Contemplation: Is An MBA Worth It?

(Addition: Just found an interesting article on "Is an MBA worth it" from the Globe and Mail in March 2008 and thought I would edit this post to include a link to this site.)

Is an MBA degree worth it? After lost wages and tuition does this opportunity payout? Would you be better off just sticking to your current position for the next decade?

The majority of us will work to earn a our living. In today's society you could be working a long time. Although I am attempting to quantify the monetary advantages of an MBA, I cannot even begin to assess the emotional, intellectual, and social rewards of an MBA. Can you really put a price on enjoying your employment? If you are like me then you had to suffer through countless student summer positions that redefined boredom and uselessness firsthand. Perhaps you had a position that tried your patience to the point of driving you to the brink of insanity? If you have, then I'm sure you can agree that finding enjoyable employment is PRICELESS. I believe an MBA will help me with this, but it may not do that for everyone.

With that stated, let's continue with the analysis of this opportunity.

To test the value of an MBA I assembled a few scenarios. All of these involve certain assumptions, which anyone can criticize, but as they were used in all cases I would argue much of the error caused by incorrect assumptions cancels out.

To provide a sufficient time scale I chose to look at 10 years. All of the scenarios started with 1 year of employment at my current position. After that they explore a variety of paths. I then compared them to the base case of staying at my current position. All cases assumed an 8% pay increase every year, but it doesn't matter as the affect is irrelevant as I explain further down.

• Scenario A: Base case. Do not return to school. Work at your current job with steady pay increases every year.
• Scenario B: Work in previous position for 1 year, return to school, enter new industry at a slightly lower salary, but receive a 50% one-time increase after 3 years in after gaining experience. (Note: This increase would either come from changing organizations or being recognized for your new expertise within your current organization)
• Scenario C: Work in previous position for 1 year, return to school, enter previous industry at same salary with potential to enter management position, but never get the chance.
• Scenario D: Work in previous position for 1 year, return to school, enter previous industry at a higher salary with potential to enter management position.
• Scenario E: Work in previous position for 1 year, return to school, enter previous industry at a higher salary with potential to enter management position and extra compensation
• Scenario F: Work in previous position for 1 year, return to school, enter previous industry with a much higher salary with potential to enter management position and extra compensation

The specifics of these scenarios are interesting, but the detail is too heavy for this venue.

Results:

• Scenario A: 1.00 times base case since this is the base case
• Scenario B: 1.09 times base case
• Scenario C: 0.87 times base case (the only case that was worse than not taking an MBA)
• Scenario D: 1.34 times base case
• Scenario E: 1.34 times base case
• Scenario F: 1.68 times base case

For specific values I looked at my current position and where I could reasonably be in 10 years if I didn't go back for an MBA. Fortunately for me I have my professional association's salary surveys to consult (APEGGA Salary Survey Page) (2006 Results). For post MBA positions I checked various Canadian business schools placement statistics. All the MBA information I found was similar to what is posted at Queen's. (Site with stats) (2007 Results)(2006 Results). All of the results were discounted to today's dollars. If possible, I would recommend all people contemplating an MBA to complete a similar exercise so you can really see the effect.

I ran sensitivities on the influence of discount rates and inflation rates of salary. The discount rate had no effect. The inflation rate of salary directly affected the magnitude of the difference between the cases, but the cases always ranked the same.

The only scenario that didn't workout for the better was the case where I returned to my previous employment position and nothing changed. Even taking a pay cut to switch industries was beneficial provided you are able to see a large, one-time increase in your salary after 3 years.

In other words, don't take an MBA and go back to doing the exact same thing you were doing before.

None of these scenarios considered the substantially rewarding situation of starting a business that becomes incredibly successful or catching that one-in-a-million opportunity that is out there if people are really willing to dig for it. Those opportunities would be much more rewarding. Perhaps a senior management position?

In conclusion, financially an MBA is worth it. You should easily be able to get the MBA to payout. The magnitude of financial benefit is a directly proportional to what you do afterwards. How much and when? Well, that lies squarely on your shoulders.

Other related links with in my blog:

• The Choice: Why go back for an MBA?
• Contemplation: Who Should Do An MBA?
• Plethora of Programs: Which one to choose?
• Decisions: US or Non-US MBA?
• Decisions: Which Canadian MBA Programs to Apply To?
• Contemplation: Is the MBA worth it?

