A career change with an MBA is one of the most direct paths professionals have to a new industry, function or leadership role — without starting over from an entry-level position. The Master of Business Administration (MBA) graduate degree has long been the leading option for professionals who want to redirect their careers or advance into high-level, high-paying positions in any industry. An MBA program typically includes core courses in accounting, finance, management, operations, information systems, strategy and marketing.
If you want to maximize your career potential while balancing academic obligations with professional and personal responsibilities, an online MBA is likely an excellent path toward reinventing your career.
The accelerated online MBA program from the University of Southern Indiana (USI) offers professionals the flexibility and affordability to improve their employability, earning potential and advancement opportunities.
Why an MBA Supports a Career Change
Employers prefer MBA graduates: According to the Graduate Management Admission Council’s (GMAC) 2025 Corporate Recruiters Survey, employers give business schools high marks for equipping graduates with the skills that matter most including problem-solving, collaboration and data analysis and interpretation.
Ninety-nine percent of global employers say they are confident in business schools’ ability to prepare graduates for success within their organizations, according to GMAC’s 2025 survey. If you aspire to work for a top employer, it’s worth noting that nearly two-thirds of the corporate recruiters GMAC surveyed for that report recruit for Global Fortune 500 companies.
Broaden your career horizons: An MBA offers career versatility with the ability to shift from one industry to another, from one department to another and from one function to another. Having more options throughout one’s career is a hallmark of well-educated MBA alumni, since it is expected that they will have knowledge across a range of core business subjects, and the ability to synthesize their expertise for business decision-making.
Gain knowledge and skills that are current and relevant: Accredited programs like the online MBA from the University of Southern Indiana are designed with cooperation from leading employers. Completing such programs provides MBA candidates with a competitive edge in the job market, and the pay gap between MBA holders and non-MBA holders in the same positions widens over time.
Which MBA Concentration Is Right for My Career Change?
Not every career change calls for the same MBA path. USI’s online MBA offers a general options and nine concentrations — choosing one that fits your target industry can shorten the distance to your goal. Here is a closer look at four concentrations working professionals often choose when changing careers.
Data Analytics
Professionals moving from operations, finance or marketing into an analytics-focused career often choose the data analytics concentration. It builds skills in statistical analysis, visualization and business intelligence that translate into roles such as data analyst or, with more experience, management analyst — a role with a median wage of $101,190 in 2024, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS).
Human Resources
An MBA with a human resources concentration is a common path for professionals leaving operations, customer service or teaching to move into people management. According to the Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM), HR employment grew about 16% between February 2020 and September 2025 — outpacing overall U.S. job growth — supporting roles such as HR generalist, talent acquisition manager or HR business partner.
Project Management
Professionals from technical, manufacturing or healthcare backgrounds who want to lead cross-functional initiatives frequently pursue the project management concentration. According to the Project Management Institute, the world could face a shortfall of up to 29.8 million project professionals by 2035, making this one of the more resilient career-change destinations for MBA graduates.
Healthcare Administration
For professionals outside of healthcare who want to move into one of the fastest-growing management fields, the healthcare administration concentration combines MBA fundamentals with healthcare policy, finance and operations coursework. Medical and health services managers earned a median wage of $117,960 in 2024, according to BLS data, with employment projected to grow 23% through 2034 — among the fastest-growing management occupations tracked.
These are only part of the picture — compare all nine concentrations on the USI MBA program page to find your best fit. Whichever path you choose, the strongest career changes tend to pair MBA fundamentals with the specific expertise a hiring manager in that field expects to see. That combination is what turns a general business credential into a believable case for someone making a real industry or function switch.
MBA Career Outcomes: What the Data Shows
Real outcome data helps put a career change with an MBA in perspective — namely, how much graduates typically earn after graduation, and how many use the degree to move into a new industry or function altogether.
According to PayScale, MBA degree holders report an average base salary of about $103,000 per year, and the Financial Times’ Global MBA Ranking finds that graduates of some top programs see salary increases exceeding 100% within three years. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reports that management analysts — a role many career changers step into — earned a median wage of $101,190 in May 2024, with employment projected to grow 9% through 2034.
The career-change numbers are just as notable. GMAC research shows 50% to 60% of MBA graduates switch either industry or job function, and about two-thirds report advancing at least one job level.
Advantages of an Online MBA for Working Professionals
Choosing the right concentration is only half the equation. How you complete the program matters just as much when you’re balancing a career change with a full-time job. USI’s online MBA program is built around the realities of working professionals, from flexible scheduling to a faster path to the degree itself.
100% online format: Avoiding a commute to a campus saves hours of preparation and time. You will cut out the wasted minutes you spend getting to and from your car, waiting for classes to begin on campus, and making food and gasoline stops to and from campus. The online format also makes programs more accessible, since you are not limited to those in your geographic area.
Multiple start dates: Online programs like the USI MBA usually offer several start dates per year, rather than the two or three that are common to on-campus programs. When you are ready, you will not have to wait long to begin.
Self-paced and anytime learning: While on-campus professors hold classes at certain times and pace a course for the fastest or slowest students, online programs have flexibility in both regards. Self-paced learning allows you to learn at your own speed and asynchronous learning options enable you to balance academics with your professional and personal life.
Accelerated, affordable program: Not only do you save time and money by choosing the online format over a conventional on-campus format, but with this accelerated program, you earn your degree in less time. Students can obtain an MBA in USI’s online program in as few as 12 months.
Together, these features are designed to remove the logistical barriers that keep many working professionals from starting — or finishing — a career-change degree. With the format settled, the bigger question is whether the investment pays off, which is where the numbers come in next.
Is an MBA Worth It for a Career Change?
For most working professionals weighing a career pivot, the return on an MBA comes down to more than a single number. Tuition and time are real costs, but they should be weighed against the salary increases, promotion rates and industry-switching outcomes above — plus benefits that don’t show up on a pay stub, like a broader network and a credential that signals readiness for higher-level roles.
The math tends to favor career changers in particular. Because an MBA is a generalist degree built on transferable skills, it offers a faster on-ramp into a new industry than starting over in an unrelated field, and an accelerated, affordable format like USI’s shortens the time to that return.
Working professionals have many positive outcomes to consider with an online MBA. Perhaps the most important is the personal transformation that comes from more fully developing one’s natural capabilities.
Learn more about USI’s online MBA program and start planning your career change today.
Frequently Asked Questions About an MBA Career Change
Can I earn an MBA while working full time?
Yes. Online MBA programs like USI’s are built for working professionals, with asynchronous, self-paced coursework that fits around a full-time job.
How long does it take to change careers with an MBA?
Many students complete USI’s online MBA in as few as 12 months, and career changes often begin taking shape before graduation through coursework, networking and internships.
What industries hire MBA career changers?
Consulting, finance and technology account for the majority of MBA hiring, though healthcare, project-driven industries and general management roles across virtually every sector recruit MBA graduates too.
How much can I expect my salary to increase after an MBA?
Outcomes vary by school and industry, but the data above shows average base salaries around $103,000 for MBA holders, with increases exceeding 100% within three years at top-ranked programs.
