The MBA class of 2020 recorded a whopping average pay package of $176,083 at Stanford, $175,148 for NYU – Stern and $173,882 for Tuck – despite the tough economic crisis created by the ongoing pandemic.
Does it make you wonder why MBA graduates right out of business schools get paid such high salaries compared to graduates of other degree programs?
Why do companies hire MBAs at high salaries?
An MBA program provides the opportunity to tackle real-world business issues and challenges, honing your analytical and critical thinking abilities and imparts skills including strategic management and decision-making, time-management, teamwork and leadership.There is a lot of peer-to-peer learning due to the class diversity and the prior professional experience of your classmates.Through class interaction and discussions, you are exposed to different (often contrasting and conflicting) perspectives and approaches to solving complex issues.
You develop a strong network of high achieving peers and alumni from varied professional and cultural backgrounds. This powerful benefit lasts a lifetime, long after you’ve forgotten what you learnt in the classroom.
The various courses covered in the program as well as the practical exposure helps you get a complete picture of how organizations operate along with various business concepts and tools used in the industry.
The skills acquired are applicable across industries as well as various roles. The in-depth knowledge and insights gained during the rigorous MBA program can be a huge value-addition to an organisation.
According to GMAC corporate recruiters survey, versatility, strong communication skills, strategic thinking, taking up leadership roles, navigating the challenges of technological disruption and handling a complex business environment were the top qualities of business school graduates that recruiters are confident about.
Another aspect that makes the top business school candidates attractive to recruiters is that these schools have low acceptance rates. Candidates who get in have made it after going through a tough selection process.
Generalists (MBA graduates) vs specialists
While the age-old debate on whether you should be generalist or specialist continues – we’ll evaluate various aspects that employers would take into account while deciding whom to hire.
In today’s fast-paced economy and rapidly changing work environment, transferable skills like leadership, communication, teamwork, ability to multi-task, ability to adjust to any work environment are of utmost importance.
Especially, getting a grasp of issues a business faces, assessing various scenarios and being able to take high-level decisions could be a decisive factor in the profitability and the success of a company.
An MBA graduate is equipped with the knowledge and expertise to hold such key positions.
Having a bird’s eye view of an organisation, insights into its operation, and processes proves to be the greatest strength of MBA grads as they are able to gauge the breadth and depth of an issue.
Due to their ability to connect the dots, they can be successful in strategic decision-making roles.
Innovation can give an organisation an edge over its competitors. Generalist, due to their lateral thinking and know-how of various areas are more likely to innovate.
A generalist can adapt to changes in role or industry, to meet the needs of the changing time, so that the impact of market risk on future career prospects is minimised.
In December 2020, Bill Gates added fresh perspectives to this debate by referring to the book ‘Range: Why Generalists Triumph in Specialized World’ by David Epstein as one of his top choices for 2020.
Bill Gates believes that his own career fits the generalist model; in addition to his passion for coding and computers, he had many other interests and did a lot of reading on a wide variety of topics.
He attributes Microsoft’s phenomenal success to his broad-based thinking than other start-ups of that era as well as hiring not just excellent coders but those with real breadth within their field and across domains.
Generalist vs specialist example
Consider the product development industry. There are various team members with specialized skill-sets and expertise in their own fields – those involved in research and development, technical experts, manufacturing department, quality control (testing), logistics handling, marketing and sales, customer support.
However, for a successful product roll-out, there’s the need for a broader vision, strategic planning, chalking out the perfect roadmap throughout the product life-cycle, working closely with the various departments involved, coming up with a product that addresses customer needs and is aligned with the company’s long-term goals.
This is where the generalist skills – that of the Product Manager comes into picture. This role demands that you possess multidisciplinary skills in various areas including marketing, technology, strategy, teamwork, time-management.
Highest MBA salary in the US
The top-tier elite business school graduates receive much higher pay packages than others.
