BIMTECH PGDM Admissions 2026
AACSB Accredited | Highest CTC: 22 LPA | Last Date: 31st December 2025
What after MBA: Job Opportunities, Salary Package, Recruiters & Scope
What After MBA: There are over 3,133 MBA colleges in India as per AICTE data for 2022-23 offering 420236 seats. MBA is considered as a passport for a successful corporate career and scores of graduates try their hand at various entrance tests to avail MBA admissions at leading BSchools. However, the big question that comes on completion of the course is what after MBA? and What is the scope after MBA? Management graduates have multiple options to choose from after MBA. Be it a job, study options or even entrepreneurship, the prospects are good and chances bright. In this article, we take a quick look at the various options that can be the answer to what after MBA and Career after MBA.
LiveIIM CAT 2025 Result (OUT) LIVE: MBA admission criteria for IIMs; CAT score weightage, cut-offsDec 26, 2025 | 11:01 PM ISTRead More
IIM Kozhikode will retain its three-stage admission process for the MBA (PGP) 2026–28 batch, with CAT 2025 scores carrying a final weightage of 35 percent. The minimum overall CAT cut-off for general category candidates remains at 85 percentile, with sectional qualifying scores required in VARC, DILR, and QA. Shortlisting of candidates will be based on CAT performance, academic record, and personal interview rounds.
What after MBA?
The answer to this is best decided by the MBA graduate. The choices are varied and diverse after MBA. Candidates can look at jobs after MBA in India or courses after MBA amongst other options. Jobs can be of different types – private or government; conventional or unconventional. Courses can be research or value addition courses to the MBA degree.
What after MBA- Options to look at
As said earlier, the areas and fields that MBA graduates can work are wide. Starting from teaching, social service to specialised areas like data analysis, health management, the opportunities are huge and limitless.
What are the job opportunities after MBA?
If one has to look in detail at the various job opportunities after MBA, they are broadly of two types – conventional and unconventional. The conventional ones are mostly related to management and specializations while the unconventional involve highest paying jobs for MBA graduates that are not even remotely close to the traditional roles.
Jobs after MBA – Areas and Sectors
- Banking, Financial Services and Insurance (BFSI)
- Conglomerates
- Consulting
- Consumer Goods (FMCG)
- Consumer Services
- Engineering / Technology
- E-Commerce
- Education
- Information Technology (IT)
- Logistics
- Manufacturing/Engineering/Energy
- Media/Communications
- Online Services
- Others (Education Tech
- Others (Enterprise Tech)
- Others (Hospitality & Technology)
- Others (Retail B2B & B2C)
- Pharmaceutical/Healthcare
- Real Estate
- Telecom
These are broadly classified as per placement reports of leading BSchools. Candidates can check recruitment websites also to get insights on how the placement trends go and plan their strategy after MBA.
Also read: Is an MBA Worth It?
What after MBA - Unconventional highest paying jobs after MBA to look at
Having an MBA degree doesn’t mean one has to look at typical management roles. There are a plethora of options and one can go for govt jobs after MBA or study further by taking up good courses after MBA. Some of the various options available for students are
- Civil Services: One can choose to appear for the civil services exam to get in the Indian Administrative Service (IAS) or allied services. This allows one to put their management skills to good use while serving the government.
- Defence Services: If one is patriotic, the defence services are a good choice. Serving the country can be one of the most noble professions and the positions come with good perks also.
- Research: If one is inclined to delve deep into innovations, changes or betterment of existing processes, research could be one area after MBA to put one's skills to good use.
- Social Service: For those who are inclined towards serving the underprivileged, social services is one option. One can join an NGO to pursue this avenue.
- Teaching: One of the nobler professions, teaching is one option after MBA that allows one to not just teach management but to guide scores of management graduates towards successful journeys.
- Design: With Product Management being a popular choice of specialization, many MBA graduates are also increasingly opting for roles in design.
- Entrepreneurship: if one is inclined to be self-employed and set up a business, then this pathway is for them. Many have ventured into this route after MBA in recent times to taste success. However, the path is hard and tricky to navigate.
