
Best MBA programs if you want to work for Apple or Google.

According to the Graduate Management Admission Council, the tech sector scoops up nearly identical numbers of top MBA graduates as consulting firms and financial services companies. In fact, many top business schools like Stanford University’s Graduate School of Business and University of Washington (Foster) see more than one-third of their MBA students landing jobs in the tech sector post-graduation.
Many MBA graduates are choosing to work for some of the world’s top tech companies, with Apple and Google both ranking within the top 10 on the Edmagazine.study 500. Only a small portion of applicants to Apple and Google are actually hired, indicating that these positions are highly coveted.
Today’s leading tech companies have very selective recruitment processes, which can be compared to top universities in terms of selectivity rates.
The data collected by Menlo Coaching indicates that between 2018 and 2020, 426 MBA graduates were hired by Google and 139 obtained jobs at Apple.
Many graduates of the top 20 MBA programs in the United States are hired by Apple and Google, but a few programs see these two companies hiring their MBAs in large numbers. Northwestern University (Kellogg) leads MBA hires at Apple, while University of Pennsylvania (Wharton) saw the most Google hires.
There are a few other schools that could set you up for a career at Apple or Google, depending on your qualifications. Using data from Menlo Coaching and reports from individual programs, Edmagazine.study has compiled a list of some other options.
University of California–Berkeley (Haas)
It’s no surprise that University of California-Berkeley (Haas) is a strong feeder school for Google. Between 2018 and 2020, Menlo Coaching reports Google hired 25 Haas MBA students—and according to the school, an additional 13 graduates were hired in 2021.
“Haas’ general management education is key to the success of our students in tech companies. The analytical rigor of our program helps them excel in environments where they will be called upon to lead cross-functional, global teams and make decisions based on data”. (Abby Scott, Haas’ assistant dean)
The school offers a number of elective courses focused on technology as part of its MBA program, and many of their graduates go on to take roles at tech companies. These companies recruit MBA graduates for a variety of roles, including product management, marketing, strategy, accounting, finance, recruitment, operations and partnerships.
Columbia Business School
Columbia Business School’s employment report found that, in 2021, just under 20% of its MBA students accepted jobs in the tech industry after graduation. The median starting salaries (including bonuses) for these graduates was around $150,000.
Columbia Business School is one of the top feeders for jobs at Apple and Google, according to Menlo Coaching data. Several graduates have gone into product development and strategy positions, while others have pursued supply chain and business growth jobs. Dean Costis Maglaras has played a major role in the school’s focus on developing technologies, which has resulted in strong employment reports.
“You and I live in a data-rich world,” Maglaras told in a recent interview with Fortune Education. “This has fundamentally changed both businesses and the types of jobs that our students are taking. Business education has evolved to both embrace this change and to better prepare students for this digital future.”
Carnegie Mellon University (Tepper)
“At Carnegie Mellon University’s Tepper School of Business, we pride ourselves on providing a data- and technology-focused MBA program in several formats, including in-person, online, and hybrid options. Our curriculum information page outlines some of the skills you’ll need to succeed in today’s business world, including advanced analytics.” (Stephen Rakas, Tepper’s executive director of the masters career center).
The school has sent a large number of its graduates to work at some of the world’s most prestigious tech companies, including Microsoft, but also sees graduates go on to roles at Google and Apple.
Tepper’s executive director of the masters career center, Stephen Rakas, tells that “companies frequently recruit students from Tepper because they know our students are proficient with world-class technologies and analytical tools. Our MBA students are also known for their ambition and collaborative nature–ready to dive into complex problems.”
How Harvard, Stanford, Wharton fare
At Google, the top three MBA programs are Harvard Business School (HBS), Stanford Graduate School of Business (GSB), and Wharton. HBS is the runner-up for most hires at Google behind Wharton—and Stanford wasn’t too far behind, according to Menlo Coaching data. Each school sees roughly 20% to 30% of its MBA graduates go into the tech sector.
Google and Apple recruit most heavily at MBA programs that have a high percentage of tech graduates, according to consultant Talon Rindels. The largest schools that fit this criteria are Kellogg, HBS, Stanford, and Wharton.
Tech salaries are typically 20% to 25% higher for MBA graduates than for undergraduate hires, according to Keith Feinberg, director of permanent placement services with Robert Half.
Apple’s hiring practices at its three schools of origin—University of California, Berkeley; University of Utah; and the University of Michigan— resulted in relatively few new hires compared to other top-tier programs. Other universities, such as Duke University (Fuqua), the University of Texas–Austin (McCombs), Columbia, and Kellogg, outbid Apple for a greater number of experienced professionals.