2018 Two-Year MBA Employment Report: Rising salaries, expanding opportunities
The end of 2018 marked another successful year, which highlighted a growing economy and continuing decreases in United States’ unemployment rates. National unemployment rates dropped to 3.9 percent in 2018—lower than the previous year’s 4.1 percent. How did our MBAs fare? Johnson’s 2018 Two-Year MBA Employment Report reveals rising salaries and expanding opportunities for MBA graduates in today’s economy.
Class of 2018 employment data
Ninety-four percent of Two-Year MBAs in the Class of 2018 received a full-time offer within three months of graduation, and 91 percent of these MBAs accepted an offer. These offers were extended from a diverse range of top recruiters including Amazon, Wayfair, Citigroup, Ernest & Young, PricewaterhouseCoopers, Deloitte Consulting, and McKinsey & Company.
The Career Management Center (CMC) continues to expand direct access to Johnson’s growing list of recruiting companies through on-campus recruiters. In 2018, the CMC hosted a record-setting 226 events, 175 corporate meetings, and welcomed 17 new on-campus recruiting companies—a 12.7 percent increase in the number of companies hosted on campus.
According to the career report, one of the recruiters commented:
“The CMC team is exceptional at Johnson. Everyone is outgoing, friendly, and makes a point to connect with recruiters and interviewers while on campus. They are also so helpful with urgent requests, material preparations, and overall support for a flawless interview day.”
When deciding among MBA programs, it is crucial for prospective MBAs to consider more than what employment reports and statistics. Continual guidance along the MBA route can influence available opportunities post-graduation. At Johnson, the Career Management team provides support along every step of the job recruitment process.
“Johnson’s Career Services team helped me secure my dream internship and job at Google. I started working with them in the summer before I started classes, and they helped me with recruiting, deciding between two compelling career paths for my internship, and then negotiating my full-time offer,” says Rodney Gains, MBA ’19.
Aside from job placement, Johnson MBAs also recognize the value of their degree in different returns. Average base salary increased to $126,353 with a 9 percent increase in signing bonus to $33,503. This is Johnson’s highest salary level to date.
Class of 2019 internship data
Ninety-nine percent of students in the Class of 2019 who sought a 2018 summer internship completed one—80 percent of these internships were secured through school-facilitated recruiting activities and 20 percent through student-initiated job search activities. Of the industries, financial services, at 37 percent, and consulting, at 18 percent, were the most popular internship choices.
The CMC meets with students at the beginning of the school year to ensure their career goals are defined and heard. The Johnson community expresses its support in the form of unyielding commitment to aiding each student in achieving their individual career goals. Prospective students are also able to extend their reach beyond campus by connecting with Cornell and Johnson’s network of alumni, reaching 250,000 and 10,000 alumni, respectively.
“Each year, we experience the anticipation and joy of meeting incoming students, share their anxieties and optimism regarding job searches, and feel pride and satisfaction when they graduate and launch their careers,” says Cynthia Saunders-Cheatham, assistant dean of the Cornell SC Johnson of Business.
The CMC is proud to present the Class of 2018 employment report, the results of which represent Johnson’s truly dedicated community.
Read the entire 2018 Two-Year MBA Employment Report or learn more about the Career Management Center.
—Written by Ashley Win, a student writer intern for the Cornell SC Johnson College of Business
