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Why Senior Executives Are Turning to Doctor of Business Administration (DBA) for Career Growth?

By upGrad

Updated on Aug 21, 2025 | 8 min read | 1.74K+ views

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Did You Know? The employment rate for executive roles is expected to grow by 6% from 2023 to 2033, with around 348,000 openings per year.

In 2025, businesses and leadership are taking new turns. It is not sufficient to follow age-old leadership and management practices. The best way to tackle an evolving business scene is to stay relevant with updated skills and knowledge. This is the reason many senior executives are pursuing a Doctor of Business Administration (DBA) to tackle complex business challenges. 

Senior executives can be seen turning to a DBA degree to gain advanced knowledge from a research-driven doctorate program. But what are the reasons behind this? Let’s find out! 

In this blog, we will take a deeper look at why a DBA program for senior executives is becoming a new norm, why it matters and how it is beneficial. So read along to know more.

Are you in a managerial position and want to advance to senior executive roles? Check out our DBA Courses and choose from specializations suited to align well with the current business needs.

 

Why Are Senior Executives Turning to a Doctor of Business Administration degree?  

In the face of innovation, senior executives are increasingly choosing a DBA degree to be able to scale their existing skills to adapt to modern business problems and tech advancement. Let’s understand this further.

Check out our top-rated DBA courses from globally renowned universities and start your career advancement journey now:  

Why are senior executives choosing to pursue a Doctor of Business Administration program?

A Doctor of Business Administration is becoming a top choice for senior executives due to a series of reasons listed below:

  • A DBA degree allows senior executives to earn a doctorate title and helps them boost their credibility in the professional space 
  • With advanced leadership skills and strategic thinking learned through a DBA program, they can impact the functioning of the organizations they work in 
  • A Doctor of Business Administration is one of the highest business education degrees, through which executives can pursue further professional growth despite being already established in their careers 
  • It is of even more importance for senior executives, as they can utilize practical and research-driven insights for businesses 

Is a Doctor of Business Administration (DBA) worth it for professionals already in leadership roles?

Guess what? After a Doctor of Business Administration degree, you can aim for top C-suite roles across sectors and earn a salary of 1 crore and more.

And this is not all, a DBA degree proves to be worthy for existing professionals due to its impact beyond just salary. With professional credibility and top-level positions, you can largely impact the way businesses run, operate and thrive to improve. 

 You can go on to extend your expertise by consulting others and gaining recognition among your network and industry.  

What problems does a Doctorate in Business Administration degree solve for mid and senior-level managers?  

 Mid-level managers and senior-level managers can especially benefit from a Doctor of Business Administration program, as it can help them tackle various challenges and problems they may usually encounter. Let’s understand how below:

  • A DBA degree aims to train existing leaders to target real-world business from a research and solution perspective 
  • It helps them stay up-to-date with rising business trends like global cooperation, digital transformation and sustainability measures and adapt with continuous skill development 
  • Mid-career professionals can aim to advance to senior roles, helping them progress their career path to reach top-level roles 
  • It helps professionals to further polish their decision-making and strategic skills through the use of real business insights

How does a Doctor of Business Administration Accelerate Career Growth for Leaders?  

The biggest reason to pursue a Doctor of Business Administration for business leaders is that it accelerates career growth. Mid-level leaders can move to higher management roles and top managers can go on to secure even senior positions in organizations. Let’s find out why and how 

How does a Doctor of Business Administration help leaders advance into senior roles and the C-suite?

In most cases, people pursuing a Doctor of Business Administration already have years of experience and strong educational qualifications. With a DBA degree, they go beyond just theoretical learnings and get into an in-depth understanding of how applied solutions can be inculcated to make better decisions, assess problems based on actual data and finally improve overall business processes.

This helps leaders use their doctorate and experience-backed skills to enter top leadership roles, such as in executive boards, consulting and even academia.  A DBA degree provides these leaders with a dual qualification of educational credentials and updated skills to take business decision-making to the next level.

Does a Doctor of Business Administration program for senior executives open new career paths such as consulting or academia?  

Yes, as mentioned previously, with a Doctor of Business Administration qualification, senior executives become eligible for careers in consulting and academics. They can act as external or in-house consultants for firms looking for credible and experienced experts.  As for academia, after a DBA degree, executives can transition into entry-level faculty roles or research supervisors for business schools and programs. 

Know What is the Scope of a DBA in India & Abroad? 

How does a Doctor of Business Administration compare to Other Advanced Degrees?  

Advanced business degrees such as MBA, Executive MBA or PhD are also common options for business careers. But how do these compare with a Doctor of Business Administration? Let’s understand further: 

Why would an executive choose a Doctor of Business Administration over EMBA or PhD?  

An executive should ideally choose a Doctor of Business Administration program over an EMBA or PhD as a DBA degree is better aligned with their career goals and provides a unique blend of applied research and leadership development.  

See this table to better compare these different programs with a DBA degree:

Factor  EMBA  PhD  DBA 
Main Focus  Practical management training for working professionals  Deep academic research and theory building  Applied research that blends theory with real-world business problems 
Who is it Suited For?   Mid-to-senior managers wanting faster career progression  Academics and researchers aiming for teaching or scholarly work  Senior leaders who want both advanced knowledge and direct business impact 
Learning Benefits  Better leadership and operational efficiency  Academic recognition, research publications, teaching roles  Strategic edge, thought leadership, and pathways to C-suite, consulting, or academia 
Course Structure  Shorter, flexible, often modular  Long, research-intensive, usually full-time  Flexible, designed for executives, focused on business applications 
How Relevant is it?   Valuable but can be limited for top leadership roles  Respected but less practical in corporate boardrooms  Becoming more popular among top executives as the next big step after MBA or EMBA 

 

You may want to know about the Key Differences between DBA and PhD in Business Administration  

DBA vs MBA: Which is better for an experienced professional?  

