College of Business & Technology
Explore Careers and Employers
- Accountancy
- Agriculture
- Computer Science
- Construction Management
- Economics
- Engineering
- Engineering Technology
- Finance
- Graphic Communication
- Human Resource Management
- Information Systems
- Management
- Marketing
- Network Technologies
- Suppy Chain Management
Accountancy
Alumni Job Titles
A degree in Accountancy from WIU’s Signature Program in Accountancy prepares students for their first job and allows them to develop the knowledge and skills needed to take advantage of subsequent career opportunities. WIU alumni have careers as consultants, managerial accountants, auditors, tax specialists, financial planners, forensic accountants, controllers, financial analysts, and chief financial officers. The Accountancy degree provides an excellent background for graduate studies in law, accounting, and business. Students completing the Master of Accountancy degree have also obtained teaching positions after working in the profession or have pursued their doctoral degrees in Accountancy at major universities.
Within 5 Years of Graduation
- Associate in General Services
- Audit Manager
- Business Analyst
- Business Manager
- Certified Fraud Examiner
- Certified Management Accountant
- Certified Public Accountant
- Chief Financial Officer
- Financial Analyst
- General Services Manager
- Senior Associate
- Senior Auditor
- Senior Business Analyst
- Staff Accountant
5+ Years Past Graduation
- Audit Manager
- Bursar
- Certified Financial Planner
- Certified Internal Auditor
- Chairman
- Controller
- Corporate President
- Director of Budgets
- Director of Tax Solutions
- Internal Control Accountant
- Inventory Management Specialist
- Partner
- Senior Tax Accountant
- VP of Cashier Operations
Employers Alumni
More than 40 regional, national, and international business entities regularly employ our graduates. Some of these entities include Accenture, BDO Seidman, Caterpillar, CliftonLarsonAllen, Deere & Company, Deloitte, Ernst & Young, the FBI, FS Growmark, the IRS, KPMG, McGladrey, and State Farm. Starting salaries for accountants and auditors, depending on firm size, range from $41,000 to $60,000. Starting salaries for graduates of the Master of Accountancy program are higher by approximately $10,000. The Master’s degree in Accountancy either is required for or facilitates promotion at many of our regular employers’ firms.
- Accenture LLP
- Allstate
- Archer Daniels Midland (ADM)
- BDO LLP
- BP/Amoco
- Caterpillar Inc.
- Central States Funds
- CliftonLarsonAllen LLP
- John Deere
- Deloitte LLP
- Dot Foods
- Ernst & Young LLP (EY US)
- FBI
- Grant Thornton LLP
- Gray Hunter Stenn LLP
- Growmark
- Illinois Office of the Auditor General
- Internal Revenue Service
- KPMG LLP
- Moss Adams LLP
- Nestle Purina North America
- PwC (PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP)
- RSM US LLP (formerly McGladrey)
- State Farm
Agriculture
Alumni Job Titles
Within 5 Years of Graduation
- Account Manager
- Agricultural Educator
- Arborist Trainee
- Area Service Manager
- Assistant Urban Forester
- Data Collection Technician
- Elevator Manager Trainee
- Equipment Product Specialist
- Feeding Facility Manager
- Field Agronomist
- Horticultural Sales
- Landscape Management
- Line Clearance Work Planner
- Plant Health Care Technician
- Sales Manager Trainee
- Tree Trimmer
5+ Years Past Graduation
- Ag Lender
- Certified Arborist
- City Forester
- Commodity Trader
- Crop Insurance Adjuster
- Golf Course Superintendent
- Grain Elevator Manager
- Grounds Supervisor
- Human Resource Manager
- Inventory Arborist
- Regional Agronomist Manager
- Regional Sales Manager
- Sales Arborist
- Sales Development Leader
- Tree Care Foreperson
- Utility Forester
Employers of Alumni
- Acres Group
- Advance Crop Care
- Agrigold
- Archer Daniels Midland (ADM)
- Burrus Hybrids
- Cargill
- Case New Holland
- Consolidated Grain & Barge
- Crop Production Services
- Davey Tree
- Dupont Pioneer
- Farm Service Agency
- Good Hope Fertilizer
- Growmark
- Hartung Brothers
- Hummert
- Illinois Farm Bureau
- John Deere
- Monsanto
- Morton Arboretum
- Remington Seeds
- River Valley Cooperative
- SAVATREE
- Spectrum Technologies
- Syngenta
- The Maschhoffs
- Wright Tree Service
- Wyffels Hbrids
Computer Science
The demand for computer specialists grows every year. As a graduate in Computer Science from Western Illinois University, you’ll be well-prepared for a variety of career opportunities in every conceivable type of commercial, industrial, governmental, research, and educational organization.
