It should be no surprise that jobs for MBA graduates abound. In fact, 85 percent of U.S. companies indicate they plan to hire MBA graduates in the near term, as do 96 percent of Fortune Global 100 companies. Getting an MBA can be your pathway to a number of lucrative and rewarding roles, in a variety of different organizations and fields.
Below, we’ve outlined some of the top MBA jobs for recent graduates in today’s job market. See where the skills and knowledge you’ll gain pursuing an advanced business degree can take you.
1. Financial Manager
Financial manager is one of the most popular jobs for MBA graduates, and for good reason. It is a very well-compensated position that utilizes a significant number of the skills learned in an MBA program. Financial managers must have a robust set of technical and quantitative skills to successfully perform the analyses and calculations on which the position depends, but they also must be highly competent communicators and strategists.2 Financial manager is thus a key MBA job due to its blend of soft and hard business skills that the best MBA programs strive to impart to their students.
The median salary for financial managers in 2018 was $127,990, and the position is expected to see a 19 percent increase in jobs by 2026.3
2. Management Consultant
Management consultants typically are tasked with improving efficiency at an organization through assessing staffing, workflows, supply chains and other processes. They may work either for a large consultancy or as independent contractors, and their role typically requires extensive travel on a weekly basis to interface directly with clients.4 Management consultants often are asked to utilize a diverse set of skills ranging from project management and strategic planning to market landscape assessment and supply chain.5 An MBA program that emphasizes holistic development over narrow specialization is a perfect entry point into this versatile role.
The median salary for management consultants in 2018 was $83,610, and jobs are expected to grow by 14 percent by 2026.4
3. Medical and Health Services Manager
As the medical industry continues to expand to keep up with the demands of an aging population, management roles within it are growing accordingly. These roles can also be called either healthcare executives or healthcare administrators, and they typically are responsible for managing finances and operations at a variety of medical centers and organizations, from hospitals and surgery centers to nursing homes and private practice groups.2 Medical and health services manager roles are ideal jobs for MBA graduates who want to apply their business training and acumen to a field with direct, meaningful influence on countless lives.
The median salary for medical and health services managers in 2018 was $99,730, with a much faster than average job growth rate of 20 percent projected by 2026.6
4. Training and Development Manager
An enticing role for those who desire more direct face-to-face interaction with people in their post-MBA job is training and development manager, a position focused on helping employees of an organization perform to the fullest extent of their abilities. Training and development managers are responsible for aligning a company’s internal training with management’s organizational goals, managing the time and money budgeted for training activities and working to promote a positive company culture by emphasizing growth and knowledge acquisition.7
The median salary for training and development managers in 2018 was $111,340, and the number of jobs for the position is expected to grow by 10 percent by 2026.8
5. Operations Manager
Operations managers work on the supply side of business organizations to ensure the smooth and efficient functioning of logistics processes. Operations management is growing in importance as a field, as online retailers look to constantly innovate and optimize processes using the most up-to-date digital tools to improve price points for customers.9 Graduates of MBA programs that emphasize the development of a creative problem-solving mentality are well-equipped to face the intricate challenges encountered by operations managers on a daily basis.
The median salary for operations managers in 2018 was $100,930, and a job growth rate of 8 percent is projected for the role by 2026.10
Prepare for Top MBA Jobs With William & Mary
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1. Retrieved on May 17, 2019, from gmac.com/-/media/files/gmac/research/employment-outlook/gmac-2018-corporate-recruiters-survey-report.pdf
2. Retrieved on May 17, 2019, from usnews.com/education/best-graduate-schools/top-business-schools/articles/hot-jobs-for-mba-graduates
3. Retrieved on May 17, 2019, from www.bls.gov/ooh/management/financial-managers.htm
4. Retrieved on May 17, 2019, from www.bls.gov/ooh/business-and-financial/management-analysts.htm
5. Retrieved on May 17, 2019, from forbes.com/sites/jonyounger/2019/02/03/the-skills-most-in-demand-for-independent-management-consultants
6. Retrieved on May 17, 2019, from www.bls.gov/ooh/management/medical-and-health-services-managers.htm
7. Retrieved on May 17, 2019, from shrm.org/resourcesandtools/hr-topics/organizational-and-employee-development/pages/key-steps-for-better-training-development-programs.aspx
8. Retrieved on May 17, 2019, from www.bls.gov/ooh/management/training-and-development-managers.htm
9. Retrieved on May 17, 2019, from usnews.com/education/best-graduate-schools/top-business-schools/articles/2018-08-30/7-nontraditional-jobs-for-mba-graduates
10. Retrieved on May 17, 2019, from www.bls.gov/ooh/management/top-executives.htm