Between a Doctor of Business Administration and an MBA, experienced professionals will certainly benefit more from a DBA more as a DBA is specifically designed for these very professionals who already bring in years of experience with them and want to go for something that can make a larger impact on their career. An MBA would better suit early or mid-career professionals.

Take a look at the following table to further highlight different factors that make DBA well-suited for experienced professionals as compared to an MBA:

Aspect 

MBA 

DBA 

Who it suits  Early to mid-career professionals  Senior executives with years of experience 
Focus  Broad management knowledge  Advanced strategy, research, and leadership 
Outcome  Career growth into mid-level roles  C-suite opportunities, consulting, and thought leadership 
Value for veterans  Might feel repetitive for experienced leaders  Adds more depth and credibility to your profile in the industry you are working in  

Is a Doctorate in Business Administration more relevant for business leaders than a PhD in management?

Yes, a Doctor of Business Administration is more relevant for business leaders than a PhD in Management. A PhD in Management would better suit those who want to enter the realm of academics and contribute to theory and the subject with more findings. A DBA degree, on the other hand, is a professional doctorate that is designed for working professionals looking to establish further credibility with higher education and qualifications. 

Want to know the DBA degree earning potential? Read: Salary of DBA Graduates in 2025 (India vs International) 

What are the Top Skills and Practical Learning from a Doctor of Business Administration?  

A Doctor of Business Administration (DBA) gives leaders essential skills and tools that they can use to solve real business challenges and drive growth. Let’s expand on this more. 

What new skills can senior executives gain from a Doctor of Business Administration?

Although senior executives are already established professionals in their own space, they can advance further with a DBA degree. A Doctor of Business Administration for senior executives helps them to learn new skills that are relevant to stay updated with evolving business norms and methods.

Here are a few skills that they can develop through a DBA program:

Skill  How does this skill help senior executives? 
Advanced Problem-Solving  Enables senior executives to address complex business challenges effectively 
Data-Driven Decision-Making  Supports making informed choices and reduces risks 
Strategic Thinking and Growth  Helps executives plan for long-term growth and identify opportunities 
Effective Team Leadership  Strengthens ability to guide diverse teams toward results 
Driving Research into Action  Converts complex studies into practical strategies with real-world impact 

How does a DBA program improve strategic thinking and decision-making skills?  

In a  DBA degree, learners study case studies and apply research and analysis methodologies to reach effective solutions. These solutions are backed by data-driven insights and past instances. Executives eventually learn how to assess risks, find opportunities, and eventually make strategic decisions to reach business goals. In this way, their strategic thinking and decision-making skills are enhanced.  

Does a Doctor of Business Administration program for senior executives focus more on research or practical business applications? 

Usually, a Doctor of Business Administration inculcates both research and practical business applications. But it tends to lean more towards actually applying research to reach solutions to existing challenges and issues. Based on existing theories, senior executives experiment with different solutions in different situations and see what their outcome is. So, the focus is clearly more towards practical business applications. 

Also Read: Doctor of Business Administration (DBA): Roles and Responsibilities   

Why do a Doctor of Business Administration through upGrad?

If you want to succeed as a business leader or a managerial head on the world platform, a global DBA from upGrad can highly benefit you. We offer DBA programs in partnership with global universities. These courses help you hone your managerial and leadership skills and help you scale your career.  

Here are some of our DBA program highlights: 

  • Learn from global business schools and top educators  
  • Get networking opportunities with industry mentors  
  • Integrated and industry-relevant curriculum from top universities 
  • Career support and placement opportunities

Want to explore your DBA degree options? Book a free one-on-one career counseling session, or you may visit your nearest upGrad offline center for in-person advice. 

Discover our top Doctor of Business Administration programs and take the next step toward advancing your leadership and research expertise!

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

1. What makes a Doctor of Business Administration for senior executives different from traditional executive education?

2. Can a Doctor of Business Administration for senior executives help professionals looking to switch industries?

3. How does a Doctorate in Business Administration career growth path improve leadership and decision-making in practice?

4. Can an Executive DBA program strengthen global exposure and networking opportunities?

5. Does a Doctor of Business Administration for senior executives provide more credibility for independent consultants?

6. How does a DBA degree benefit leaders contribute to building thought leadership?

7. Can a Doctor of Business Administration for senior executives increase career longevity for senior leaders?

8. Is a DBA program for senior executives useful for professionals planning to become independent advisors?

9. Can a Doctor of Business Administration for senior executives help transition into academia later in life?

10. What industries prefer leaders with DBA degree benefits for leaders qualifications?

11. How do employers perceive a DBA vs MBA for senior professionals comparison?

12. Is an Executive DBA program recognized globally in the corporate world?

13. Does a DBA program for senior executives focus more on applied research or theory?

14. Can employers sponsor enrollment in a DBA program for senior executives?

15. Do Executive DBA programs consider prior executive experience during admissions?

16. How long does it usually take to complete a Doctor of Business Administration for senior executives?

17. Is it difficult to balance a Doctorate in Business Administration career growth program with corporate responsibilities?

18. Are DBA programs for senior executives available online, hybrid, or only on campus?

19. What does a DBA program for senior executives curriculum typically cover?

20. What are the admission requirements for an Executive DBA program? 

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