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GMAC Survey Forecasts Median MBA Starting Pay Falling to $120,000 in 2026

June 25, 2026 at 08:03 EDT

Recruiting & HR
Sales & Business
Education

In the Graduate Management Admission Council's (GMAC) new Corporate Recruiters Survey, corporate hiring managers forecast that the median starting salary for MBA holders will fall to $120,000 in 2026 from $125,000 a year earlier. The shift is tied to AI-driven automation of work and a related cooling in demand for the degree.

2026 Corporate Recruiters Survey · GMAC

The MBA Pay Premium Slips as AI Skills Redefine What Employers Value

Median starting salary for new MBA graduates is forecast to drop to $120,000, even as demand for AI, technology and data skills climbs faster than any other capability.

Median MBA starting salary

A $5,000 year-over-year decline, as employers re-examine the economic value of the degree.

2025

$125k

2026 forecast

$120k

100%

of employers express trust in graduate management education

620+

corporate recruiters & staffing firms surveyed worldwide

AI-tool fluency tops skills expected to matter most in five years

Skills employers rank most critical

AI / tech / data analysis ↑ fastest-rising Communication Adaptability

AI, technology and data-analysis skills rose more than any other category year over year — and now lead the capabilities employers expect to define talent over the next five years.

The AI multiplier

Workers who wield AI as a tool stay in demand. Hiring of international talent is rising across Europe and Asia.

The squeeze

Professionals without AI skills face lower salaries and fewer roles. US sponsorship appetite is softening and some employers report declining graduate professionalism.

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