6 Reasons to Pursue Your MBA

Many people put off earning a graduate business degree because they are unsure of the tangible benefits it will have for their career. There are many great certifications and non-academic resources in the market today. However, an old-fashioned Master of Business Administration (MBA) degree still meets a critical need in your career development. Here are just a few ways earning an MBA can advance your career.

1. Understand All the Roles of a Business – An MBA program will provide instruction in management, leadership, economics, finance, marketing, and more. Some MBA programs lean in a particular direction or offer a specialization, but any MBA will provide you with a well-rounded set of skills. These new skills will assist you as you communicate with other departments in your organization or hire new team members for areas outside your expertise.
2. Hone Your Communication Skills – Any solid academic program will make you a better writer and communicator. These skills will serve you well as you advance to higher levels of leadership within your organization.
3. Understand the Global Market – Most MBA programs include an international business course. This course (or courses, depending on your degree) will expose you to different markets and styles of doing business. As you advance your career and possibly make connections outside of the United States market, these lessons will pay back the time and investment in your MBA.
4. Expand Your Professional Network – Joining an MBA program will provide you with new connections and networking opportunities. These connections will include your classmates as you complete your degree and the full alumni network of the school you attend. Connections can lead to new job opportunities or excellent candidates for your organization.
5. Better Time Management – Taking on something like a master's degree will provide instruction beyond the assigned textbook readings and writing assignments. Managing your current career and family and personal responsibilities and completing schoolwork will teach you to manage your time well. You can implement this efficiency back into your career and workplace.
6. Higher Salary – A recent TransparentCareer study found that the average salary bump from an MBA was over $36,000. The actual number you can expect would vary based on factors such as geographic location and industry type. There are many tangible benefits from completing an MBA, but it is nice to know that the typical MBA graduate sees a return on that investment.

Ready to pursue your MBA in a program that suits you? Learn more about Huntington University’s MBA program at huntington.edu/MBA.