Earning an MBA appeals to all sorts of students and business professionals, from right-brained creative thinkers to numbers-driven analytical types. Likewise, jobs for MBAs run the gamut, from classic business professions such as marketing and human resources, to more off-the-beaten-path technology and health care gigs. Prospective MBA students may consider the following jobs, all of which offer robust growth, comfortable salaries and modest unemployment rates, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
6. Marketing manager: These professionals earn a median salary of $127,130 and sell a company's products, which can include developing pricing strategies, creating advertisements and managing budgets. While a bachelor's degree in marketing, business, communications or similar fields can get aspiringmarketing managers in the door, an MBA can boost their skills or hoist them up the corporate ladder. Some of the top marketing MBA programs include Northwestern University's Kellogg School of Management and the Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania.
Be creative but don't forget the bottom line: Creativity is crucial in this field, but MBA students should remember that analytical skills and business savvy are necessary, too. "In order to be a successful marketing person, you have to be able to manage and lead and understand the impact of the business," says Jeff McNish, director of the University of North Carolina—Chapel Hill's MBA career management center.
5. Human resources specialist: These business professionals spend their days doing anything from keeping track of compensation and benefits to hiring and recruiting. While newcomers may enter the field with just a bachelor's degree, an MBA can give HR specialists a leg up. Apply business classes to HR: Watch for business lessons that can be applied to the people behind an organization, say experts. "A person who can understand how to leverage talent, while adhering to HR policies and procedures, is well-suited for this position," said Melissa S. Lopez, director of MBA and graduate programs at California State University—Fullerton's Mihaylo College of Business and Economics, in an email.
4. Logistician: This profession may be unfamiliar to MBA seekers, but it's growing rapidly. Logisticianscoordinate with others to accomplish a task, from aiding in disaster relief to organizing deliveries to customers. Students "who enjoy project management and operations management courses, which are offered commonly in an MBA program, are well-suited for this role," says Lopez. Consider top supply chain management programs, including the Sloan School of Management at Massachusetts Institute of Technology and the Eli Broad Graduate School of Management at Michigan State University. Research employers: MBA students should research their favorite company's strengths and challenges. Says Lopez: "Discover what skills and competencies they are seeking when hiring new employees."
3. Medical and health services manager: Medical and health services managers work to keep hospitals, nursing homes and other health centers operating smoothly and efficiently. As aging Baby Boomers require more medical services, demand in this field is expected to rise feverishly, growing at a rate of 17 percent between 2014 and 2024. Round out a health care background: An MBA can be helpful in this area for aspiring business professionals with roots in other health care fields, like nursing, says LaQuan Norman, managing assistant director of the Cahill Career Development Center at Ramapo College of New Jersey.
2. Fundraiser: Fundraisers, who labor to bring in money for their employer, may work at nonprofits, universities or for political campaigns. Professionals can enter the field with backgrounds in business or communications. Prospective graduate business students can look to earn nonprofit MBAs, which focus on the nonprofit and government sectors. Top schools offering nonprofit MBAs include the School of Management at Yale University and Harvard University Business School. Value the soft skills: Nontechnical skills, such as the ability to be likable, persuasive and influential, are important for success in the business world, says McNish, of UNC. For aspiring fundraisers, those skills are particularly important.
1. Financial advisor: Financial advisors counsel their clients on their finances, including advising on the best methods for growing their retirement savings and budgeting for their child's college education. This fast-growing field has a projected growth rate of 30 percent between 2014 and 2024, according to the BLS. Score an internship: "A summer internship provides resume-building experience for career changers. Semester-based internships allow students to gain additional expertise and increase their professional network," said Doreen Amorosa, associate dean and managing director of the MBA Career Center at Georgetown University's
McDonough School of Business, in an email. | 
