The vast majority of MBA alumni indicated that the job they took after graduation was exactly what they were looking for.

The vast majority (93%) of the class of 2012 alumni indicated that the job they took after graduation was exactly what they were looking for. Alumni reported what GMAC termed a “stellar” return on investment (ROI), with graduates recouping one-third of the financial investment in their degree within the first year after graduation, and 100 percent within four years. After 10 years post-graduation, alumni reported that they nearly doubled their return on investment.

The 2013 Alumni Perspectives Survey, which is based on opinion polls of 4,135 MBA alumni, found that three out of four alumni of the class of 2012 have landed jobs they would not have obtained without their graduate management education.

Global median salary stats for 2013 MBA grads report remuneration of near $129,000 USD!
A GMAC survey also shows that the class of 2013 has enjoyed a substantial rise in the post-graduation salary levels. For the two-year full-time degree it was 79%, and for the one-year full-time MBA – 70%. The reported median salary on a global scale is $128,569 USD, while the most preferred industries are consulting, technology and products and services.

Furthermore, not surprisingly, B-Schools are the best place to get your ducks in a row and lay the foundations for a prospective own business venture. Another GMAC poll indicates that 5% of 2013 MBA alumni became entrepreneurs or self-employed.

The MBA enables you to become a professional chameleon
Results from the September 2013 GMAC alumni poll show that the class of 2013 MBA remain successful in finding employment opportunities across job sectors. Most importantly, despite lingering economic uncertainty, nearly all new business school alumni of the class of 2013 attribute their career preparedness to their graduate management education. Apart from a value added in terms of professional competencies and a network of useful business contacts, the MBA also gives you market flexibility. It allows you to change industries and completely shift your career track. Indeed, according to the GMAC 2013 survey, alumni reported more often the professional and personal rewards gained from their education, rather than the financial ones.
For 2008 HEC graduate Montu Gupta, post-graduation salary prospects figured low on his MBA checklist. “I was trying to make a career switch and get into something I like where I can mentally engage myself fully and passionately,” says the former engineer who now works in business investments for Royal Bank of Canada.

Choose your MBA wisely!
Choosing your MBA is a process affected by a wide range of considerations. Educating yourself about every aspect of a programme is crucial not only in regards to how that programme would impact your life while you’re studying, but, more importantly, how it would affect your life after you graduate. Choosing the right location of your school can influence your career development in terms of your prospects for professional mobility upon completion of your degree. Choosing the format that best suits your professional and personal life is crucial when it comes to getting the optimum of your MBA. So be wise and realistic when evaluating your profile and expectations against the programme that would be best for you.

All in all, the vast majority of the class of 2013 (96%) would recommend their programme, regardless of employment status, programme type attended, or citizenship. Retrospectively, more than 9 in 10 alumni reported they would still have pursued their degree knowing what they know now. And that in itself is a strong indicator the investment is worth making.

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