The full-time MBA program at Arizona State University’s (ASU) W. P. Carey School of Business is ranked among the best in the world, coming in at 53rd place in the Financial Times’ global MBA rankings. 

This is partly due to the strong employment outcomes for ASU MBA grads. According to the school’s recent MBA employment report, almost nine out of 10 students (88%) on the full-time program were employed by the time they graduated, rising to a whopping 96% three months post-graduation.

We dove deeper into the report to find out more about the career prospects available to ASU full-time MBA grads, including which industries they work in and what salaries they take home.

Here’s what we found.

ASU MBA: Popular Industries

Arizona State University has been ranked the best for innovation by US News and World Report for nine years. Its campus situated in Tempe, Arizona, has a strong supply chain specialism, and gives students direct access to the up-and-coming manufacturing industry in the American Southwest—and beyond.

According to the Wall Street Journal, nearly a third of US job growth in manufacturing from 2017 to 2020 came from the Southwest, with more than 100,000 jobs added.

This partly accounts for the grads of ASU's full-time MBA enjoying high success in securing manufacturing jobs. Just over a third of ASU full-time MBA graduates go into roles in manufacturing after they graduate, whether in the nearby region or further afield.  62.5% of students who reported working in manufacturing also reported being located in Arizona.

This comes amid turbulence in other sectors. In 2022, tech briefly overtook manufacturing as the top industry for ASU MBA hires but hiring slowdowns in the sector have returned manufacturing to the top spot. In addition to manufacturing, alumni from the ASU full-time MBA program are also successful at securing roles the “big three” MBA industries of consulting, technology, and financial services. Just over a quarter (28%) of ASU full-time MBA grads went into consulting in 2023, the second most popular career route. Meanwhile, 17% went into technology, and 6% went into financial services.

ASU MBA: Popular Functions 

Manufacturing is also strongly represented among the popular functions for ASU grads. A full 30% of ASU MBA alumni went into manufacturing and logistics roles in 2023, up 6% on the previous year. Equal to this was the proportion of Arizona State University MBAs who went into consulting, up 3% from 2022 to stand at 30% in 2023. Marketing and sales were less popular but still stood at a healthy 15% of ASU MBA grads, the same as the proportion of ASU MBAs working in finance roles.

Companies hiring ASU MBAs

Unsurprisingly, manufacturing companies are represented well among the top employers of ASU MBAs. Applied Materials is a popular employment option, as are Honeywell, Intel, WL Gore and Associates, and Northrup Grumman.

The top consultancy favored by ASU MBAs in 2023 was EY-Parthenon, while the top tech employers were Amazon, IBM, and Microsoft.

Average ASU MBA Salaries

As well as finding a diverse array of roles swiftly after completing the program, ASU MBAs are handsomely compensated for their work.

According to the school’s 2023 employment report, the average salary—including signing bonus—for ASU MBA graduates was $146,700.

To put this in context, the school ranks 36th worldwide in the Financial Times ranking for percentage salary increase, with alumni increasing their pre-MBA salary by an average of 126%. If your goal is to more than double your salary after your MBA, the program at ASU is one of your safest bets.

Who is the ASU MBA for?

If you are looking for a career in one of the “big three” MBA industries of finance, tech, or consulting—and especially to boost your compensation package—the ASU MBA is a good value choice.

For Arizona residents, tuition and fees for the program cost just $61,400. This rises to $102,600 for non-residents and $107,900 for international students, but remains affordable, especially given the potential earnings uplift after the MBA.

What really sets the school apart, however, is its unique access to the manufacturing industry. The school’s strong employment record in this area not only shows its solid academics but also supports a broad base of student and alumni contacts in the industry.

If you want a career in manufacturing or logistics, or to manage these aspects in another industry, ASU could fast-track that dream.

To find out more about studying for the ASU MBA, read our student Q&A.

Image © Kevin Dooley on Flickr, reproduced under this license