Country edition: USA Beta
USA Edition · Career Cluster · Cross-cutting

Management & Entrepreneurship

5 sub-clusters·14 career pages so far·BLS pay May 2025

The Management & Entrepreneurship Career Cluster involves skills and occupations that are essential across all industries, focusing on business administration, operations optimization, strategic planning, workforce management, and entrepreneurship.

The cluster

What this cluster covers

Definition
The Management & Entrepreneurship Career Cluster involves skills and occupations that are essential across all industries, focusing on business administration, operations optimization, strategic planning, workforce management, and entrepreneurship. It merges key areas such as data management and analysis, human resources, general operations, administrative support, project management, and organizational leadership. This Cluster ensures that businesses across all industries efficiently meet their goals, adapt to market changes, and maintain competitive advantage. By emphasizing entrepreneurship, this Cluster supports the creation of new ventures, driving economic growth and innovation and making it a cornerstone of modern economies. This Career Cluster is also a Cross-Cutting Cluster as the skills gained through this Career Clusters area are applicable across all Career Clusters. Practitioners are encouraged to combine content from this Cluster across other CTE programs.
Advance CTE
Management & Entrepreneurship Career ClusterAdvance CTE
Checked
20 Oct 2026
View source
Career pages

Careers in this cluster

Entry education, license and BLS pay and outlook for every career page in this cluster. Each career page shows what the job is and links its step-by-step roadmap.

CareerTypical entryLicenseMedian pay, May 2025Outlook 2025–35Career page
Top Executive & Operations Manager
Leadership & Operations		 Bachelor's degree None for most jobs $108,780
Top executives		 +5%
BLS
Top Executives — Summary (Quick Facts)U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (OOH)
Checked
20 Oct 2026
View source
 Open: Top Executive & Operations Manager
Secretary & Administrative Assistant
Leadership & Operations		 High school diploma or equivalent None $48,310
Secretaries and administrative assistants		 −2%
BLS
Secretaries and Administrative Assistants — Summary (Quick Facts)U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (OOH)
Checked
20 Oct 2026
View source
 Open: Secretary & Administrative Assistant
Project Manager
Project Management		 Bachelor's degree None $102,320
Project management specialists		 +7%
BLS
Project Management Specialists — Summary (Quick Facts)U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (OOH)
Checked
20 Oct 2026
View source
 Open: Project Manager
Business & Management
Business Information Management		 Bachelor's degree Not required
for most jobs		 $101,860
Management analysts		 +10%
BLS
Occupational Outlook HandbookU.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
Checked
7 Oct 2026
View source
 Open: Business & Management
Human Resources Specialist
Leadership & Operations		 Bachelor's degree None $75,940
Human resources specialists		 +6%
BLS
Human Resources Specialists — Summary (Quick Facts)U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (OOH)
Checked
20 Oct 2026
View source
 Open: Human Resources Specialist
Financial Manager
Business Information Management		 Bachelor's degree CPA only if the job needs it $166,570
Financial managers		 +10%
BLS
Financial Managers — Summary (Quick Facts)U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (OOH)
Checked
20 Oct 2026
View source
 Open: Financial Manager
Training & Development Specialist
Leadership & Operations		 Bachelor's degree None $69,280
Training and development specialists		 +11%
BLS
Training and Development Specialists — Summary (Quick Facts)U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (OOH)
Checked
20 Oct 2026
View source
 Open: Training & Development Specialist
Administrative Services & Facilities Manager
Leadership & Operations		 Bachelor's degree None $110,500
Administrative services and facilities managers		 +5%
BLS
Administrative Services and Facilities Managers — Summary (Quick Facts)U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (OOH)
Checked
20 Oct 2026
View source
 Open: Administrative Services & Facilities Manager
Public Relations Specialist
Leadership & Operations		 Bachelor's degree None $74,750
Public relations specialists		 +2%
BLS
Public Relations Specialists — Summary (Quick Facts)U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (OOH)
Checked
20 Oct 2026
View source
 Open: Public Relations Specialist
Human Resources Manager
Leadership & Operations		 Bachelor's degree None $149,280
Human resources managers		 +6%
BLS
Human Resources Managers — Summary (Quick Facts)U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (OOH)
Checked
20 Oct 2026
View source
 Open: Human Resources Manager
Public Relations & Fundraising Manager
Leadership & Operations		 Bachelor's degree None $136,470
Public relations and fundraising managers		 +6%
BLS
Public Relations and Fundraising Managers — Summary (Quick Facts)U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (OOH)
Checked
20 Oct 2026
View source
 Open: Public Relations & Fundraising Manager
Labor Relations Specialist
Leadership & Operations		 Bachelor's degree None $95,420
Labor relations specialists		 +2%
BLS
Labor Relations Specialists — Summary (Quick Facts)U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (OOH)
Checked
20 Oct 2026
View source
 Open: Labor Relations Specialist
Training & Development Manager
Leadership & Operations		 Bachelor's degree None $133,000
Training and development managers		 +6%
BLS
Training and Development Managers — Summary (Quick Facts)U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (OOH)
Checked
20 Oct 2026
View source
 Open: Training & Development Manager
Compensation & Benefits Manager
Leadership & Operations		 Bachelor's degree None $149,230
Compensation and benefits managers		 +1%
BLS
Compensation and Benefits Managers — Summary (Quick Facts)U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (OOH)
Checked
20 Oct 2026
View source
 Open: Compensation & Benefits Manager

