Students from a commerce background have numerous career paths available. We’ll explore these options and understand their day-to-day responsibilities. In addition, this post provides an overview of each job’s average salary. This way, you’ll grasp the attractive packages they offer.
Table of Contents:
Before jumping into the detailed blog about the top commerce career options, let’s explore high-paying job roles in India. This includes their basic eligibility criteria that must be fulfilled to attain these positions.
| Job Role | Eligibility Criteria | Exams for the Role | Avg. Salary in India (approx.) |
| Investment Banker | Graduation in Commerce or Finance | CFA Levels: 1, 2, and 3 | INR 8-15 LPA |
| Cost Accountant | Graduation in Commerce or Accounting | CMA | INR 5-10 LPA |
| Key Account Manager | Graduation in Commerce or Marketing | None | INR 6-12 LPA |
| Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) | Bachelor’s degree in Finance or Economics | CFA | INR 8-15 LPA |
| Company Secretary (CS) | Bachelor’s degree in Law or Commerce | ICSI CS | INR 6-10 LPA |
| Chartered Accountant (CA) | Bachelor’s degree in Commerce or Accounting | CA | INR 10-20 LPA |
| Credit Manager | Graduation in Commerce or Finance | None | INR 6-12 LPA |
| Mortgage Manager | Graduation in Commerce or Banking | None | INR 6-10 LPA |
| Insurance Officer | Graduation in Commerce or Insurance | None | INR 6-10 LPA |
| Certified Public Accountant (CPA) | Bachelor’s degree in Accounting or Finance | CPA | INR 8-15 LPA |
Top 20 Commerce Career Options
Commerce is the branch of education that deals with trade, business, economics, finance, accounting, marketing, and other related fields. These fields have witnessed remarkable growth in recent decades, driven by the rapid expansion of the corporate world and the globalization of businesses. Pursuing a career in commerce opens up plenty of opportunities in diverse industries across public, private, and government organizations. It equips students with a comprehensive skill set that includes analytical, financial, management, and legal expertise, making them widely desired in today’s competitive job market.
Here are some top career options for students in the field of commerce that are in high demand in these times:
Investment Banker
An investment banker acts as a financial consultant, supporting companies in raising funds and expanding their enterprises. They primarily assist companies in issuing stocks and bonds, which raises capital for companies that help them expand operations, develop new products, hire more employees, etc.
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Cost Accountant
A Cost Accountant is a specialized financial expert who analyzes, tracks, and reports on the various costs associated with business operations – including labor, materials, overhead, logistics, and other expenditure categories. Their analysis helps businesses make important decisions about the pricing of goods/services, identify areas to cut or control spending, determine optimal production volumes and efficiency to maintain profit margins and promote business growth.
Key Account Manager
In a business context, a key account manager (KAM) plays a vital role in building and maintaining relationships with a company’s most important clients. They manage relationships and sales with those key accounts. It is a good career option for commerce students because you need skills like communication, relationship building, understanding customer needs, and negotiating—things that commerce students study. With a commerce background, students understand business concepts that are useful in this client-facing management role.
Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA)
A Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) is a globally recognized professional designation that signifies expertise in investment analysis and portfolio management. To become a CFA, students need to pass three exams that test their skills in accounting, economics, ethics, money management, and financial analysis. The CFA certification holds the reputation of being the top-tier qualification in the investment management sector and is in high demand among employers.
Company Secretary (CS)
A Company Secretary (CS) is a professional who oversees the company’s legal and regulatory compliance. As an expert in company law, securities law, and corporate governance, a CS plays a key role in guiding company directors on best corporate governance practices, collaborating with regulatory authorities, handling company meetings & records, preparing financial statements, as well as advising the board on corporate strategies.
Chartered Accountant (CA)
Finance and accounting experts, also known as Chartered Accountants (CAs), are qualified to audit financial statements, file taxes, provide authoritative advice on financial matters, and ensure legal compliance regarding finances. Chartered Accountants offer a wide range of rewarding professional services to individuals and businesses as auditors, tax consultants, and financial advisors. A prior strong grasp of commerce subjects thus provides a helpful background for this challenging but rewarding career.
Credit Manager
Commerce students can build an impactful career by leveraging their analytical strengths as credit managers in diverse industries. The role of a credit manager involves overseeing policies for customer credit evaluation, accounts receivable, collections and working capital decisions, while minimizing bad debt risk. To enter this field, a bachelor’s degree in a core commerce field like accounting, finance or economics serves as an excellent base. A Master of Business Administration Course pursued after developing expertise as a credit analyst can also enrich one’s credentials for higher credit manager positions.
Mortgage Manager
A Mortgage Manager is a professional who oversees the mortgage process, advising clients on loan options and terms, processing paperwork, and working as an intermediary between borrowers and lenders. For commerce students interested in banking or finance careers, understanding the mortgage industry and the role of a Mortgage Manager can provide valuable insight. Gaining exposure to mortgage operations and credit risk analysis can help strengthen core skills in accounting, financial management, and risk assessment.
