The Darden employment report gives a detailed look at the career outcomes of UVA's graduating MBA class. We'll break down Darden MBA salaries by region and industry, plus key data from the 2021 class. With a stunning campus, 40+ clubs, excellent hiking, and a rigorous curriculum, UVA has much to offer. The cost difference for out-of-state students is minimal, so don’t let residency deter you. Darden’s world-class reputation is reflected in its 2021 employment report.
Darden MBAs secure jobs across the U.S. and globally, with international and domestic students enjoying strong prospects despite the pandemic. The 2021 class set new employment records, with top companies hiring Darden grads. Notably, 76% of job acceptances came from school-facilitated sources, highlighting the school’s strong support in the hiring process.
Aspiring consultants will be pleased by the report’s findings. Let’s dive in.
Darden Employment Report + Salary Data Summary
The annual Darden employment report provides critical data that speaks to the success of the program in landing jobs for its MBA graduates. Here are the highlights:
- 93% employed after 3 months of graduation
- 97% received a job offer by 3 months post-graduation
- 92% received an offer by graduation
- 100% secured summer internships
- 53% received full-time offers at the company of their summer internship
- 86% of graduates without permanent work authorization received offers within 3 months
- 73 cities of employment
- 26 US states of employment
- 6 countries of employment
- Highest reported salary: $225,000
- Highest signing bonus: $150,000
Popular Industries for Darden Business School MBAs
Darden graduates are employed across many different industries in the business world. The Darden MBA industries, from most popular to least popular, include:
- Consulting
- Financial Services
- Technology
- Health Care
- Consumer Packaged Goods
- Manufacturing
- Real Estate
- Retail
- Transportation/Logistic Services
- Media/Entertainment
- Energy
- Nonprofit/Education
Companies Typically Hiring Darden MBAs
Global powerhouse companies are among the most common Darden employers. There were 140 different employers of Darden MBAs. The list features many consulting heavyweights.
Notable companies hiring Darden MBAs include:
- McKinsey & Company
- Boston Consulting Group
- Amazon
- Bain & Company
- Microsoft
- Accenture
- Deloitte
- Davita
- Danaher
- Barclays
- Hershey
- JP Morgan Chase & Co.
- EY
- IBM
- PwC
The chances are high for a Darden MBA graduate to break into consulting. Consulting was, in fact, the most common industry where Darden MBAs landed, with 33.8 % accepting a consultant position (though Finance and Technology were not far behind). Not only was consulting the most common industry for the MBA class of 2021, it has been the most common industry for Darden School of Business MBAs for the past five years. Darden is an excellent MBA program for aspiring consultants.
Average Darden MBA Salary
The average Darden MBA Salary is $144,933. For consultants, the average Darden MBA salary is $158,856. UVA business school more than sufficiently prepares graduates for this lucrative career path.
Average Darden MBA Salary By Region
The average Darden salary by region shows mild, but noticeable, variance from region to region. Workers in the Northeast enjoy the highest average salary, while those in Asia reported the lowest. These differences largely reflect cost of living differences and locations of the top firms. Here are the stats:
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- Mid-Atlantic: $142,689
- Midwest: $145,909
- Northeast: $152,791
- South: $141,758
- Southwest: $147,917
- West: $137,894
- Asia: $121,328
Darden MBA Signing Bonus
The Average Darden MBA signing bonus is $35,488, the largest-ever reported signing bonus by Darden MBA graduates. Considering the handsome average Darden MBA salary, the program’s graduates make out well after investing in themselves through an MBA education from Darden.
Darden Employment Report
All kinds of informative data is included in the Darden employment report. Darden School of Business publishes salaries, locations, bonuses, popular industries, top companies hiring graduates, and other fascinating information. The biggest takeaway is that 93% of graduates report employment after 3 months of graduating, and their average salary was $144,933.
The full Darden Employment Report can be found here.
Conclusion
The 2021 Darden Employment Report speaks to the program’s excellence in setting up its MBA graduates for success in their careers, be it in management consulting or another field. With a steadily increasing average Darden MBA salary from year to year, UVA business school applicants can expect even higher salaries upon graduation. Since the program is one of the best in the country, admittance is highly competitive, but achievable for anyone willing to put in the work.
Additional Resources
- Top MBA Programs For Consulting
- MBA Sponsorship At Consulting Firms
- Consulting Resume: Complete Guide
- Case Interview: Complete Prep Guide