MBA Salary in USA - A Brief Guide

Before delving deeper into the approximate MBA salary in USA, you should know that the degree has immense future potential for aspirants in the country. MBA aspirants get through leading business schools before obtaining managerial or administrative positions across several companies and industries. MBAs are gateways to leadership roles and usually have higher salaries as compared to non-managerial positions. 

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Factors Influencing MBA salary 

There are many factors that influence the average salary of MBA in USA. The MBA graduate salary in USA is influenced by the type (full time/executive MBA) and the field of specialization (HR, finance, information technology management, international business, etc). An MBA in finance salary in USA will naturally differ from an MBA in technology or any other field. 

If an aspirant has prior experience, then that also counts towards influencing the starting salary of MBA graduate in USA. At the same time, the geographical location and industry also influence the MBA monthly salary in USA. According to Coursera, consulting and financial services pay the highest salaries, followed by technology and health care. It also highlights how salaries are the highest at $95,694 in Washington on average, as compared to $89,875 in New York and $87,018 in New Hampshire, along with $85,331 in California, for instance. 

Highest Average Base salary in the USA

According to U.S. News and its Graduate Management Admission Council’s corporate recruiters survey in June 2021, the average salary of MBA in USA was $115,000 for 2021 recipients who accepted their employment offers. Some of the highest salaries include the following, according to U.S. News: 

U.S. News also reports how the overall average base salary along with bonus for graduates in 2021 was $105,684 amongst all 131 full-time MBA programs ranked by it. The lowest compensation for the top-ranked institutions was around $55,755 on average according to U.S. News. The report also notes how for some business schools, graduates get signing bonuses and base salaries which are either far higher or far lower than other ranked institutions. For instance, base salaries at the New York University’s Leonard N. Stern School of Business were $60-230,000 in 2021, while bonuses were $5,000-85,000. 

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Average MBA Salary in the USA by Industry 

According to U.S. News, here are the industry-wise salary figures: 

Conclusion 

Hence, as can be seen, the average base MBA salary in USA, at $115,000 in 2021, is quite decent from a global perspective. Glassdoor reports how the average base pay for MBAs stands at £29,327 per year in the UK and $68,387 per year in Canada. It is also at €71,407 and €78,725 per year in Germany and France, respectively. An MBA continues to be an immensely rewarding career in the USA with excellent future prospects across various industries.