Pay is the BLS median for the occupation named under it, for May 2025; half of workers earned more, half less. For comparison, BLS projects all U.S. jobs to grow 3.5% over 2025–35. The career's sub-cluster comes from Advance CTE's SOC crosswalk.

Shared careers

Also in this cluster

Advance CTE places some occupations in more than one cluster. These careers have their page under another cluster, and the crosswalk puts them here too.

5 sub-clusters

Sub-clusters and example programs

Major groupings of career areas within a given field that have similar skills as defined by industry area. The programs are Advance CTE's examples of school and college programs of study; what is offered varies by state.

  • Business Information Management

    Careers centered around using technology to collect information that supports and enhances business operations.

    Example programs Business Technology Applications

  • Entrepreneurship & Small Business

    Careers focused on initiating and managing businesses, including startups, small businesses, gig economy work, and social enterprises.

    Example programs Entrepreneurship

  • Leadership & Operations

    Careers involving the leadership of business activities, including strategic planning; resource forecasting and allocation; engaging with boards, shareholders, and other constituents; administrative support; and management consulting.

    Example programs Business Essentials · Business Management · Human Resources Management

  • Project Management

    Careers focused on planning, leading, initiating, executing, controlling, and closing out projects to achieve specific goals within a set timeline and budget.

    Example programs Principles of Management

  • Regulation

    Careers dedicated to corporate responsibility, ensuring that all industries adhere to health, safety, financial, and environmental regulations.

    Example programs Business Law

License or not?

Certifications and licenses

A state or federal license is the law; a registration through an employer comes with the job; a voluntary certification is something employers may ask for. Each card links the owner's own page.

  • Voluntary

    CAPM

    Project Management Institute (PMI)

    No experience required: a secondary diploma, age 18 and 23 hours of project management education, then a 150-question exam.

    PMI
    Certified Associate in Project Management (CAPM)Project Management Institute (PMI)
    Checked
    20 Oct 2026
    View source

    Career Project manager

  • Voluntary

    PMP

    Project Management Institute (PMI)

    2 to 5 years of experience managing projects (depending on education), 35 hours of training and a 180-question exam.

    PMI
    Project Management Professional (PMP)Project Management Institute (PMI)
    Checked
    20 Oct 2026
    View source

    Career Project manager

  • Voluntary

    aPHR, PHR

    HR Certification Institute (HRCI)

    aPHR needs no HR experience; PHR needs 1 to 4 years of professional HR experience depending on education.

    HRCI
    Professional in Human Resources (PHR)HR Certification Institute (HRCI)
    Checked
    20 Oct 2026
    View source

    Career HR specialist, HR manager

  • Voluntary

    SHRM-CP

    Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM)

    For people who perform general HR duties or are pursuing an HR career; 134 questions at a Prometric test center.

