The Highest-Paying MBA Programs & Concentrations

One of the top reasons professionals pursue an MBA is to boost their career options and earn significantly more. According to the 2024 GMAC Corporate Recruiters Survey, the median starting salary for graduates of full‑time MBA programs is $120,000, which is roughly 1.75× higher than what bachelor’s degree holders make. That salary jumps to about $125,000, as projected for 2025.

In contrast, typical new bachelor's graduates earn around $69,000. However, starting compensation for MBA graduates varies widely based on school ranking, industry, specialization, and location:

U.S. News reports an average combined starting salary and signing bonus of $121,300 for the class of 2024.

Graduates from top-tier programs—Stanford, Wharton, Booth, Tuck, HBS, MIT Sloan, etc.—typically report total compensation above $200,000, with average first-year packages ranging from $205K to $231K.

By industry, median starting salaries look like this:

• Consulting: ~$147K
• Financial services: ~$139K
• Technology: ~$128K
• Healthcare/biotech/pharma: ~$130–155K
• Retail/consumer goods: ~$115–128K

The Highest-Paying MBA Programs: Average Starting Salaries & Signing Bonuses

It’s no surprise that MBA graduates from the top business schools report the highest base salaries and signing bonuses. In addition to the strong academic offerings and connections that students gain from the top MBA programs, the prestige of these schools is often enough to get them a foot in the door for competitive and high-paying jobs.

Below are the fifteen business schools with the highest average salaries, as well as their average signing bonuses and percentage of graduates employed three months after graduation.

*Annual salary, does not include other compensation such as performance bonuses, loan repayment, or stock options

**Median value, average not stated

***Usually, this figure does not account for graduates who have started their own enterprises as they are not “employed” upon graduating.

Average Starting Salaries by Industry

While all MBA programs prepare their graduates to excel in business administration and leadership roles, certain sectors of the business world offer higher salaries and signing bonuses. These sectors tend to be the most competitive, so it’s important to gain a deep understanding of each field beyond the general MBA curriculum through internships, student organizations, courses, and specializations, also known as majors, areas of interest, and concentrations while you are still a student.

In the table below, we break down the average base salaries and sign-on bonuses of each industry among graduates of the fifteen schools listed above, the average percent of graduates from those schools going into each industry, and related MBA specializations and concentrations. Some MBA programs reported median values or did not share the average signing bonus of each class.

Unsurprisingly, consulting and finance (which includes investment banking, investment management, venture capital, private equity, and more) are the highest-paying and most popular sectors for MBA grads, so most business schools offer pathways to explore and gain experience in these sectors before graduation, such as electives, job and internship fairs, and specializations.

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Average Starting Salaries by Function

In the table below, we break down the average starting salaries and sign-on bonuses of each function among graduates of the fifteen schools listed above, the average percent of graduates from those schools going into each function, and related MBA specializations and concentrations.

Some industries have only one corresponding function (such as consulting), while others do not match up. For example, if you are a marketer for a software company, your industry is technology, while your function is marketing.

Choosing an MBA Specialization

When deciding on an MBA concentration, you should consider both the industry and function of your future career. While a general MBA degree will still prepare you for the business management responsibilities associated with most higher-level roles, adding on a more specialized MBA concentration (also known as an area of focus/interest, specialization, or major depending on the business school) can give you more in-depth knowledge and expertise, making you a stronger candidate with a better chance of landing offers with high salaries.

However, even if you haven’t decided on a specific career path yet, MBA concentrations can still improve your job prospects, as they can equip you with skills transferable to multiple industries and functions. In the ever-changing business world, top companies are looking for MBA graduates who can adapt to new circumstances using both soft and hard skills. According to the 2023 GMAC Corporate Recruiters Survey, employers believe “communication, data analysis, and strategy skills are important now and will grow to be even more important in the future,” so MBA concentrations and specializations that build on these skills, such as business analytics or data modeling, can improve your job prospects regardless of the field you enter.

MBA Programs without Concentrations

If your MBA program does not offer concentrations, you can still gain industry-specific expertise through internships, dual-degree programs, student organizations, and other professional and academic experiences. Many prestigious MBA programs, including the programs at Stanford Graduate School of Business and Berkeley Haas, instead encourage their MBA students to individualize their business educations and learn about specific MBA functions and industries through electives, which have the added bonus of allowing you to explore multiple areas of business compared to MBA concentrations, of which students usually can only select one or two.

Key Takeaways

• When deciding to enroll in an MBA program, you should consider the return on your investment: how much can you expect to earn after graduation compared to the costs of attendance?
• The average MBA salary for a new business school graduate is more than twice as much as the average college graduate’s starting salary. However, certain programs boast an even higher starting base salary.
• MBA grads of the top business schools unsurprisingly have the highest average base salary of $160,000 or greater.
• The highest-paying MBA program is Stanford GSB, with an average base salary of $189,010, followed by Chicago Booth at $180,000. Six schools tie for third at $175,000: Harvard Business School, University of Pennsylvania Wharton, Columbia Business School, Yale SOM, Dartmouth Tuck, and Duke Fuqua.
• The highest-paying MBA industries are finance, consulting, healthcare, and marketing/sales, with MBA grads from the top schools reporting an average base salary ranging from $143,000 to $185,000.
• The highest-paying MBA functions are finance, consulting, general management, and marketing/sales, with average salaries spanning from $146,000 to $184,000 for new MBA grads from the top business schools.
• Many business schools offer industry and function-specific concentrations, such as corporate finance or strategic consulting, as well as more versatile concentrations, such as business analytics or entrepreneurship, that can improve your career prospects and earning potential no matter the type of role you enter.
• If you’re attending a business school without concentrations, you can still gain industry- and function-specific expertise through electives, dual degree programs, internships, and student organizations.

Work with an experienced MBA admissions coach to build a high-ROI school list, craft a compelling career narrative, and target the industries and roles with the strongest post-grad earning potential. Explore top MBA coaches here.

See: The 10 Best MBA Admissions Consultants

For more information about MBA salaries and careers, check out these resources:

• How to Answer "Why This Firm? and "Why Investment Banking?" in Interviews
• A Guide to the Different Roles in Private Equity
• 3 Things You Need to Know About the New GMAT Focus Edition
• What Are MBA Adcoms Looking for in Resumes
• Is an MBA Worth It? Pros, Cons, and How to Decide

FAQs

How much do MBA grads actually make right after school?

• Most MBA grads earn around $120K starting salary, but grads from top programs often start between $160K and $190K, especially in consulting and finance.

What’s the highest-paying MBA program right now?

• Stanford GSB leads with an average base salary of $189,010, followed closely by Chicago Booth and several others at $175K–$180K.

Which industries pay MBA grads the most?

• Finance, consulting, and healthcare are usually the highest-paying, with salaries ranging from $143K to $185K depending on the role and school.

Is an MBA still worth it in 2025?

• Yes, for most grads, especially from top 20 programs, the salary boost and long-term career ROI outweigh the cost of tuition and lost income.

What’s the difference in salary between an MBA and a bachelor’s degree?

• MBA grads make about 2x more than new bachelor’s grads—roughly $120K vs. $60K on average.