18 Top Jobs after an MBA Program

After completing a Master of Business Administration (MBA) program, you can pursue a wide array of impactful and high-paying roles across various industries. The most familiar career paths as an MBA graduate are management consulting, marketing management, investment banking, and product management. Apart from that, you can also avail of opportunities in prestigious domains such as human resources (HR) and operations management. In fact, an MBA also provides you with all the tools that you need to be a successful business owner as well. At the same time, it prepares you for leadership roles such as chief executive officer (CEO), chief operations officer (COO), and chief financial officer (CFO). 

Business intelligence and data analytics are two of the various domains that you can access and explore as a career as an MBA graduate. Apart from that, studying in an MBA program can open doors for you to global opportunities in different domains such as global marketing, supply chain management, and international business development. 

This article will discuss the leading careers after an MBA and highlight the industries that hire these professionals the most. 

You Might Also Like: Top 10 questions for MBA job interviews

Why Pursue an MBA?

Pursuing an MBA provides you with various advantages, such as career advancement opportunities after MBA, developing necessary management and leadership skills, and enhanced earning potential. These programs also provide you with valuable networking opportunities and can speed up your personal growth. Apart from that, an MBA can open doors to global experiences and entrepreneurship. 

• Career growth and advancement: An MBA can change your career for the better by equipping you with management and leadership skills. There is a high demand across industries for MBA graduates. This is why having an MBA can make you a more marketable proposition and also assist you in growing your career in the direction you want.

• Enhanced earning potential: Having an MBA degree can help you earn more and offer you other long-term financial benefits as well.

• Networking and personal development: An MBA can boost your confidence to unprecedented levels and offer you networking opportunities that provide you with much-needed global exposure. 

• Additional benefits: These programs also offer you entrepreneurial skills and help you become experts by letting you specialize in a subject of your choice. Having an MBA enables you to build an attractive brand for yourself as well.

An Interesting Read: How will Artificial Intelligence change MBA jobs?

18 Top Jobs after an MBA Program

Job opportunities after an MBA are mostly prominent leadership roles throughout industries. These programs make you experts in key areas such as strategy, marketing, finance, and operations, and thus position you ideally for careers where you can make a significant impact on the industry. 

1. Chief Marketing Officer (CMO) – CMOs helm critical areas such as brand vision, customer engagement, and marketing strategies.   

Salary – INR 58.4 lakhs

2. CFO – CFOs monitor the financial planning, investor relations, and risk management of the organizations that employ them. 

Salary – INR 57.6 lakhs

3. Data Analytics Manager – Data analytics managers are playing a more critical role in businesses nowadays as they interpret complex data and help inform strategies for data-driven organizations.  

Salary – INR 28.5 lakhs

4. Corporate Strategy Manager – Corporate strategy managers set long-term goals for an organization by analyzing the latest trends in the industry.

Salary – INR 23 lakhs 

5. Technology Manager – Technology managers helm information technology (IT) projects, digital transformation, and innovation initiatives in their organizations. 

Salary – INR 22 lakhs

6. Management Consultant: Management consultants advise companies on areas such as strategy, problem-solving, and efficiency. As an MBA graduate, you can use your leadership and analytical skills to guide organizations to growth in this capacity. 

Salary – INR 20.4 lakhs

7. Product Manager – Product managers play a major role in the consumer and tech industries because they lead product strategy and development work. You can play an important role in this industry as an MBA graduate, as you can bridge the gap between business objectives and technical teams. 

Salary – INR 20 lakhs

8. Entrepreneur or Startup Founder – As an MBA, you might wish to become an entrepreneur and start your own business as well. 

Salary – INR 17.9 lakhs

9. Supply Chain Manager – Supply chain managers monitor areas such as logistics, inventory, and procurement. 

Salary – INR 15.1 lakhs

10. Marketing Manager – Marketing managers monitor campaigns, customer outreach, and brand positioning. When you have an MBA in marketing, it provides you with digital strategy and market research skills, which are so important in this field!   

Salary – INR 12 lakhs

11. HR Manager – HR managers shape company cultures, monitor employee relations, and recruit the best talent to work for their organization. 

Salary – INR 11.3 lakhs

12. Investment Banker: Investment banking is a high-paying role where your primary duty is to raise capital. Here, you also must offer financial advisory and mergers & acquisitions-related services. By specializing in MBA finance, you receive a strong base in the domain and also prosper in it.

Salary – INR 11 lakhs

13. International Business Manager – International business managers take care of cross-border operations, expansion strategies, and global partnerships.  

Salary – INR 11 lakhs

14. Operations Manager – Operations managers streamline business processes, production, and supply chains. When you have an MBA, it places you ideally to drive efficiency and make sure that the daily functions of your organization are running smoothly. 

Salary – INR 10 lakhs

15. Healthcare Administrator – The healthcare sector is growing, and as such, healthcare administrators play a rather important role in this regard by managing clinics, hospitals, and healthcare systems. 

Salary – INR 8 lakhs

16. Business Development Manager – As a business development manager, you will focus on areas such as partnerships, sales growth, and market expansion. Your MBA education will allow you to use your negotiation and networking skills to come up with fresh opportunities. 

