That’s according to the 2025 GMAC Corporate Recruiters Survey, which gathered responses from more than 1,100 recruiters across 46 countries. Two-thirds of respondents hire for Global Fortune 100 or 500 companies.
The study shows the global hiring outlook is broadly positive, particularly for MBA grads, who are set to outpace students with business master’s and bachelor’s degrees. While geopolitical and regional factors may shape hiring outcomes, confidence in business education remains high.
Business school graduate hiring set to increase in 2025
More than a third of employers say they plan to increase their MBA intake this year, while just over a quarter expect to hire more business master’s, bachelor’s, and other graduates.
Hiring sentiment is particularly strong in tech, where 93% of companies plan to recruit MBA grads and 29% expect to expand hiring. Consulting firms aren’t far behind: 86% say they’ll hire MBAs in 2025, and nearly a third plan to increase their intake from last year. Finance and accounting also remain strong, with about a quarter of recruiters aiming to grow MBA hiring.
Internships continue to be a strong recruitment channel. Among companies that offered MBA internships in 2024, 77% hired at least one intern into a full-time role. Conversion rates were even higher in consulting (85%) and tech (79%).
MBA salary outlook mixed across regions
Starting salaries for MBA graduates vary notably by region. In the US, the median starting salary is projected to grow from $125,000 to around $130,000, while business master’s salaries will edge up from $88,000 to $90,000, the survey suggests.
In East and Southeast Asia, projected MBA pay climbs by 30% to just under $47,000, keeping MBA salaries roughly twice as high as those for bachelor’s graduates.
In Western Europe and Latin America, this year’s reported median salaries are lower than last year’s—around $38,000 in Western Europe (down from $54,000) and $25,000 in Latin America (down from $50,000). However, GMAC attributes this decline to a change in the survey sample, with more responses from lower-paying markets and fewer from higher-paying ones. Salary levels within individual countries may remain stable or even rise, the report suggests.
Across all regions, MBAs continue to out-earn bachelor graduates. Consulting, tech, and finance remain the highest-paying industries, and nearly half of employers worldwide include signing bonuses in their offers.
External factors could influence the pace of MBA hiring
While MBA hiring is expected to grow in 2025, some factors could affect how that growth plays out. Recruiters point to stronger company finances and fewer concerns about inflation or recession as key drivers of this year’s optimism.
At the same time, political dynamics are becoming more important in hiring decisions—particularly the influence of national leadership in regions such as the Middle East, Latin America, and the US.
GMAC also notes that the survey was conducted before the June 2025 announcement of new US tariffs, which could impact future employer sentiment.
