For those driven to succeed in a global workforce, a Master of Business Administration (MBA) is the ideal credential. MBAs offer higher earning potential, better job security, and the opportunity to become a leader in your field.

MBA Careers

The recovering economy has spurred job growth in many business sectors across markets, driving demand for an educated and qualified workforce. An MBA provides a broader understanding of business competencies and enhances important leadership skills. The following are popular jobs with an MBA:

• Management consultant: A management consultant works with leadership team members to help streamline processes, reduce costs, and increase revenues. They may be responsible for analyzing an organization’s structure and efficiency, reviewing financial data, and recommending new systems, procedures, and structural changes to a company. The outlook for this field is strong, with an estimated 14 percent growth by 2026. Management consultants earn a median annual salary of $82,450.
• Marketing manager: Harness your creativity to generate consumer awareness and increase profits. Marketing managers are responsible for generating interest in products or services. They may be charged with planning and promotional and advertising campaigns, conducting market research studies, developing pricing strategies, negotiating advertising contracts, evaluating existing campaigns, and a host of other duties that allow companies to build the best marketing possible. These professionals earn an average annual salary of $129,380. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), the workforce is expected to grow by 10 percent by 2026.
• Financial manager: Help an organization thrive through financial health. Financial managers keep companies on track and within budget through effective financial strategies. They may be responsible for preparing financial statements, ensuring legal compliance, supervising financial employees, analyzing market trends, offering advice regarding financial decisions, and more. According to the BLS, a financial manager can earn an average annual salary of $125,080 and will see a 19 percent growth in employment by 2026.
• IT manager: Tech-savvy business professionals are needed to manage a new, important business sectoräóîIT. IT managers plan and direct an organization’s computer-related activities and initiatives as well as monitor, maintain and secure company networks. They may be charged with analyzing technical needs, planning and stalling computer hardware and software, ensuring the security of an organization’s electronic networks, hiring and managing IT personnel, and a host of other duties. IT managers make a median annual salary of $139,220, and will see a 12 percent growth in employment by 2026.
• Medical and health services manager: These professionals are business-oriented leaders who ensure hospitals, clinics, and other facilities run smoothly and effectively. Medical and health services managers help their organizations by improving efficiency and quality of services, ensuring legal compliance, preparing budgets, keeping detailed records of services, training staff members, developing departmental goals, and a host of other responsibilities. The BLS reports that this field will see a 20 percent growth rate by 2026, and that these individuals make a median annual salary of $98,350.
• Project manager: Also called project coordinators, these professionals help organize projects within organizations and help them run efficiently. They may be responsible for setting up meetings, coordinating paperwork, assigning tasks, ensuring projects stay within budget, and a host of other tasks. Project managers can be found throughout the workforce, in fields as diverse as telecommunications, construction, advertising, business, and technology. These individuals make a median annual salary of $67,280, according to the BLS.

Tennessee Workforce in Demand of MBA Professionals

Tennessee is flourishing with many key industries establishing or relocating their headquarters and workforce to the Volunteer State. In fact, the state projects an 18% job growth in its business and financial sector by 2026. Professionals with a Master of Business Administration (MBA) have access to many of these high-powered careers in booming industries.