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Careers

An MBA that doesn’t just change your job—it changes your life

Whether you’re switching or elevating your career, the Wisconsin MBA dramatically grows your salary and changes your long-term trajectory.

72
average salary increase from pre-MBA salary for career switchers*
53
average salary increase from pre-MBA salary for non-career switchers
65
average salary increase pre- and post-MBA for all students

—Class of 2025

*A career switcher is typically changing from industry and/or job function.

Your career. Your team.

Launch your career to new heights with the Wisconsin MBA’s 3:1 career model. Your three-person team is focused on your long-term success.

Three people speaking over a table.

Pathway advisor

Find the career path that fits your experience and interests.

Career Coach Brian Whitmore talking to student taking notes on her tablet.

Career coach

Identify and accomplish your goals and build your personal brand.

Leslie Taylor listening to a student in a suit.

Employer engagement manager

Build connections with companies where you want to work.

Not sure what your career goals are?

No problem! Career exploration is built into the Wisconsin MBA. We can help you kickstart your goals before you even start.

Meet with a member of the admissions team

Support for every step of your journey

  • Pre-arrival career bootcamp

    Meet your career team and build a strong foundation before classes start, including résumé refinement, networking strategies, and interview techniques.

  • Personal career coaching

    Work with expert career coaches to clarify goals, strengthen your personal brand, and build a career action plan. Connect early with your pathway advisor to ensure interview prep, workshops, and networking events match your industry and function of choice and hiring timelines.

  • Career connections

    Take advantage of the deep industry connections, access to top employers, and a strong alumni network. Prep for roles in your field with expert guidance. Engage with recruiters through on-campus visits, conferences, career fairs, and tailored networking events.

  • Internship prep

    Prepare for your summer internship with structured coaching and mock interviews. Receive support throughout your internship—many students secure full-time offers.

  • Job search strategy

    Whether converting an internship to a full-time position or launching a new search, your career team connects you to potential employers and helps you find roles using AI-powered job search strategies, negotiate offers, and leverage your network.

An investment that’s worth it

77
received offers within three months of graduation
147,337
average starting salary plus signing bonus
118,003
average starting salary
29,334
average signing bonus
70
received signing bonus

—Classes of 2023–2025

An MBA that grows with you—at every career stage

The Wisconsin MBA fuels a lifetime of career growth and flexibility. You will build the skills to lead, adapt, and thrive no matter what’s next.

Shuting Zheng headshot.

Year 1

Shuting Zheng (MBA ’25)

Minneapolis

Before her MBA:

Associate Merchant, Artful Home

Summer internship:

Associate Brand Manager Intern, General Mills

After graduating:

Associate Brand Manager, General Mills

Connect with Shuting on LinkedIn
JJ Liter headshot.

Year 5

JJ Liter (MBA ’21)

Madison, Wisconsin

Before his MBA:

Assistant Account Executive, Epic Systems

After graduating:

Program Manager, American Family Insurance

Five years after:

Senior Finance Manager, American Family Insurance

Connect with JJ on LinkedIn
Alexandra Kirk headshot.

Year 9

Alexandra Kirk (MBA ’17)

Atlanta

Before her MBA:

Architectural Designer, Gensler

After graduating:

Development Manager, Skanska USA Commercial Development

Nine years after:

Senior Vice President of Development and Construction, Jamestown

Connect with Alexandra on LinkedIn
Kyle Nakatsuji headshot.

Year 15

Kyle Nakatsuji (MBA ’11, JD ’12)

Chicago

Before his MBA:

University of Wisconsin Law School student

After graduating:

Attorney, AlphaTech Counsel, S.C.

15 years after:

Founder and CEO, Clearcover and Dearborn Labs

Connect with Kyle on LinkedIn
Chris Smith headshot.

Year 20

Chris Smith (MBA ’05)

Chicago

Before his MBA:

Product Manager, i2eSupport

After graduating:

DC Optimization Manager, Grainger

20 years after:

Managing Director, Deloitte Consulting

Connect with Chris on LinkedIn

Work at the world’s top companies

Amazon logo
American Family Insurance logo
Baird logo
Cisco logo
Dell Technologies logo
Deloitte logo
General Mills logo
Google logo
Intuit logo
Johnson and Johnson logo
Kimberly Clark logo.
Meta logo.
Microsoft logo.
Pepsico logo
P & G logo
SC Johnson

Use our industry connections to your advantage

600
corporate partners connected to the Wisconsin School of Business

Proven Outcomes Across Industries

Industry Hires % Average base salary
Consulting 8 5% $148,057
Consumer Packaged Goods 20 13% $120,450
Financial Services 37 24% $113,844
Healthcare 14 9% $116,179
Manufacturing 12 8% $100,818
Real Estate 17 11% $102,945
Retail 5 3% $108,267
Technology 30 19% $141,111
Transportation/Logistics 3 2% $101,667
Other 6 4% $101,250

—Classes of 2023–2025

Function Hires % Average base salary
Consulting 6 4% $164,167
Finance/Accounting 37 25% $108,094
General Management 11 7% $123,600
Human Resources 13 9% $99,292
Information Technology 3 2% $145,000
Marketing/Sales 41 28% $129,698
Operations/Logistics 20 14% $103,957
Other 17 11% $115,260

—Classes of 2023–2025

Region Hires % Average base salary
Midwest 85 61% $113,584
Northeast 16 11% $121,625
South 12 9% $118,250
West 19 14% $142,285
United States (USA) 136 97% $119,085
Not in the United States 4 3% $36,332

—Classes of 2023–2025

Choose a pathway that fits your career goals

You want more for your career—let’s make it happen. Step into roles that match your ambition in consulting, marketing, investment banking, and more.

