MBA Worth it?

May 16, 2020 21 Comments

Why are people so worried about going to an expensive MBA? Not confident of recouping on their investment?

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TOP 21 Comments
  • Google
    FIRE man

    Go to company page Google

    FIRE man
    Take a look at https://engineerseekingfire.com/is-an-mba-worth-it-for-software-engineers/ to understand the ROI of the MBA better
    May 26, 2020 12
    • Google
      FIRE man

      Go to company page Google

      BIO
      Blogging about tech careers and personal finance at https://EngineerSeekingFIRE.com
      FIRE man
      I haven’t personally seen any Engineering Directors with MBAs. Maybe it would be a good topic of discussion, if you talk to any of them. Not sure if an MBA would help them grow into a VP of Engineering. At that point they’d have to get an Executive MBA and it might be tough to make all the sacrifices and get one.

      I think that when you hit Principal level it’s tough to get promoted unless you’re a manager. It’s very difficult to show the appropriate scope and impact as an IC that is needed to jump to the next level. There are very few Partner SWEs that I know of and all of them have gone through a managerial role at some point.

      Tough to say about a startup. None of the famous startup founders had an MBA. Bill Gates, Steve Jobs, Mark Zuckerberg, Larry Page, Sergey Brin founded startups without an MBA. However, at some point they all had to either hire people with business backgrounds or get replaced by one.
      Nov 27, 2020
    • Apple
      hhcv40

      Go to company page Apple

      hhcv40
      >>I haven’t personally seen any Engineering Directors with MBAs. Maybe it would be a good topic of discussion, if you talk to any of them. Not sure if an MBA would help them grow into a VP of Engineering. At that point they’d have to get an Executive MBA and it might be tough to make all the sacrifices and get one.

      Sorry I meant Director -> VP -> CxO. You are right, director level and probably VP level, I have not seen MBA holders. However, CxO level, many of them have.

      >>I think that when you hit Principal level it’s tough to get promoted unless you’re a manager. It’s very difficult to show the appropriate scope and impact as an IC that is needed to jump to the next level. There are very few Partner SWEs that I know of and all of them have gone through a managerial role at some point.

      You mean Partner SWE who tried managerial role during their career before coming back to tech ladder?
      Nov 27, 2020
  • KPMG
    Assoc3

    Go to company page KPMG

    Assoc3
    But it is not worth it. I am in the room with MBA types all the time and we are all the same. Heck my performance consistently stacks higher compared to my colleagues with fancy MBAs. And yes, we make just about the same.
    May 19, 2020 1
  • Fluke
    PwEo63

    Go to company page Fluke

    PwEo63
    It’s generally not worth it if you’re in tech already
    May 16, 2020 1
  • KPMG
    iRIf44

    Go to company page KPMG

    iRIf44
    Worth it because it’s like a reset button to find job new field as you’ll be actively recruited
    May 17, 2020 2
  • Depends on your personal situation and goals. High-ranked MBA programs are great if you are looking to change careers, want to boost your salary (check average program salaries before you enroll), or are looking to relocate geographically. Generally not a great investment if it is a lower ranked program or you already love your job / career and don't need it to advance.
    May 18, 2020 0