Business courses
Want to work in business? You can start with a certificate and move into an office role in under a year, or study a degree in accounting, human resources or financial planning. Here's what each course leads to, how long it takes and what it costs.
- Quickest way to start
- 6 months
- Certificate III, full time at TAFE NSW
- TAFE cost from
- $1,320
- subsidised Certificate III, TAFE NSW
- What the jobs pay
- $58,200 to $134,300
- median pay across 9 jobs, some estimated
- Demand
- 1 of 9 jobs
- are on the national shortage list
Which course do you need?
It depends on the job you want.
Certificate III in Business
Start out in an office role
Handle the day-to-day tasks that keep an office running, from answering enquiries to keeping records and helping a team stay organised.
Median pay$58,200 (estimate)
- How long it takes
- 6 to 12 months full time at TAFE NSW
- What it costs
- $1,320 at TAFE NSW if you're eligible for a subsidised place, or $7,400 full fee
- How you'll study
- Online, on campus or on the job
A business degree in human resource management
Work in human resources
Recruit staff, answer questions about pay and conditions, and help managers handle people issues.
JobHR Advisor
Median pay$102,400
- How long it takes
- 2 to 3 years full time
- How you'll study
- Online or on campus
A degree in accounting
Work as an accountant
Prepare and check financial records, report on how a business is performing, and work on tax and audit matters.
Median pay$104,200
- How long it takes
- 3 years full time
- How you'll study
- Online or on campus
Bachelor of Business (Financial Planning)
Work in financial planning
Advise clients on budgeting, superannuation, retirement and insurance, and help them plan for the years ahead.
Median pay$134,300
- How long it takes
- 3 years full time
- How you'll study
- Online or on campus
You don't have to do it all at once
You can start in an office role with a certificate, then study a degree in the area you want to work in. Here's how that can look.
- Start with the Certificate IIIIt is the quickest way into office work, and covers the everyday skills employers expect in a business support role.
- Get a job in administrationLearn how a business actually runs, and which part of it you want to work in.
- Choose your specialisationStudy a degree in human resources, accounting or financial planning, depending on the work you want.
How much it costs at TAFE
If you're eligible for a government-subsidised place, you pay much less than the full fee, and in some states these courses can be free. Here's what each TAFE lists.
| TAFE | State | Certificate III | Certificate IV | Diploma | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Subsidised | Full fee | Subsidised | Full fee | Subsidised | Full fee | ||
| TAFE NSW | NSW | $1,320 | $7,400 | $1,580 | $7,840 | Not listed | Not listed |
| Chisholm Institute | VIC | $2,279 | $6,444 | Not listed | $5,777 | Not listed | Not listed |
| GOTAFE | VIC | $3,579 | $7,957 | Not listed | Not listed | Not listed | Not listed |
| The Gordon | VIC | $2,621 | $6,850 | Not listed | Not listed | Not listed | Not listed |
| TAFE Queensland | QLD | $2,760 | $4,840 | Not listed | Not listed | Not listed | $12,565 |
TAFE NSWNSW
- Certificate III
- $1,320 subsidised
- $7,400 full fee
- Certificate IV
- $1,580 subsidised
- $7,840 full fee
- Diploma
- Not listed
Chisholm InstituteVIC
- Certificate III
- $2,279 subsidised
- $6,444 full fee
- Certificate IV
- Not listed
- $5,777 full fee
- Diploma
- Not listed
GOTAFEVIC
- Certificate III
- $3,579 subsidised
- $7,957 full fee
- Certificate IV
- Not listed
- Diploma
- Not listed
The GordonVIC
- Certificate III
- $2,621 subsidised
- $6,850 full fee
- Certificate IV
- Not listed
- Diploma
- Not listed
TAFE QueenslandQLD
- Certificate III
- $2,760 subsidised
- $4,840 full fee
- Certificate IV
- Not listed
- Diploma
- Not listed
- $12,565 full fee
Fees as each TAFE shows them on its website, checked 20 September 2026. “Not listed” means the TAFE doesn't show that fee online. Private colleges set their own fees.
The business and accounting degrees compared
All four degrees start with a business grounding. Two are built around managing people and two around accounting and finance, so the one to choose depends on the work you want. Some can be studied online at one or more universities.
