Why You Need an MBA in 2025

Tanya Ileto Diaz
Posted: November 27th, 2024

In an increasingly complex, fast-evolving and volatile job market, many professionals wonder whether pursuing a master’s in business administration (MBA) degree is still worth the money, time and effort.

The short answer is yes. If you’re serious about growing your career, earning an MBA is a strong option in 2025.

Disruptive technological advancements such as artificial intelligence (AI) are rapidly reshaping industries, job roles, and the ways people do business. Meanwhile, global events such as COVID-19 and geopolitical tensions continue to impact our sense of job and financial security.

And yet, despite the caution and slight pessimism of most Gen Zs and millennials about the current state of the job market and global economy, research shows that employers still have strong confidence in graduate business education.

While enrollment in MBAs has declined in recent years, a 2024 survey conducted by the Graduate Management Admission Council (GMAC) revealed that majority of global recruiters still plan to hire more MBA graduates this year than in 2023.

Strategic thinking, people leadership and problem solving have been specifically cited as premium skills that employers are looking for—all capabilities that are taught in most MBA programs.

An MBA remains a passport to personal and professional growth in an increasingly unpredictable and fluctuating global economy.

Read on to find out why you need an MBA in 2025 and beyond.

Earning an MBA makes you adaptable.

Charles Darwin once said that it isn’t the strongest or most intelligent species that survives, but the ones most adaptable to change.

Skill development is at the core of every MBA program—from critical thinking, strategic leadership and hard skills such as financial analysis to softer skills in communication, emotional intelligence and teamwork.

An MBA graduate is equipped with the transferrable skills, knowledge and tools needed to navigate corporate environments, manage teams and drive organizational change–no matter what the business landscape looks like.

As businesses face increasingly rapid and unpredictable changes, leaders who can solve complex problems and make sound decisions under pressure are highly valued.

Additionally, the rich, multicultural environments and experiences that MBA cohorts provide allow students to expand their worldviews to accommodate the increasingly glocalized approaches to businesses through exposure to cross-cultural collaborations and projects.

Earning an MBA makes you versatile.

The biggest business challenges in the world today are interdisciplinary, requiring a multi-tiered and collaborative approach to understand and solve.

While an MBA may not specifically provide knowledge in software development, the professional network an MBA program offers makes it possible to connect with and learn from alumni and professionals working in the field and its related sectors. That’s because MBA candidates come from very diverse backgrounds, without necessarily having undergraduate business degrees.

Today’s business landscape is more complex and technical than ever before. Professionals are hard-pressed to keep up with emerging trends by remaining one step ahead of the game.

An MBA equips graduates with the versatility to navigate these changes by providing the knowledge, skills and leadership capabilities needed to stay at the forefront of game-changing trends (such as AI, big data, digital marketing and sustainability) in a way that leverages these innovations for the success of an organization.

Earning an MBA can secure your future.

Because of the high-value skill set it provides; an MBA has long been synonymous with job security and financial security.

The World Economic Forum reports that workers are in a historical jobs transition where 23% of jobs will change by 2027, with a net loss of 14 million roles due to new technologies and the long-term effects of the COVID-19 pandemic. 

 Research shows that the average starting salary for MBA graduates is 22-40% higher than employees who only hold bachelor’s degrees. The latest survey of corporate recruiters released by GMAC also reveals a strong hiring forecast for MBA graduates this year despite widespread economic concerns, while 97 per cent of US-based recruiters surveyed in 2022 anticipated the hiring demand for business school graduates to increase or remain stable until 2027.

While there are no guarantees in life, the numbers show that investing in an MBA equates with long-term ROI in terms of earning potential, career prospects and the ability to make a difference in your chosen industry or profession.

Final Thoughts: Why do you need an MBA?

Regardless of the many reasons why an MBA is still worth pursuing today, it is crucial to examine your own reasons for doing so. Consider your long-term goals and plans and how an MBA education will contribute to your over-all vision of the future.

An MBA is no small undertaking and may entail certain sacrifices and significant lifestyle changes. How much time are you willing to invest in studying for an MBA? While traditional MBAs usually take up to 2 years to complete, there are also online, accelerated, executive and part-time options that are more flexible and convenient in terms of time and expense. Are you also willing to risk career and income growth temporarily while incurring debt for longer-term gains? These are some questions that will arise as you assess what you will have to change to accommodate an MBA program.

Before applying for an MBA, make sure that you’ve done your research and have explored the pros and cons of your options to discover the right program that fits your needs. An MBA may come with its fair share of risks–but its long-term rewards are more than worth the effort. 

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