Stanford MBA grads secured a $175,000 median base salary, with a $45,000 median expected bonus and $30,000 median sign-on bonus, taking the total Salary for some candidates to $250,000, equivalent to the total cost of a Stanford MBA
The Stanford MBA 2022 Graduating class reported an increase in mean and median starting salaries for the eighth consecutive year. Nineteen percent of the class launched their own venture, and a record number of women pursued entrepreneurship by starting a company or joining a startup. Although Stanford MBA’s overall median salary is the same as that of Harvard and Wharton, Stanford beats both the schools in median base salary for Finance and Consulting.
Stanford MBA Salary by Industry (2022)
Most Stanford MBAs (33%) secured employment in Finance, followed by Technology at 29%, emulating the same trend as last year. The highest salaries came from the Finance industry (Private Equity) and Consulting, with $200,000 and $195,000, respectively. Venture Capital offered the highest median base salary of $177,500 and the lowest median sign-on bonus of $15,000. The highest median sign-on bonus of $30,000 was offered within Consulting and Private Equity. Healthcare represented 5% of all hires, ahead of Investment Management and Media/Entertainment.
| Stanford MBA Salary by Industry | Percent Hired (2021) | Percent Hired (2022) | Median Base Salary (2022) | Median Sign-On Bonus (2022) | Total Salary (2021) | Total Salary (2022) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Finance | 33% | 33% | $200,000 | $50,000 | $200,000 | $250,000 |
| Consulting | 18% | 15% | $190,000 | $30,000 | $195,000 | $220,000 |
| Technology | 29% | 30% | $163,750 | $30,000 | $192,500 | $193,750 |
| Healthcare | 5% | 5% | $195,000 | $40,000 | $176,000 | $235,000 |
| Media/Entertainment | 4% | 5% | $155,000 | $19,750 | $ 169,600 | $174,750 |
Stanford MBA Salary by Function (2022)
15% of Stanford MBAs found opportunities in Business operations, Strategy, or Planning, while the General Management/Rotational Leadership role was accepted by 3% of the class – a drop of 5% from 2021. Management Consulting was the biggest casualty with a 4% drop to reach 14%.
VC, PE and Product Manager functions gained offers in 2022. Venture capitalists secured the highest median base salary of $225,000 followed by private equity professionals ($200,000) and management consultants ($190,000). The median Salary offered at Stanford is higher than any other peer schools, including Harvard and Wharton.
Venture capital also secured the highest median sign-on bonuses of $50,000. Private Equity and Consulting were tied at $30,000. The total salary ($275,000) was the highest for Venture Capital professionals. Private Equity took second place with $230,000.
| Stanford MBA Salary by Function | Percent Hired (2021) | Percent Hired (2022) | Median Base Salary (2022) | Median Sign-On Bonus (2022) | Total Salary (2021) | Total Salary (2022) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Private Equity | 13% | 14% | $200,000 | $30,000 | $204,865 | $230,000 |
| Management Consulting | 18% | 14% | $190,000 | $30,000 | $195,000 | $220,000 |
| Venture Capitalist | 10% | 12% | $225,000 | $50,000 | $195,000 | $275,000 |
| Product Manager | 9% | 12% | $165,000 | $20,000 | $190,500 | $185,000 |
| General Management / Rotational / Leadership | 8% | 3% | $175,000 | $20,000 | $177,500 | $195,000 |
| Business Ops / Strategy / Planning | 17% | 15% | $170,000 | $20,000 | $172,267 | $190,000 |
Related: F1GMAT's Stanford MBA Essay Guide (Samples Included)
Stanford MBA Salary by Locations (2022)
96% of all Stanford MBAs secured employment in North America, which grew by 3%. More than half - 58% of which were on the West Coast and 26% on the East Coast. Compared to the previous academic year, the rise of employment on the East Coast was 4% - a signal indicating the increased acceptance of private equity and venture capitalist offers. The technology dominance of the West Coast contributes significantly to Stanford MBAs settling in the region, especially those opting for Technology - the second most popular industry. The median salary offered to students in the US was $175,000. International placements were mainly concentrated around Europe, with salaries at a much lower $150,000.
Stanford MBA Top Employers (2022)
Stanford did not disclose its top employers, especially those in Financial Services. However, HSBC, American Express, and Goldman Sachs recruiting in the previous year will likely continue their presence at Stanford.
Within consulting, McKinsey, Bain, and BCG also have a strong record of hiring from Stanford. This year’s technology employers include Snap Inc, Common Room, and Survey Monkey.
Stanford MBA Career Service Team - Effectiveness (2022)
27%, the largest share of candidates, secured employment through non-GSB personal contact, highlighting the importance of networking pre-MBA and post-MBA. 32% of MBAs secured employment through the GSB network. 7% of MBAs converted their internships obtained through the school to full-time offers – mostly in Finance. Most of the employment was sourced through personal and GSB networks instead of internships, whose share decreased by 6%.
The Stanford Career Management Centre facilitated 5% of student placements and the job board a further 13%.
Overall, school-facilitated placements were higher by 14% than graduated-facilitated placements.
Stanford MBA Entrepreneurship (2022)
19% of Stanford MBA candidates started their venture – a 2% increase compared to 2021, covering diverse industries, including Technology, Finance, Healthcare, and Private Equity. 47% of all Stanford MBA-initiated start-ups were in technology, followed by Healthcare (13%). Healthcare startups saw a noticeable (+5%), and Technology saw significant (+10%) increase in the number of Entrepreneurs from Stanford joining them.
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