The tech industry is heating up, and MBA grads are pursuing it in record numbers. Some speculate that the more laid-back culture typical of tech firms is luring grads away from the highest paying jobs. We’ve combed through our 500,000+ data points to surface the top MBA programs for breaking into tech.
1. University of California, Berkeley – Haas
Composite Score: 100
U.S. News Rank: #7
Average Starting Salary: $131,929
Equivalent Hourly Salary: $55
Average Satisfaction: 7.4/10
Percent of Grads Entering Tech Industry: 38%
Top Employers: Adobe, Infoblox, Amazon
While about 17% of all MBA grads enter jobs in the tech industry, Haas more than doubles that number. As the percent of the graduating class entering tech inches closer to 50%, these graduates enjoy above average compensation packages too. UCB is also home to the Haas Tech Challenge, a tech-focused case competition that attracts MBA students from top programs across the country.
2. Stanford
Composite Score: 99
U.S. News Rank: #2
Average Starting Salary: $134,375
Average Hours/Week: 40
Equivalent Hourly Salary: $65
Average Satisfaction: 9.0/10
Percent of Grads Entering Tech Industry: 28%
Top Employers: Google, Facebook, Intuit
Stanford is only a stone’s throw away from Silicon Valley, so naturally the tech industry is a top choice among graduates. Just under 30% of the school’s MBA grads in 2015 entered the technology industry, which was only a few percentage points below the rate entering finance jobs. The director of the Career Management Center notes that “It’s not only tech companies that offer students an opportunity. It’s also traditional companies just leveraging technology”.
3. Massachusetts Institute of Technology – Sloan
Composite Score: 93
U.S. News Rank: #5
Average Starting Salary: $123,170
Equivalent Hourly Salary: $54
Average Satisfaction: 7.5/10
Percent of Grads Entering Tech Industry: 31%
Top Employers: Amazon, Microsoft, Cisco
If you’ve considered Sloan for your MBA, you’re not alone. Applications for the program increased by 35% this year. Sloan is also near the top of the list when it comes to the percent of students entering tech each year. Average compensation packages are a bit above average, and graduates report good work-life balance as well.
4. Cornell University – Johnson
Composite Score: 84
U.S. News Rank: #14
Average Starting Salary: $124,177
Equivalent Hourly Salary: $53
Average Satisfaction: 10/10
Percent of Grads Entering Tech Industry: 16%
Top Employers: Intel, Microsoft, Amazon
If you’re set on tech, Cornell may be the school for you. In addition to a traditional 2-year MBA, the university offers a fast-track Johnson Cornell Tech MBA. Students in this program will spend their first semester in Ithaca taking their core business classes, and then finish the year-long program in NYC working on a cross-functional team project and taking a business idea from concept to launch.
5. Duke University – Fuqua
Composite Score: 79
U.S. News Rank: #12
Average Starting Salary: $126,763
Equivalent Hourly Salary: $51
Average Satisfaction: 7.5/10
Percent of Grads Entering Tech Industry: 20%
Top Employers: Amazon, Apple, Cisco
Typical starting compensation packages and work-life balance for Fuqua grads in tech is almost exactly average, but their above average percentage of students being hired into the industry landed them a spot on our list. MBA students at Duke can also participate in “TechTreks” during fall break, allowing them to visit companies such as Amazon, Apple, and Cisco while visiting west coast cities.
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