A Master’s in Business Administration (MBA) is a postgraduate qualification that teaches core principles in business administration and the necessary skills to make any company successful. Many MBA graduates leave to pursue promising careers with high salaries. It’s little wonder that an MBA is a popular choice for many international students.  

Currently MBA graduates are in high-demand due to the need for top talent in an incredibly tight labour market.  Results from MIT Management’s MBA Class of 2022 show that the top four industries that 2022 graduates entered were:

• Consulting (31.2%)
• Technology (22.6%)
• Finance (22.6%)
• Healthcare/Pharma/Biotech (6.8%)
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Stern New York University have similar results for their MBA class of 2022:

• Consulting (31.2%)
• Technology (17%)
• Finance (34.4%)
• Healthcare (3.6%)

Similar results can be seen at Cambridge University in the UK, and McGill University in Canada.

What are the top 4 jobs for MBA graduates?

In light of the above data, the following top four jobs for international graduates have been identified:

1. Financial Manager

Financial managers' roles are many and varied, from data analysis and financial forecasting to budgeting and financial reporting and many things in between. Every business in every sector needs a financial manager to advise senior managers.

The majority of MBA graduates are recruited directly through university connections such as internships, recruitment events and job postings on university websites.

Leading multinationals such as Amazon, Apple, Google, Morgan Stanley, Goldman Sachs are among some of the top employers of MBA graduates. As with any profession that is in demand, salaries are highly competitive. Below are just some examples of average salaries of MBA graduates from a top university in that country.

Average Salary for Financial Managers with an MBA

Correct at time of writing

2. Management consultant

If you are a natural problem-solver and think you could be good at improving the way a business operates, you might want to consider management consultancy for your career. This work seeks to improve businesses, planning for the future, increasing revenue and boosting employee productivity.

Management consultants tend to work across multiple projects at one time which may be preferable if you like variety. You may also choose to specialise and work with businesses in a particular industry such as health, finance, education and so on. As management is a major component of this role, having an MBA will help you attract clients and gain the right knowledge, skills, and approach that you need to succeed in this profession.

In the US the leading recruiters of MBA management consultants are known as The Big Three or MBB: Mckinsey & Company; Bain & Company and the Boston Consulting Group. There are also companies such as KPMG, Deloitte and PwC in the UK and elsewhere in the world, all of whom recruit graduates directly from universities.

Below are some examples of average salaries of management consultants with an MBA:

Average Salary for Management Consultants with an MBA

Payscale.com correct at time of writing

3. IT Manager

Interested in information technology and business? Why not combine them? If you choose to pursue an MBA, you will gain many in-demand skills that would be relevant for the role of an IT manager. For example, you may be asked to manage a team of people which requires certain skills such as leadership, project management and communication skills. You may also need to complete IT modules during your course or gain some work experience within IT and computing.  

All companies from large scale multinationals to small and medium sized business have a need for an IT manager. Below are some examples of average salaries of IT managers with an MBA:

Average Salary for IT Managers with an MBA

Payscale.com correct at time of writing

4. Medical and Health Services Manager

Medical and health services managers oversee the planning and operations management of health care facilities such as doctor’s surgeries, hospitals, clinics and medical departments. The core components of an MBA program are exactly the kind of knowledge, skills and experience that managers in a healthcare setting need. Skills such as: teamwork; ability to work under pressure and analytical and managerial skills to name only a few.

There will always be a demand for healthcare professionals the world over so finding a job after graduation shouldn’t be an issue. Below are some examples of average salaries of medical and health services managers with an MBA:

Average Salary for Medical & Healthcare Service Managers with an MBA

Glassdoor.com correct at time of writing

If you feel that an MBA might be the right choice for you, here are some articles that may be of further interest and help to you:

• MBA vs Masters: Which is better?
• What MBA specialisations are there?
• Best universities for an MBA
• Studying an MBA: The essentials
• Best universities for an MBA in Canada
• Best universities for an MBA in Australia
• Best universities for an MBA in New Zealand

Find an MBA in:

• the US
• Canada
• the UK
• Australia
• New Zealand