CAT 2025 College Predictor
Use CAT 2025 College Predictor to check your chances for IIM and top MBA calls based on CAT percentile, profile, work experience and cut-off trends.
Use NowWith the advent of digitisation, many more options are available in addition to the traditional ones. Social media, event management, advertising are some other areas that can be looked at.
What is the salary after MBA?
One of the most searched topics is the salary after MBA. Many students wish to check the packages they can get after MBA. The salary is always dependent on the institute, specialization as well as the abilities of the MBA graduate.
Salary after MBA (Placement statistics)
Institute | Average Salary (2022) |
17.82 lakhs | |
32.79 lakhs | |
32.06 lakhs | |
32.4 lakhs | |
30.7 lakhs | |
32.2 lakhs | |
25.16 lakhs | |
13.2 lakhs |
The above statistics are from the official placement reports.
Top Recruiters after MBA
Top management institutes see placements from recruiters like Accenture Strategy, McKinsey & Company, Deloitte, Citibank, Goldman Sachs, HSBC, Asian Paints, Dabur, RUL, ITC, Colgate Palmolive, Nestle, P&G, Reckitt, Samsung Electronics, Wipro, Mahindra Group, Tata Administrative Services, Amazon, Flipkart, Myntra and Nykaa, Angel Broking, American Express, Capgemini, Google, Microsoft, PayTM, Sprinklr and Zomato to name a few.
The packages vary from role to role, sector, location and more. Internships, extracurricular activities etc are some other parameters that can play a role in the job offers after MBA.
What are the courses after MBA?
One of the after MBA options is pursuing higher studies. Students can opt for Fellow programmes or Doctorate in management. Most IIMs offer these programmes as do other leading BSchools. These are more specialized courses that definitely put a student at an advantage. However, these courses are only for those people who are serious about pursuing them. Most students end up pursuing academic careers as faculty/ professors in business schools after completing these courses.
In addition, there are plenty of certification courses that can add value and advantages to the MBA degree. The choice of such courses depends upon the area of expertise a candidate is interested in. Students who are into marketing may be interested in pursuing a certificate course in digital marketing to be able to step into the digital marketing space. Certificate courses in management are available in most major and popular specializations. There are many providers with choices of short term and long-term courses.
Government Exams After MBA
After completion of MBA course, a candidates can appear for many exams. Check out few major competitive exams after MBA.
- UPSC
- IAS Exams
- IBPS PO
- SBI PO
- RBI Grade B
- SEBI Grade A
K J Somaiya Institute of Management MBA Admissions 2026
Highest Package 27.25 LPA | Top 100 Average package 16.65 LPA | AACSB Accredited | Ranked 52 by QS International
ISBR Business School PGDM Admissions 2026
400+ Recruiters | Highest CTC 21 LPA | Average CTC 8 LPA | 92% Placements in 2025 | Ranked as Platinum Institute | Awarded Best Business School of the Year
Browse Top MBA Colleges Accepting CAT Score: Location-Wise
Candidates are advised to check the recruitment websites and get insights on the various job opportunities available to MBA graduates. This is one good strategy if one is looking for jobs after MBA. A concrete plan has to be set up and all factors considered before deciding on the course after MBA.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Q: What course is best after an MBA?
A:
After completion of MBA, candidates can pursue any one of the following courses.
- Project Management Professional (PMP)
- Six Sigma Certification
- Digital Marketing Certifications
- Certified ScrumMaster (CSM)
Articles
Related Stories
|
Upcoming Bschool Exams
Certifications By Top Providers
Explore Top Universities Across Globe
Popular Courses and Specializations
List of colleges accepting CAT
Browse Bschool Colleges by State
Questions related to CAT
On Question asked by student community
Have a question related to CAT ?
With 84.91 percentile in CAT (General, male, no work experience), top colleges like IIMs, IITs, FMS, MDI, etc. are not possible. You may get calls from private institutes such as IMT Nagpur/Hyderabad, IMI Bhubaneswar, XIME, SDMIMD, Welingkar (some programs) and similar colleges. Universities like Amity or LPU are also options.
