By Nathaniel Luce
Graduates from the full-time MBA program at Vanderbilt’s Owen Graduate School of Management reported average base salary earnings of $113,205 per year, marking a nearly 2.6 percent increase from the previous year, which until now had been the highest on record. The average starting/signing bonus was $25,232, which makes the Class of 2017 the highest compensated class in Owen history.
This year’s robust hiring was led by the technology sector (at 25 percent), followed by consulting (18 percent), financial services (18 percent), and healthcare (16 percent).
“We count ourselves as very fortunate to work with a fantastic group of recruiting partners across a variety of industries,” said Emily Anderson, Director of the Career Management Center.
At commencement in mid-May, 83 percent of the 2017 MBA graduates had received at least one job offer. That figure rose to 93 percent three months after graduation, a common measure used by business schools to compare hiring outcomes. In addition, 83 percent of the graduates with an offer received a median signing bonus of $25,000, also a record amount.
Geographically, 41 percent of this year’s MBA class took positions in the South – 16 percent took positions in the Nashville Metro area alone. The West region accounted for 20 percent of geographic placements, while the Northeast accounted for 15 percent. The Southwest, Midwest, and Mid-Atlantic regions accounted for 11 percent, 10 percent, and 3 percent of all positions taken, respectively.
One-hundred percent of Owen students seeking summer internships in the MBA class of 2019 received an offer and spent their summer in a variety of industries including health care (23%), financial services (16%), technology (16%), manufacturing (11%) and consulting (10%).
Anderson thanks Owen alumni for their role in the recruiting process. “Our alumni continue to provide invaluable help engaging with current students and providing mentorship and advice as well as connections and contacts for recruiting,” she said. “We cannot thank them enough for their continued help and support.”
A summary of this year’s MBA employment and internship report may be viewed here.
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