Putting a Price on an MBA

If you're spending a large sum of money on an MBA, the question of your future earnings is probably a preoccupying one. After all, a typical MBA business programme today can cost more than 40,000, along with additional expenses of around 13,000. This will coincide with a loss of wages for the two-year duration and an interruption to your career whilst you further your academic achievements. So exactly how much is your MBA likely to improve your earnings and just how likely are you to receive a promotion after you graduate? 

Well, most business schools produce metrics which include these types of calculations in direct response to such common questions. They can provide a useful insight into previous graduates and their resulting earnings, particularly when compared to pre-MBA salaries. Other indices to look out for include those which define the length of time to find quality employment and to progress rapidly after the achievement of anMBA.

But these measures will never be perfect. Many are subjective, such as asking whether graduates feel as though they achieved their career objectives as a result of taking an MBA. Some schools will boost their metrics by focusing on subjective rather than objective analysis.

London Business School's Successful MBA programmes

The most successful of MBA programmes in the UK continues to be the London Business School  It's certainly not cheap, costing around 57,000 for a course lasting between 15-21 months. However, from its 2011 intake, 93pc of its graduates had accepted a job offer less than three months after completion, at a salary averaging c.  75k. Three years after their graduation, students of London Business School's MBA programme can expect to be earning around 155k per year.

Many experts do believe, however, that students shouldn't risk becoming 'blinded' by money and should think more broadly instead about their options, asking why certain schools perform more strongly and considering which of these would be a good fit.

Recruiters are Willing to Pay a Premium for MBA Graduates

This sentiment is echoed by the Director of Career Services at the London Business School, Fiona Sandford, who credits the school's success to the student body and diversity of the faculty, combined with a balanced curriculum. Certainly, recruiters are willing to pay a premium for MBA graduates who are comfortable working in multicultural teams and who understand the latest developments and advances in business research and thinking.

MBAs are not just for high salary growth as they can also be used to move sector or achieve greater autonomy or a better work-life balance. You should choose your MBA according to your ultimate goal.

Written by Andrew Pringle of Circle Square 

If you have a job vacancy that you would like our specialist recruitment teams to assist with:

M& Recruitment    Real Estate Recruitment    Capital Markets Recruitment    Private Equity & Venture Capital Recruitment  Accountancy & Finance Recruitment    Executive Search

Connect with us on Google+  & Linkedin

Finance or Accountancy Job    Real Estate Jobs    M&A Jobs    Private Equity Jobs    Capital Markets Jobs    

To contact one of our specialist consultants call 0207 492 0700 or email: enquiries@circlesquare.co.uk