Alumni Job Titles
Within 5 Years of Graduation
- Computer Systems Support Specialist
- Programmer Analyst
- Network Infrastructure Specialist
- Software Engineer
- Systems Administrator
- Systems Analyst
5+ Years Past Graduation
- Application Developer
- Clinical Applications Analyst
- Java Architect
- Senior VP for Information Technology
- Technical Architect
- Web Content Management Developer
Employers of Alumni
- Allstate
- AM. Assoc. of Neurological Surgeons
- Apex Entertainment Partners
- Caterpillar Inc.
- College of DuPage
- Countrywide Financial
- Gardner Denver
- Harrington Signal
- John Deere
- McAfee
- McGladrey
- NTT America
- Prairie Cardiovascular Ltd.
- Provena Health
- Rock Island Arsenal
- State Farm
- West Monroe Partners
- Xerox
Construction Management
Placement of Construction Management majors is greater than 91%. A 2013 survey of graduates from the past three years indicated that the average starting salary was greater than $45,000. Current salaries for these graduate with up to 10 years of experience are approaching an average of $60,000. Nearly 60 to 75% of graduates have been promoted, and nearly 60% were hired by the company where they served as interns. A recent NACE salary survey indicated that an average salary for entry-level positions in Construction Management was $58,883.
Alumni Job Titles
Within 5 Years of Graduation
- Assistant Project Engineer
- Assistant Project Manager
- Assistant Superintendent
- Architectural Drafter
- Scheduler
- Estimator
- CAD Manager
5+ Years Past Graduation
- Project Engineer
- Project Manager
- Document Control Engineer
- Field Engineer
- Quality Control Engineer
- Safety Manager
- Office Manager
Employers of Alumni
- Brockway Mechanical & Roofing
- Bush Construction
- Chicago Bridge & Iron
- City of Joliet Blding & Inspections
- EMCOR Services Team
- Gilbane Company
- Illinois Dept. of Transportation
- Keokuk Contractors
- Kiewit
- Laverdiere Construction, Inc.
- Leopardo Construction
- Parsons Brinkerhoff
- Plote Construction, Inc.
- Quigg Engineering
- Walsh Construction
Economics
No matter what your career interests, you will be encouraged to earn academic credit through internships and study abroad programs. Internships are a “capstone” experience that will enhance your attractiveness to employers. Employers also value an appreciation of the global nature of the world which you can acquire through one of the many study abroad programs offered at Western.
A unique career development program will assist you in identifying and acquiring those skills employment experts identify as necessary for success. The program provides guidance in selecting courses and activities that will strengthen these skills.
Alumni Job Titles
Within 5 Years of Graduation
- Business Account Executive
- Business Operations Manager
- Lawyer
- Mortgage Broker
- Pricing/Contract Specialist
- Pricing Controller
5+ Years Past Graduation
- Competitive Intelligence Analyst
- Economic Analyst
- Financial Economist
- Investment Advisor
- Product Marketing Manager
- Senior Economist
A degree in Economics is very marketable and offers challenging opportunities, career flexibility, and financial rewards. Virtually no other academic major offers the diversity and flexibility in employment opportunities you can find with an Economics major. Salaries for Economics majors are among the highest for any major. As preparation for law school, Economics is one of the best majors you can choose. Majors are employed in financial institutions, many types of corporations, consulting firms, economic development organizations, and government.
Employers of Alumni
- Aon Hewitt
- BP (British Petroleum)
- Bureau of Labor Statistics
- Caterpillar Logistics Services
- GEA Farm Technologies
- John Deere
- Menards
- Pinnacle Government Consulting, Inc.
- U.S. Department of the Treasury
Engineering
Alumni Job Titles
Within 5 Years of Graduation
- CI Business Analyst
- Design Engineer
- Manufacturing Engineer
- Mechanical Engineer
5+ Years Past Graduation
- Mechatronics Engineer
- Plant Engineer
- Quality Engineer
- Structural Engineer
Alumni Employers
- Alter Trading
- Belcan Engineering
- Cobham Mission Systems
- John Deere
- John Deere Harvester Works
- Mandus Group Ltd
- PCT Engineered Systems, LLC
- Shive-Hattery
- Sivyer Steel Corporation
Engineering Technology
Placement of Engineering Technology majors is greater than 91%. A 2011 survey of graduates from the previous 10 years indicated that the average starting salary was greater than $45,000. Current salaries for these graduates with up to 10 years of experience are approaching an average of $60,000. Nearly 60 to 75% of graduates have been promoted, and nearly 60% were hired by the company where they served as interns. An average salary for initial engineering services positions was $60,000.
