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Why Getting an MBA is the Right Choice To Move Your Career Forward | Sponsored
By Corey Maass September 16, 2019
Whether you’re looking for a pay raise, a management position or more experience, an MBA is the perfect next step
Sponsored by WSU MBA
Today’s working professionals are contending with a host of issues that previous generations did not experience. With 24/7 access to email, no one is ever truly offline. Changing technologies in the workplace mean that aspiring leaders must continually challenge themselves to gain new perspectives and understanding. To truly progress in your career, you need to continuously think about next steps, and be capable of applying your skills and knowledge in the global economy. For a learning opportunity that provides flexibility and specialized knowledge, while opening doors to your future, turn to Washington State University’s Online MBA.
Having an MBA makes a difference in the business world. By the numbers alone, a recent Graduate Management Admission Council survey shows that the median annual base starting salary for MBA graduates is the highest on record at $115,000. In comparison, direct-from industry hires have a median starting annual salary of $75,000 and bachelor’s degree hires start at $55,000.
Beyond salary, graduates of MBA programs know the value of the degree persists in multiple aspects of professional (and personal) life. “In order to move into an executive-type role, you have to have an MBA,” says Christina Homfeldt, an alumna of the Online MBA at WSU. “It helps you speak the business world’s language.” Homfeldt and her brother, Justin Demke, began the WSU Online MBA program one after the other, and the siblings were able to walk in the same commencement ceremony. Both knew they wanted to achieve high-level positions in their lives, and that an MBA was the way to gain the experience and knowledge they needed. Homfeldt and Demke valued the flexibility of the fully online program, as well – Homfeldt typically studied after 9 p.m., when her kids were asleep; while Demke would wake up at 4 a.m. to study before his day began.
WSU’s Online MBA offers four concentrations: finance, hospitality business management, international business, and marketing. There is also the general track MBA, which sets students up for success industry wide. Participants can complete the program in as little as 22-29 months (or more—the program is designed for learners of any pace) and take away practical skills for the workplace. Those with existing professional experience can enroll in the Executive MBA, which prepares students for a higher level of leadership. Both programs offer two capstone courses which ground your learning in practical application, while group projects provide you with a network of like-minded people with which to form business relationships that last beyond the classroom.
Students of MBA programs see the effects of their degree, often before they even complete it. Group projects and case studies often lead to impact in students’ existing positions. Bradley Hof was able to apply a case study from a class to his job and was promoted to Director of Data Science at Emerson Electric Co. as a result. “I showed my new boss at Emerson… the case I did. He loved it and showed it around, and I got the new role,” says Hof.
Employers know that investing in people with MBAs means a long-term return, because those are the people who will continue to bring knowledge and skill to a company for the years ahead. That is why they consistently pay a higher salary to MBA-holders, and why many employers will even contribute to an education.
Real learning occurs through doing. The practical courses and technical skills taught through the Online MBA at WSU will prepare you for leadership and competence in the professional world, at the next level.
For more information, visit onlinemba.wsu.edu.