New research from international study loan provider Spark Finance shows that Australian and New Zealand MBA graduates who studied overseas are achieving stronger career outcomes than ever, with higher employment rates, faster salary growth, and increased career mobility.
Despite ongoing debates about the value of postgraduate degrees, concerns over declining domestic demand, and questions around the return on investment for MBAs specifically, local students who pursue international study continue to see significant career advantages.
The survey of 2024 graduates from US, UK and European Master’s degrees showed international postgraduate degrees continue to open doors, with employment rates exceeding 2023 results. The survey showed:
- 100% of graduates were employed within five months of graduation (vs. 80% in 2023).
- 75% secured roles in Finance (33%), Technology (17%), Law (17%), and Consulting (8%).
- 84% of graduates reported a salary increase after re-entering the workforce. Among them:
- 33% saw an uplift of 1-20%
- 25% experienced a 21-40% increase
- 17% achieved an 81-124% rise
- 25% more than doubled their salary (125%+ increase)
- 59% of graduates stayed abroad post-study (vs. 50% in 2023), while 41% returned to Australia. Those remaining overseas secured roles across the USA, UK, and Europe, benefiting from competitive job markets and expanded professional networks.
- 58% of graduates transitioned into a new industry post-study.
- Graduates remain strong advocates for international education with 100% recommending studying overseas.
These strong outcomes come amid turbulence in key industries such as technology and consulting, where layoffs and restructuring have impacted many Australian professionals.
According to the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS), job vacancies in these sectors fell by 12% in the past year, making the employment success of international postgraduates even more noteworthy.
At the same time, demand for international postgraduate study is surging. Spark Finance has seen applications for overseas education loans from Australian students increase by 70% in 2024 compared to 2023, reflecting a growing shift toward global education pathways.
Ewen Hollingsworth, Founder and CEO of Spark Finance, said, “In an increasingly competitive job market, Australian students are looking globally to future-proof their careers. Our research shows that international postgraduate degrees continue to deliver a strong return on investment, despite economic uncertainties.”
Spark provides loans for Australian students to study internationally, with most clients studying top-tier MBA programs in the United States, UK and Europe. These globally-recognised MBA programs can ofter cost well over $100,000 with the top-ranked programs like Harvard ($USD118,00) and INSEAD (€103,500) costing significantly more.
Spark generally finances about 50% of the tuition cost with the average loan of about $80,000. About 60% of student loans are used to complete MBA or EMBA programs.
“Our key market is young professionals with a good income and great prospects, but they just don’t have $100,000 lying around to fund an MBA,” he said. “We can see that they have this great career path, and this degree will help them reach their potential… we are just helping them along their path.”
