Wharton Full-time MBA Salary (By Industry)
Wharton Business School known as the quintessential Finance school maintained its reputation with 35.8% of the 2019 graduating class entering the Financial services industry. The latest placement trends in M7 schools might give the impression that investment banking (IB) is a dwindling sub-industry. However, Wharton students dispelled the myth when the largest percentage within Financial services preferred IB. The $150,000 median base salary and $50,000 signing bonus didn't hurt. Consulting remained the second popular industry with a record $165,000 median base salary and $30,000 signing bonus, taking the total short of $200,000 by $5,000.
Private Equity with 11% representation is another popular niche for Wharton MBA graduates. $167,500 - the highest median base salary across all sub-industries perhaps contributed towards this choice. The VC route has faced a steady decline in demand with only 4.2% of the class accepting the offer.
Technology remained at a distant third at 14.9% class representation.
The bonus payment remained within $15,000 to $50,000. Hedge Fund and Investment Banking offers – both had $50,000 signing bonus that pushed the total median salary to $200,000.
Wharton Full-time MBA Salary (By Function)
Consulting/Strategy remained the top choice for Wharton MBA 2019 graduates, where the median base salary was $152,500 and signing bonus touched close to $30,000.
Investment Banking, Investment Management, and Private Equity remained other three popular functions with each attracting median base salary in the $150,000 to $165,000 range. Except for private equity, the other two crossed the $200,000 total median salary.
The pressure from the technology industry to eat into the Finance job market didn't materialize at Wharton with just 6.4% of the class opting for a Product Management function, even though the median signing bonus was the highest across functions ($45,000). Presumably, technologists, pivoted into Consulting and Strategy role. The signing bonus varied from $16,000 to $45,000.
2014 vs. 2019 – Wharton MBA Salary Growth
When the 2014 was earning $125,000, the $25,000 jump in median base salary is a significant jump for a 5-year period. The worry is in the median signing bonus that has remaining the same at $25,000.
Unlike 5-year ago where manufacturing was peaking, 2019 is a resurgence story for the Finance industry and a consistent growth for Consulting. Compared to 2014, 2019 attracted consulting offers that were $30,000 higher in median base salary.
Reference: Wharton MBA Employment Report