Discussion with MBA Grad: Full-Time University of Alberta MBA

Recently I bumped into an old classmate from the University of Alberta. Like myself he had also completed a bachelors of science in mechanical engineering. However, he has also returned to the University of Alberta to complete an MBA. We arranged to go for lunch to catch up and I took the opportunity to ask him about his experience.

After graduation he worked for approximately a year as an engineer-in-training for a mid-size engineering firm that specialized in facilities and well tie-ins for the oil and gas industry. After being accepted to the program he returned as a full-time student to complete his MBA.

Once he graduation he returned to his company. He mentioned that his supervisor asked him to remove the "MBA" from his business card because it "intimidated" people. I don't think he was very impressed with that request.

Shortly after that he found employment as an Oil and Gas Analysts with a very well respected investment firm that describes themselves as, "a full-service, independent, Canadian owned investment bank and brokerage firm," that, "provides a wide range of financial services to both its corporate and retail clients."

He seemed to like what he was doing and appreciated that his MBA allowed him to get there while his engineering degree gave him the technical skill to specialize in the oil and gas industry. However, I did get the strong sense that he regretted not being able to get a stronger engineering knowledge base before returning to school. The MBA re-branded him as business and really overshadowed his previous degree.

Other MBA Grads I had discussions with:

• Queen's Full-Time MBAst
• Queen's Part-Time EMBA
• Ivey Full-Time MBA
• Bath Full-Time MBA
• Haskayne Part-Time MBA
• University of Alberta Full-Time MBA

Discussion with MBA Grad: Part-Time Haskayne MBA

During the discussion I had with the individual who took his MBA part-time at Bath University he mentioned he worked with another MBA graduate that I might want to talk with. The individual in question had taken an MBA part-time at the Haskayne School of Business (University of Calgary) while working full-time.

I was given a phone number for his office and called the guy up after working late the same day I had met with the guy from Bath University. He answered and we had a good conversation about the program he went through and the MBA.

His company had paid for the program since he continued to work full time while taking the part time MBA. Since he was working and living in the same city as the school there was no need to video-conference, which did make it easier. He said it was tough to balance work, school and family. Almost too tough, but he would do it again and was happy with the results.

There is one comment that really got to me though. He said, "I have a two year old daughter and I'm only getting to know her now." Ouch. I could tell from his voice that this hurt him a lot.

This discussion has made it clear I should probably take an MBA before I have a family or not at all.

Other MBA Grads I had discussions with:

• Queen's Full-Time MBAst
• Queen's Part-Time EMBA
• Ivey Full-Time MBA
• Bath Full-Time MBA
• Haskayne Part-Time MBA
• University of Alberta Full-Time MBA

Discussion with MBA Grad: Part-Time Bath MBA

A coworker heard I was considering an MBA and she mentioned her husband had one. I asked if he would be willing to meet to discuss it and she put me in contact with him. We scheduled a meeting at a local Tim Horton's coffee shop on a day he would be in the neighbourhood on business.

This is a fairly unique scenario as the couple in question had immigrated to Canada from the United Kingdom. He had taken his MBA part-time at Bath University. Bath MBA. His employer, a British telecoms company, has sponsored the whole thing! He was very happy about his entire experience and would do it again. Some regrets were expressed about doing the program while having a young family, but he said it was all definitely worth it.

The amazing part I found quite interesting was they originally moved to Canada after he had been hired by a very large Canadian telecoms company. Shortly after hiring him the telecoms company got into serious trouble, was laying people off, and downsizing like mad. This went on for a few years as they dot-com bust occurred.

You would think that he got laid-off or demoted or took a pay cut, but no! He was actually promoted and given successive raises because of the results he was able to produce. He was quick to point out that he was able to do this because of a combination of the education he had received during his MBA and his work experience.

I don't know if many people in Canada can find companies that would sponsor their MBA, but I would sure like to find one. It would make the prospect of working full time while going to school almost likable.

Other MBA Grads I had discussions with:

• Queen's Full-Time MBAst
• Queen's Part-Time EMBA
• Ivey Full-Time MBA
• Bath Full-Time MBA
• Haskayne Part-Time MBA
• University of Alberta Full-Time MBA

Discussion with MBA Grad: Full-Time Ivey MBA

I mentioned my MBA ambitions to one of the consultants working at my place of employment and he said he knew someone I absolutely had to meet. He put me in contact with a longtime colleague of his that was currently working for a junior oil and gas company.

This individual had been working as a professional drilling engineering in the early 1980's. He had enough experience at the time to be an expert in deep basin drilling, but decided to take a year off to travel Europe. After travelling he returned for a 2 year full time MBA at Richard Ivey School of Business at the The University of Western Ontario located in London, Ontario.

