Benefits & Future Value of a Graduate Business Degree

Home > Why B-School? > Benefits & Future Value of a Graduate Business Degree

A graduate management degree can help you launch a career.

More than a decade of research about business school graduates, alumni, and the employers that hire them conducted by the Graduate Management Admission Council® (GMAC®) reveals two “truths” that have stood the test of time:

  • Graduates remain highly employable
  • Graduates consistently credit their degrees for offering valuable opportunities for career advancement, professional development, and personal satisfaction.

The Value of an MBA in 3D

Five Reasons to Get a Graduate Business Degree

Reason 1: A graduate business degree can boost your career. Three out of 4 alumni from the class of 2012 said they could not have obtained their job without the skills, knowledge, and abilities attained through their graduate management education. [1]

  • 90% gave their degree credit for career preparation; 87% for faster career advancement; 87% for increased earnings potential; and 92% for preparation for leadership positions.
  • 91% of recent alumni also attribute their graduate education with developing their quantitative analytical skills and 89% for helping them develop a professional network.

Reason 2: A graduate business education rates high in value. More than 9 in 10 alumni from the classes of 2000–2012 rate the value of their graduate management degree as good to outstanding. The top outcomes they cited as contributing to the value of their degree were opportunities for:

  • Progressively challenging and interesting work
  • Developing managerial skills
  • Starting their own business

Reason 3: A graduate business degree will help you land a job. 92% of class of 2012 alumni reported having a job after graduation.

  • More than half started new jobs after completing their programs.
  • Nearly 3 in 4 class of 2012 alumni secured their job offers before graduation.

Reason 4: A graduate business degree is financially rewarding. The median starting annual salary for all full-time MBA alumni surveyed in 2012, regardless of graduation year, was US$100,000. Alumni across all class years and program types reported a full return on investment (ROI) four years after graduation, on average. [2]

Reason 5: Demand for b-school talent is strong. 76% of employers we surveyed said they plan to hire MBA graduates in 2013 (up from 69% in 2012) and 23% expect to increase the number of new MBA hires this year. Compared with 2012, more companies will also be hiring recent business master’s candidates in 2013. [3]

If you’re ready to make a difference with a graduate business degree, take the next step. Register to take the GMAT® exam today.

[1] Unless data are reported specifically for MBA alumni, alumni survey findings reported for any class year represent combined data for all program types (MBA and master’s).
[2] GMAC. 2013. Alumni Perspectives Survey.
[3] GMAC. 2012. Year-End Poll of Employers.

TeamMBA