Benefits & Future Value of a Graduate Business Degree

It's all about value. A graduate business degree can help you launch a career.

The annual survey of employers and recruiters supports the employment findings reported by recent alumni and suggests that MBAs and other graduate management alumni are enjoying an improved job market in 2011.

The post-recession recovery is gaining momentum as companies turn more towards growth and focus less on overcoming economic challenges and reducing costs. The trend seen last year and continuing in 2011 suggests that companies are focusing on geographic expansion and expanding their customer base. 

Around the world, more companies are hiring and the average number of new hires is expected to increase in 2011. In the United States, demand for recent MBA graduates is expected to be the strongest in the finance/accounting, healthcare/pharmaceutical, consulting, and high technology industries. In addition, salaries are expected to increase slightly from 2010 levels for MBAs hired in 2011. Responses to this year’s survey come from 1,509 employers representing 901 companies located in the United States and 50 countries around the globe.

Learn more about what corporate recruiters are looking for in new MBA hires and the qualities they value most in MBA employees.

The value of a graduate business degree is clear. Three quarters of Class of 2010 alumni—76%—insist their degrees were essential for obtaining their post-graduation jobs. Ten years of research about graduate business school alumni reveal two “truths” that have stood the test of time. B-school graduates remain eminently employable and consistently give their degrees rave reviews.

Findings reported in the recently released 2011 Alumni Survey Report  (PDF) are consistent with past results:

• The vast majority of nearly 7,000 respondents—93%—reported being employed and nearly 9 in 10 members—88%—of the Class of 2010 had jobs upon graduation.
• 95% rate their graduate education as a good to outstanding value.
• That value is borne out in a marketplace where 7 in 10 alums from the Class of 2010 said their starting annual salaries met or exceeded their expectations.
  • The median starting annual salary for the Class of 2010 was US $78,820.
  • The median starting annual salary for all alumni in the survey, regardless of graduation year, was US $94,542, and median bonus compensation reported by alumni was US$17,565.