Meet your industry expert

Get 1:1 guidance from your pathway advisor who has deep industry expertise and connections to support your career goals.

Alan Stoffer headshot.

Alan Stoffer

Director, Marketing Leadership Institute

Brand Management & Marketing Research and Insights

Alan Stoffer (MBA ’13) has more than 20 years of product marketing and brand campaign experience at Intuit, Waymo, Facebook, Procter & Gamble, General Mills, and elsewhere.

Connect with Stoffer on LinkedIn
Andrea Sorenson headshot.

Andrea Sorenson

Assistant Director, Nicholas Center for Corporate Finance & Investment Banking

Corporate Finance & Investment Banking

Andrea Sorenson has more than 10 years of experience in student-centered program management at the Wisconsin School of Business and Wisconsin Army National Guard.

Connect with Sorenson on LinkedIn
David Dwight headshot.

David Dwight

Director, Erdman Center for Operations and Technology Management

Product Management

David Dwight has more than 25 years of business development, project management, and management experience at startups.

Connect with Dwight on LinkedIn
Tanya Hubanks headshot.

Tanya Hubanks

Director, Strategic Human Resource Management Center

Strategic Human Resource Management & General Management

Tanya Hubanks has more than 20 years of HR experience in corporations, banks, higher education, nonprofits, and more.

Connect with Hubanks on LinkedIn
Jon Lulu headshot.

Jon Lulu

Associate Director, James A. Graaskamp Center for Real Estate

Real Estate

Jon Lulu has more than three decades of experience in real estate investment, research, and business development in private and public markets.

Connect with Lulu on LinkedIn
James Swanke headshot.

James Swanke

Lecturer, Department of Risk and Insurance

Risk Management and Insurance

James Swanke (BBA ’80, MBA ’81) retired as senior director at WTW in 2023 after more than four decades at the global advisory, broking, and solutions company.

Connect with Swanke on LinkedIn
Betsi Hill headshot.

Betsi Hill

Fixed Income Director, Hawk Center for Investment Analysis

Applied Security Analysis

Betsi Hill (BS ’87, MS ’89) has 35 years of experience in credit markets at Citigroup, Credit Suisse, AllianceBernstein, Wells Fargo, Liberty Mutual Insurance, and elsewhere.

Connect with Hill on LinkedIn
Jake Dean headshot.

Jake Dean

Director, Grainger Center for Supply Chain Management

Supply Chain Management

Jake Dean (MBA ’09) has more than a decade of supply chain management experience at Cisco and Canadian Tire.

Connect with Dean on LinkedIn

Internships that build real momentum

Wisconsin MBA students land internships at top companies between their first and second years. The experiences can lead to full-time opportunities.

97
accepted an internship offer
7,147
average monthly internship salary
6,234
average additional compensation

—Classes of 2024–2026

Alexander Porte smiling at an RMI advisory board meeting.

Alexander at UnitedHealth Group

Leadership Experience Associate

Megan McCarthy posing in front of US Bank.

Megan at U.S. Bank

HR Leadership Development Program

Career prep that goes beyond the basics

Learn everything from navigating the MBA job market to strategic communication with business leaders. Career preparation is integrated into the coursework. For example:

Gen Bus 715

Career Management

  • Research and evaluate the MBA recruiting landscape and job market
  • Master essential job search skills, including networking, interviewing, and salary negotiation
  • Develop pitches, STAR stories, and value propositions to use in your job search
  • Receive advice from alumni about career transitions
Gen Bus 716

Applied Learning and Industry Pathways

  • Explore industry pathways and job functions. If you know your next move, explore your field of interest more deeply.
  • Sharpen your strategic communication and leadership skills
  • Expand your professional network
  • Deliver high-level recommendations that address a business need or challenge
Learn more about the Wisconsin MBA curriculum
Callihan Moraksa talking at advisory board meeting.

Where connections create careers

“My networking relationships played a significant role in helping me secure my post-MBA role.”

Callihan Moraksa (MBA ’26)

Employee Benefits Client Consultant, Cottingham & Butler
Madison, Wisconsin

Read how Callihan's new skills led to opportunity

Alumni who show up for you

60,000+
WSB alumni
500,000+
UW–Madison alumni
Alumni, students, and faculty networking at advisory board meeting.

Badgers are loud, proud, and as supportive as they come.

Your Business Badger network lasts a lifetime and is an invaluable return on investment.

No matter where you want to take your career, Wisconsin alumni will help you get there.

14
best alumni network among public schools
—Princeton Review, 2025
Xander Kessler headshot.

On networking

“The Wisconsin MBA alumni network has unwavering support for current students. This network spans countless companies, and the willingness of alumni to go above and beyond for fellow Badgers is truly remarkable. This underappreciated resource proves invaluable, offering connections and opportunities that extend far beyond the classroom.”

Xander Kessler (MBA ’24)

Finance Rotation Manager, Pfizer
New York City

Christopher Janeck headshot.

On community

“If you’re looking for a school with a caring and active alumni base, look no further than UW–Madison. The UW–Madison alumni base is very proud of its alma mater, and it does not hesitate to help a fellow Badger no matter where you are in the world.”

Christopher Janeck (MBA ’24)

Senior Associate, L&G
Chicago

Chris Smith headshot.

On recruiting

“Deloitte finds supply chain students at UW–Madison learn not only great supply chain fundamentals, but more importantly how the supply chain function impacts the overall business by delighting customers and enabling new revenue. This perspective, and the fact that students learn by doing in the supply chain consulting projects course, helps make UW–Madison a target school when it comes to recruiting talent.”

Chris Smith (MBA ’05)

Managing Director, Deloitte Consulting
Chicago

Looking to recruit top talent?

Discover how you can engage with our graduate business students.

Learn more about recruiting

Connect with us.

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