MBA Career Paths: Exploring Diverse Roles Across Business Functions

The MBA is one of the most valued and versatile advanced degrees in the business world. According to Indeed, top-paying jobs for MBA graduates can be found in a broad range of industries and business functions, from accounting and investment banking to healthcare management and human resources.¹

Quality MBA programs focus on preparing their graduates for leadership roles by equipping them with a rigorous understanding of multiple core business functions, often complemented by real-world experience opportunities and industry or discipline-specific concentrations. The Online MBA from Seattle University's Albers School of Business and Economics features a curriculum focused on developing essential, high-demand soft skills (like effective negotiation) and cross-functional business knowledge to produce the well-rounded business leaders of the next generation.

This blog covers some of the more prominent and popular MBA career paths, as well as some emerging and non-traditional MBA pathways you can follow after your degree.

Factors That Influence MBA Career Paths After Graduation

There are a wide variety of factors and variables that influence career paths for MBA graduates. Some of these factors relate to the choices graduates make while studying. For example, a student may have a concentration in marketing or an internship with an investment bank. Individual networks can also have significant implications for post-MBA career paths, not least because personal recommendations and connections are powerful endorsements. Work experience gained prior to MBA study is also an influential factor.

In addition, geographic location and industry trends can also have a tremendous impact on available career paths for MBA graduates. For example, in the Seattle area, life sciences, healthcare, and tech are among the leading sectors.

Common MBA Career Paths by Business Function

Some of the more popular careers for MBA graduates are focused on business functions rather than industry. In this section, we'll look at MBA career paths and salaries for three of the most enduringly attractive functions for graduates: finance, marketing, and operations.

Finance and Investment Roles

MBA careers in finance include various managerial and leadership positions as well as roles like financial analyst or investment banker. While most MBA salary estimates put the median starting salary for MBA graduates in the U.S. at about $125,000 per year, finance roles tend to rank highly among top-paying MBA career paths. ZipRecruiter estimates average annual pay for those with an MBA in finance to be around $169,500 per year.²

Marketing and Brand Management

Marketing tends to attract MBA grads who like to exercise their creativity along with their business acumen. Roles like product manager, brand manager, and marketing strategist can be extremely rewarding and provide engaging opportunities to grow and shape key brand elements. Given the wide variety of MBA career options available in marketing, Glassdoor estimates average marketing MBA salaries to range from $128,000 to $227,000 per year.³

Operations and Supply Chain

Operations positions range from roles in logistics to supply chain strategy to leadership within business operations. These can be fulfilling MBA career paths after graduation as they call for insightful business leaders who can help streamline complex systems and improve overall efficiency. Glassdoor estimates the median salary for operations MBAs in the U.S. to be around $147,000 per year.⁴

Emerging and Non-Traditional MBA Career Pathways

The business world is constantly changing, which gives rise to new opportunities and positions. Emerging and non-traditional MBA career paths include environmental, social, and governance (ESG) leadership positions. At the core of ESG is sustainable decision-making, but it is a challenging area for many companies, since professionals in these roles need both the technical expertise to develop ESG policies and the transformational leadership to implement them.⁵

In addition, the increasing popularity of startups has opened up entrepreneurship as one of the more popular modern MBA career pathways. The growing and complex healthcare industry also continues to generate new and exciting MBA career opportunities.

Armed with a broad skillset and wide knowledge of business practices and functions, MBA grads can leverage their qualifications in pursuing new and fascinating career trajectories if they're willing to be open-minded and flexible about their opportunities.

Transitioning to New Industries Post-MBA

MBA graduates often leverage their skills to switch career paths and industries. One famous example is Sallie Krawcheck, founder and CEO of Ellevest.⁶ Krawcheck started out studying journalism but subsequently pivoted to a successful career in business and finance. Similarly, Sheryl Sandberg studied economics before she moved to tech and ultimately to a leadership role at Facebook.⁶

Yuliya Shivets was a fashion model for most of her 20s before deciding to commit to an MBA and switch careers. In an interview, she attributed her success to the training opportunities her university provided beyond the classroom. She noted, "The university was very strong on preparing you for interviews, explaining the job market, and the right behavior when working with companies. It was something that was very new for me as I’ve never been to an interview in my life."⁷

Online MBA students at Seattle University can take advantage of personalized career advice, resume and interviewing workshops, regular networking events, and alumni meet-and-greets to develop the soft skills necessary to transition into a new industry post-MBA.

Map Your Own MBA Career Path at Seattle University

The Online MBA from Seattle University's Albers School of Business and Economics prepares graduates for leadership roles in business with a curriculum that combines core courses in critical business functions, such as finance and accounting, with coursework on leadership and business ethics.

Explore our admissions requirements online or contact us directly to learn more. If you're ready to discuss your potential MBA career paths in more detail, schedule a call with one of our admissions outreach advisors today.