This makes earning a strong return on investment (ROI) a top priority for many business school grads.
Studying in Europe can help: an MBA in Europe typically lasts just one-year, compared with the US where you’re more likely to study for two years—paying double in tuition fees.
However, while salary has a large impact on your potential ROI, there are other factors to consider. They include the network you’ll build, your job satisfaction after graduation, and the prospect of landing a role with a company that facilitates your career progression.
So what’s the ROI of an MBA from Europe?
MBA in Europe: A valuable network to access throughout your career
Networking is one of the most important skills you can learn at business school. Interacting with your cohort, reaching out to alumni, and introducing yourself to recruiters at careers events can go a long way to securing your dream role.
Networking is one of the reasons Tanya Kirillova, an MBA alum now working as a senior financial analyst at Amazon, was drawn to study an MBA at Rotterdam School of Management (RSM) in The Netherlands.
“I felt my networking skills were lacking so the specific classes at Rotterdam focused on aligning communication and business etiquette across different cultures and how best to approach recruiters were really valuable,” she says.
With Amazon in mind as her target company after the MBA, Tanya knew she needed to find a program with a strong international profile to better prepare her for interactions she would have working for a big multinational firm.
In the RSM MBA class of 2023, there are students from 36 different nationalities.
Tanya also leveraged the coaching sessions and events held by the RSM Careers Center, who host alumni insights panels and invite EMBA students employed in top executive roles to mentor MBA students.
“Listening to alumni helped me plan the path of my own transition from the MBA to a full-time role, and plan how to open doors throughout my career,” says Tanya.
Interacting with alumni and students from other programs is all part of the community-led experience at RSM, says Sasha Emelyanova, one of the school’s career development manager.
“Our community lasts far longer than your time with us—because of the connections made, our alumni are always wanting to give back.”
The Careers Center also hold a recruitment fair and regularly invites companies to visit campus, welcoming representatives from Amazon, Google, and KPMG as well as Dutch multinationals like Philips and Unilever.
MBA in Europe: A positive European working culture
Job satisfaction is another big factor in your MBA ROI. Studying an MBA in Europe gives you the opportunity to become part of Europe’s flexible working culture, which values work-life balance by typically offering generous holiday benefits and flexible hours.
The Netherlands especially boasts an impressive record when it comes to quality of life. The United Nations World Happiness Report 2022 ranks the country the fifth happiest globally. The Netherlands also takes the same spot when ranked for work-life balance in the OECD Better Life Index.
Rotterdam School of Management works to foster this same positive culture, says Sasha. MBA students can access knowledge sharing hubs such as the Center for Entrepreneurship and various student clubs including Women in Leadership and Net Impact Club.
“Our aim is to inspire students and generate an environment of positive impact,” says Sasha.
MBA in Europe: Strong career and salary prospects
An MBA in Europe is your gateway to some of the world’s biggest companies. In The Netherlands alone you’ll find global companies such as KPMG, Unilever, Tesla, ING Group, and Netflix.
MBA students at RSM get the chance to collaborate with leading companies during their Living Management Project, a four-week consultancy project requiring students to work on important business challenges such as sustainability.
The Netherlands is also among the top players in Europe’s booming startup scene, which exceeded $3 trillion in 2021. MBA grads looking to take advantage of these opportunities, will find that the country is one of the easiest to get a work visa.
It’s no surprise, then, that 71% of RSM MBA grads from the Class of 2022 decided to stay in The Netherlands after graduation, while as many as 93% remained in the EU.
They went on to launch exciting careers. Past RSM grads have landed roles across a range of industries at well-known companies including Deloitte, Johnson & Johnson, Nike, Samsung, and Uber.
For Tanya, landing a role at Amazon has offered exciting opportunities for career progression. Since joining the company, she has pivoted in her career from a senior financial analyst in operations to the same role overseeing technology innovations such as Amazon’s Alexa.
Such opportunities for career advancement are typically paired with strong salary prospects. On average, RSM MBA grads in consulting careers earn $84,000, while the figure is $77,700 for finance and accounting, or $79,500 for general management roles.
With 72% of students having accepted roles by graduation, and a further 92% within three months, enrolling at RSM means you can expect to see a strong MBA ROI in no time.
“For those who want a return on investment that expands much further than a salary, then Rotterdam is the place to be,” says Sasha, career development manager at RSM.
