MBA Jobs Report 2021: Strong Numbers From 5 More Top-25 B-Schools

USC Marshall

Employment offers were up, but salaries were mixed for the University of Southern California’s Marshall School of Business MBAs in 2021. Courtesy photo

AT USC MARSHALL, EMPLOYMENT BOUNCES BACK

In 2020, Poets&Quants reported that the University of Southern California’ Marshall School of Business had outpaced all other U.S. schools in applications to the full-time MBA program. Its 2020 jobs report also showed higher salaries than the previous year.  

This year, salaries and bonuses were basically flat (or slightly down) depending on which metric you consider. Average base salaries were down $1,868 while median base salaries were flat. In bonuses, average signing was up $8,000 while median signing was down $3,500. (Marshall is No. 18 in P&Q’s ranking.)

In 2019, the employment rate for Marshall MBA grads three months after graduation was 95.2% but fell to 91% in 2020 after the turbulence of the first pandemic year. It gained back most of that this year, rising 3.2 points to 94.2%.

For Mark Brostoff, assistant dean and director of graduate career services, the big takeaways from this year’s report are the sharp employment gains Marshall MBAs made in key industries.

MBA employment outcomes in several key industry sectors – including technology, financial services, media/entertainment and interactive gaming – experienced significant growth collectively from 46% in 2020 to 62% in 2021,” he tells P&Q.

The 5% increase this year with students accepting full-time finance opportunities across industry sectors – especially the increase in investment banking outcomes (10% in 2021 vs. 4% in 2020) – was most encouraging this year.  The consistency in internship outcomes across functions and industries from 2020 to 2021 provides a good example of the reliable talent pipeline Marshall provides to our employer partners.”

This year’s report also shows strong internship participation in tech, financial services, and media, entertainment and internet gaming, with average monthly salaries growing in all three sectors. Brostoff believes it speaks to the value of a Marshall MBA.

Our geographic proximity to so many diverse growth industries and our execution on providing in-person or remote connectivity to the Trojan network ensured our students post-graduation and internship opportunities during the uncertainty of COVID-19 and illustrates the strength and value of a Marshall MBA in today’s competitive marketplace,” he says.

You can see Marshall’s full 2021 MBA jobs report here. 

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