Alumni Job Titles
Within 5 Years of Graduation
- Assistant Project Manager
- Continuous Improvement
- Process Engineer
- Project Manager
- Prototype Planner
- Quality Control Engineer
- Safety Manager
5+ Years Past Graduation
- Assistant Facility Manager
- Engineering/Tech Manager
- Lead Tech Director
- Manufacturing Engineer Manager
- Operations Manager
- Plant Superintendent
- Quality Manager
Employers of Alumni
- Borg-Warner Transmission
- Caterpillar Logistics
- Fusion Tech
- GE Transportation
- HNI Corporation
- Illinois Dept. of Transportation
- John Deere
- Knapheide Manufacturing Co.
- NTN Bower
- R.R. Floody
- Siemans
- Yetter Manufacturing Co.
Finance
Alumni Job Titles
Within 5 Years of Graduation
- Assistant Vice President - Lending
- Certified Management Accountant
- Certified Residential Appraiser
- Compliance Associate
- Credit Analyst
- Financial Advisor
- Leadership Management Trainee
- Mortgage Banker
- Registered Representative
5+ Years Past Graduation
- Assistant VP and Senior Trust Officer
- Business Application Developer
- Business/Investment Analyst
- Certified Financial Analyst
- Certified Financial Planner
- Certified General Appraiser
- Financial/Investment Analyst
- Portfolio Manager
- President/CEO
Employers Alumni
- Ameriprise Financial
- Aon Hewitt Investment Consulting, Inc. (formerly Hewitt EnnisKnupp)
- Archer Daniels Midland (ADM)
- BMO Harris
- Doosan Infracore International
- Edward Jones
- First Bankers Trust Company
- Kovitz Investment Group, LLC
- MAKE Corporation
- MB Financial Bank
- Met Life
- Mid America National Bank
- Midland States Bank
- Modern Woodman Bank
- Neader Financial Services
- Northwestern Mutual
- PNC Mortgage
- Rally Appraisal
- RR Donnelley Client Services
- State Farm
- USAC
- Vantage Financial Partners
- Wells Fargo Advisors
Graphic Communication
Placement of Graphic Communication majors is greater than 91%. A 2011 survey of graduates from the previous three years indicated that the average starting salary was greater than $40,000. Current salaries for these graduates with up to 10 years of experience are approaching an average of $60,000. Nearly 60 to 75% of graduates have been promoted, and nearly 60% were hired by the company where they served as interns. The AIGA/Aquent Survey of Design Salaries 2013 (Graphic Communication) reports the following median total cash compensation figures for these design-related careers: entry-level designer, $47,000; Web designer, $55,000; print production manager, $65,000; senior designer, $60,000-75,000; and creative/design director, $100,000.
Alumni Job Titles
Within 5 Years of Graduation
- Coordinator - Web Services
- Creative Director
- Cultural Events Coordinator
- Graphic Designer
- Marketing/New Media Manager
- Production Manager
5+ Years Past Graduation
- Communications Manager
- Graphic Art Manager
- Media Director
- Promotions Director
- Publication Manager
- Web Content - Lead
Employers of Alumni
- Belleville News-Democrat
- Capital Radio Group
- Caterpillar, Inc. - Volt Service
- DOT Foods
- GrowMark
- HP Burnett
- Integrated Design Studio
- Interactive Inks & Coatings
- McDonough Democrat
- Microprint
- Pro Tuff Decals
- Rokusek Design, Inc.
- Royal Printing
- Wendi Riggens Photography
- WSI Internet Marketing
Human Resource Management
Career opportunities in HRM are exciting, challenging, and rapidly expanding.
Alumni Job Titles
Within 5 Years of Graduation
- Human Resource Generalist/Assistant
- Human Resource Information Systems Analyst
- Job Analyst
- Pay/Benefits Administrator
- Performance Appraiser
- Workforce Trainer
5+ Years Past Graduation
- Compensation Specialist
- Compliance/EEO Officer
- Human Resource Consultant
- Human Resource Manager/Director
- Labor Relations Specialist
- Senior Manager of Workforce Planning
Employers of Alumni
- Allstate
- Aramark
- BP (British Petroleum)
- Colony Brands
- Genesis Health System
- HON/HNI Corporation
- John Deere
- Rock Island Arsenal
- Tri-City Electric
- United States Army
- UPS
- Walt Disney World
Information Systems
The demand for IS specialists grows every year. As a graduate in Information Systems from Western Illinois University, you will be well prepared for a variety of career opportunities in many types of commercial, industrial, governmental, research, and educational organization. Entry-level salaries range from $42,000 to $60,000 or more, depending upon area of specialty.
Alumni Job Titles
Within 5 Years of Graduation
- IT Technician
- IT Consultant
- IS Specialist
- Computer Forensic Investigator
- Health IT Specialist
- Mobile Application Developer
5+ Years Past Graduation
- Cloud Architect
- Web Developer
- Systems Analyst
- Information Technology Vendor Manager
- GIS Professional
- Data Modeler
Employers of Alumni
- Allstate
- AM. Assoc. of Neurological Surgeons
- Apex Entertainment Partners
- Caterpillar Inc.
