Professional MBA Career Outcomes
Designed for Career Growth
The Carlson Professional MBA is designed for experienced working professionals seeking to accelerate career growth while continuing to build experience and momentum on the job. Our program curriculum was built with insights from employers and alumni to reflect current trends in the marketplace.
Students come to the program from a broad range of industries and career stages, including healthcare, technology, finance, consulting, manufacturing, entrepreneurship, nonprofit and corporate leadership, with goals that include leadership advancement, broader strategic responsibility, industry or functional pivots, and long-term professional growth.
The program is especially well suited for professionals balancing demanding careers and personal responsibilities who want an MBA experience that combines flexibility with applied learning, intentional connection and meaningful engagement with peers, faculty, alumni and employers.
Professional MBA Careers and Salary
Earning an MBA from Minnesota Carlson can prepare you to pursue leadership roles in fields like finance, manufacturing, healthcare administration, technology, and more. You'll be prepared for roles such as:
- Marketing Manager: $140,040 per year1
- Top Executive: $100,090 per year2
- Financial Analyst: $96,220 per year3
- Product Manager: $94,709 per year4
Program Outcomes
- Strong foundational business knowledge across a range of functional areas including Accounting, Finance, Marketing, Organizational Behavior, Strategy, Supply Chain & Technology.
- Strong skills in collaboration.
- Excellent critical thinking skills for solving complex business problems.
- Effective written and verbal communication skills
- Enhanced leadership skills and effectiveness
- A global mindset and understanding of cross-cultural management
- Greater depth in any particular chosen area of study as you craft a course of study with your elective credits
Multiple Paths to Growth
Support for every stage of professional growth
Professional MBA students pursue a wide range of career goals.
Some students are preparing for significant career pivots or broader leadership roles. Others are focused on expanding their strategic influence, strengthening cross-functional business capability or positioning themselves for long-term advancement within their current organization.
The Professional MBA is intentionally designed to support working professionals at different stages of growth while helping you apply learning directly to real-world leadership and business challenges.
Where Carlson Alumni Work
Our Professional MBA delivers the skills employers want most while preparing you for lifelong success as a leader and innovator. Carlson graduates have gone on to work for top companies, including:
Alumni Achievements
According to our most recent employment report, the Professional MBA Class of 2025 had a mean salary of $139,958. Explore more outcomes data below.
"My dream has always been to own my own business, and I knew I needed to learn more. Carlson gave me the credibility at work to get more responsibility, and ultimately both the degree and that experience has better equipped me to achieve my dreams."
Career Support That Doesn’t Expire at Graduation
A lifelong professional network
Career support at Carlson extends well beyond graduation.
Professional MBA students and alumni maintain access to career coaching, employer engagement opportunities and the broader Carlson network as they continue navigating leadership growth, career transitions and evolving professional goals throughout their careers.
Career Resources
At Minnesota Carlson, the Business Career Center (CBCC) has connections with hundreds of companies that recruit students like you. So whether you'd like to join a corporation, work for a non-profit, start your own business, or advance in your industry, we offer the support you need. With dedicated career coaches from a variety of backgrounds, the CBCC can help you launch the next phase of your career.
Student Career Resources
- Career counseling and tests
- Career fair and networking events
- Job search tools and resume reviews
- Mock interviews and negotiation strategies
Sources
- Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor. Occupational Outlook Handbook. Advertising, Promotions, and Marketing Managers.
- Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor. Occupational Outlook Handbook. Top Executives.
- Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor. Occupational Outlook Handbook. Financial Analysts.
- Payscale.com. Average Product Manager Salary.
- The University of Minnesota Carlson School of Management. Part-Time and Online Master of Business Administration Employment Report 2025.