NYU Stern: Class of 2015 Employment Report

Almost a quarter of NYU Stern’s latest class of MBA graduates have taken jobs in investment banking, that’s a far higher proportion than has been seen elsewhere in the US this year. However, at Stern, it in fact represents a drop on 2014, when 27% of the class took MBA jobs in investment banking, itself a decline from 30% a year prior.

Other areas in finance, such as hedge funds and asset management, combine to account for roughly one in 10 of the Stern MBA class of 2015, meaning that approximately a third of its latest cohort are moving into the finance industry – a level that is comparable to that seen at Columbia Business School. This total is, however, a little down on the proportion seen in 2014, and considerably so on that of 2011, when the number of graduates taking MBA jobs in finance was closer to a half of the class total.

MBA jobs in consulting up to 29% of class

Where we’ve seen an upward trend at NYU Stern, is in numbers moving into the consulting industry. Among the class of 2015, 29% have accepted MBA jobs in consulting. This may only be a fractional rise on 2014’s equivalent figure, but back in 2011 the proportion was only 19%, before jumping from 23 to 28% between 2013 and 2014.

Elsewhere, consumer products takes 10% of Stern’s class of 2015, a moderate rise both on the 8% proportion seen at the school in 2014 and on the 8% proportion seen in 2011. That means that technology and telecommunications continues to reside outside the top three industry destinations for Stern MBA graduates. These sectors are now worth 9% of MBA jobs taken by the latest class. That’s a rise of three percentage points on 2014’s total, but one that hasn’t changed dramatically since 2011, when these destinations accounted for 7% of the class.   

Average MBA salary levels

The median average post-MBA salary among the class of 2015 at NYU Stern is US$120,000, with those moving into consulting and investment banking picking up an average of US$135,000 and US$125,000, respectively. Those taking MBA jobs outside these areas received a little less than this, on average, with the MBA salary median coming in at US$100,000 and US$110,000 for the consumer products and technology industries, respectively.  

93% of NYU Stern MBA graduates stay on in North America

Almost all of 2015’s Stern MBA graduates are staying on in North America to work, with the proportion standing at 93%. Within this number, an overwhelming majority of 79% have chosen to accept MBA jobs in the US Northeast, with 13% journeying across to the US West. As for those taking their qualification overseas, 3% of the class total have headed for Asia, 2% for Europe and 1% to each of South America and the Middle East/Africa. MBA salary levels attained by those moving to Asia and Europe are not too far behind the overall class average of US$120,000, with the median MBA salary level standing at US$115,000 for jobs taken in Europe and at US$100,000 for those in Asia.

NYU Stern’s class of 2015 employment report relates to 395 students, of which 344 were seeking new employment opportunities. Among those who were not seeking a new position, 9 students were company-sponsored and 6 reported starting a new business. For the vast majority who did wade into the post-MBA job market, 93% had received a full-time offer within the standard three months’ timeframe following graduation and 89% had accepted an offer by this juncture. 

Again, we see the value of the MBA internship in the methods by which Stern MBA graduates sourced their new job opportunities – 42% of the class of 2015 landed their new job following an internship, while 21% benefitted from on-campus recruitment interviews and 10% drew on their own personal contacts.