How valuable is an MBA degree? How much money you will earn immediately after MBA degree? A Master of Business Administration (MBA) degree can open up several career advancement opportunities in addition to providing desired salary increases. For many, it’s safe to say that the motivation for pursuing a postgraduate education boils down to the potential of increasing one’s annual income. Aspirants need to figure out which countries offer MBA graduates the best post MBA salary levels.
For many such queries, we can check a report on MBA salaries and graduate recruitment around the world, recently released by QS TopMBA Jobs & Salary Trends Report 2016/17.
The annual QS Employer Survey is based on national averages among the 4,093 companies in 102 countries. Here are the top 10 Countries in which surveyed employers reported the highest starting MBA salaries. This list is not a definitive guide, but rather an indication of the health of MBA salaries around the world.
Do take note, however, that this list is not a definitive guide, but rather an indication of the health of MBA salaries around the world.
Top 10 Countries Based on Average MBA salary
Source: QS TopMBA Jobs & Salary Trends Report 2016/17
It’s also worth bearing in mind that these figures do not encompass the bonus that many graduates can also look forward to receiving.
Australia, offering an average MBA salary of US$108,250 leads this year as No. 1 and sits well ahead of the world’s three most popular MBA study destinations (According to Ready4, Bloomberg Businessweek, QS MBA Rankings 2016) – the US, UK and Canada. Ireland also makes a strong showing in fourth place, offering average MBA salaries almost congruent with those on offer in Canada.
Countries steadily in the List
This year’s report provides the strength of most established markets for MBA jobs, with the US and Canada making a top 10 showing again this year (at second and third place, respectively). In Canada, average base MBA salaries come in at just over US$92,000, with those in the US surpassing the US$100,000 threshold. These two countries along with the UK, Ireland, Australia and Singapore have all made this top 10 two years in a row.
Some Surprises Among the Top Countries for MBA Salaries
On offered MBA salaries in France and Italy are still high enough to make this years’ top 10, although Employers in Western Europe have reported an overall drop in reported salaries year-on-year.
Malaysia make an entry to the top 10 this year – 8th place at US$82,267 and ensures that Singapore is no longer the only representative for Asia-Pacific in this top 10. Outside the top 10, MBA salaries reported for India and China are almost even, behind the levels on offer in Japan, but ahead of those reported by employers in Hong Kong.
READ Too: Student Loan Options To Fund MBA In US
Brazil gives Latin America a spot on the top 10 list this year, with surveyed employers there offering comparatively high returns for graduates given its relatively low cost of living compared to some of the other members of this top 10. This year’s report found that MBA salaries are on the rise in the world’s younger regional markets for MBA jobs – with the biggest boost seen in Latin America, which saw a year-on-year average MBA salary increase of 35% after a deep dip last year.
The financial Return on Investment (ROI) of an MBA plays a large role in prospective students’ consideration of pursuing the degree. As such, post-MBA salaries can often be the key determinant of where to study as well as where to launch their post-MBA career and this is why QS strives to provide a valuable benchmark for the MBA job market through its annual reports into MBA jobs and salary trends.