- Bachelor of Business (Human Resource Management)The whole degree centres on how organisations find, manage and develop their people, covering recruitment, employment relations, rewards and workplace culture.How long2 to 3 years
- Bachelor of Business majoring in Human Resource ManagementHuman resource management is the major, with core business subjects such as accounting and marketing alongside it. It leads towards HR administration, advising and recruitment work.How long3 years
The business and accounting degrees compared
All four degrees start with a business grounding. Two are built around managing people and two around accounting and finance, so the one to choose depends on the work you want. Both can be studied online at one or more universities.
- Bachelor of Business (Accounting)Built around accounting, with law, economics and management alongside so you can explain financial results to the people making decisions.How long3 years
- Bachelor of Commerce (Accounting)Accounting sits inside a wider commerce program, so you cover general business before moving into financial reporting, auditing, tax and commercial law.How long3 years
Other university courses
- Bachelor of Business2 to 3 years. A general business degree covering management, marketing, accounting and people, usually with a major and often a placement.
Can help with: wholesaler
- Bachelor of Commerce2 to 3 years. Introduces the commercial side of business, from accounting, economics, law and finance through to a major of your choice.
Can help with: credit controller, merchandise planner, compliance officer
- Bachelor of Business (Marketing)3 years. Teaches how organisations understand customers and promote products, through market research, pricing, advertising and data.
Can help with: business development manager, marketing assistant, marketing manager
- Bachelor of Business (Management)3 years. Looks at how organisations are run and how people in them make decisions, pointing towards general management and project roles.
Can help with: account director, call centre manager, call centre team leader
- Bachelor of Business Analytics3 years. Combines business knowledge with data skills, so you can analyse information and present it in a way that informs a decision.
Can help with: continuous improvement manager, customer success manager, fraud analyst
- Diploma in Business1 year. Introduces the main areas of business, including accounting, finance, economics, marketing and human resources.
Can help with: virtual assistant
- Bachelor of Business Administration3 years. A broad grounding in how organisations run, covering management, marketing, finance, economics and people management.
Can help with: legal practice manager, office manager
- Bachelor of Business (Entrepreneurship)3 years. For people interested in starting, growing or managing new ventures, and in innovation inside established organisations.
- Bachelor of International Business2 to 3 years. Covers how business works across borders, including international trade, economics and managing across cultures.
Can help with: importer and exporter
- Graduate Certificate in Business Administration6 months. A short postgraduate course in the basics of running an organisation, and a possible first step towards an MBA.
Can help with: learning and development manager, legal practice manager
- Bachelor of Business (Sport Management)3 years. Focuses on running sports organisations, clubs and events, with placements with sporting bodies often included.
- Diploma of Commerce8 to 12 months. Introduces commerce at roughly the level of the first year of a degree, and can carry credit into a related course.
- Associate Degree in Business2 years. A short business qualification covering accounting, marketing, finance and management, often used as a stepping stone to a degree.
Can help with: office manager, retail supervisor
- Bachelor of Business (Event Management)3 years. Prepares you to plan, run and promote events, from community festivals to large corporate occasions.
Can help with: amusement centre manager, event coordinator, marketing coordinator
- Bachelor of Business (Hospitality Management)2 to 3 years. Focuses on managing hotels, restaurants and related services, and often includes long paid work placements.
Can help with: bed and breakfast operator, cafe manager, hotel manager
- Bachelor of Business (International Business)3 years. Looks at how culture, politics and economics affect trade and management, with room for a language or other electives.
Can help with: freight forwarder, import export clerk, shipbroker
- Bachelor of Business (Sports Management)3 years. The business side of sport, including clubs, leagues, events and facilities, usually with an industry placement.
- Bachelor of Business Information Systems3 years. Joins information technology with business, so you can analyse business problems and design technical solutions.
Can help with: it auditor
- Bachelor of Digital Business3 years. Looks at how digital technology changes the way organisations operate, and how to propose technology-based solutions.
Can help with: customer experience manager, product manager, technology sales representative
- Graduate Certificate in Business Analytics6 months. A short postgraduate course for working professionals who want to add data and analysis skills to their experience.
