Masters Advantage: Finance vs. Accounting
If you’re analytically minded and good with numbers and money, then a Master’s in Finance or Accounting could be the right career move for you. Both options prepare you for a career in the finance industry, but in different ways. A career in finance is not the same as the career of an accountant though there is so much overlap that it can get confusing at times.
Continue reading…Top 5 MBA Destinations: The Top Hiring Companies in Manchester, UK
With a rich history dating back thousands of year, the Northern UK city of Manchester is known for its industrial heritage, textile industry, literature, the Trade Union movement, women’s suffrage, and, of course, Morrissey.
Continue reading…New Investment Banking Jobs for MBA Students and Grads
More than a decade removed from the Great Recession, finance remains a popular and lucrative career for MBAs. There are plenty of varied and well-playing opportunities available across the U.S., with the average graduate earning more than $140,000 according U.S. News & World Report at top firms. Those interested in putting their hat in the ring, here’s a look at some of the best new MBA jobs in investment banking. Continue reading…
The Best Energy Industry MBA Programs in the U.S.
With the current shift in global economics that coincides with climate change, business schools have seen the benefit of educating students toward a sustainable future. Whether through influencing public policy, investing wisely in carbon reduction technologies, or developing businesses that serve to adjust to global warming, MBA grads with a focus within the energy industry have limitless career prospects.
The Best Energy Industry MBA Programs in the U.S.
The University of California, Berkeley Haas School of Business‘ Bay Area location (a center for innovation in sustainability) make it a clean energy industry leader. With an interdisciplinary approach that combines engineering, public policy, and law, Berkeley Haas MBA students have access to such initiatives as Cleantech to Market (C2M). This partnership between grad students, industry professionals, and researchers offers an annual symposium presenting the newest trends in clean technologies.
In C2M, professionals in such arenas as energy generation, storage, grid technology, and water purification guide students through past solutions. Students integrate their curriculum into real world solutions with the help of these professionals and leading researchers.
Cornell’s SC Johnson Graduate School of Management also offers a wealth of opportunities in the development of sustainable solutions for MBAs with the school’s immersion program, the Center for Social Enterprise. After receiving a sizable endowment in 2002, researchers and business leaders formed the SC Johnson Professorship in Sustainable Global Enterprise. Recently ranked 2nd overall by Bloomberg Businessweek, the sustainability curriculum at Johnson has achieved wide acclaim.
In addition, Johnson offers an Environmental Finance and Impact Investing Fellowship. With projects sponsored by corporate and government entities, students receive opportunities to work with the World Bank, Barclays, and The Water Initiative to address pressing issues in development and the increasing demand to find alternative energy sources.
UNC’s Kenan Flagler Business School offers an MBA that they consider “unique among major business schools.” The program, which exhibits a marked emphasis upon ROI, focuses on the energy value chain, and the intersection of oil and gas usage, renewables, and petrochemicals.
This degree focuses primarily on training future leaders in corporate sectors, power generation, renewable energy, investing firms, and consulting firms specializing in energy.
MIT’s Sloan School of Management takes an exemplary role in leadership development for the sustainable energy industry. According to Sloan’s Sustainability Initiative, the school “empowers leaders to act so that humans and nature can thrive for generations to come.” With a mission that includes a sustainability certificate, partnerships with NGOs and government agencies, and an ongoing lecture series, MIT Sloan offers a strong foundation in cleantech development.
In a recent roundtable, experts in renewable energy supply chain discussed potential solutions. These include wind farms and solar power for underserved populations.
“When you’re inside a startup and talking to your colleagues all the time, it’s easy to lose sight of the big picture,” says Sandhya Murali, a recipient of the Sustainability Certificate. “Being able to talk with experts in the field and share ideas with veterans in the industry was extremely helpful.”
Murali, ’15, is the CEO of the Solstice Initiative, which provides solar energy to communities in every economic strata.
Finally, University of Pennsylvania’s Wharton School of Business is at the forefront of energy efficiency, offering an MBA major in Business, Energy, Environment and Sustainability. Combining a focus in tech, regulation, finance, and business modeling trends, this degree prepares MBAs for leadership roles in energy, clean-tech investment, energy banking, consulting, government, and the sustainable non-profit industry.
Courses include Energy Markets and Policy, Energy Finance, Environmental Management, Law and Policy, Social Impact Marketing and Energy Law.
In addition, there is a dual degree option for Wharton MBAs. In which, students can combine an MBA with a Master in Environmental Studies for career opportunities in energy management.