It’s better to choose carefully, as placements and ROI may be average. Reattempting CAT or trying XAT/CMAT could improve options.
Hello,
With a CAT percentile of 88.77 and a strong CGPA of 9.0, you are in a competitive range for newer IIMs (like IIM Amritsar, IIM Bodh Gaya, IIM Sirmaur, IIM Nagpur) and several top non-IIM B-schools such as TAPMI, BIM Trichy, Great Lakes, IMI Delhi, FORE School of Management, and KJ Somaiya. You may not reach the older IIMs (Ahmedabad, Bangalore, Calcutta, etc.) since they usually require 98+ percentile, but you have excellent chances at mid-tier and emerging institutes.
For more details access mentioned link below:
Hope it helps.
Hello
The expected cutoff for the JAP (Joint Admission Process) is around 90 to 95th percentile, with a minimum sectional cutoff of around 75 percentile in Quantitative Ability. You have scored 82.2% which is very low; that's why you are unlikely to meet the minimum criteria for the JAP IIMs in the general Category.
I hope this information helps you.
Thank you.
Hello,
Here is your IIM Cutoff for Gen/OBC/SC/ST, CS Score Cut Off. I am providing you the link. Kindly open and check it out. From here you can get all the details.
I hope it will help you.
Thank you.
With a CAT score of around 80 percentile and about 2 years of work experience, getting a call from the top IIMs (IIM Ahmedabad, Bangalore, Calcutta, Lucknow, Kozhikode, Indore) is extremely difficult, as their cutoff percentiles are usually much higher, even for reserved categories. These institutes typically shortlist candidates above 95–99 percentile depending on category, academic profile, and diversity factors.
However, you may still have some chances at a few of the newer or baby IIMs, especially if you belong to a reserved category (SC/ST/OBC/EWS) and have a decent academic background. IIMs such as IIM Jammu, IIM Bodh Gaya, IIM Sirmaur, IIM Sambalpur, IIM Nagaland, IIM Amritsar, and IIM Vizag have historically called candidates in the 75–85 percentile range for certain categories. Your 2 years of work experience can also work in your favour, as most IIMs give weightage to professional experience during shortlisting and final selection.
That said, selection does not depend on CAT percentile alone. Factors like your 10th and 12th marks, graduation score, academic consistency, gender and academic diversity, work experience quality, and performance in the personal interview play a very important role. Even with an 80 percentile, a strong interview and profile can improve your chances at newer IIMs.
You should also keep strong non-IIM options open. At this percentile, good colleges like newer IIT MBA programs, some NITs, and reputed private B-schools can offer better and more realistic opportunities. Applying broadly and preparing seriously for the interview stage is very important.
In summary, while top IIMs are unlikely at 80 percentile, you may still have a realistic chance at some of the newer IIMs depending on your category and overall profile.
MBA/PGDM Admissions OPEN
Amity University-Noida MBA Admissions 2026
ApplyRanked among top 10 B-Schools in India by multiple publications | Top Recruiters-Google, MicKinsey, Amazon, BCG & many more.
Great Lakes Institute of Management PGPM Admissions 2026
ApplyGlobally Recognized by AACSB (US) & AMBA (UK) | 17.8 LPA Avg. CTC for PGPM 2025
K J Somaiya Institute of Management MBA Admissions 2026
ApplyHighest Package 27.25 LPA | Top 100 Average package 16.65 LPA | AACSB Accredited | Ranked 52 by QS International
IMI Kolkata PGDM Admissions 2026
ApplyPhase 02 Applications Window Closing on 23rd January 2026 | 100% Placement Record | Average CTC 12.75 LPA | Highest CTC 40.31 LPA | Median CTC 12.49 LPA
UPES MBA Admissions 2026
ApplyRanked #36 amongst institutions in Management by NIRF | 100% Placement
IFMR Graduate School of Business MBA Admissions 2026
ApplyApplication Deadline 15th Jan’26 | UGC Approved Programs | Near 100% Placement Record | Up to 100% Scholarships | Highest CTC 21.32 LPA
CAT Notifications
Never miss CAT update
Get timely CAT updates directly to your inbox. Stay informed!