We’ve talked a lot about the six figure starting salaries most MBAs from top schools receive. What we haven’t talked about much are the dozens of other benefits these hard-working graduates will enjoy. There’s demand, stability, higher employment rates, and status, of course. But when it comes to compensation, the buck doesn’t stop at a six-figure salary. Top employer’s often offer other forms of compensation such as tuition reimbursement, relocation offsets, performance bonuses, stock options, and of course, excellent health and retirement benefits. A large signing bonus usually seals the deal.
Though there is no guarantee that every MBA will snag a signing bonus and a stellar benefits package, if you received your degree from any of the elite business schools listed below, you can count on it.
1. University of Virginia, Darden School of Business, Charlottesville, Virginia
UVA Darden MBA graduates report an average signing bonus of $31,966 and a base salary of $124,684. Combined with "other" compensation, the average total compensation for Darden MBA graduates is $176,461.
2. University of Washington, Foster School of Business, Seattle, Washington
UW Foster MBA graduates report an average signing bonus of $31,570 and an average base salary of $119,904. Combined with "other" compensation, the average total compensation for Foster MBA graduates is $177,936.
3. University of Michigan Ross School of Business, Ann Arbor, Michigan
Graduates of the MBA program at Michigan Ross report an average signing bonus of $30,866 and an average base salary of $124,702. Combined with "other" compensation, the average total compensation for Ross MBA graduates is $177,175.
4. Carnegie Mellon University, Tepper School of Business, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
Graduates of the MBA program at CMU Tepper report an average signing bonus of $30,101 and an average base salary of $119,402. Combined with "other" compensation, the average total compensation for Tepper MBA graduates is $175,191.
5. UCLA, Anderson School of Management, Los Angeles, California
Graduates of the MBA program at UCLA Anderson report an average signing bonus of $29,073 and an average base salary of $119,964. Combined with "other" compensation, the average total compensation for Anderson MBA graduates is $162,019.
6. University of Southern California, Marshall School of Business, Los Angeles, California
USC Marshall School of Business MBA graduates report an average signing bonus of $28,406 and an average base salary of $118,110. Combined with "other" compensation, the average total compensation for Marshall MBA graduates is $172,627.
7. *University of Texas-Austin, McCombs School of Business, Austin, Texas
Graduates of the MBA program at UT-Austin McCombs report an average signing bonus of $28,280 and an average base salary of $117,185. Combined with "other" compensation, the average total compensation for McCombs MBA graduates is $161,600
8. Emory University, Goizueta Business School, Atlanta, Georgia
Emory University Goizueta MBA graduates report an average signing bonus of $27,534 and an average base salary of $119,665. Combined with "other" compensation, the average total compensation for Goizueta MBA graduates is $164,223.
9. Rice University, Jones Graduate School of Business, Houston, Texas
Rice University Jones MBA graduates report an average signing bonus of $27,254 and an average base salary of $113,349. Combined with "other" compensation, the average total compensation for Jones MBA graduates is $151,275.
10. University of North Carolina, Kenan-Flagler Business School, Chapel Hill, North Carolina
Graduates of the MBA program at UNC Kenan-Flagler report an average signing bonus of $23,706 and an average base salary of $111,082. Combined with "other" compensation, the average total compensation for Kenan-Flagler MBA graduates is $154,569.
*Note: University of Texas-Austin is part of the UT system, which consists of 14 institutions. A number of schools in the system offer online MBA programs.
Sources
"Academic Institutions." The University of Texas System. The University of Texas System, 2018. Web. 22 Aug. 2018.
Ethier, Marc. "A TOTAL Look At MBA Pay At Leading Schools." Poets & Quants. Poets & Quants, Inc., 05 Apr. 2018. Web. 22 Aug. 2018.
Morrell, Alex and Tanza Loudenback. "The 15 business schools where MBAs earn the highest salaries after graduation." Business Insider. Insider Inc., 17 Mar. 2017. Web. 22 Aug. 2018.