New MBA Jobs: McKinsey, AT&T, Barclays and More
Big time companies are hiring in some the world’s most bustling metros. Check out the hottest new MBA jobs at top consulting companies, supply chain departments, and financial institutions across the country below:
What are the Highest Paying Finance Companies for MBAs?
Let’s face it: even if money isn’t the number one reason you are looking into an MBA, it’s probably pretty high on the list. We know that earning an MBA can not only lead to a raise in salary, but can open the door to even more career opportunities that can further increase your earning potential. For those with money on the mind, there’s a lot to consider when pursuing your MBA, from which specialization will give you the most ‘bang for your buck’ to what kind of future employers most value their MBAs.
One of the top industries that consistently makes the list when looking for the most valuable MBA specializations is finance. With an average salary of $121,000 USD for jobs within the finance industry, having or working towards your MBA is a reality of the field. But for those who are willing to put in the work, finance companies are willing to pay.
The 5 Best Paying Finance Companies For MBAs
One of the places where MBAs are earning top dollars is Morgan Stanley, a financial services firm that provides a number of financial advising services, such as wealth management, investment banking, sales and trading, research, and more. Morgan Stanley is an active recruiter of diverse business school and MBA graduates, with their most recent cohort of recruits coming from 56 different countries. The company offers graduates a number of different ways to get their foot in the door, including a number of summer internships and fellowships designed specifically for MBAs.
It’s clear that Morgan Stanley believes in investing in the MBAs on its staff. While the average salary at the company is in the $75,866 range for those with just a bachelor’s degree, employees have reported average salaries around $100,477 after earning an MBA.
Depending on the job and department within the company, earning potential can be even higher. Within the firm’s investment banking department, salaries can reach over $200,000. One reason for Morgan Stanley’s high numbers come from their reputation to dole out tremendous bonuses, which—combined with the base salary—makes this company one of the highest paying firms for MBAs in finance.
Godman Sachs Group, Inc., a multinational finance company that focuses in global investment banking, investment management, securities, and a number of financial services. Founded in 1869, the company today has 34,000 employees throughout the world and revenue of more than $42 billion. Goldman Sachs makes a number of opportunities available to recent MBA graduates and current students, such as the Goldman Sachs MBA Fellowship which recognizes outstanding business students with a role as summer associate and $35,000 award in addition to the associate’s salary.
According to Payscale, MBA holders at Goldman Sachs earned a median salary of $96,844. With such a high number of diverse MBAs working for their organization, this average includes the salaries of finance managers, CFOs, financial analysts, financial controllers, and many other positions that MBAs might hold within the company.
Bank of America began more than a hundred years ago, undergoing a series of expansions and mergers that ultimately led the company to its role as one of the ‘Big Four’ banks of the United States. Today, Bank of America makes more than $87 billion in revenue and employees a whopping 208,000 employees throughout the world. Through campus recruiting, diversity fellowships, and summer internships, Bank of America actively seeks talented MBA students and recent graduates. Through the full time analyst and associate programs, graduates work full-time in a structured program that offers consistent training, development, and social opportunities.
Bank of America employees with MBA degrees report an average salary of $101,522. Programs dedicated to hiring and training MBAs, such as the Bank of America MBA Leadership Development Program, matches these exceptional salaries, offering recent graduates impressive professional development opportunities as well as salaries ranging from $94,918-$101,733.
Headquartered in Zürich, Credit Suisse Group is a multinational financial services holding company with a heavy presence in the United States. With more than 48,000 employees worldwide, Credit Suisse in 2014, was said to hold more than $888 billion of assets under management. Credit Suisse offers several pathways for MBA graduates to become involved at their company, offering positions as full-time analysts, associates, and career starters.
Depending on the role, there can be a wide range of salaries recent graduates might earn when they join Credit Suisse in an analyst positions. Positions like investment banking analyst or business analyst are likely to make upwards of $70,000-80,000, with the opportunity to turn your degree into much more as you move up through the ranks. The average salary for an MBA with a finance specialization, according to Payscale, is $120,414.
Barclays, a British multinational bank and financial services company, is well-known today for its global reach, employing more than 120,000 people and operating in more than 40 countries. Like the other high-paying financial firms on this list, Barclays offers a number of opportunities to draw talented MBA graduates to their company. Programs like Barclays MBA Ambition gives MBA candidates the chance to get a summer internship at the company even before beginning their program, allowing them to focus fully on school once it starts while feeling confident about the future. This fellowship, for example, offers $45,000 toward first-year tuition with the opportunity for an additional $45,000 in their second year if they choose to join Barclays full-time after graduating. On average, salaries for recent graduates can range from $69,588-$74,898.