Salary – INR 7.7 lakhs

17. Private Equity Analyst – Private equity analysts assess businesses in terms of investment opportunities. 

Salary – INR 7 lakhs 

18. Financial Analyst – Financial analysts evaluate the financial health of corporate entities and determine if they are good investment opportunities or not. With an MBA in finance, you can land the best roles in this regard in multinational corporations and investment firms.  

Salary – INR 6.5 lakhs

Also Read: Top 7 MBA job roles in the US

Industries That Actively Hire MBA Graduates

There are ample career options after MBA and that too across different industries! Following are the chief industries that actively hire MBA graduates in India:

• Management Consulting
• Finance and Banking
• Technology
• Pharmaceuticals and Healthcare
• Retail and Fast Moving Consumer Goods (FMCG)
• Startups and Electronic Commerce (E-Commerce)
• Manufacturing

These industries offer various prominent roles as well, such as management consultants, marketing managers, financial analysts, and operations managers.

• Management Consulting: The leading consulting firms in India, such as McKinsey, Accenture, and Deloitte, are the biggest recruiters and offer roles in key areas such as business analysis, transformation, and strategy.

• Finance and Banking: Financial institutions, including major banks such as Housing Development Finance Corporation (HDFC), Axis Bank, and Industrial Credit and Investment Corporation of India (ICICI), hire MBA graduates for investment banking, financial analysis, and retail banking roles. 

• Technology: Major IT companies such as Tata Consultancy Services (TCS), Wipro, and Infosys are active recruiters of MBA graduates in India. The same can also be said of e-commerce giants such as Flipkart and Amazon. They recruit primarily for roles in areas such as business development, marketing, and operations.  

Also Read : Government jobs for MBA graduates

Factors That Influence Your Job Options after an MBA

Are you wondering which job is the best after an MBA? In that case, you should know that your choice in this context will be influenced by various factors such as the following:

• Specialization
• Work Experience 
• Location
• Company Reputation
• Alum Network Strength 

For example, specializations such as finance and business analytics often lead to higher salaries. In much the same way, if you live in a metro area, you will earn more than someone who works in the same position but lives in a non-metro area. Along with this, the reputation of the company and the strength of the MBA program’s alumni network also play a major role in salary negotiations and job placement.

• MBA specialization: Specific MBA specializations, such as finance, consulting, and business analytics, are frequently related to improved job prospects and higher initial salaries. 

• Work experience: If you have previous work experience, especially in a relevant domain, it can improve your salary potential and job prospects significantly after your MBA.

• Industry: Certain industries, such as finance and technology, are reputed to offer higher salaries and provide more opportunities to MBA graduates. 

• Company reputation and size: Well-established firms and big multinational companies might offer more attractive opportunities for career progression and better compensation packages than smaller companies and startups. 

Check This Out: MBA after BBA: Benefits, specializations, jobs, salary and more

Conclusion

The MBA program from Manipal Academy of Higher Education (MAHE) offers you ample career advancement opportunities and career-oriented skills like problem-solving and finance. Also available on the Online Manipal platform, the program offers you a wide array of specializations such as healthcare management, marketing, and data science. The most significant benefits of the program are the following:

• Flexibility 
• Cost-Efficacy
• Scholarship Access 
• Networking Opportunities
• Placement Assistance

The flexibility of the program endears it significantly to working professionals who also get to network with alumni, along with their peers. 

You Might Also Like: What are the top highest-paying jobs with an MBA

FAQs

1. Which job is considered the best after an MBA?

The answer to this question is subjective as it depends on your career goals, skills, and interests. However, some of the most high-paying and popular options here are management consulting, product management, and investment banking.

2. Which MBA specialization leads to the highest-paying jobs?

When you specialize in finance, business analytics, technology, and consulting, you can land the highest-paying jobs after an MBA. This is because of the high demand for investment banking, data-backed, and strategy consulting roles. 

3. Is consulting still the most popular job option after an MBA?

Yes, consulting is still a highly popular career option among MBA graduates. So many MBA students work to become consultants because of the high salaries, opportunities for strong career growth, and variety of project experiences. 

4. Do MBA graduates need prior work experience to secure top roles?

Yes, when it comes to hiring for the top roles, recruiters always prefer MBA graduates who have relevant prior experience, and this is why it is so immensely beneficial for such students in these cases. 

5. Which industries hire the most MBA graduates?

Consulting, finance, and technology lead the pack when it comes to industries that hire the most MBA graduates – they are better than the others in terms of both recruitment opportunities and volume.

6. Can an MBA guarantee a leadership or executive role like CFO or CMO?

No, having an MBA does not automatically guarantee that you will get an executive or leadership role, such as CMO and CFO. This is because these roles also require substantial practical experience, strategic and high-level understanding of business, and better leadership attributes. 

7. Are tech and data analytics jobs becoming more attractive for MBAs?

Yes, data analytics and tech jobs are attracting more MBA graduates these days, thanks to the digital revolution that has led to a surge in demand for such professionals capable of analyzing and interpreting vast datasets.