- The region with the biggest increase in MBA hires in 2011-12 is the Asia-Pacific region at 19%. The previous year, however, the percentage increase in MBA jobs was even bigger (43%).
- In 2010-11, Latin America had the highest percentage increase in MBA hires at 47%.
- The country with the highest demand for MBA hires in 2011 wasn't the United States, but India which held a 26% share of the MBA job market. The US came in second with a 15% share, followed by Mexico at 5%.
- In India, employer demand for MBAs rose 53% in 2011. Most Indian companies focus on hiring locally-educated MBAs from business schools such as the IIMs and the Indian School of Business.
- Tech jobs for MBAs increased by 34% in 2011, largely due to the Asian tech boom.
- The demand for MBA hires in the consulting industry increased by 28% in 2011.
- In the financial services industry, the demand for MBA hires rose 27% in 2011.
- In terms of job experience, the majority of MBA employers preferred candidates with 3-5 years of experience in both 2010 and 2011.
- The three most important skills for MBA hires, as identified by MBA employers surveyed in 2011, are: interpersonal skills, communication skills, and leadership skills.
- The average North American MBA salary in 2011 was $87,200 -- a $500 decrease from the previous year.
- The region with the highest MBA salary is Western Europe, where MBAs were paid an average yearly salary of $93,400 in 2011.
- Graduates of the Stanford Graduate School of Business had the highest average salaries in 2010 at $118,783. Other than Stanford, the business schools with the top five average salaries were all in the Ivy League: Harvard Business School ($112,500), Wharton ($110,000), Tuck ($105,118) and Columbia ($106,000).
For more information on MBA Job Trends, check out the 2011/12 QS Jobs & Salary Trends Report.
The TopMBA Connect team is located in New York City, a key hotspot for social entrepreneurship, technology and the international business community. 