How Can You Advance Your Career with an MBA from AU?

The future for MBA-holders is bright, and with an MBA from American University, you will stand out from the competition. Through our program’s flexible online format, you can continue working while you earn your degree and graduate ready to advance to the next stage of your career.

  • Among U.S. employers, 77 percent planned to hire MBA talent in 2019.1
  • The median starting salary for MBA-holders at U.S. companies is more than double the median for those hired with just a bachelor’s degree.2
  • Adjusted for inflation, the median annual base salary for professionals with an MBA in the U.S. is the highest on record.3

The AU Online MBA Difference

At AU, we’re creating global business leaders. In the online MBA program, you will advance your skills in leadership, financial analysis, strategic thinking, and decision making while gaining a comprehensive understanding of what makes successful businesses run smoothly.

You can customize your degree to align directly with your interests and career goals by selecting one of our six focus areas or by combining electives that meet your needs. We offer the following focus areas:

  • Business Analytics
  • Consulting
  • Marketing
  • Finance
  • Cybersecurity
  • Legal Studies

Once you graduate with your newfound focused skill set and comprehensive business understanding, you will join our global alumni network. Kogod alumni are diverse professionals with extensive connections in both Washington, DC, and around the world.

Potential Career Paths with an MBA

Due to the variety of knowledge taught in the online MBA program and our specialized focus areas, you will be prepared to apply your learnings in many different roles. Examples include:

Financial Manager

Financial managers are responsible for planning for the long-term financial health of public or private organizations. On a daily basis, they produce financial reports, direct investments, and develop financial management strategies.

  • The job outlook for financial managers is projected to grow 15 percent from 2019 to 2029.4
  • The median annual salary for financial managers in 2020 was $134,180.5

Human Resources Manager

HR managers plan, direct, and coordinate all of the administrative roles of an organization. This includes recruiting, interviewing, and hiring new staff as well as working with top-level executives on long-term hiring plans.

  • The job outlook for HR managers is projected to grow 6 percent from 2019 to 2029.6
  • The median annual salary for HR managers in 2020 was $121,220.7

Management Analyst

Management analysts advise companies on how to increase efficiency, reduce costs of operations, and increase their profits. They typically work for large consulting organizations or can also be employed in-house.

  • The job outlook for management analysts is projected to grow 11 percent from 2019 to 2029.8
  • The median annual salary for management analysts in 2020 was $87,660.9

Marketing Manager

Marketing managers lead strategies that increase interest in their organization’s products or services. This involves estimating demand, analyzing the existing market, and discovering new markets to generate sales.

  • The job outlook for marketing managers is projected to grow 7 percent from 2019 to 2029.10
  • The median annual salary for marketing managers in 2020 was $133,460.11

Operations Manager

Operations managers oversee general company operations, including developing policies, planning how materials and human resources are used, and leading the implementation and execution of projects.

  • The job outlook for operations managers is projected to grow 6 percent from 2019 to 2029.12
  • The median annual salary for operations managers in 2020 was $103,650.13

Where Do Our Online MBA Students Work?

Students and graduates of the online MBA program have been employed or continue to be employed in the public and private sectors, working across a wide range of companies and industries:

  • ABC News GMA
  • Accenture
  • Air National Guard
  • Amazon
  • American Airlines
  • AT&T
  • Boeing
  • Cigna
  • Citibank
  • Coca-Cola
  • Comcast
  • Conde Nast
  • Department of Defense
  • Deutsche Bank
  • Dewitt Properties
  • ESPN
  • ExxonMobil
  • Fidelity Investments
  • Ford Motor Company
  • Frito-Lay
  • GEICO
  • General Electric
  • H&R Block
  • Johnson & Johnson
  • JPMorgan Chase
  • Lockheed Martin
  • L’Oreal USA
  • Mars Inc.
  • Morgan Stanley
  • National Security Agency
  • National Weather Service
  • NBCUniversal
  • Nestle
  • Pfizer
  • SONY
  • The Walt Disney Company
  • Time Inc.
  • United States Military
  • Warner Bros.
  • Wells Fargo
  • Williams-Sonoma Inc.

This information reflects enrolled students’ places of employment when admitted to AU as of February 2020.

Take the Next Step in Your Career

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1Business school hiring report: Corporate recruiters survey 2019, Page 6. Graduate Management Admission Council. Accessed February 2020.arrow_upwardReturn to footnote reference
2Business school hiring report: Corporate recruiters survey 2019, Page 43. Graduate Management Admission Council. Accessed February 2020.arrow_upwardReturn to footnote reference
3Business school hiring report: Corporate recruiters survey 2019, Page 5. Graduate Management Admission Council. Accessed February 2020.arrow_upwardReturn to footnote reference
4Financial Managers Job Outlook, BLS. Accessed May 2021.arrow_upwardReturn to footnote reference
5Financial Managers Pay, BLS. Accessed May 2021.arrow_upwardReturn to footnote reference
6Human Resources Managers Job Outlook, BLS. Accessed May 2021.arrow_upwardReturn to footnote reference
7Human Resources Managers Pay, BLS. Accessed May 2021.arrow_upwardReturn to footnote reference
8Management Analysts Job Outlook, BLS. Accessed May 2021.arrow_upwardReturn to footnote reference
9Management Analysts Pay, BLS. Accessed May 2021.arrow_upwardReturn to footnote reference
10Marketing Managers Job Outlook, BLS. Accessed May 2021.arrow_upwardReturn to footnote reference
11Marketing Managers Pay, BLS. Accessed May 2021.arrow_upwardReturn to footnote reference
12Top Executives Job Outlook, BLS. Accessed May 2021.arrow_upwardReturn to footnote reference
13Operations Managers Pay, BLS. Accessed May 2021. arrow_upward

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