If you’re wondering what you can do with a business degree, you’ve come to the right place.
An MBA is a versatile thing. Through the development of diverse skills that span strategy, communication, and leadership, it sets graduates up for success in a wide range of industries and roles. And, with skills-based hiring increasing and strategic expertise in high-demand, the opportunities for business graduates are only increasing.
So, what do you actually do with your business degree? Read on to find out.
Core Skills Gained from a Business Degree
An MBA equips its graduates with a huge range of skills. When wondering what you can do with a business degree, these skills are a good place to start, providing a good indication of what you’ll be offering your future employers. This is truer now than ever before due to the rise of the “skills economy.” This phrase, explains Joy Jones of GMAC, describes a situation in which employers are “increasingly focused on the specific capabilities of their future employees.”
The skills that you will develop while doing a business degree include:
- Communication and leadership
- Strategic thinking and problem-solving
- Financial literacy and analytical skills
- Team collaboration and project management
- Data analysis
- Tech-related skills, such as the use of CRM/ERP tools
Of these skills, the three named as most common and most highly developed amongst MBA graduates are leadership, strategic thinking, and problem-solving.
Common Industries for MBA Graduates
Business degrees can be applied in any employment sector. This is due to the fact that the skills taught by an MBA are transferable to any industry and any company.
That said, there are some particular industries into which the business degree pipeline is particularly strong. And, amongst this group of industries, there are three which prove popular with MBA graduates year after year. These industries are sometimes referred to as the “Big Three.”
The Big Three
The “Big Three” post-MBA employment sectors are:
Consulting was ranked as the most popular post-Graduate Management Education (GME) choice in GMAC’s 2024 prospective students survey. Year on year graduates join this industry in swathes—amongst graduating classes of 2024, 18% at Harvard Business School secured jobs in consulting (beaten only by 19% in private equity), 15.8% at Pennsylvania Wharton, and an astounding 30.6% at Columbia Business School. The logic behind this comes down to skills; the broad range of expertise that an MBA imbues in graduates, paired with the focus on excellent communication, equips them perfectly for consulting roles.
Finance continues to attract MBA graduates in large numbers. If you’re looking to do something challenging and well compensated post-business degree, Finance could be the sector for you. This is a fast-paced and fast-growing industry that promises to put the leadership and analytical skills gained in an MBA to the test. Of Carnegie Mellon Tepper’s class of 2024, 21.3% secured jobs in Finance; at Chicago Booth, this number shot up to 32.9%.
Technology has secured—and earned—its place in the top three post-business degree industries in recent years. It’s a sector that pulls in ever-increasing numbers of MBA graduates with its promise of cutting-edge impact and an ever-changing environment. According to the GMAC’s prospective student survey, an impressive 47% of incoming MBAs are working towards a Tech-based career. Of Duke Fuqua’s class of 2024, 12% went on to work in Tech. Northwestern Kellogg reported “strong growth” in this sector, placing 20% of graduates in technology roles.
Outside the Big Three
Consulting, finance, and tech might be popular industries in which to land a job, but there is plenty more that you can do with your business degree.
Other common industries include:
- Healthcare
- Retail and Consumer Goods
- Nonprofits and Government
Healthcare is a particularly fast-growing sector. It takes a well-developed leader to manage such a rapidly evolving industry, making MBA graduates—with their skills in strategic thinking and problem-solving—the perfect fit for the job.
The retail and consumer goods industries attract business degree graduates with its promise of strategic challenge and in-depth operational management. Common employers in this sector include household names such as Unilever, Procter and Gamble, PepsiCo, Coca-Cola, Estée Lauder, and Nike.
And, when it comes to nonprofit and government roles, business degree graduates can deploy their expertise in finance, leadership, marketing, and strategy to ensure impact. These industries offer graduates a chance for a challenge, and the opportunity to wield positive social influence.
What Else Can You Do with a Business Degree?
The six sectors outlined above are by no means exhaustive. The range of industries into which business graduates funnel is constantly growing, and employment can be found in hugely varied areas.
MBA graduates are increasingly finding jobs in:
- Sustainability
- Energy
- Entrepreneurship
- Sports Management
For more detail on the specialist skills that take them there, check out our article on niche career paths and MBA specializations.
Common Career Paths for Business Graduates
Within the industries we have outlined above, there are a wide variety of roles you can fill with your business degree. These are diverse, drawing from the myriad skills which an MBA develops. Some examples of common job titles include:
- Consultant
- Senior Analyst (often in the consulting sector)
- Investment Banker
- Venture Capitalist
- Financial Analyst
- Marketing Manager
- Leadership Development Program (commonly in the retail and consumer goods sector)
- Product Manager
- Human Resources Specialist
- Operations Manager
- Sales Executive
- Business Analyst
For each of these career paths, the MBA supports graduates in gaining and applying the skills they need to succeed. But it goes even further than that—it equips graduates with the ability to learn, adapt, and grow within the rapidly-evolving business landscape.
Daniel Murray Flores is one such MBA graduate. After graduating from UCI Merage in 2024, he secured a spot as a Senior Analyst at Disney. The business degree allowed him to decide what to do, with career services helping to “develop a career plan” and to “expand my network”—while the “faculty discussion-based classes” of the MBA “helped me develop many of the technical skills” used in his “day-to-day” work as a Senior Analyst.
Pratibha Shivnani, Senior Product Manager at Amazon, also describes the impact that her business degree has had on her career path. “One of the most valuable lessons”, she says, “was learning to embrace uncertainty and confidently dive into the unknown.” Her business school gave her “the tools, exposure, and network to transition into a role where I could drive impact at a larger scale.” “Hands-on experience” in entrepreneurship class, she says, defined how she now approaches her work.
How to Choose the Right Path
There are many, many things that you can do with a business degree. But how do you know which is the right one for you? There are three actions that you can take to ensure that you select the best career path for your personal goals, skills, and interests.
First, you can invest time in networking. Business schools are a great place to do this, since you are surrounded by classmates and faculty who share your passion and have great connections. Through your networking, you may be offered internships; take these opportunities when you can.
Second, you can explore the electives and concentrations that your MBA program offers. These are a chance to gather specialist knowledge in areas which may later form the basis of your career. They are a great way to put your interest to the test and to trial which skills you thrive at.
Finally, you should make the most of the career services and mentorship opportunities available through your business degree. When deciding what you can do after graduation, the services on your MBA program can provide direction, guidance, and a great deal of support.
Now that you have glimpsed the variety of post-MBA career paths, you can answer our initial question: “what can you do with a business degree?” The answer is, of course, almost anything you set your sights on.
