2016 Alumni Perspectives Survey Report

Overview

Results of the 2016 Alumni Perspectives Survey Report showcase the educational, personal, and professional outcomes of more than 14,000 graduate business school alumni who realized quantifiable returns on the investment, which they report in terms of high employment rates, post-degree salary growth, career advancement and job satisfaction. Featured topics in the report:

• Return on investment, including criteria alumni use to assess their ROI, calculations for payback time to recoup their investment, and cumulative salary estimates at 3, 5 and 10 years after graduation;
• Alumni employment, salary, and jobs data;
• Essential workforce skills; and
• Value of a graduate management education.

The methodology for this survey differs from that used for alumni surveys prior to 2013, which were based on longitudinal samples from the GMAC Global Management Education Graduate Survey. This is the third consecutive year of GMAC’s direct partnership with business schools to broaden and deepen the reach of alumni representation in this valuable research study.

Quick Facts

• Graduate business school alumni earn a median of $2.5 million (USD) in cumulative base salary over 20 years after graduation.
• On average, alumni recoup their business school investment less than four years after graduation, depending on the type of program attended.
• 9 in 10 (92%) alumni were employed at the time of the survey; 46 percent work in mid-level jobs, 31 percent hold senior-level positions, 18 percent work at the executive level, and 3 percent work in the C-suite.
• 95 percent of alumni rate their degree as an outstanding or excellent value and the majority found their education to be rewarding personally (93%), professionally (89%), and financially (75%).