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Ross Grads Head for Tech in Record Numbers

Consulting is still the most popular industry for full-time MBA grads at University of Michigan’s Ross School of Business, but that increasingly appears to be changing. The school’s newly released 2018 employment report shows that 27 percent of grads headed for tech jobs this year, a record number.

That’s barely behind consulting at 30 percent, and it’s well ahead of the third most popular industry, financial services, at 16 percent.

Given the number of alums with newly minted diplomas who are accepting job offers in tech, perhaps it’s no surprise that the largest employer of 2018 Ross grads was Amazon.

In fact, 44 students in total took jobs at Amazon. Also popular were Bain & Company, Boston Consulting Group, Citi and Deloitte.

Among MBA students at Ross, tech is now the most popular industry for internships, at 25 percent. Consulting comes in at 20 percent and financial services at 17 percent.

As far as the particular jobs that Class of 2018 alums are doing, consulting is the most common function at 33 percent. Twenty-three percent found employment in marketing and sales while 17 percent took on financial roles.

They didn’t necessarily start out in those jobs, though. Ross says that 93 percent of its grads are “career switchers.” 

It also emphasizes the geographical mobility of its graduating class, with more than two thirds of students relocating to the Chicago, New York City, San Francisco and Seattle metropolitan areas.

The Midwest is the most popular destination for Ross alums, with a third taking jobs in the region. Most of those are in Chicago, the city of choice for 22 percent of Ross grads. Despite Ross’s relative proximity to Detroit, the Detroit metro area became home for less than 4 percent of 2018 Ross grads. 

Among Ross students taking internships, Detroit is a somewhat more common destination, at 10 percent. Chicago accounts for a 14 percent share of Ross interns, and the Midwest remains the most popular region, at 35 percent.

Overall, Ross’s latest employment report cements the school’s credentials as an MBA program with a strong tech presence.

Ross’s emphasis on “career switchers” in its report highlights that attending an MBA program like Ross is a good opportunity to reevaluate your career goals. You don’t need to be fixed in your career to get into a top program, but you do need to have a coherent plan. 

We can help you figure out whether your professional experience and career ambitions present a compelling story to adcoms at schools like Ross. For personalized feedback on your profile as an MBA applicant, get in touch with us for a free assessment!