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KU delivers a competitive edge in MBA careers

Increase your career worth

Earning an MBA can prepare you for countless opportunities, and today those opportunities are more lucrative than ever. According to the 2024 Graduate Management Admission Council (GMAC) Corporate Recruiters Survey, the estimated median starting salary for MBA graduates is $120,000.1

Recent data also indicates holding an MBA can lead to greater earning potential. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) Current Population Survey, in 2023, the median weekly earnings for master's degree holders, including MBA graduates, were $1,737, compared to just $1,493 for those with a bachelor's degree.2

Additionally, based on recent data, MBA graduates tend to earn six-figure salaries in these industries:3

  • Consulting: Base salaries of approximately $200,000 at top consulting firms
  • Finance: Starting salaries of over $100,000
  • Innovative strategist: Average salary of approximately $120,000
  • Business development manager: Average salary of approximately $132,000
  • Product manager: Average salaries of over $270,000
  • Pharmaceutical account managers: Can earn between $166,000 and $250,000, on average

Enhance your professional growth with an MBA

An advanced degree like an online MBA from KU can enhance your business acumen, giving you a competitive edge and enabling you to apply new skills in your current role or explore new opportunities across various industries.

Versatile job duties

Today’s MBA programs offer deep dives into a variety of leading industries and equip graduates with more than just essential business management and administration skills, opening doors to a wide range of job roles.

According to Poets&Quants, in 2023, the top ten job functions for MBA graduates, by percentage surveyed, included:4
  1. Strategy (55.9%)
  2. Consulting (55.5%)
  3. Project management (44.8%)
  4. Business development (44.1%)
  5. Product management (43.3%)
  6. Leadership development program (36.8%)
  7. Finance (35.7%)
  8. Marketing (34.4%)
  9. General management (33.9%)
  10. Analytics and data science (30.2%)
James M.

“I have engaged in networking opportunities through the career center provided by the University of Kansas and going onto HireJayhawks. That’s how I ended up with my current job.”
James M., MBA, ‘24 Candidate

Hiring trends for MBA graduates

If you’re wondering whether our online program can really provide the new career outcomes you want, consider the 2024 hiring trends for those with graduate management education (GME degrees), which includes MBAs:

82%
of employers, approximately, expressed confidence that Graduate Management Education prepares candidates for success5
$120,000
Average starting projected salaries for U.S. MBA graduates6

Lifelong connections: What joining the Jayhawk family can do for you

KU MBA students come from diverse experiences, backgrounds, and ambitions. Student cohorts are comprised of multi-talented students who are directors, accountants, data analysts, doctors, electrical engineers, and more.

Though from diverse backgrounds, nearly all have the same goal for the program: 95% of alumni report they came to KU with the goal of advancing their careers.7

Through our programs, they gain the skills and insights needed to achieve those ambitions. After graduation, they join a strong KU alumni network that supports their continued success, both on campus and beyond.

The Jayhawk alumni network is an essential part of the KU community, on campus and far beyond it. Read more about the importance of the Jayhawk alumni network.

Man and woman in business attire speaking to each other


A higher starting MBA salary isn’t all you can expect as a new graduate. When you earn your degree from KU, you’ll enjoy the added value of a global professional network of over 25,000 alumni.

KU’s affordable online MBA program is your chance to become immersed in a diverse group of business professionals and learn from leading experts with extensive experience in their fields. As you explore new MBA careers, your connection to this elite group of leaders could prove immensely valuable.

Explore the online student experience

Joe T.

“I was wearing a Jayhawk shirt while traveling and I was approached by so many people high-fiving me and saying ‘Rock Chalk.’ This network is a real, embedded part of the program.”
Joe T., MBA ‘25 Candidate

See the kind of success the MBA title and KU name can deliver:8

84%
of alumni reported an increase in salary
45%
of those who reported receiving a salary increase saw an increase of 25% or more
37%
of all alumni reported an increase in salary of 25% or more
22%
average salary increase across all alumni
$135,761
average reported salary upon program completion
53%
of alumni received or expect to receive a promotion within six months

Industries where KU students work*

  • Finance
  • Healthcare
  • Architecture
  • Engineering
  • Technology
  • Transportation
  • Manufacturing

*All students 2015–2024

Group of KU Business cohorts seated around table working on laptops

Student testimonial: Achieving career success while you learn online

University of Kansas MBA graduate Maura D.

“Thanks to the skills I developed from my coursework and the relationships I have established with my professors who have provided me with endless career advice, I landed a promotion at my company after only the first two semesters.

I have ascended into a position that allows me to have a stronger voice and to bring in a new perspective that encourages my organization to continue to be an innovative, flexible, and top leader in the regulatory sector.

Without my MBA experience, I would not be where I am today.”
Maura D., KU MBA ‘22

Want to learn more?

Contact an admissions outreach advisor at 855-639-7799.

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Sources
  1. Retrieved on November 25, 2024, from gmac.com/-/media/files/gmac/research/employment-outlook/2024-corporate-recruiters-survey/2024_gmac_crs_report.pdf?rev=43588bfef9a549af9bb00a432a3d7b06
  2. Retrieved on June 5, 2024, from www.bls.gov/careeroutlook/2024/data-on-display/education-pays.htm
  3. Retrieved on June 5, 2024, from fortune.com/education/articles/mba-grads-reliably-earn-a-six-figure-salary-in-these-6-industries/
  4. Retrieved on June 5, 2024, from poetsandquants.com/2023/05/11/the-most-in-demand-industries-job-functions-cities-for-mbas/
  5. Retrieved on November 21, 2024, from, gmac.com/-/media/files/gmac/research/employment-outlook/2024-corporate-recruiters-survey/2024_gmac_crs_report.pdf?rev=43588bfef9a549af9bb00a432a3d7b06 (Graduate Management Admission Council, 2024, p. 33)
  6. Retrieved on November 21, 2024, from gmac.com/-/media/files/gmac/research/employment-outlook/2024-corporate-recruiters-survey/2024_gmac_crs_report.pdf?rev=43588bfef9a549af9bb00a432a3d7b06 (Graduate Management Admission Council, 2024, p. 43)
  7. Based on a limited sample of self-reported data from alumni of the University of Kansas School of Business online MBA program from graduating cohorts between 2016 and 2018
  8. Based on a limited sample of self-reported data from alumni of the University of Kansas School of Business online MBA program from graduating cohorts between 2019 and 2024