The once-guaranteed prestige of earning an MBA from elite institutions like Harvard, Stanford, or Wharton is no longer a surefire ticket to high-paying jobs. With an increasingly volatile job market, even the most coveted degrees are facing challenges. Reports suggest that many recent graduates from these top-tier programs are struggling to secure employment, painting a stark picture of the current economic landscape. Declining job placement rates among top MBAs According to a Wall Street Journal report, 23 per cent of Harvard Business School (HBS) MBA graduates from 2024 were still job hunting three months after graduation. This is a sharp increase from 20 per cent in 2023 and 10 per cent in 2022. Harvard’s Kristen Fitzpatrick, who oversees career development, told WSJ, “We’re not immune to the difficulties of the job market. Going to Harvard is not going to be a differentiator. You have to have the skills.” This trend extends beyond Harvard, with other elite institutions like Stanford, Wharton, and NYU Stern also witnessing some of the weakest job placement figures in years. For instance, Northwestern University’s Kellogg School of Management reported that 13 per cent of its 2024 MBA graduates were unemployed three months post-graduation, a significant increase from previous years. What’s behind the job market slowdown The tightening job market can be attributed to several factors. Post-pandemic, companies have aggressively pursued efficiency, rethinking organisational structures, and highlighting leaner teams. This has created a preference for candidates with specialised technical skills over generalist MBA graduates. Additionally, sectors traditionally dominated by MBAs, such as tech and consulting, have significantly reduced hiring. Companies like Amazon, Microsoft, and Google have scaled back recruitment, while consulting giants such as McKinsey have slashed their MBA hires. McKinsey, for example, hired only 33 MBAs from the University of Chicago’s Booth School in 2024, down from 71 the year prior. “Companies tell us, ‘We’re not coming to campus anymore,’” Jenny Zenner, a senior director at UVA Darden’s career center, told WSJ. The rise of artificial intelligence and automation has further complicated the landscape, leading to layoffs and job eliminations across industries. Employers are increasingly valuing alternative education pathways, such as coding bootcamps and specialised certifications, which often align better with modern workforce demands. The struggles of graduates The challenging job market has left many MBA graduates frustrated. For instance, Ronil Diyora, a University of Virginia Darden School graduate, shared that he applied for over 1,000 jobs while attending networking events in San Francisco. “Ask me in two years,” he told WSJ when questioned about whether his MBA was worth the investment. Others, like Yvette Anguiano, faced delays in starting their careers. Anguiano, who secured a consulting role at EY-Parthenon, had her start date pushed to mid-2025. “I was pretty devastated,” she told WSJ, as she struggled to manage mounting student loans while seeking temporary work. How institutions are responding To address these challenges, some business schools are introducing innovative solutions. Harvard, for example, is testing an artificial intelligence (AI) tool that matches job seekers with potential roles and recommends courses to bridge skill gaps. This AI-driven approach aims to help students adapt to the evolving demands of the job market. Despite the hurdles, MBA graduates still command high earning potential. Median starting salaries often exceed $175,000, and some schools, like Columbia Business School, have reported improved employment rates by fall 2024 compared to previous years. Graduates are increasingly lowering their expectations and exploring non-traditional career paths. As one unnamed HBS student told Forbes, “Most of my friends who tempered their expectations were able to land great positions. HBS students tend to come from wealthier families and backgrounds that can stomach a few months of unemployment.” For aspiring leaders, the message is clear: success in today’s job market requires a blend of technical skills, emotional intelligence, and resilience. As companies prioritise lean operations and specialised expertise, the traditional MBA journey must evolve to align with these new realities.
huaren2018 发表于 2025-01-18 08:52 MBA 一度是心怀大志的老留们转换赛道的一条重要途径， 比如从工程 stem 转金融，business，或管理， 现在发现此路也可能不通或曲折颠簸，不是家中有米的不如继续当个工程师马工螺丝钉混着。 最 top 的 MBA 难找工作，那些次知名或不知名的 MBA program 去读前更要三思了
With an increasingly volatile job market, even the most coveted degrees are facing challenges.
Reports suggest that many recent graduates from these top-tier programs are struggling to secure employment, painting a stark picture of the current economic landscape.
Declining job placement rates among top MBAs
According to a Wall Street Journal report, 23 per cent of Harvard Business School (HBS) MBA graduates from 2024 were still job hunting three months after graduation. This is a sharp increase from 20 per cent in 2023 and 10 per cent in 2022.
Harvard’s Kristen Fitzpatrick, who oversees career development, told WSJ, “We’re not immune to the difficulties of the job market. Going to Harvard is not going to be a differentiator. You have to have the skills.”
