Navigating Your MBA Career: Salaries, Bonuses, and Job Success Rates at Top U.S. B-Schools

Last Updated on February 24, 2024 by Robert C. Hoopes

The 2020s have been a tumultuous decade for MBA graduates seeking employment, with significant fluctuations in job market trends. The early 2020s saw the onset of the pandemic, leading to economic instability and industry implosions in sectors such as tech, consulting, and finance throughout 2023.

Despite the challenges in securing job offers and acceptances, MBA salaries and bonuses remained impressive, showing steady growth at top US business schools. Median MBA salaries at elite institutions such as Stanford, Chicago Booth, and UC-Berkeley continued to rise from 2020 to 2023, with significant increases in starting salaries and total compensation for graduates.

However, not all schools experienced positive trends in salaries and bonuses, as some like Harvard and Columbia reported declines. The rate of salary growth also slowed in 2023 compared to previous years, with an average increase of 5.5% among top US MBA programs.

MBA signing bonuses in 2023 showed varying results, with some schools recording significant increases while others reported declines. Job placement rates for MBA graduates three months post-graduation were lower in 2023, with declines seen at prestigious institutions such as Columbia, Harvard, and MIT.

Despite the overall trend of declines in job offers and acceptances, schools like Wharton and Vanderbilt Owen stood out for their high rates of job offers and accepts. Comparisons with data from the pandemic year of 2020 revealed mixed results in job market outcomes, with some schools showing improvements despite the challenging economic landscape.