Technology is one of the fastest-growing industries in the world. For the same reason, the top tech giants such as Apple, Microsoft, Google, or the tech companies in the lower rung are constantly on the lookout for MBA graduates who have completed the best tech MBA programs. With the rise of artificial intelligence (AI), fintech and robotics, tech MBAs will always be in demand. This heightened requirement for tech MBA graduates has made tech MBA programs extremely popular in recent years.

Are you a technology professional who now wishes to enter the management domain in the tech industry? Do you want to know more about tech MBA, why tech MBA, career options for tech MBA graduates, and the best tech MBA programs you should consider?

If so, you have come to the right place.

In this article, we will help you understand what exactly tech MBA is and why tech MBA is the right choice for you. Moreover, we will also help you with the 20 best tech MBA programs in the world so that you can choose whichever program you think is right for your career progress.

Here’s what you will get to know about tech MBA and the programs in this article:

1. What is tech MBA?

2. What are the key differences between tech MBA and regular MBA programs?

3. Why tech MBA is a good option?

4. Which are the 20 best tech MBA programs 2021?

5. What are the career options for tech MBA graduates?

If you have a technical background and have worked in tech companies, be it in India or abroad, you must have learned that a tech company, just like other companies, requires people in the management position. Basically, a tech company is not one in which people with technical backgrounds just sit together and build products.

That is not how Google or Amazon comes up with such customer-centric products and services.

While the technology industry is majorly driven by programmers and engineers, they also need business leaders who understand the industry. This is the main reason why tech MBAs have gained popularity. The tech companies require people who can look at a problem from both angles – the technical angle and the business angle.

Tech companies like Microsoft, Apple, Alibaba, Amazon, Google, and Facebook are not only the largest companies in terms of market value but also the most significant employers of MBA graduates. This has led to the birth of tech MBA programs that have redesigned the traditional MBA program around the needs of the tech sector.

And what exactly is a tech MBA?

A tech MBA combines the knowledge of technology and management into a single graduation program. The program involves the study of technology that is driving the current businesses and focuses on creating a new strain of digital leaders who can combine their business acumen with technical expertise.

A traditional MBA primarily focuses on enhancing an individual’s leadership and management skill. A tech MBA, on the other hand, combines traditional business knowledge with other technology specialized courses such as information security, project management, digital finance, analytics, digital transformation, and artificial intelligence.

A tech MBA is ideal for someone with an engineering background or someone with a genuine interest in technology. They should have a desire to work within the ever-evolving tech industry.

Before we take a look at the 20 best tech MBA programs 2021, let’s understand why tech MBA is a good option for you.

Technology has become a part of everyday life now.

Especially with the COVID 19 pandemic completely changing the modes of communication, entertainment, and even shopping, we have accepted the best version of technology to help us during the time. And this acceptance of technology is here to stay.

For the same reason, tech companies will flourish post-pandemic. They will require candidates who understand their products from a technical perspective at the same time taking into consideration the business aspect as well.

This is what the chief marketing and operations officer of Microsoft Asia Pacific had to say about recruitment for technology-oriented jobs:

So, if you are in the tech industry and wish to take up managerial positions, getting an MBA in technology now might benefit you a lot.

Here’s why tech MBA is a good option:

I. Tech MBA graduates get competitive salaries and compensation
II. Demand for tech MBA graduates will persist
III. Tech MBA graduates get to work in an innovative environment
IV. Best choice for aspiring entrepreneurs

I. Tech MBA graduates get competitive salaries and compensation

The average salary of an NYU Stern tech MBA graduate is $1,38,173. The average salary of a Stanford graduate is $1,40,000. Depending on the job role that you get, the compensation will also change.

The companies that hire tech MBA graduates offer salaries that are very competitive. And some companies even offer stock or share options.

The compensation offered to tech MBA graduates is very close to or equal to what MBA graduates of other specializations receive. And given the large number of tech companies recruiting from B-schools, you may end up getting more than one job offer.

II. Demand for tech MBA graduates will persist

As mentioned earlier, tech MBA graduates will always be in demand.

Given the current pandemic scenario, the demand will probably go up once everything settles down. With the increased dependency on technology, there will be room for more innovative solutions.

And this will lead to an increase in the number of tech companies leading to an increase in recruitment.

III. Tech MBA graduates get to work in an innovative environment

If you are someone who enjoys working in an innovative environment, a tech company will be ideal for you. If you are in a management role in a tech company, you will also get to manage exciting projects, ideate and improve them to get the best tech product.

Once you have a tech MBA, you will be able to perform well in managerial roles at tech companies because you will understand the technical part and the business aspect. This will help you to create the best product for the right target segment.

IV. Best choice for aspiring CEOs/entrepreneurs

Did you know that nearly all Fortune 100 CEOs of tech-related companies have undergraduate degrees related to engineering? They do.

For example, Alphabet’s Larry Page has a degree in computer engineering. Whereas, Amazon’s Jeff Bezos focused on electrical engineering/computer science.

While you can be a CEO or an entrepreneur without a tech-related degree, it is good to have knowledge about the field. It will always help you build better products.

Also read: How to Become a CEO – A Complete Guide to Your Next Steps

And if you have a tech MBA, that’s just going to be a cherry on the cake, correct?

