What can you do with an MBA?

If you’re pursuing an MBA (or thinking about it), chances are you know a bit about the opportunities available in business. Perhaps you’ve worked in finance or administration for a few years and you’re angling for promotion. Or maybe you don’t know much about the business world, but think you’ll have a knack for managing business operations or logistics.

Whatever the case, you may be wondering:

In this article, we cover those questions. Along with learning about the many jobs available to MBA graduates, you’ll get a sneak peek at the benefits of earning an MBA.

The Benefits of an MBA

MBA jobs are often behind-the-scenes roles that aren’t well understood by people outside those areas. We know about CEOs, but the rest of the C-suite may be a black box of mystery. And then, of course, there’s finance and accounting and operations and marketing.

All of these areas translate into a wealth of opportunities for MBA graduates. In fact, according to U.S. News & World Report, MBA job prospects have rebounded since the pandemic-induced economic downturn — and the median starting salary for MBA graduates in 2021 recovered to its pre-COVID amount: $115,000 annually.

That median salary is a whopping 77 percent more than that of candidates with a bachelor’s degree ($65,000), according to the Graduate Management Admission Council’s 2021 Corporate Recruiters Survey. No wonder 70 percent of MBA graduates value their education as “Excellent” or “Outstanding”.

Many business jobs are open to folks with a bachelor’s degree, but an MBA can help you advance — or switch careers altogether. Maybe you’ve been working in health care and you want a job that requires less time on your feet.

An MBA can help you gain the knowledge and expertise — not to mention the credentials — to make the switch, land that promotion, or launch that successful business venture.

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Jobs for MBA Graduates

Name an aspect of business — there’s a job for MBA graduates. Here are just a few:

Analysis

Business analysts exist for just about every area of business:

Analysts take reams of data and process it to produce insights and information that can guide business decisions.

Business Operations

Whether working as an operations manager or an operations research analyst, business operations personnel focus on improving and maintaining company efficiency.

Analysts use business operations data to identify areas needing improvement. This could include finding ways to reduce costs via changes in tech systems or identifying weaknesses in the production line. Systems thinking and a knack for analysis and problem solving are necessities in this field.

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), Operations Research Analysts earn a median of $82,360 per year. Job prospects are expected to grow by 25 percent through 2030, much faster than average. The median wage for general and operations managers is $97,970.

Consulting

A lot of businesses and organizations hire outside consultants to help them address challenges on the inside. These consultants generally have a broad understanding of business concepts (and industries), as well as skills in creative problem solving. They often focus on helping companies improve efficiency and/or profitability. Consultants need to quickly understand how different businesses work, and apply analytical thinking to develop solutions for the company’s challenges.

Finance

Finance jobs range from business finance and investing to private equity. Finance professionals may work within companies focused on internal finance or for investment firms focused more on external transactions. Some also work one-on-one with individuals as wealth managers or financial advisors. Here are a few finance jobs, along with their BLS data:

Human Resources

At a time when businesses are having a hard time hiring and retaining staff, HR professionals are in high demand. Human resources managers handle everything that relates to a company’s staff. This includes managing payroll and benefits, investigating and handling incidents of discrimination and sexual harassment, and overseeing recruitment and hiring processes. BLS reports human resources managers’ median wage to be $126,230. The field is projected to grow by 9 percent by 2030, with nearly 15,000 job openings each year.

Marketing

Marketing directors, strategists, and analysts guide the work of content marketers, copywriters, and designers. They ensure that various campaigns target the right audiences and address customer needs. They may also influence the development of new products based on insights from past campaigns. Marketing personnel make sure that company products and services reach customers — and that marketing efforts are fruitful and effective.

According to BLS, marketing managers have a median salary of $135,030. Jobs are expected to increase 10 percent through 2030, with about 31,100 openings each year.

Specialize Your Degree to Match Your Career Goals

At Regis, you can tailor your MBA to your aspirations. Whether you want to go into marketing, human resources, finance, or business analytics, we have a specialization that will help you gain the knowledge and practical skills to enter or advance in that area.

You can choose from these specializations:

Every specialization comes with specific class requirements. You’ll be immersed in the subject matter and get real-world opportunities to apply what you learn in business contexts — putting theory into action.

Ready to take your business career to the next level? Learn about Regis University’s professional MBA program.