This trend extends beyond Harvard, with other elite institutions like Stanford, Wharton, and NYU Stern also witnessing some of the weakest job placement figures in years.
For instance, Northwestern University’s Kellogg School of Management reported that 13 per cent of its 2024 MBA graduates were unemployed three months post-graduation, a significant increase from previous years.
What’s behind the job market slowdown
The tightening job market can be attributed to several factors. Post-pandemic, companies have aggressively pursued efficiency, rethinking organisational structures, and highlighting leaner teams. This has created a preference for candidates with specialised technical skills over generalist MBA graduates.
Additionally, sectors traditionally dominated by MBAs, such as tech and consulting, have significantly reduced hiring. Companies like Amazon, Microsoft, and Google have scaled back recruitment, while consulting giants such as McKinsey have slashed their MBA hires.
McKinsey, for example, hired only 33 MBAs from the University of Chicago’s Booth School in 2024, down from 71 the year prior. “Companies tell us, ‘We’re not coming to campus anymore,’” Jenny Zenner, a senior director at UVA Darden’s career center, told WSJ.
The rise of artificial intelligence and automation has further complicated the landscape, leading to layoffs and job eliminations across industries. Employers are increasingly valuing alternative education pathways, such as coding bootcamps and specialised certifications, which often align better with modern workforce demands.
The struggles of graduates
The challenging job market has left many MBA graduates frustrated. For instance, Ronil Diyora, a University of Virginia Darden School graduate, shared that he applied for over 1,000 jobs while attending networking events in San Francisco. “Ask me in two years,” he told WSJ when questioned about whether his MBA was worth the investment.
Others, like Yvette Anguiano, faced delays in starting their careers. Anguiano, who secured a consulting role at EY-Parthenon, had her start date pushed to mid-2025. “I was pretty devastated,” she told WSJ, as she struggled to manage mounting student loans while seeking temporary work.
How institutions are responding
To address these challenges, some business schools are introducing innovative solutions. Harvard, for example, is testing an artificial intelligence (AI) tool that matches job seekers with potential roles and recommends courses to bridge skill gaps. This AI-driven approach aims to help students adapt to the evolving demands of the job market.
Despite the hurdles, MBA graduates still command high earning potential. Median starting salaries often exceed $175,000, and some schools, like Columbia Business School, have reported improved employment rates by fall 2024 compared to previous years.
Graduates are increasingly lowering their expectations and exploring non-traditional career paths. As one unnamed HBS student told Forbes, “Most of my friends who tempered their expectations were able to land great positions. HBS students tend to come from wealthier families and backgrounds that can stomach a few months of unemployment.”
For aspiring leaders, the message is clear: success in today’s job market requires a blend of technical skills, emotional intelligence, and resilience. As companies prioritise lean operations and specialised expertise, the traditional MBA journey must evolve to align with these new realities.
怎么可能只有 MBA 呢，至少有个本科学位以后才能读 MBA，有的还需要工作几年以后才能申请的
就是本科以上学历只有mba啊……
最 top 的 MBA 难找工作，那些次知名或不知名的 MBA program 去读前更要三思了
记得刚来美国的时候此路回报丰厚，有人辞职贷款去读，因为出来不愁找不到高薪工作。 认识一位工程博士在UCB读了MBA成功转到华尔街银行了，但他干的也不是很高薪那种工作后面也不是很稳定， 坚持以前的工程职业估计到后面也不比去华尔街差。
金融一直都很难找。十几年前铺天盖地的金融硕士留在美国的挺少的
唉没办法，马克思说的机器排挤人类， 以前的金饭碗逐渐也变成了泥饭碗； 不过不管哪行要能是 TOP 也能混的滋润
哈佛，Wharton，Stern 等本科（不确定哪家有金融本科，有的是经济专业）进投行 IBD 当牛做马混几年能生存下来的前景还不错吧
学校日子也不好过，几大创收项目（基本都是某某硕士）已变凉或在变凉：MBA，水硕项目，以前还有个金融工程（FE）很热门好像热度早已过了
还有不少州大前10来年靠乌央的中国小刘本科生交学费赚钱，现在小留来的越来越少这可咋办
Ai竞争的大趋势就是学校会越来越没有竞争力，除非一律Ai教学，减少大量的无效教学，减少学费，因为现在Ai教学不受限制于课堂中
修车，电工，水暖工，厨师等职业还可以生存一段时间，等机器人上岗了也是麻烦。
的确是不需要 全日制的去学。
早期高科技公司没起来的时候，金融属于赚钱多的行业，读MBA回报还算不错。现在高科技起来了，金融没很大的优势，相反wlb比高科技公司差。MBA学费只会越来越贵，现在来看性价比就很低了