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Columbia MBA Employment Report: Class of 2021 Moves on from Morningside Campus to Bright Careers

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See the Columbia MBA employment report for the Class of 2022 here.

The Columbia Business School employment report touts the program’s expansive alumni network as an integral part of the MBA Class of 2021’s success. The report marks a landmark year, as these graduates are the last for the Morningside campus. The new business school campus, located in Manhattanville, will see students in the spring semester at its two new buildings: Henry R. Kravis Hall and David Geffen Hall, which together encompass 492,000 square feet, twice the size of the previous location.

Three months after graduation, 94 percent of Columbia MBA graduates reported receiving a job offer and 92 percent accepted a job offer. Three-quarters of jobs were school-facilitated, sourced through school-sponsored internships, COIN job postings, campus interviews, and the network of 49,000 alumni across more than 100 countries.

“Innovations in Columbia Business School’s curriculum address the evolving and unique skill sets sought by diverse and discerning employers,” says Regina Resnick, Senior Associate Dean and Senior Managing Director at the Career Management Center. In the report, Resnick says of the graduating class, “This, coupled with the notable engagement of adjunct and full-time faculty in the CMC’s career education and recruiter initiatives, ensures our students are exceptionally poised for success at hiring organizations.”

Compensation and Industry Performance

The financial services industry was the largest beneficiary of CBS MBAs with 36 percent going to work there. Consulting recruited 33.4 percent, where the highest median salaries hit $165,000, specifically in management consulting. The technology and media industries were the job destination for 17 percent of graduates, real estate 4.5 percent, and manufacturing rounded out the top five with 4.1 percent.

Columbia MBA Employment Report:
Top 5 Industry Placement

Financial Services 36%
Consulting 33.4%
Technology & Media 17%
Real Estate 4.5%
Manufacturing 4.1%

CBS’s Lang Center for Entrepreneurship reports that about 35 students across all degree programs are pursuing their own startups.

The median base salary for the class is $150,000, while the salary range reached as high as $300,000. Nearly 74 percent reported receiving a hiring bonus, for which the median this year was $30,000. However, details in the report indicate that more than just compensation drove career paths. The school’s graduate survey made it a point to ask about job satisfaction, and 97 percent responded with at least a four on a scale of one to five. The top reason for accepting a job offer was “firm culture and people.”

Christina Griffith
Christina Griffith is a writer and editor based in Philadelphia. She specializes in covering education, science, and history, and has experience in research and interviews, magazine content, and web content writing.