Life after MBA from Australia: Placements and Job Prospects

Doing MBA from abroad is a big financial decision. No matter which country you choose, chances are you are putting in a lot of your money and effort into the same. Not only does it mean a huge expense, but if you are a working individual, an MBA means giving up one or two years of salary. And all in the hope of a better future.  And while the universities in USA and UK are famous and Singapore gaining momentum, students still remain in confused state about universities in Australia for their MBA. We aim at exploring past information to understand the prospects and life after an MBA from Australia.

To begin with, Top Universities in Australia have constantly risen up the ranking charts. Some of the B-schools in Australia like the Melbourne Business School and AGSM are singularly high in rankings. Not only are they acknowledged across countries and by the best of industry, but what is important is to judge how the MBA scorecard fares for job prospects in Australia. There are around 13 universities in Australia which offer MBA degree programmes.

Top Australian B-School Rankings 2022

The following table summarises the top 10 universities with their corresponding QS 2022 Australian rankings:

(source: QS)

Let us begin by understanding the salary figures. As per the QS Top MBA Jobs & Salary Trends Report 2021/22, Australia is the Top Payer. The average compensation for MBA Jobs in Australia stands at US$145,000 with rather handsome bonus clauses thrown in. The countries other than Australia with a similar median salary are Switzerland and Denmark. What is important to note, however, is that the median MBA salary need not necessarily refers to students graduating from MBA colleges in Australia. A lot of MBA graduates from the Asia Pacific region also get takers in the continent country. 

Top Job Roles for MBA Graduates in Australia

MBA graduates in Australia can look up various job roles if they complete their course of degree in Australia:

• Product Manager
• Business Development Manager
• Entrepreneur
• Sales Manager
• Industry Specialist 

Australian B-Schools Salaries Offered

Talking now about the numbers, Australian B-Schools have an average placement record. While for the lesser-known B-schools, the data is not available, Melbourne Business School reported an 88% placement in 2021-22. The Australian Graduate School of Management (AGSM) on the other hand had a modest 69% placement. The figures perhaps are not that excellent but considering that Top Ranked institutions like Ross and UCLA also have an 88% placement record does tip the scale. Also, when comparing the salaries, Australian Universities fared much better than other universities of the world if we consider TopMBA data last released in 2021. The following table shows the percentage increase in salaries as offered to MBA graduates in the following countries in 2021-22:

While the above two are definitely positive signs, there is always the point of caution. As such, at a macro level, the Australian economy must be considered. While the domestic markets are steady and robust, the meltdown in Greece and more importantly in China has ripple effects that would be felt in the Australian economy. At the same time, the real estate and tourism sector in the country is on the rise. The latter has seen double-digit growth and continues to bring investors. Moreover, business houses across the country prefer specialists. So, if you are looking at getting a rather specialized degree, your chances are better. Some of the well-known Australian recruiters are:

• Vodafone Australia
• ANZ Banking Corporation
• Deloitte Australia
• Qantas
• Accenture

It's not necessary for students to continue working in Australia after graduating, post-MBA highly paid jobs in USA are also available, and students can apply to American companies also. To conclude, Australia offers a moderately safe place to invest your money in an MBA. The colleges are good, the procedure is streamlined and relatively easier. Staying in Australia offers a balanced picture as well as the city's rate amongst the safest and coolest student cities in the world. What remains, however, is the personal effort that you put into your MBA. If you drive towards excellence, Australian Universities offer you a fair chance to find a place for yourself and build on a career.