Can help with: procurement manager, regional manager, supply chain manager
- Undergraduate Certificate in Business6 months. A short entry-level course in the main areas of business, often used as a way into a diploma or degree.
- Bachelor of Advanced Business (Honours)4 years. A business degree with an honours year built in, for people who want extra analytical and research skills.
- Bachelor of Advanced Commerce (Honours)4 years. Commerce with an honours year, including research methods and a thesis or applied project in the final stage.
- Bachelor of Business (Agribusiness)2 to 3 years. For people who want a business role in farming or food, covering management, marketing and finance with some agricultural science.
Can help with: cotton grower
- Bachelor of Business (Economics and Finance)3 years. Teaches you to analyse economic conditions and financial decisions, towards analysis and advisory work.
Can help with: shipbroker
- Bachelor of Business (Innovation and Enterprise)3 years. Looks at how new ideas become products and ventures, for people interested in start-ups or driving change in a larger organisation.
- Bachelor of Business (Logistics and Supply Chain Management)3 years. Covers how goods and services move from suppliers to customers, including purchasing, warehousing, inventory and transport.
Can help with: depot manager, equipment hire manager, fleet manager
- Bachelor of Business (Property)3 years. Covers how property is valued, managed, bought and developed, towards work in valuation, development, leasing and investment.
- Bachelor of Business majoring in International Business3 years. Builds core business knowledge with an international business major, looking at how culture and politics shape trade.
- Bachelor of Business majoring in Management3 years. General business knowledge with a management major, including how organisations plan, lead teams and manage projects.
- Bachelor of Business majoring in Marketing3 years. A marketing major inside a business degree. For digital marketing work you would choose digital units and build a portfolio.
- Bachelor of Business majoring in Sports Management3 years. A business degree with a sports management major, covering management, finance, marketing and people skills applied to sport.
- Bachelor of Commerce majoring in Business Analytics3 years. Commerce with an analytics major, including predictive methods and artificial intelligence tools for business decisions.
- Bachelor of Fashion Business3 years. The business side of fashion rather than design, covering how clothing is made, marketed and sold.
Can help with: personal shopper, fashion stylist
- Diploma of Business (Accounting)1 year. Introduces accounting principles and how they work inside a business, and can lead to entry-level accounting work or a degree.
- Diploma of Business (Entrepreneurship)1 year. Teaches how to develop and launch new business ideas, often in simulated business settings with advice from industry.
- Diploma of Business (Marketing)1 year. Introduces marketing alongside general business study, with practice planning campaigns from real or simulated briefs.
Can help with: copywriter, marketing assistant, marketing coordinator
- Diploma of Business Studies2 years. Builds basic skills across business and management, often used as a stepping stone into a business degree.
- Graduate Certificate in Business6 months. A short postgraduate grounding in business for people stepping in from another field, with credit possible towards a master degree.
Can help with: general manager
Other certificates and diplomas
- Certificate IV in Business6 to 12 months. For people already handling a mix of administrative and operational work who want more responsibility, including supervising others.
Can help with: account manager, bid manager, business development manager
- Diploma of Business6 to 18 months. For people who know their area of work and want the skills to manage the people, money and resources around them.
Can help with: airport manager, bank manager, call centre manager
Jobs you can do with this study
Pay is the median for everyone in the job, not a starting salary.
External AuditorWhat you needAn accounting degreeMedian pay$109,400In demand- Financial AccountantWhat you needAn accounting degreeMedian pay$104,200
Financial AnalystWhat you needAn accounting degreeMedian pay$109,200 (estimate)- Financial PlannerWhat you needBachelor degreeMedian pay$134,300
HR AdministratorWhat you needAn HR degreeMedian pay$76,800- HR AdvisorWhat you needAn HR degreeMedian pay$102,400
RecruiterWhat you needAn HR degreeMedian pay$102,400
Digital Marketing SpecialistWhat you needBachelor degreeMedian pay$101,800- Administration OfficerWhat you needCertificate IIIMedian pay$58,200 (estimate)
“In demand” means the job is on the national skills shortage list. Pay marked as an estimate is our own analysis, not a published figure. Check the course and provider are approved for the work you want, as rules differ by state.
Still not sure which one fits you?
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