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Insurance Officer
Insurance officers advise clients on coverage options and choose suitable plans based on needs and budgets while selling insurance policies on behalf of insurance companies. A commerce education enables Insurance Officers to utilize analytical skills in assessing financial situations and risk exposures to recommend products. Knowledge of economics, accounting, finance, statistics, and marketing empowers commerce graduates to excel as Insurance Officers.
Certified Public Accountant (CPA)
A Certified Public Accountant (CPA) is a highly regarded professional designation in the accounting field. They are responsible for performing accounting services and functions such as audits, tax preparation, bookkeeping, and financial reporting. A CPA career offers numerous benefits, making it an excellent choice for commerce graduates. CPAs enjoy strong job prospects, high earning potential, and the opportunity to make a significant impact on businesses and individuals.
Tax Officer
A Tax Officer is a government official who works for the Indian Revenue Service (IRS), which functions under the Department of Revenue, Ministry of Finance. They play a crucial role in ensuring that individuals and businesses comply with their tax obligations, thereby contributing to the government’s revenue collection and funding of essential public services.
Product Manager
In today’s fast-paced world of technology, companies are constantly working to develop innovative solutions and services. Leading this product development effort is the product manager. In the early conceptualization stage, they envision the solution, identify customer needs, and determine business opportunities. They work closely with various internal teams like engineering, design, and marketing to establish the product strategy and define the scope.
Auditor
For commerce graduates interested in an exciting career path, consider becoming an Auditor. As an Auditor, you will assess the financial records and operations of businesses, non-profits, and government agencies. Auditors have an important role in ensuring that an organization’s finances are accurate, legal, and ethical. You will work directly with senior leadership and C-level executives to thoroughly examine income statements, balance sheets, internal controls, and more.
Human Resource Manager
When hiring new talent for a company, a human resources manager is crucial. This involves creating job descriptions, advertising openings on suitable platforms, screening candidates, conducting interviews, and making final decisions on selections to extend job offers.
Data Science and Analytics
Data Science and Analytics is emerging as a highly promising career option, even for commerce graduates. With the exponential growth of digital data across all industries, there is a huge demand for professionals who can extract meaningful insights from vast amounts of structured and unstructured data. Commerce students with qualifications in statistics, finance, accounting, and business analytics are well-equipped to pursue careers in this field.
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Entrepreneur
An entrepreneur is an individual who creates a new business, bearing most of the risks and enjoying most of the profits. Commerce students can become entrepreneurs by taking advantage of their business knowledge and skills to identify market opportunities and develop innovative products or services. They can also leverage their understanding of finance and accounting to manage their businesses effectively.
Retail Manager
A retail manager is responsible for overseeing the day-to-day operations of a retail store. They manage the staff, including hiring, training, scheduling, and evaluating employees. Retail managers are also in charge of ensuring high levels of customer service, monitoring sales and inventory, setting budgets and goals, and addressing any issues that arise on the sales floor.
Stock Broker
A stockbroker serves as an intermediary between investors and financial markets, facilitating the purchase and sale of stocks, bonds, and other securities. To work as a licensed stock broker, one must have a strong grasp of economics, accounting, company analysis, and how financial systems function. For commerce background students, becoming a stock broker can be a good career option. As brokers earn commissions on the trades they execute, there is potential to earn a substantial income, especially if one is able to consistently generate high trading volumes.
Bank PO
A bank PO or probationary officer, is an entry-level managerial position in banks and financial institutions in India. A Bank PO is responsible for multiple operations in a bank branch, like managing customer accounts and services, lending, deposits, investments, etc. To become a bank PO, one needs to clear exams like the IBPS PO, which tests candidates on reasoning ability, quantitative aptitude, English language, general awareness, and computer knowledge.
Relationship Manager
A relationship manager is responsible for building and maintaining relationships with clients or customers. They work to understand the client’s needs and goals, and then develop and implement strategies to meet those needs. A commerce background can be helpful in this role because it gives the relationship manager a strong understanding of the customer journey and the factors that influence purchasing decisions. Additionally, a commerce background can help the relationship manager identify and develop new business opportunities.
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FAQs
Which career option is best for commerce?
The “best” career option depends on individual interests, skills, and aspirations. Some popular choices in commerce include accounting, finance, marketing, human resources, and business analytics. Consider exploring areas that align with your strengths and passion.
Which job in commerce has highest salary?
Jobs in investment banking, corporate finance, private equity, venture capital, and hedge funds tend to have the highest salaries in the commerce domain. Senior positions at top firms can command compensation packages in crores per annum.
What is the future in commerce?
The future prospects for careers in commerce are very strong. With rapid business expansion and digital transformation across sectors, demand for commerce skills like financial management, accountancy, audit, compliance, etc. will significantly increase in the coming decade. Job roles are evolving too into more specialized opportunities.
Is there no scope in commerce?
No, that is a myth. There is tremendous scope across the private and public sectors for talented commerce graduates. As business activity grows, especially in developing economies like India, commerce skills will be imperative to manage that expansion.
Which is the hardest job in commerce?
The CA (Chartered Accountancy) path is considered one of the most difficult career options in commerce. It involves clearing multiple levels of examinations around accounting, taxation, auditing, and finance. It requires immense diligence, analytical abilities, attention to detail, and practical training. However, it remains a very prestigious and financially rewarding qualification.