Upon graduation he returned to Alberta, but it was 1987 and the oil and gas industry was in ruins from the National Energy Program (NEP). He found work in other industries, but nothing as lucrative as what he had been doing. After about a decade the industry had recovered enough that he was able to find a suitable position.

He swears the MBA cost him at least a million dollars of lost opportunity if not more. His assessment includes the decreased wages he took because he couldn't come back to the oil and gas industry immediately.

He may be correct, but as a high paid expert deep basin drilling engineer I don't know if he would have been safe in the post NEP economy of Alberta.

One thing is for sure, leaving the industry you want to be in at the wrong time can be bad news. I will definately have to think this decision through before I go back.

I am really glad I met this guy because I know I have done my research when I have someone telling me the otherside of the story. All I have been hearing from the media, friends, and colleagues is that the MBA is great. Now I have found a guy that is telling me the MBA ruined his life.

Is an MBA Overrated? Checkout this article.

Other MBA Grads I had discussions with:

• Queen's Full-Time MBAst
• Queen's Part-Time EMBA
• Ivey Full-Time MBA
• Bath Full-Time MBA
• Haskayne Part-Time MBA
• University of Alberta Full-Time MBA

Discussion with MBA Grad: Part-Time Queen's EMBA via Distance Ed.

After mentioning my MBA aspirations to a friend it came to light that he knew someone with an EMBA. A friend of the family had taken the Part-Time Queen's EMBA through distance education and offered to put me in touch with this individual. I jumped at the opportunity.

Queen's EMBA

After a couple of e-mails we settled on a telephone conversation during the afternoon. He had used his EMBA to switch industries. Previously he had been working with a pharmaceutical company in a non-management role. After the EMBA he found work marketing a network of ski-resorts in the Canadian Rockies.

He had done the EMBA part-time and it was tough. He had a wife and two young children while working full-time and doing an EMBA. Thrusday evenings were crammed with last minute team work. Friday and Saturday they would video conference with a professor at Queen's. Sunday was more work. Tuesdays the team would meet again to review the latest assignment. That brings us full circle. Now repeat.

Every night of the week he was busy with the program.

This went on for 12 months.

Then he had to travel to Kingston and live there for 3 months to study full-time to finish off the degree.

I don't know if I would pick this option unless I really had to.

Other discussions with MBA Grads:

• Queen's Full-Time MBAst
• Queen's Part-Time EMBA
• Ivey Full-Time MBA
• Bath Full-Time MBA
• Haskayne Part-Time MBA
• University of Alberta Full-Time MBA

Discussion With MBA Grad: Full-Time Queen's MBAst

When I asked Queen's to put me in touch with some of their alumni they were quick to respond. They even found someone who was a professional engineer, had graduated in the last couple of years, and was in a location where I could easily meet with them.

First off let me summarize that the individual I met with was very happy he took the MBA, would do it again in an instant, and was very happy with the results after graduation. The program he when through was specific to students who already had a degree in science or technology. Since then the program has been changed and now is not specific to people with science or technology degrees.

Queen's MBA

The individual I met with was a few years older than myself and had used the MBA to switch industries. Prior to going back he was working as a facilities engineer in a small city between Alberta and Saskatchewan for a major oil and gas producer. After he completed the program he was recruited by a private company that describes itself as, "a global, energy advisory firm that provides comprehensive Investment Banking, Acquisitions & Divestitures and Global Equity Capital Markets services." Basically, he now helps oil and gas companies buy and sell properties. He analyzes and creates sales packages for oil and gas properties that companies want to divest.

When asked about the international component of Queen's he said that a large majority of the international students were from India.

He discussed the merits and drawbacks of a 12 month MBA in contrast to a 24 month MBA program.

Merits of a 12 month program:

• Less time spent out of the workforce means the opportunity costs less
• Don't have to pay for an internship

Drawbacks of a 12 month program:

• No internship to try out an industry you have no experience in
• Program is so intensive and busy that finding time to look for work is difficult

He had known several people who had taken the 2 year MBA and they all mentioned that the 2nd year wasn't as busy as the 1st allowing them time to search for work. His only word of advice was that the program was very demanding and to be prepared to be too busy to look for work until after completing the program.

Other MBA Grads I had discussions with:

• Queen's Full-Time MBAst
• Queen's Part-Time EMBA
• Ivey Full-Time MBA
• Bath Full-Time MBA
• Haskayne Part-Time MBA
• University of Alberta Full-Time MBA