20 High-Paying Careers With an MBA (With Duties and Salary)

Earning a Master of Business Administration (MBA) degree can help improve your earning potential and professional network. This degree programme typically teaches you advanced business skills needed to succeed in administrative and managerial roles. Knowing what types of jobs you can get after an MBA can help you decide whether this educational opportunity is right for you. In this article, we outline 20 high-paying careers with an MBA degree, along with their primary duties and national average salary.

What kind of jobs can I get after an MBA?

After securing an MBA degree, you can use it in a wide range of fields, because the main focus of the course is business administration. In addition to this, you could also think of starting an independent business or consultancy, freelancing or teaching. Here are some of the fields in which you can use an MBA degree:

Information technology

Companies require professionals to manage IT (Information Technology) elements such as security, cloud management and software upgrades. Professionals with an MBA in information management can assist firms in determining appropriate IT goals and implementing solutions.

Healthcare

The healthcare sector often needs MBA graduates to supervise the overall operations at hospitals, nursing homes and other medical facilities. Administrators in the healthcare domain are expected to stay up to date on the latest technological developments and legal regulations in the field.

Business operations

Businesses encounter numerous issues, including mediocrity in communication, team efficiency and time management. To address these issues, they are likely to hire MBA graduates with strong problem-solving skills and a thorough understanding of business processes.

Related: Average MBA Salary in India (With Minimum and Starting Pay)

20 high-paying careers with an MBA

With an MBA degree, you can pursue a variety of jobs depending on your skills, expertise and preferences. These jobs require a substantial level of technical expertise and industry experience. Some of the highest paying ones include:

1. Logistics manager

National average salary: ₹3,32,072 per year

Primary duties: A logistics manager coordinates and analyses the supply chain for an organisation. They are involved in the entire life cycle of products, including acquisition, distribution and delivery.

2. Marketing manager

National average salary: ₹3,52,799 per year

Primary duties: Marketing managers devise strategies and campaigns to aid companies or clients expand their customer base and boost sales. They are also responsible for predicting market trends, estimating consumer demands and finding potential markets for companies.

3. Business operations manager

National average salary: ₹3,54,659 per year

Primary duties: Business operations managers are responsible for managing national or global supply chains to improve the profits of their clients. They make financial reports, formulate policies, supervise marketing activities, collaborate with other company representatives and manage business risks.

4. Human resources manager

National average salary: ₹3,59,303 per year

Primary duties: A human resources manager plans, directs and coordinates HR activities in a company. They lead and assist the HR department of a company in recruiting, interviewing and hiring new staff, and work with executives to create long-term hiring plans.

5. Purchasing manager

National average salary: ₹3,72,285 per year

Primary duties: A purchasing manager coordinates and plans the procurement of raw materials, tools, equipment and supplies for companies. For larger operations, they typically supervise regional vendors and buyers. Their services help companies increase their profit margins. In some companies, a purchasing manager can even participate in making business strategies.

6. Financial analyst

National average salary: ₹4,31,602 per year

Primary duties: Financial analysts assess how stocks, bonds and similar financial investments perform against time. Their understanding of such economic entities allows them to make informed speculations and give useful advice to their clients.

7. Operation analyst

National average salary: ₹4,89,277 per year

Primary duties: Operation analysts help managers identify the best ways to allocate limited funds and resources. They also identify price points, make production schedules and manage supply chain efficiency. Operation analysts rely on complex analytical methods including statistical analysis, economic simulations and predictive modelling to improve the profitability of a business.

8. Investment banker

National average salary: ₹5,88,122 per year

Primary duties: Investment bankers study the market to help companies and clients make informed investment decisions. Their services are crucial for the growth of companies. They also help clients with mergers and acquisitions and give reliable information about investment opportunities. They predict and analyse the growth potential of a company and guide stakeholders accordingly in the business development process.

