Which Companies Hire The Most MBAs?

Find out which companies are the biggest employers of MBA students from the world's top business schools

While a number of top companies announced job cuts and reduced vacancies in 2023, opportunities to succeed in today’s workplace remain with 90% of top global employers reporting plans to hire MBA graduates in the most recent Graduate Management Admission Council (GMAC) Corporate Recruiter Survey.

Having an MBA can help you stand out against the competition and make you an attractive candidate in top industries such as finance, tech, and consulting.

Despite the economic challenges impacting all industries—salaries at the Big Three consulting firms, McKinsey, Bain, and BCG, have stagnated this year—MBA graduates from top business schools across the globe continue to record impressive jobs and salary prospects across industries.

So where exactly do MBAs flock to after business school? And which companies are the biggest recruiters of MBA students?

BusinessBecause surveyed some of the world's leading business schools to find out.

Here's 10 companies hiring the most MBAs:

10. Microsoft

Tech giant Microsoft is a top MBA company. One of the largest employers of MBA grads, Microsoft offers a range of enticing benefits to new recruits. The multinational firm is always looking to hire its next wave of MBA grads, regularly recruiting from top schools across the globe.

Of the most recent graduating class, six MBAs from Northwestern University Kellogg School of Management joined Microsoft, while grads from other top b-schools like NYU Stern School of Business and Columbia Business School also accepted roles.

Microsoft offers MBAs with seven years of prior work experience initiatives such as the MACH Microsoft Aspire Experience, which provides targeted training and resources to help MBAs integrate into the company.

READ: Bain, Microsoft & The 20 Best Companies To Work For

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9. AT Kearney

Consultancy firm, AT Kearney, hires from an array of top business schools. Its recruiters are always looking for talent among the MBA graduate pool.

In 2023, 27 of INSEAD's MBA grads accepted positions at AT Kearney, while a further seven grads from the University of Michigan Ross School of Business also landed roles.

AT Kearney appreciates applicants with traditional business and engineering backgrounds, but those with more nontraditional backgrounds—think nonprofit or liberal arts—shouldn’t be deterred from applying to work there.

8. EY / EY-Parthenon

In 2023, 19 MBA students from Michigan Ross, 12 from NYU Stern, and six from Duke University’s Fuqua School of Business, were offered...

ig Four accountancy firm, EY, and the firm’s specialist strategy consulting arm, EY Parthenon.

Working in accountancy requires a comprehensive understanding of finance, problem-solving skills, and the ability to build a strong rapport with people. An MBA gives candidates a comprehensive overview of what it takes to be a well-rounded businessperson, so it’s no surprise accounting firms value the MBA.

7. Accenture

Multinational professional services company, Accenture, which initially started in Ireland, accepted 13 graduates from Duke Fuqua, nine graduates from INSEAD, seven from London Business School (LBS), and a further six from Michigan Ross in 2023.

MBA graduates joining the firm begin with a base salary of $175,000. All first-year associates are eligible for a performance bonus of up to $40,000, with an additional $15,000 awarded to top performers.

READ: Consulting Salaries For MBA & Master's Graduates

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6. Deloitte

It’s no surprise that Deloitte, another Big Four accountancy and professional services firm, has made the top 10 MBA employers list. Deloitte hires MBAs to work within its accountancy services, as well as the company's various consulting arms.

MBA students from the likes of IESE Business School, Kellogg, and NYU Stern secured roles at Deloitte in 2023. Deloitte was one of the top recruiters from the Duke Fuqua MBA in 2023, hiring 18 grads.

5. Google

Tech companies are among the largest recruiters of MBA graduates. One of the world's largest tech companies, Google, hired 14 MBA students from Columbia Business School in 2023. Google also hired nine MBAs from INSEAD, eight from Kellogg, and five from Duke Fuqua.

Like many of the world's top firms, the tech giant employs on-campus recruiting, meeting MBA students before they graduate. This is a great way for students to register their interest in summer internships and future roles.

4. Amazon

Amazon is one of the world's largest companies and a top MBA employer. It hires huge numbers of MBAs across a range of different roles each year.

In 2023, Amazon hired 23 MBA students from Kellogg, 18 from Columbia, 17 from the University of Chicago Booth School of Business, and 14 from LBS.

"[Amazon] looks for MBAs who take ownership, who are obsessed with their customers, and who like to think big and deliver results," according to Amazon's former head of European campus recruitment, Dee Clarke.

Amazon's Pathways Leadership Development Program is a popular option for fresh MBA grads. Over five years, Pathway candidates enter the Amazon workforce as area managers with responsibility for 50 to 100 people, gradually taking on more complicated assignments that test leadership potential.

READ: How To Get Hired By The Big Three Consulting Firms

3. Bain & Company

Although big tech has been among the most desirable career paths for MBA graduates in recent times, consulting firms remain the leading MBA employers.

Bain & Company has seen consistently high numbers of students from b-schools all around the world applying for roles. Think heavyweights like The Wharton School, ranked first in the 2024 Financial Times Global MBA Ranking, MIT Sloan School of Management, and INSEAD—71 INSEAD MBAs landed roles at Bain in 2023, making it the school's third most popular employer.

Bain's head of global consultant recruitment, Keith Bevans, says the majority of a Bain consultant class is made up of MBA grads. The firm was ranked as the best consulting company to work for by Vault in 2024.

2. Boston Consulting Group (BCG)

Boston Consulting Group proved to be the top employer from Duke Fuqua’s 2023 MBA class, hiring 32 MBA graduates. In fact, the consulting firm is one of the top employers of MBA grads at the likes of INSEAD—from which an impressive 83 MBAs were hired—Chicago Booth, and Kellogg.

It's important to cultivate a professional relationship with BCG even while you’re studying. If you are considering joining BCG after your MBA and want to find out what consulting life is really like, the firm recommends that you consider doing an internship first.

1. McKinsey

Nearly half of McKinsey's incoming consultants typically have MBAs. Grads tend to join at an associate level as generalists or practice consultants, earning sky high salaries above $192,000, plus a $30,000 signing bonus.

The MBB consultancy is the top recruiter of MBAs at many of the world's top programs. The numbers speak for themselves: 124 INSEAD MBAs joined McKinsey in 2023, 60 from Kellogg, 71 from Chicago Booth, 64 from LBS, and 31 from Michigan Ross.

“Our summer intern program is especially successful as we make sure our interns have a substantial role on their client teams, so they really get a glimpse into what being a consultant is like," Brian Rolfes, McKinsey’s head of global recruitment tells BusinessBecause.

McKinsey also encourages students to apply for a 10-week associate intern position during the summer months to register their long-term interest in the firm. Students at US business schools can apply for the McKinsey Early Access program––a networking opportunity for pre-MBAs at selected full-time programs; it's a great way for MBA students to get a foot in the door.

Article based on a survey of 15 top-ranked b-schools conducted by BusinessBecause in Q1 2020. Updated with latest data in March 2024.