An MBA appears on the resume of C-suite executives in businesses across every industry. It’s a proven path to developing the business skills and knowledge professionals need to accelerate their careers and move up the organizational chart.
Attaining an MBA once presented a tough challenge for those already working a full-time job. A high-quality online MBA program eliminates that issue, giving graduate students the ability to schedule classwork around business personal, and professional schedules.
The online MBA from NMU’s Global Campus offers asynchronous courses that give students that flexibility. The program also includes synchronous classes that take professional schedules into account by meeting once a week in the evening. Most importantly for the career ambitions of students, the experienced NMU faculty and innovative program curriculum teach students the high-demand MBA skills they need to excel as modern business leaders.
MBA Salary Offers Strong Return on Investment
The financial return on investment for enrolling in an MBA program is impressive. Graduates nationwide earn an average MBA salary of $115,000, according to US News. Top executives, many of who have earned an MBA, earn an average annual salary nationwide of $193,159 including salary and signing bonus.
According to Fortune, MBA grads reliably earn a six-figure salary in these six industries: consulting, finance, tech, consumer packaged goods, entertainment/media/sports, healthcare. The top three industries that have the highest average starting salaries are: Consulting ($147,178), Financial Services ($138,834), and Technology ($128,442).
In 2022, the starting salary for MBA graduates was 53% higher than the $75,000 average for people who only have a bachelor’s degree. Many businesses also prefer to promote MBA graduates when looking to fill positions that require higher levels of responsibility and more input into developing business goals and strategies
MBA Skills Give Professionals a Competitive Edge
The MBA skills students learn while in a graduate business program not only set them apart from the competition for top jobs in their organization but also gives them transferable skills they can use in every type of business should they decide to change careers. MBA graduates also learn skills that are invaluable to those who want to take an entrepreneurial route and launch their own business.
An MBA program focuses on preparing graduates to excel in executive and managerial positions. The MBA skills they learn include the ability to quickly assess large amounts of information and make sound decisions, as well as how to motivate and inspire others as they lead them on complex business projects.
Quality MBA programs offer students a mix of fundamental business skills as well as soft skills in areas such as communication, decision-making, leadership, problem-solving, and time management.
Next-Level MBA Skills
Many businesses want executives who exhibit not only strong skills in the traditional areas of business leadership but also strong people skills and a deep understanding of technology. Investopedia wrote that these skills rank high on the list of what employers want from MBA graduates. Quoting from an FT survey of 48 employers around the world, Investopedia listed the top five of those skills.
- Ability to work with a wide variety of people
- Time management and ability to prioritize
- Understanding digital impact on businesses
- Ability to build, sustain and expand a network of people
- Ability to solve complex business problems
Businesses also search for MBA graduates who understand how to successfully use social media, as well as skills in data analysis. They also want leaders who can coach others, do accurate financial forecasting and develop strong brand storytelling skills.
The NMU Global Campus MBA
The NMU Global Campus MBA program combines the flexibility of online learning and an experienced faculty with a curriculum designed to prepare graduates for leadership in the modern business world. Students focus on a mix of accounting, marketing, human resources, financial analysis, and strategic management core courses
The online program also includes behavioral courses that focus on managerial communications, business law and ethics, and management information systems. The program also features quantitative courses in business statistics and quantitative decision-making.
The focus of the program is to teach graduate students a mix of business skills and soft skills, as well as give them the knowledge they need to make data-driven decisions that make a business more efficient and profitable.
For those asking if they should earn an MBA, the NMU Global Campus makes that decision much easier. The program combines the convenience of online learning with a high-quality faculty and a curriculum that prepares graduates with the skills today’s business leadership requires.
