Printed from The Fuqua School of Business Executive MBA web site
Duke University, Durham, NC
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Executive MBA Programs

What's the Return on Investment
on a Fuqua MBA?

This is a question that we hear most often from prospective executive MBA students. We now have a set of data that proves The Fuqua School of Business provides a very positive return on investment.

The Fuqua School of Business Alumni Survey

In 2005, we polled all of our executive MBA alumni in order to compile Fuqua's first ever return-on-investment research study. To our knowledge, no other business school has this kind of supporting return-on-investment data. With the help of our own marketing research team, the national EMBA Council and our world-renowned faculty, we created and executed a survey that would enable us to deliver compelling ROI evidence. We polled over 2,500 Fuqua executive MBA alumni and had an 18% participation rate. We discovered some astonishing results.

Below are 4 questions and answers that address what the return-on-investment is from a Duke MBA.

Span of Control

Question: Did you realize an increase in span of control in any of the following areas? (after achieving the executive MBA)

Responses to--Question: Did you realize an increase in span of control in any of the following areas? (after achieving the executive MBA)
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  • 69% of respondents reported additional functional areas of control while 56% responded a shift to strategic responsibilities as a result of their MBA.
  • More than a third reported an increase in P&L responsibilities.
Promotion

Question: Were you promoted either during or after graduating (within 5 years) from your executive MBA program?

Responses to--Were you promoted either during or after graduating (within5 years) from your executive MBA program?
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  • 73% of alumni were promoted while enrolled in their EMBA program or after graduation
  • 13% of alumni hold titles of CEO, President or Business Owner
  • Over half (60%) of those not yet promoted have just graduated (2004 or 2005)

Question: How soon after graduating from your EMBA program were you promoted?

Responses to--Question: How soon after graduating from your EMBA program were you promoted?
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  • All survey respondents reported that they were promoted within 5 years after graduation
  • Of the 73% promoted, 47% were promoted prior to graduation
  • 66% or alumni were promoted within 1 year of graduation; 89% within 2 years
Average Salary Increases

Question: What is the average annual salary increase you have received since earning your MBA?

Responses to--Question: What is the average annual salary increase you have received since earning your MBA?
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  • 15.8 % of respondents report an average annual salary increase of more than 50%.
  • The average salary increase is 16%-24%
  • By comparison, the average annual salary increase at the executive and professional level in the U.S. based on research by The Hay Group is 3.7%*
    *The Hay Group 2004