    SHRM
    SHRM Certified Professional (SHRM-CP)Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM)
    Checked
    20 Oct 2026
    View source

    Career HR specialist, HR manager

  • State license

    CPA

    State boards of accountancy (AICPA writes the exam)

    Financial managers who are CPAs are licensed by their state's board of accountancy and must pass an exam.

    BLS
    Financial Managers — How to Become OneU.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (OOH)
    Checked
    20 Oct 2026
    View source

    Career Financial manager

  • Voluntary

    CGFM

    AGA

    Government financial management: three exams, renewed every year with continuing education.

    AGA
    Certified Government Financial Manager (CGFM)AGA
    Checked
    20 Oct 2026
    View source

    Career Financial manager

Entrepreneurship

Start a small business

SBA's free business guide walks you through starting a small business: plan it first, then take care of the paperwork and processes before you can start doing business.

SBA
Counseling: local assistance and business guideU.S. Small Business Administration (SBA)
Checked
20 Oct 2026
View source

Plan your business

  1. Market research and competitive analysisMarket research helps you find customers for your business. Competitive analysis helps you make your business unique.
  2. Write your business planYour business plan is the foundation of your business.
  3. Calculate your startup costsSo you can request funding, attract investors, and estimate when you’ll turn a profit.
  4. Establish business creditPoor credit history is one of the main reasons why loan applications for small businesses are often declined.
  5. Fund your businessOnce you know how much startup funding you’ll need, choose how to get it: loans, self-funding or investors.
  6. Or buy an existing business or franchise

SBA
Plan your business (business guide)U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA)
Checked
20 Oct 2026

The older "10 steps to start your business" page now redirects to SBA's redesigned business guide (sba.gov/counseling/#business-guide).

View source

Open the SBA guide

Launch your business

  1. Pick your business locationYour business location determines the taxes, zoning laws, and regulations your business will be subject to.
  2. Choose a business structureIt affects how much you pay in taxes, your ability to raise money, the paperwork you need to file, and your personal liability. Choose it before you register with the state.
  3. Choose your business nameOnce you’ve picked your name, protect it by registering it with the right agencies.
  4. Register your businessHow and where you need to register depends on your business structure and business location.
  5. Get federal and state tax ID numbersThe federal Employer Identification Number (EIN) is free from the IRS: do not apply on websites that charge a fee. State tax IDs depend on your state's income and employment taxes.
  6. Apply for licenses and permitsMost small businesses need a combination of licenses and permits from federal and state agencies; requirements and fees vary by activity and location.
  7. Open a business bank accountAs soon as you start accepting or spending money as your business.
  8. Get business insuranceAn LLC or corporation can protect your personal property from lawsuits, but that protection has limits.

SBA
Launch your business (business guide)U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA)
Checked
20 Oct 2026
View source

Open the SBA guide

Free or low-cost help near you

SBA and its resource partners offer free or low-cost counseling, training and mentoring; find the nearest one by ZIP code.

SBA
Resource Partners: SBDCs, SCORE, Women’s Business Centers, VBOCsU.S. Small Business Administration (SBA)
Checked
20 Oct 2026
View source

  • Small Business Development Centers (SBDC)

    Assistance and counseling in your area to start, run, or grow your business.

  • SCORE

    The nation’s largest network of small business mentors.

  • Women’s Business Centers

    Free to low-cost counseling and training, focused on women who want to start, grow, and expand a small business.

  • Veterans Business Outreach Centers

    For veterans, service members and military spouses starting or growing a small business.

Find your nearest SBA partner

SBDCs, SCORE mentors, Women’s Business Centers and Veterans Business Outreach Centers, searched by ZIP code on sba.gov.

SBA resource partners
Next door

Closely connected clusters

This is a cross-cutting cluster: Advance CTE says its skills apply across all Career Clusters, and its page names no single closest cluster.

Advance CTE
Management & Entrepreneurship Career ClusterAdvance CTE
Checked
20 Oct 2026
View source

All 14 Career Clusters

Every cluster with its sub-clusters, and which hubs are open.

See all clusters