The Value of Graduate Management Education: From the Candidate's Perspective

In this ever-changing work environment, the value of a graduate business degree is increasingly questioned. In response, the Graduate Management Admission Council (GMAC) conducted a longitudinal study of over 3,600 individuals around the world from their first consideration of business school to successful graduation. Participants' survey responses from before and after their graduate management education (GME) experience detail that candidates are mostly motivated to pursue GME for career advancement, personal growth, and better financial outcomes. Group differences in candidates' motivation and views of GME exist by gender, region, and race/ethnicity. Results confirm the strong positive value of GME across demographic groups and geographic regions. Understanding differences in candidates' motivation and expectations for GME enables schools to make more informed decisions when tailoring the content of their programs and recruitment strategies to attract talents that best fit the missions of their programs. This research addresses the following questions: (1) What motivates the pursuit of a graduate business degree?; (2) Does the pursuit of GME help candidates achieve personal, professional, and financial goals?; (3) Do candidates of different backgrounds experience the value of GME differently?; and (4) How do candidates assess the value of their business school journeys? [Alexandria Williams, Kun Yuan, Maite Salazar, Sabrina White, Jez Jackson, and Jennifer Martin contributed to the publication of this report.]