9. Management consultant

National average salary: ₹6,35,613 per year

Primary duties: A management consultant undertakes the responsibility of rectifying any problems within a company and providing apt solutions for them. They should have good problem-solving skills and should be able to properly guide their company in different crises.

10. Chief executive officer

National average salary: ₹6,41,830 per year

Primary duties: A chief executive officer or CEO is the leader of the operations of a company. They are responsible for taking high-level managerial decisions, managing a company's staff and resources and acting as a channel of communication between company staff and the board of directors. A CEO may also act as the public face of the company and interact with the public, media or government bodies.

11. Finance manager

National average salary: ₹7,63,217 per year

Primary duties: Finance managers are responsible for the financial stability of their clients or company. They undertake the responsibility of formulating budget reports and calculating the company's long-term profits.

12. Product manager

National average salary: ₹8,58,173 per year

Primary duties: Product managers coordinate with finance, development and marketing teams to create new products. They ensure that production activities adhere to fixed budgets and timelines. They also handle marketing strategies and decide the range of features each product should possess. Product managers usually have an MBA with a focus on marketing or project management.

13. Business intelligence analyst

National average salary: ₹8,71,176 per year

Primary duties: Business intelligence analysts interpret data in order to understand business and market trends for organisations. They improve a company's efficiency and earnings. They collect data from companies and evaluate industry trends to determine how well a company is functioning, where it can improve and where it can cut costs.

14. Marketing director

National average salary: ₹9,61,104 per year

Primary duties: Marketing directors undertake the task of developing strategies in order to boost marketing performance. They are closely associated with several teams, including the design team, and help formulate new strategies. Marketing directors study new marketing trends and channel their strategies accordingly.

15. Chief financial officer

National average salary: ₹10,26,687 per year

Primary duties: A chief financial officer or CFO manages expenses, income, capital structure and investments for companies. CFOs can enhance a company's financial stability and growth. They work with other senior managers to obtain funding from investors and perform forecasting or benefit analysis.

16. Medical director

National average salary: ₹11,95,756 per year

Primary duties: A medical director is someone who manages the daily functions of a healthcare system. They are responsible for controlling the financial aspects as well as assisting the staff. They also undertake the task of training the hospital crew.

17. Policy analyst

National average salary: ₹12,82,012 per year

Primary duties: Policy analysts gather data to study the effects of public policies, help raise awareness about issues and make recommendations to stakeholders and benefactors. They often need to communicate and coordinate various aspects of a policy. They can work for the government, for a university or for an independent research organisation.

18. Information technology director

National average salary: ₹12,97,721 per year

Primary duties: Information technology directors, also referred to as IT directors help companies oversee research projects, incorporate technological advances, upgrade and install software and keep networks secure. They also establish technical protocols throughout a company's IT infrastructure and make sure that all employees adhere to them.

19. Budget analyst

National average salary: ₹13,74,319 per year

Primary duties: Budget analyst helps businesses and non-profit organisations manage their finances. They track company expenses, make financial reports and review budget proposals to ensure the sustained financial health of a company or organisation.

20. Sales director

National average salary: ₹16,75,524 per year

Primary duties: A sales director manages the sales department and works with the sales staff to increase company profits. Sales directors also hire competent, skilled employees and give appropriate training to new recruits.

How much does an MBA increase your salary?

Having an MBA degree can significantly improve your employability with reputed companies. An MBA degree gives you a competitive edge over other undergraduate degree holders. In the context of job titles and the pay scale, MBA graduates are always prioritised over other graduates due to their advanced financial literacy and knowledge of business operations.

However, merely having an MBA may not increase your pay scale. The reputation of the institution from which you graduate and your work experience in the field of business administration also matter. Earning an MBA from a reputed institution can exponentially increase your earnings and in turn, your standard of living.

Salary figures reflect data listed on Indeed Salaries at time of writing. Salaries may vary depending on the hiring organisation and a candidate's experience, academic background and location.