The MBA Job Market: Up Yet Again!

The MBA job market just keeps getting better—so much better that increases in on-campus recruiting and full-time job postings are growing at a higher rate at schools ranked outside The Top 20. That’s largely because the Top 20 schools can’t produce enough MBA graduates to satisfy demand.

That’s the unmistakable conclusion to be drawn from the latest research published today (July 14) by the MBA Career Services & Employer Alliance (formerly MBA Career Services Council). The results come from a survey completed by 92 business schools from June 4 through July 6th of this year. Three of every four of the schools that responded to the survey are based in North America.

Overall, some 70% of respondents reported an increase in on-campus recruiting for full-time jobs, while 60% reported an increase in full-time job postings. In the spring 2014 survey, the figures were 55% and 70%, respectively. Schools also are optimistic about internship hiring, with 60% of respondents seeing an increase in on-campus recruiting for internships and 70% seeing an increase in job postings.

“We are pleased to see that MBA hiring continues to strengthen, and that companies are increasing their on-campus presence,” says Damian Zikakis, president of MBA CSEA, in a statement. “More than two thirds of the 92 survey respondents reported an increase in on-campus recruiting. And a majority of programs reported an increase in job postings, as well.”

LOWER-RANKED SCHOOLS REPORTING LARGER INCREASES IN MBA RECRUITING

More tellingly, 46% of Top 20 MBA programs reported increases in on-campus recruiting, compared to 63% of schools ranked 21st through 50th and 64% of schools ranked 51st through 100. For unranked schools, the increase was even larger, though slightly: 66% (see below table). These figures bode well for forthcoming employment reports which are likely to show higher job placement numbers at graduation and three months later for schools that are not among the Top 20.

Source: The MBA Career Services & Employer Alliance, Spring 2015 Recruiting Trends Survey

The same trend held true in full-time MBA job postings on campus. Some 56% of the top 20 schools said postings were up, compared to 65% for schools ranked 21st through 50th, 80% for schools ranked 51st to 100, and 84% for schools that are unranked (see below table).

“The Top 20 schools saw growth earlier in the recovery and now it’s moving further down,” says Zikakis, also director of career services at the University of Michigan’s Ross School of Business. “The Top 2 are at their capacity and there is a lot more capacity for growth in the next 30 or more schools.”

Source: The MBA Career Services & Employer Alliance, Spring 2015 Recruiting Trends Survey