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2020 Best Online MBA Programs in

Over the past decade, Washington State’s economy and population have grown substantially. The labor market in the birthplace of tech giant Microsoft and entrepreneurial giants Amazon and Starbucks continues to expand. Along with this growth comes the demand for MBA graduates to fill executive and managerial positions. Online MBA programs allow working professionals to advance their careers or seek opportunities in companies that value an advanced degree. To help you choose the right online MBA program for you, we ranked the online MBA programs in Washington based on the percentage of alumni working in executive positions.

Learn about the MBA job outlook in or read our methodology for more details about the rankings.

MBA Jobs in

With a highly educated workforce and diverse economy, Washington is a great choice for those looking to begin an MBA career. Graduates in this area will find various challenging and rewarding MBA jobs. As home to over 250,000 company headquarters or operating locations, Washington state makes a concerted effort to nurture and grow its start-up and innovation culture with low tax rates, low energy costs, and supportive business policies.

Washington’s economy has expanded substantially over the past 10 years; following the Great Recession, Washington’s population rose by approximately 12% through 2018, reaching over 7.5 million, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. During the period of Jan. 2009 to Jan. 2019, the unemployment rate in Washington dropped from 7.1% to 4.5%, passing through a 10-year high of 10.4% in Dec. 2009-Feb. 2010 (although it is still above the national average of 3.7%).

Washington is the birthplace of many of the world’s most influential corporations and is still home to an array of outstanding corporations, research institutions, medical facilities, and universities that offer jobs for MBA graduates. Its leading industries include aerospace, agriculture, clean technology, information and communication technology, forest products, life sciences/global health, and maritime.

In 2019, there were 11 companies from Washington listed on the Fortune 500, including popular household names like Amazon, Costco, Microsoft, Starbucks, Expedia, and Nordstrom. The first four companies on this list alone employ over 1.2 million workers, providing hundreds of diverse options for MBA career paths.

MBA Job Growth

The Employment Security Department of Washington State provides employment projections by occupation for the years 2017-2027. Some of the largest MBA jobs with the estimated 2027 employment totals include top executives (67,000), general and operations managers (60,000), operations specialty managers (47,000), and promotional managers (24,000). In terms of 10-year projected growth, marketing managers ranked first at 42% growth, followed by marketing/PR/sales/promotions managers at 32% growth, and computer and information systems managers at 35% growth.

Within each of these industries are hundreds of potential MBA career opportunities for recent graduates in Washington. MBA graduates from the University of Washington typically enter the technology industry (60%), consulting industry (16%), and financial services industry (5%), among other areas, making Washington an ideal place for many MBA graduates.

Washington MBA Salaries

The average MBA salary in Washington is approximately $83,000 per year, exactly on par with the national average. The state also employs MBA graduates in jobs that pay significantly above this average. Positions with the highest average annual salary for MBA graduates in Washington include consulting ($125,709), general management ($123,857), and marketing/sales ($118,373).

References

  • Gallagher, S. (2019). How the Value of Educational Credentials Is and Isn’t Changing. Harvard Business Review. Available at: https://hbr.org/2019/09/how-the-value-of-educational-credentials-is-and-isnt-changing [Accessed 10 Oct. 2019].
  • Washington State Department of Commerce. Available at: http://choosewashingtonstate.com/ [Accessed 1 Sept. 2019].
  • United States Census Bureau (2018). Available at: https://www.bls.gov/eag/eag.wa.htm [Accessed 1 Sept. 2019].
  • Fortune 500 (2019). Available at: https://fortune.com/fortune500/2019/search/?hqstate=WA [Accessed 1 Sept. 2019].
  • Washington State Employment Security Department (2019). Employment Projections. Available at: https://esd.wa.gov/labormarketinfo/projections [Accessed 15 Sept. 2019]
  • MBA Salary in Washington (2019). Available at: https://www.ziprecruiter.com/Salaries/How-Much-Does-a-MBA-Make-a-Year--in-Washington [Accessed 1 Sept. 2019].
  • Kolmar, C. These Are the 10 Highest-Paying Jobs in Washington. Available at: https://www.zippia.com/advice/highest-paying-jobs-in-washington/ [Accessed 1 Sept. 2019].
  • MBA Employment Statistics. Available at: https://foster.uw.edu/careers/full-time-and-evening-mba-career-management/employment-statistics/ [Accessed 26 Sept. 2019].
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