Despite Labor Shifts, Carlson School Posts Strong Employment Numbers

The Full-Time MBA, Part-Time MBA, Master of Human Resources and Industrial Relations, Master of Science in Finance, and Undergraduate programs all have at least 93 percent of its graduates accepting job offers within 90 days.

Some industries, such as healthcare, have grown because of the pandemic. The Graduate Business Career Center (GBCC) reports 30 percent of 2021 Full-Time MBA graduates found employment in healthcare,  the highest of any industry tracked and a 19 percent increase from 2020.

Overall, the Full-Time MBA program saw 95 percent of its graduates receive job offers within three months after graduation, with an average starting base salary of $112,000+. With more students looking at their quality of life, the GBCC is tracking benefits packages, which continue to provide compelling perks. Starting this fall, how graduates work (remotely, hybrid, or in-person) will be monitored.

The Undergraduate Program saw similar success, with 97.6 percent of graduates finding employment, which includes a full-time opportunity, graduate school, volunteering, or joining the military within 90 days of graduation. The average starting salary was just under $62,000, the highest in school history.

After a dramatic rise in unemployment at the beginning of the pandemic, the need for workers came soaring back in 2021. “The great news for Carlson School grads is that employers are competing very hard, especially for younger workers,” says Assistant Professor Aaron Sojourner, who specializes in labor economics. “Employees under age 25 are experiencing the fastest wage growth ever seen in records that go back in many decades.”