Motivations for pursuing an MBA degree

The 2012 Applicant Survey attracted more than 4,500 prospective MBA applicants. The results provide detailed insight into the status, attitudes, goals and ambitions of MBA applicants worldwide and how they, and the employment and education markets for young professionals, are changing. This survey allows valuable insight into the changing trends of worldwide MBA applicants.

Motivations for pursuing an MBA degree (*multiple choice)

MotivationsAfrica & Middle EastAsia PacificEastern EuropeWestern EuropeLatin AmericaUS & CanadaTo improve career prospects

68.9%

71.1%

72.7%

71.6%

63.7%

68.7%

To learn new skills

64.9%

62.8%

71.5%

64.7%

71.2%

66.4%

To build a professional network

54.5%

52.1%

52.2%

49.2%

44.9%

58.6%

To enable a career change

42.0%

46.1%

43.2%

49.5%

31.3%

58.5%

To take up a leadership position

64.9%

62.4%

58.9%

53.6%

58.7%

56.6%

To boost salary

29.3%

34.7%

33.1%

38.0%

31.3%

50.6%

Primarily for education

27.4%

30.0%

29.7%

29.0%

32.1%

41.7%

To start own business

36.1%

33.1%

33.4%

28.5%

38.3%

29.9%

Improving career prospects is the main motivation globally. The highest number of responses is from Europe and Asia. Learning new skills takes precedence in Latin America as 71% of respondents listed this as their primary motivation in comparison to 63% looking to improve career prospects. US & Canada have the highest number of candidates looking to build a professional network at business school and hope to enable a career change. Taking up a leadership position is most popular in Asia Pacific and Africa & Middle East (where is also at par with learning new skills). Developing economies appear to have spurred on innovation and entrepreneurship as 38% and 36 % of candidates from Latin American and Africa & Middle East, respectively, look forward to starting their own business. This motivation is not so popular in the developed economies of the US & Canada and Western Europe.

Of particular interest is the high responses rates from the US & Canada, at 41%, representing prospective MBA candidates motivated to study primarily for education. Not surprising, this is the least popular motivation globally, attracting only 28 % of the responses. Although the US is a capitalist economy, a high number of prospects are driven by the need to gain more knowledge. As the effects of the economic downturn continue to ripple across the globe, it will be interesting to see how the prospects perceptions change over the coming years.