Exploring MBA Careers and Salary Potential
Build your future with an MBA that pays off before you graduate
Wondering what MBA career path you may follow?
CSUMB’s Online MBA graduates prove that the right business program can accelerate career growth and expand your opportunities—as well as your earning potential—in a diverse selection of professional fields.
Our graduates are CEOs, Vice Presidents, business owners, operations and department directors, business analysts, senior consultants, marketing managers and more.1 We have helped them build momentum toward achieving their goals while also transforming the way they think about business.
So where will your MBA take you?
Follow CSUMB through a unique and experiential learning journey into integrative and responsible business, and find a competitive edge for the strategic development and specialist roles that can empower you to change the world.
MBA Salary Trends
An MBA is a significant commitment, but it's a commitment to a better and more secure future. So if you're ready to do the work and exceed your potential, consider the payoff of an MBA salary:
This median salary of $115,000 is 77% more than those with a bachelor’s degree ($65,000) and 53% higher as compared to those hired directly from industry ($75,000) in 2021. Additionally, this salary premium could help an MBA graduate earn $3 million more than someone with only a bachelor’s degree. The long-term career rewards are also impressive for MBA graduates: according to the Financial Times, MBA graduates saw their salaries increase by 29% on average in the three years after graduation, to $161,406 in total.3
Hiring Trends for MBA Graduates
- 97% of Fortune 100
- 96% of tech companies
- 96% of products/services companies
- 98% of healthcare/pharma companies
- 95% of consulting companies
- 92% of start-up companies
- 75% of companies planned to place MBA hires into mid-level positions
Meet Your Network
Study alongside students from a wide variety of industries with educational backgrounds ranging from business administration to aviation management, and from marriage therapy to molecular biology. You’ll find common ground in your desire to change for the better, whether that means advancing in your current career or starting your own business.
About Our Students
Companies Where Our Students Work
Network with a tight-knit cohort of classmates who are employed by leading Fortune 500 companies and iconic corporations that include:
- Apple
- Tesla
- PayPal
- Medtronic
- Amazon
- Johnson & Johnson
- Kaiser
Reported Employment Industry*
*Percentages drawn from California student body, not total student body.
1 in 2 CSUMB alumni who are employed report receiving a promotion, or higher level position at a new employer, within one to three years of graduation4
97% of prospective students pursue the Online MBA for career advancement4
CSUMB alumni earn, on average, a 23% salary increase either during or upon completion of the program.4
I wanted to be able to command a higher salary, which is what an MBA would help with. I chose the Online MBA program at CSUMB because of the Responsible Business component and how it aligned with the work I wanted to go into.
Ready to Earn Your MBA? Take the Next Step
Read More in the CSUMB MBA Blog
Featured Blog: Why Get An MBA? Top 10 Reasons
Spend some time exploring our infographic that shares the top ten reasons to earn an MBA.
Featured Blog: How Much Does an MBA Cost? The Return on Your MBA Investment
Learn some tips and tricks on how to save while pursuing an online MBA and the potential ROI.
Interested in a CSUMB Online MBA?
- Based on self-reported data collected from CSUMB Online MBA students in spring 2016 through spring 2018 cohorts
- Retrieved on June 1, 2022, from gmac.com/-/media/files/gmac/research/employment-outlook/2021_crs-demand-of-gm-talent.pdf
- Retrieved on June 1, 2022, from ft.com/content/0137c5e7-a04f-4c10-90e6-5e0a3c808d63
- Based on self-reported data collected from CSUMB Online MBA students from 2019-2022