Considering B-School? What the Class of 2015 Has to Say

The business school class of 2015 overwhelmingly agrees their degree increased their employability, salary and knowledge.

There’s a lot to consider in making the decision to attend business school. Central to your decision-making may be the basic question of is it worth it? 

If you’re like the vast majority of people, the answer relies on whether you believe going to b-school will enhance your career opportunities, increase your salary potential, and develop your business skills. [1]

To help you make sense of whether it’s worth it, we surveyed more than 3,300 recent b-school grads representing 112 universities from around the world. Here’s what they had to say.

The b-school class of 2015 overwhelmingly agrees their degree increased their employability

Along a variety of metrics, recent grads tell us their degree boosts their ability to land a desirable job.

Around 2 in 3 class of 2015 job seekers from full-time two-year MBA programs (63%) and part-time/flexible MBA programs (68%) locked down job offers by February and March—months before they even graduated. [2]

Last year, when we polled the class of 2014 in September and October (around three to four months after graduation), we found that their employment rate was considerably higher: 87 percent for full-time two-year MBA grads and 96 percent of part-time/flexible MBA grads. [3]

2015 grads with early job offers report significant increases over their pre-degree salary

Class of 2015 graduates who received early job offers report a median salary increase of 90 percent over their pre-degree salary. This figure is up from the median salary increase of 80 percent seen last year and 73 percent in 2013.

Median increases in post-degree salaries over pre-degree salaries are particularly high for grads landing early job offers in the technology (103%), consulting (100%), and finance/accounting (92%) industries.

Moreover, b-school alumni polled last year told us their salary satisfaction stretches far beyond the first job out of school. Nine in 10 (90%) alumni reported their graduate management education increased their earning power, 8 in 10 (79%) said their current salary is competitive for their industry, and 3 in 4 (75%) said they are paid fairly for what they do on the job. [4]

A graduate management education is a great way to develop business knowledge, skills, and abilities

Recent graduates say they improved their business skillset significantly as a result of attending b-school. We asked the class of 2015 to rate their level of improvement, using a 10-point scale, for 18 different business related knowledge, skills, and abilities. The figure below displays the top five.

Overall, the vast majority of the class of 2015 thinks going to b-school was worth it: 89 percent rate the value of their degree as good to outstanding, and 88 percent would recommend their program to others considering a graduate management degree (e.g. you).

Now it’s your turn. Begin exploring b-school programs today using our Program Finder! More than 7,000 graduate business programs at nearly 2,300 universities and institutions around the world accept the GMAT exam. The School Search page lets you search at the school or program level, by location, degree type, program length, and format—ensuring you can find the best school and program that fits your goals!