Increasingly, corporations expect to hire business graduates

Although the hiring market for MBA graduates has improved over the past several years to pre-recession levels, the outlook is stronger than it has been since before the recession, according to the GMAC Corporate Recruiters Survey.

Although the hiring market for MBA graduates has improved over the past several years to pre-recession levels, the outlook is stronger than it has been since before the recession, according to the GMAC Corporate Recruiters Survey.

An excellent barometer of hiring trends, the 2018 GMAC survey, conducted with survey partners EFMD, MBA CSEA, and nearly 100 business schools worldwide, drew responses from more than 1,000 employers worldwide.

Strong demand for MBA continues

More than 80 percent of recruiters said they planned to work with business schools to hire new graduates of MBA programs. The report notes that "larger companies are more likely than smaller companies to have 2018 MBA hiring plans. More than 9 in 10 Fortune 100, 500, and publicly traded companies plan to hire recent MBA graduates," up from the previous year.

Resurgent corporate interest in MBA students is one reason ASU's W. P. Carey School of Business has seen higher demand for its students. In fact, over the past five years, more than 90 percent of Full-time MBA graduates had accepted an offer for full-time employment within 90 days of graduation.

As the name suggests, W. P. Carey Full-time MBA students return to school full-time, but what do these findings mean for students in part-time MBA programs, such as the Professional Flex, Online, or Executive MBA? For students who continue to work while earning their degree, it means that — because organizations are seeking the skills acquired by MBA students, as well as the insights they've gained through recent case studies and advancing curricula — part-time students are equally well-positioned for new positions or to advance further within their current company.

Alumni see the long-lasting benefits of a graduate degree

In a separate GMAC survey polling alumni of graduate management education programs, 94 percent indicated that their degree was personally rewarding, while 89 and 73 percent said it was professionally and financially rewarding, respectively. Asked if they would pursue their degree again if they could, 9 in 10 responded that they would.

The ROI of a graduate degree in business outpaces that of other degrees, and alumni indicate that, on average, their degree has paid for itself within four years. The ROI metric gathered by GMAC has remained positive in 19 of the past 20 years surveyed. In fact, over the remainders of the careers, business school alumni can expect to make a median of $2.5 million in cumulative base salary, compared to just $2 million over their careers without a master's degree.

The impact of a master's degree in business is undeniable

When it comes to the value of your degree, take it from the people who are hiring talent and from the talent they're hiring: An MBA or a specialized master's degree in business just makes sense. It's a degree that pays you back quickly and gives you a distinct advantage in the job market.

See what our students have to say about the ROI of a W. P. Carey MBA or master's degree, and how our career services and faculty help set us apart:

Take the next step in your future

Redefine your career — complete the form on this page to request information about the highly ranked MBA and business master's degrees from ASU's W. P. Carey School of Business.