EMBA Program graduates received a 13.5 percent increase in compensation – combined, both salary and bonuses – after program completion, according to the 2019 Executive MBA Council (EMBAC) Student Exit Survey.

The average salary and bonus package at program start for students in the 2019 survey was $205,008. By the end of the program, the average salary and bonus package rose to $232,663.

EMBA Programs help students reap key benefits, such as increased responsibilities, promotions, and compensation increases, not just after they graduate but during their time in the program, according to the survey.

EMBA students are able to mobilize their EMBA experiences to bolster their on-the-job success almost immediately. And in an era that continues to emphasize lifelong learning, they leave the program with new skills and perspectives that can help them throughout their careers.

“As changes in technology continue to reshape society, businesses and individuals will look to higher education programs to gain the skills needed to stay competitive in the age of digitalization and globalization,” says Michael Desiderio, EMBAC executive director.

“When you couple the idea of a promotion and the prospect of salary increases with new skills taught to EMBA graduates, it is clear to see why both students and companies are seeing value in these programs.”

EMBA students in the survey often found themselves with growing responsibilities and new opportunities during their time in the program: 40 percent of students who completed the survey received a promotion during the program and 53 percent reported increased responsibilities during the program.

“Throughout the years, exit survey data consistently shows that students receive salary increases and promotions while in the program” says Desiderio.

EMBA Programs offer a wide variety of leadership development tools, greater strategic vision, and immediately applicable skills, he says. The survey shows that graduates improve their critical thinking, leadership, and decision-making skills, to name a few. Those who complete the program also gain better insight into economic factors that impact businesses today, as well as accounting and financial acuity.

EMBA graduates also reported high levels of satisfaction with their EMBA experience, including the program quality. They are likely to recommend their program to a colleague or friend and also to support the program as alumni.

EMBAC conducts the Student Exit Survey in collaboration with Percept Research to track the perceptions and opinions of EMBA Program graduates and to help measure the return on investment of the degree. The survey included 2,390 graduates from 85 EMBA Programs, primarily based in the United States.

“This annual survey confirms what we hear from students all the time,” says Desiderio.  “They tell us that program helps transform them, that the program helps them meet their career goals, and that they experience both tangible benefits, such as promotions and compensation increases, and intangible benefits, such as personal and professional growth and valuable new perspectives.”

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