Growth (2025 – 2035)*
Plan, direct, or coordinate the activities of a social service program or community outreach organization. Oversee the program or organization’s budget and policies regarding participant involvement, program requirements, and benefits. Work may involve directing social workers, counselors, or probation officers.
82
Annual Openings*
$
37.25
Hourly Median Wage*
$
77,480
Annual Median Salary
12.71
%
Growth (2025 – 2035)*
Plan, direct, or coordinate the work activities and resources necessary for manufacturing products in accordance with cost, quality, and quantity specifications.
66
Annual Openings*
$
48.44
Hourly Median Wage*
$
100,755
Annual Median Salary
16.05
%
Growth (2025 – 2035)*
Plan, direct, or coordinate one or more administrative services of an organization, such as records and information management, mail distribution, and other office support services. Medical records administrators are included in “Medical and Health Services Managers” .
60
Annual Openings*
$
37.70
Hourly Median Wage*
$
78,416
Annual Median Salary
19.21
%
Growth (2025 – 2035)*
54
Annual Openings*
$
30.49
Hourly Median Wage*
$
63,419
Annual Median Salary
6.12
%
Growth (2025 – 2035)*
Plan, direct, or coordinate transportation, storage, or distribution activities in accordance with organizational policies and applicable government laws or regulations. Includes logistics managers.
51
Annual Openings*
$
39.98
Hourly Median Wage*
$
83,158
Annual Median Salary
13.52
%
Growth (2025 – 2035)*
Prepare tax returns for individuals or small businesses.
33
Annual Openings*
$
26.16
Hourly Median Wage*
$
54,412
Annual Median Salary
19.74
%
Growth (2025 – 2035)*
Plan, direct, or coordinate operations and functionalities of facilities and buildings. May include surrounding grounds or multiple facilities of an organization’s campus.
31
Annual Openings*
$
47.32
Hourly Median Wage*
$
98,425
Annual Median Salary
16.57
%
Growth (2025 – 2035)*
All personal service managers not listed separately.
22
Annual Openings*
$
12.38
Hourly Median Wage*
$
25,750
Annual Median Salary
33.91
%
Growth (2025 – 2035)*
Enforce or ensure compliance with laws and regulations governing financial and securities institutions and financial and real estate transactions. May examine, verify, or authenticate records.
21
Annual Openings*
$
36.10
Hourly Median Wage*
$
75,088
Annual Median Salary
23.5
%
Growth (2025 – 2035)*
Plan, direct, or coordinate entertainment and recreational activities and operations of a recreational facility, including cruise ships and parks.
16
Annual Openings*
$
35.66
Hourly Median Wage*
$
74,172
Annual Median Salary
19.85
%
Growth (2025 – 2035)*
Analyze credit data and financial statements of individuals or firms to determine the degree of risk involved in extending credit or lending money. Prepare reports with credit information for use in decisionmaking.
16
Annual Openings*
$
31.50
Hourly Median Wage*
$
65,520
Annual Median Salary
3.29
%
Growth (2025 – 2035)*
Develop or apply mathematical or statistical theory and methods to collect, organize, interpret, and summarize numerical data to provide usable information. May specialize in fields such as biostatistics, agricultural statistics, business statistics, or economic statistics. Includes mathematical and survey statisticians.
15
Annual Openings*
$
47.81
Hourly Median Wage*
$
99,444
Annual Median Salary
15.52
%
Growth (2025 – 2035)*
Examine budget estimates for completeness, accuracy, and conformance with procedures and regulations. Analyze budgeting and accounting reports.
14
Annual Openings*
$
37.01
Hourly Median Wage*
$
76,980
Annual Median Salary
7.4
%
Growth (2025 – 2035)*
Analyze and measure exposure to credit and market risk threatening the assets, earning capacity, or economic state of an organization. May make recommendations to limit risk.
13
Annual Openings*
$
34.83
Hourly Median Wage*
$
72,446
Annual Median Salary
23.35
%
Growth (2025 – 2035)*
Determine tax liability or collect taxes from individuals or business firms according to prescribed laws and regulations.
12
Annual Openings*
$
31.60
Hourly Median Wage*
$
65,728
Annual Median Salary
5.93
%
Growth (2025 – 2035)*
Plan, develop, or conduct surveys. May analyze and interpret the meaning of survey data, determine survey objectives, or suggest or test question wording. Includes social scientists who primarily design questionnaires or supervise survey teams.
$
24.89
Hourly Median Wage*
$
51,771
Annual Median Salary
-1.99
%
Growth (2025 – 2035)*
*Data sourced from Lightcast™ (2023), a global leader in labor market analytics, and limited to the state of Idaho. Contact CWI Institutional Research for questions regarding this data. Career pathways may require further education beyond CWI.
Admissions
Step 1
- Apply to CWI.
- Choose Business as your major.
Step 2
- Complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA).
Program Accreditation
The Business Associate of Arts degree is accredited by the Accreditation Council for Business Schools and Programs (ACBSP). ACBSP's student-centered teaching and learning approach, which is measured and analyzed for quality, ensures students gain the right skills from their educational investment.
Accreditation Council for Business Schools and Programs
11520 West 119th Street
Overland Park, KS 66213
913.339.9356
www.acbsp.org
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Cost & Aid
As a student in this program, you may be eligible for financial aid and scholarships.
Enrichment Opportunities
Enhance your academic experience, expand your knowledge, reach your goals, and celebrate your achievements.
Advising
Already a student? We are here to help you navigate your educational journey, connect you to academic and support resources, and achieve your academic or career goals.
Transfer Information
Plan ahead for a smooth transition to a four-year college or university.
Related Programs
Business Administration
Leverage Your Associate Degree and Advance Your Business and Leadership Skills
Bookkeeping & Accounting
Prepare for High-Demand Accounting Roles with Hands-On Training
Entrepreneurship & Small Business Management
Gain the Essential Knowledge for Starting and Managing Your Future Venture
Clubs
Business Professionals of America
College of Western Idaho is proud to be part of Business Professionals of America (BPA), the leading Career and Technical Student Organization for students pursuing careers in business management, office administration, information technology, and other related career fields.
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