Based on their most recent Daytime MBA employment report, Duke University’s Fuqua School of Business reports that the Class of 2023 has set a new record in median salary. The median base salary for the Class of 2023 is $175,000, an increase of nine percent over last year’s median.
Of the 442 new graduates, 389 sought employment in 2023. At the three-month post-graduation mark, 93 percent of these Duke Daytime MBAs had received a job offer, and acceptances landed at 92 percent. The median signing bonus reported is $30,000. Graduates landed 80 percent of job placements through school-facilitated activities, either through a school-sponsored internship, interview, or job posting. The school boasts 140 unique employers hiring from the graduating class.
“I am proud of the Class of 2023 for pursuing roles that will fulfill their personal and professional goals, even when faced with a challenging job market which often means a longer and more difficult search. Amid such economic uncertainty, the outcomes are a testament not only to their talent but to their commitment and resilience as well,” says Sheryle Dirks, Associate Dean for Career Management at Fuqua.
Industry and Regional Trends
The placement stats are based on 389 graduates seeking employment. Consulting has long been the number one draw for Fuqua MBA graduates and this year set a record for the program at 43 percent joining the industry–a seven percent increase over last year. The financial services industry recruited 21 percent of graduates, while 17 percent went into tech. Healthcare and consumer packaged goods round out the top five industry choices at six percent each. Consulting posts the highest median salaries at $190,000.
| Consulting | 43% |
| Financial Services | 21% |
| Technology | 17% |
| Healthcare | 6% |
| Consumer Packaged Goods | 6% |
Roughly 98 percent of the class stayed in the U.S. to begin their careers. The Northeast took in 21 percent of graduates, down from 29 percent last year. The West hosted a fifth of the Duke Daytime MBA Class of 2023. Eighteen percent headed to the South region of the U.S. followed by 15 percent heading Southwest. Ten percent settled in the Mid-Atlantic and 12 percent in the Midwest.
| Northeast | 21% |
| West | 20% |
| South | 18% |
| Southwest | 15% |
| Midwest | 12% |
| Mid-Atlantic | 10% |
