Here Are The Careers You Could Land After An MBA In California

If you’re currently researching the best MBA programs in California, how can you be sure whether you’re making the right decision when it comes to your future career?

Going beyond the business school website to find out the careers you could land might help you map out whether the MBA program is right for you.

There are several top MBA programs in California that may suit different students’ needs and career aspirations.

If you’re someone with an interest in life sciences and healthcare, then you may have already landed upon the San Diego MBA at Rady School of Management. Yet your career path doesn’t have to be tied to just this sector.

We break down the top careers you could land after the San Diego MBA.

1. Marketing MBA jobs

Marketing roles can vary from company to company and sector to sector.

If you’re someone with an interest in the analytical and operations side of marketing, you might consider joining a STEM- (science, technology, engineering, and math) designated MBA.

This is because STEM MBA programs provide courses that are designed to teach students how to blend their technical data-driven skills with their business and management expertise.

Kayla Winter is a University of California, San Diego MBA grad who has built a marketing career in operations in eCommerce at Walmart Connect.

Joining an MBA that would teach her about quantitative analysis and research methods was important to her, so the STEM MBA degree at Rady School of Management offered the perfect route.

In 2022, around 20% of San Diego MBA grads landed jobs in marketing or sales.

2. Biotech

San Diego is home to many healthcare and biotech companies, making it a great place to study for students looking to enter the life sciences field. 

San Diego MBA student Dylan Campbell joined the business school in California to benefit from Rady’s expertise in these areas.

He’s using his MBA to pivot from his former technical role in medical device manufacturing to working as a global segment marketing manager at Illumina, a biotech research company in San Diego.

The Rady MBA offers electives in topics such as Biotechnology Industry, Structure, and Strategy, so there’s plenty of opportunity to learn about biotech from a business perspective.

3. Entrepreneurship

California is renowned for its entrepreneurial culture—largely due to the tech behemoth of Silicon Valley in the north of the state. 

Yet even in Southern California in San Diego, business school students can benefit from this entrepreneurial climate.

In the San Diego MBA, students can get involved in entrepreneurship during the capstone course. This project teaches students how to identify gaps in the market and create a go-to-market strategy to capitalize on market needs. 

Tanmay Kothari is one San Diego MBA student who was attracted to the business school due to its links with entrepreneurship.

As an entrepreneur himself, he wants to upskill in technology subjects so that he can land a career in the US tech scene after graduating. 

Tanmay is an international student from India so he’s also looking to take advantage of the generous Optional Practical Training (OPT) visa, which enables STEM MBA grads to stay in the US for up to three years after graduation. 

The San Diego MBA is one of the best MBA programs in California for entrepreneurship, according to Bloomberg Businessweek.

The San Diego MBA is about more than just its great location in California. Pictured: Scripps Memorial Pier ©UCSD Rady

4. Aerospace engineering

Students with an interest in blending their engineering and business skills might look to joining a STEM MBA program such as the Rady San Diego MBA.

Engineering graduate Garrett Nelson chose to join the San Diego MBA for this very reason.

After studying courses in core business areas such as accounting, finance, and purchasing, Garrett used his blend of engineering and business knowledge to launch into a career at SpaceX.

He works as a sourcing specialist to oversee and purchase everything related to the manufacture of a spacecraft. 

Around 15% of Rady MBA grads from the class of 2022 found jobs in the manufacturing industry. 

5. MBA finance jobs

Access to high salaries, strong career progression, and stimulating work are just a few of the reasons why business school students eye top MBA finance jobs.

The San Diego MBA at Rady offers several courses in finance, including Financial Risk Management and New Venture Finance.

The courses are designed to teach students about finance operations across startups, SMEs, and large organizations.

Previous Rady San Diego MBA grads have landed careers in finance at companies such as Pacific Western Bank and Intuit.

From studying a STEM MBA, grads are likely to finish their degree ready to enter careers in finance across multiple industries—whether this is in financial services, technology, or healthcare.

Attending an MBA in California is a great choice for entrepreneurial and technically minded students with a passion for business. 

To ensure you’re making the right choice, consider going beyond what’s on a business school website by reaching out to faculty and alumni to hear their personal success stories.