Here are the average MBA salaries at some of the top ranked US business school
| Business School | Average salary & bonus
MBA class of 2020 |
| Stanford | $176,083 |
| NYU – Stern | $175,148 |
| Dartmouth – Tuck | $173,882 |
| Northwestern – Kellogg | $173,057 |
| Chicago – Booth | $172,683 |
| Cornell – Johnson | $172,254 |
| Harvard | $171,785 |
| Columbia | $171,436 |
| Virginia – Darden | $169,190 |
| Duke – Fuqua | $167,134 |
According to GMAC corporate recruiters survey 2020, MBA graduates still command a premium with the median MBA salary at $115,000, which is 75% more than those with a bachelor’s degree (in Covid Wave I).
Compare this with the average salary in the US after an MS degree which would be $79,344, according to PayScale.
The salary difference is even more pronounced in Fortune 100 companies and the top three industries (finance, consulting and technology) recruiting the majority of the MBA grads.
In the very popular consulting industry, the median salary of MBA grads is double that of bachelor’s degree holders in Covid Wave I.
Highest MBA salary in India
Let’s take a look at the highest and average MBA salary in India at the top internationally-ranked business schools.
The IIM Ahmedabad PGPX class of 2020 reported the highest salary of INR 81 lakhs with a mean salary of INR 33,36,247 (average work experience of around 8.5 years).
At IIM Calcutta, the one-year residential program, MBAEx (earlier known as PGPEX) recorded the highest salary of INR 77.60 lakhs and an average of INR 26.24 lakhs (average work experience of 8.75 years).
At IIM Bangalore, the EPGP program received an average salary of 29.88 lakhs
At ISB (Indian School of Business), the 80% mean salary for the class of 2020 was INR 25,06,434, the average work experience was much lower at 3 years.
The post-MBA compensation is much higher at IIMA-PGPX which sees a more experienced cohort compared to other top programs like ISB.
Compare these figures to the average salary in India after an MS degree, which according to PayScale would be INR 8,39,665.
An MBA grad from some of the reputed top business schools can command a higher salary than others which is evident from the above figures.
An MBA degree can pave the way for a change in career – function, role or industry as well as geography. Business schools usually have dedicated careers team that provide career counselling, guidance, internship and job assistance.
The various networking events can be a great opportunity to connect with potential employers and alumni.
The rich experience you gain from an MBA program can translate into a handsome paycheck you always dreamt of and a fulfilling career!
Need help in shortlisting schools that are right for you?
An early start gives us enough time to approach the process in a more meaningful manner which has constantly fetched us results which is why we’re writing to you. We would be more than happy to help you through this process. You can select the package from the list below and revert back at the earliest for us to proceed with the next steps.
Leap Quest MBA Admission service includes all elements of MBA applications that consist of:
- Shortlisting the list of target B-Schools
- Guidance in building MBA application essay write-ups (how to draft essays for MBA application)
- MBA essay editing and guidance in organizing any other aspect of MBA application.
- Guidance in preparing CV/Resume
- MBA Interview preparation service in the event an MBA applicant gets an interview call from a shortlisted B-School
- Any other related part that is inside the scope of B-School application process
- Social Media Consulting
- LinkedIn Assistance
- Drafting Scholarship letters
- Application Form Guidance
Major chunk of the MBA aspirants face a lot of dilemma in deciding whether to pursue their MBA dreams or not. There are a lot of challenges candidates face regardless of the Industry or work experience they come with. If there is something that’s stopping you from proceeding with your plans, Revert with the list of challenges and we’re pretty sure a quick discussion with our team will help you put things into perspective and take a call.
If you’re confused about the decision and want to be sure you’re taking the right decision , here’s something that may help. Drop in a email to Info@theleapquest.com for professional help
At Leap Quest, we’ve done a lot of research into this topic. Having spent several years in the industry, we’ve gathered loads of information and data.
There is a greater deal of human involvement to judge the non-objective aspects of your profile too – your clarity of career goals, your ability to connect the dots and make an overall good impression on the Admissions Officer.
We’re determined to get you the admit you deserve. Our question is, will it be yours?
