MBA & Master Glossary
ROI (Return on Investment)
Definition
MBA ROI (Return on Investment) measures the financial return relative to investment. Costs include tuition fees (€10,000-150,000), foregone salary for full-time, living expenses, and materials. Returns include salary increase (average 50-100%), signing bonus, and accelerated career development. Typical payback periods are 3-5 years for top programs. Factors affecting ROI: Business school reputation, industry (consulting and finance pay highest), pre-MBA salary, and career goals. Non-monetary benefits like network and personal development should also be considered.
Example: "With tuition of EUR 45,000 and a salary increase of EUR 20,000, the ROI is reached after roughly two years."
Why this matters for your MBA
"ROI (Return on Investment)" is one of the terms you will come across when comparing MBA and Executive MBA programmes in Germany, Austria and Switzerland — in admission requirements, accreditation details or programme descriptions. On mba.de you can check how individual business schools handle it and compare programmes independently.
Source: mba.de – independent comparison portal since 2003.