At a certain point in many professionals’ careers, advancement raises an important question:
What credential will best support the next stage of leadership growth?
While experience remains essential, advancing into higher levels of leadership often requires deeper expertise in strategy, organizational leadership, and decision-making. For many professionals, advanced credentials such as a Master of Business Administration (MBA), Doctor of Business Administration (DBA), or doctoral degree in leadership provide a structured pathway to expand influence and prepare for larger organizational responsibilities.
Each of these degrees serves a different purpose, but all share a common goal: helping professionals strengthen their leadership capabilities and expand their career opportunities.
Why Advanced Degrees Continue to Deliver Career Value
Across industries, professionals increasingly pursue graduate education as a way to strengthen their leadership potential and expand career opportunities.
One of the most visible impacts of advanced education is long-term earnings potential. According to U.S. Census Bureau and Bureau of Labor Statistics data, professionals with a master’s degree earn roughly 16–20% more on average than those with only a bachelor’s degree.
At the same time, Graduate education can also strengthen career stability. According to U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data, professionals with a master’s degree experienced an unemployment rate of about 2.2%, compared with 2.5% for those with a bachelor’s degree, and significantly higher rates for individuals with less education.
These outcomes help explain why many professionals return to school after several years in the workforce—to strengthen their leadership skills and expand their long-term career potential.
Beyond compensation, advanced leadership credentials also influence how professionals contribute within their organizations. Graduate and doctoral programs encourage leaders to move beyond day-to-day operational thinking and develop a broader perspective on strategy, organizational performance, and long-term decision making. Professionals who pursue advanced credentials often report gaining stronger confidence in guiding teams, evaluating complex business challenges, and leading initiatives that affect entire departments or organizations.
These programs also expose leaders to diverse perspectives and real-world case analysis, helping them refine how they approach organizational change, communicate strategy, and evaluate competing priorities in a rapidly evolving business environment.
For professionals seeking to move beyond operational roles and influence broader organizational strategy, graduate and doctoral education can play a significant role in long-term career advancement.
The MBA: Building a Strategic Leadership Foundation
For many professionals, the Master of Business Administration (MBA) serves as the foundation for advancing into leadership roles.
MBA programs provide broad exposure to the major disciplines that drive organizational success, including:
- Financial management and business analytics
- Organizational leadership and team development
- Strategic planning and competitive analysis
- Marketing, operations, and innovation
The latest MBA programs will also incorporate artificial intelligence (AI), business analytics, and design thinking into their curricula to further help students graduate with a keen understanding of current and future leadership strategies and tactics.
This cross-functional perspective is one of the MBA’s greatest strengths. It allows professionals who may have started their careers in technical or specialized roles to develop the broader business understanding needed to lead teams, departments, or entire organizations.
Many professionals pursue an MBA when they want to:
- Transition into management positions
- Strengthen strategic decision-making skills
- Expand their influence within an organization
- Prepare for executive leadership roles
Learn more about Concordia University Chicago’s MBA program:
https://career.cuchicago.edu/the-concordia-university-chicago-core-mba/
The DBA: Leadership Through Applied Business Expertise
While the MBA focuses on strengthening management and strategic skills, the Doctor of Business Administration (DBA) is designed for experienced professionals who want to deepen their leadership expertise through applied research.
The DBA allows professionals to explore complex business challenges while developing solutions grounded in both theory and real-world practice.
Professionals often pursue a DBA when they want to:
- Address large-scale organizational challenges
- Contribute thought leadership within their industry
- Move into consulting or advisory roles
- Strengthen their credentials for senior executive positions
Unlike purely academic doctoral degrees, the DBA focuses on practical research that directly informs business practice.
At Concordia University Chicago, the DBA program offers two specialization options, allowing professionals to focus on areas aligned with their leadership goals.
Learn more about the Doctor of Business Administration:
https://career.cuchicago.edu/doctorate-overview/
PhD and EdD in Leadership: Expanding Influence and Impact
For professionals interested in shaping leadership practice at the highest levels, doctoral programs such as the PhD or EdD in Leadership provide opportunities to explore organizational leadership through research, theory, and applied strategy.
These programs often attract professionals who want to:
- Influence leadership practice and organizational strategy
- Conduct research on leadership and organizational behavior
- Teach and mentor future leaders
- Guide institutional or organizational transformation
Doctoral leadership programs help professionals move beyond operational leadership and contribute to broader conversations about how organizations function and evolve.
Explore Concordia University Chicago’s PhD and EdD in Leadership programs:
https://career.cuchicago.edu/phd-edd-leadership-organizational-leadership-specialization/
Choosing the Right Leadership Credential
Each leadership credential serves a different stage of professional development. Understanding these differences can help professionals select the pathway that aligns with their goals.
Degree | Ideal Career Stage | Leadership Outcome |
MBA | Early to mid-career professionals preparing for management roles | Broad business and leadership foundation |
DBA | Experienced professionals seeking advanced leadership expertise | Applied research and executive leadership development |
PhD / EdD | Leaders pursuing research, consulting, or academic influence | Leadership scholarship and institutional impact |
Professionals should consider factors such as career stage, professional goals, and desired leadership impact when evaluating these options.
Advancing Leadership Potential
As organizations continue to navigate economic change, technological transformation, and evolving workforce expectations, the demand for capable leaders will only increase.
Professionals who combine practical experience with advanced leadership education are well-positioned to guide organizations through complex challenges and strategic growth.
Through programs such as the MBA, DBA, and doctoral leadership degrees, Concordia University Chicago equips professionals with the tools, perspective, and expertise needed to expand their leadership impact and shape the future of organizations in a rapidly evolving economy.