- College of DuPage
- Countrywide Financial
- Gardner Denver
- Harrington Signal
- John Deere
- McAfee
- McGladrey
- NTT America
- Prairie Cardiovascular Ltd.
- Provena Health
- Rock Island Arsenal
- State Farm
- West Monroe Partners
- Xerox
Management
Alumni Job Titles
Within 5 Years of Graduation
- Associate Product Manager
- Bond Service Representative
- Billing/Claims Analyst
- Marketing Administrator
- Outreach & Enrollment Specialist
- Vendor Returns Specialist
5+ Years Past Graduation
- Account Executive/Manager
- Assistant Vice President
- Customer Service Coordinator
- Consumer Intelligence Manager
- Director of Brand Development
- Plant Manager
Employers of Alumni
- Aeroteck
- Allstate
- Catalina Marketing
- CCC Information Systems
- Eli Bridge Company
- Frye-Williamson Press
- Ingram Barge Company
- Intercall
- Marshalls
- Northwestern Mutual
- Penske Truck Leasing
- Praxair
Marketing
A degree in Marketing is very desirable, offering challenging opportunities, career flexibility, and financial rewards. Career opportunities in Marketing are varied and are available in the business, government, and nonprofit sectors.
Alumni Job Titles
Within 5 Years of Graduation
- Associate Product Manager
- Bond Service Representative
- Billing/Claims Analyst
- Marketing Administrator
- Outreach & Enrollment Specialist
- Vendor Returns Specialist
5+ Years Past Graduation
- Account Executive/Manager
- Assistant Vice President
- Customer Service Coordinator
- Consumer Intelligence Manager
- Director of Brand Development
- Plant Manager
Employers of Alumni
- Antares Institute of Health
- Beltman Relocation Group
- Brand Connections
- Charles Schwab
- CDW
- John Deere
- Kinze Manufacturing
- Quad Cities River Bandits
- Rockwell Collins
- United States Air Force
- UP Global
- Veterans Canteen Service
Network Technologies
The demand for network technology specialists grows every year. As a graduate in Network Technologies from Western, you will be well-prepared for a variety of career opportunities in every conceivable type of commercial, industrial, governmental, research, and educational organization.
Alumni Job Titles
Within 5 Years of Graduation
- IT Security Analyst
- Network Administrator
- Network Designer
- Network Support Engineer
- Systems Administrator
- Web Developer
5+ Years Past Graduation
- Chief Technology Officer
- Lead Network Engineer
- Network Project Manager
- Senior Security Architect
- Senior Technical Architect
- Technology Manager
Employers of Alumni
- Allstate
- AM. Assoc. of Neurological Surgeons
- Apex Entertainment Partners
- Caterpillar Inc.
- College of DuPage
- Countrywide Financial
- Gardner Denver
- Harrington Signal
- John Deere
- McAfee
- McGladrey
- NTT America
- Prairie Cardiovascular Ltd.
- Provena Health
- Rock Island Arsenal
- State Farm
- West Monroe Partners
- Xerox
Supply Chain Management
Career opportunities in SCM are exciting, challenging, and rapidly expanding.
Alumni Job Titles
Within 5 Years of Graduation
- Commodity Merchandiser
- Demand Planner
- Inventory Specialist
- Materials Buyer
- Ocean Export Specialist
- Project Coordinator
5+ Years Past Graduation
- Inventory Optimization Specialist
- Logistics Planning Analyst
- Operations Manager
- Supply Management Specialist
- Terminal Manager
- Truckload Modal Manager
Supply Chain Management Day
Supply Chain Management Day is an annual networking event for undergraduate supply chain management majors and minors, pre-business majors, MBA students, and community college logistics degree students interested in related careers. Wednesday, September 16, 2015 marked the program’s 12th event.
The Face of Supply Chain
Visit iWorkInTheSupplyChain.com and learn what the industry says about careers in SCM.
Employers of Alumni
Companies around the world are looking for SCM graduates, and WIU is one of the few colleges or universities in the world that offers this degree. Each year, dozens of top companies recruit WIU graduates. In addition to full-time jobs, these companies seek WIU students as paid interns and for part-time employment, which often leads to a full-time career.
- Archer Daniels Midland (ADM)
- Allstate
- Caterpillar
- Cobham Mission Systems
- Colony Brands Inc.
- Dot Foods
- Group O
- HON Company
- Hub Group
- JB Hunt
- John Deere
- Monsanto
- Rock Island Arsenal
- State Farm
- Target
- Trinity Logistics
- ULINE
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