Now that you know why tech MBA is a good option, let’s look at the best tech MBA programs you should consider applying to in 2021.

Here’s the list of 20 best tech MBA programs 2021* for those who are looking for the best MBA for tech enthusiasts:

1. Stern School of Business, New York University
2. Johnson Graduate School of Management, Cornell University
3. Foster School of Business, University of Washington
4. IE Business School, IE University
5. Tepper School of Business, Carnegie Mellon University
6. Scheller College of Business, Georgia Institute of Technology
7. Kellogg School of Management, North Western University
8. Eller College of Management, University of Arizona
9. Kenan-Flagler Business School, University of North Carolina
10. Stanford Graduate School of Business, Stanford University
11. Haas School of Business, University of California
12. McCombs School of Business, University of Texas
13. Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT)
14. Anderson School of Management, University of California
15. Ross School of Business, University of Michigan
16. Tuck School of Business, Dartmouth College
17. Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania
18. Carlson School of Management, University of Minnesota
19. Esade, Ramon Llull University
20. IESE Business School, University of Navarra

*Note: The number does not reflect the rank of the school but it is more to provide you with a list of business schools offering the best tech MBA programs in 2021

The table below will provide you with details of the business schools – tech MBA program offered, average salary, and average GMAT score required to apply to the business school

Let us look in detail at the best tech MBA programs offered at these 20 business schools. You should be able to make a choice after that. 🙂

The Andre Koo Tech MBA Program has been built at the intersection of business and technology. It must be clear from the name that the program aims to provide the students with a technology background with tools of business.

People usually think that there are not many technology companies on the East Coast, but most popular companies will have an office in New York or in the periphery giving the B-school a good geographic location advantage. It gives you easy access to a lot of tech giants/companies like Amazon, Google, and Facebook.

The Stern Solutions Curricula

NYU Stern lays a lot of focus on experiential learning.

For the same reason, students who join the Andre Koo Tech MBA Program get to design, build and launch technological solutions. So, if you are looking to get some hands-on and real-world experience, the Tech MBA program at NYU Stern might be the perfect choice for you.

Also, if you feel that by joining NYU Stern, you will get stuck on the East Coast, you are wrong. In the winter semester, you will have the West Coast Immersion during which you will travel to the West Coast to learn about the tech ecosystem. During the immersion program, you will get to work on real projects with industry partners.

Moreover, if you want to learn more about the tech industry and get more hands-on experience, you can also opt for additional experiential learning courses such as Branding + Innovation Lab and Tech and the City.

Johnson Graduate School of Management is an Ivy League college that comes with a good brand credential. The one-year full-time residential MBA program offered by the B-school is tailored for working professionals who want to spend as little time out of the workforce as possible.

The tech MBA at Cornell Johnson is structured around three pillars:

i. A ten-week intensive summer semester in Ithaca
ii. Product Studio, and,
iii. Startup Studio

Between two semesters, you even get an opportunity to travel to Israel to network and showcase business solutions to the local citizens.

That’s not it.

The students can also choose to do the NYC Incentives – Fintech Incentive and Digital Marketing Incentive – to get a deeper understanding of technology, finance, and entrepreneurship.

The Technology Management MBA (TMMBA) program at the Foster School of Management at the University of Washington is a technology-focused accelerated MBA program for a duration of 18 months. Given that the other tech MBA programs can be completed within a year, this tech MBA program is slightly longer.

The B-school is situated in Seattle, home to two of the largest tech players in the world, Microsoft and Amazon. The B-school claims that the 18-month program will help candidates build a strong analytical foundation that supports leadership, strategy, and entrepreneurial frameworks getting them ready for the next step in their career.

UW Foster Tech Club

There is a community at Foster’s that brings together tech enthusiasts. The mission of the Tech Club is to help its members reach their career goals by leveraging local communities and alumni

The club conducts tech events and even company visits. One of the recent events conducted was the Husky AI Hackathon. The students had to hack AI-driven business ideas for the post-COVID world.

IE Business School takes pride in the fact that they were the first ones to introduce a tech MBA course in Europe.

The one-year program based in Madrid has three focus points. They aim to teach the students to master business and management, understand technology, and build leadership qualities.

For this, they use a three-stage integrative approach. This includes exploration, action, and focus.

The B-school promises to develop professionals who want to pursue a career in the technology sector. It lays 100% emphasis on business for tech considering the fact that the students who are going to apply to their college already have a tech background.

Here are the top companies recruiting at IE Business School:

i. Apple
ii. Amazon
iii. Facebook
iv. Tesla
v. Google
vi. Microsoft

The STEM-designated MBA program offered by the Tepper School of Business is a technology, strategy, and product management MBA track which was earlier referred to as the leadership track.

This track emphasizes the management aspects of running a high-tech company helping the students who aspire for senior positions like product manager, technology consultants, CTO, and VP of products.

The program is designed to help its students to lead their future organizations in developing and executing technology strategies and managing technology projects. And almost a third of Tepper’s MBA graduates enter the technology industry, that too with good packages. The average salary package of a Tepper graduate is $1,30,000.

The Georgia Tech Scheller MBA program clearly highlights that the students who join them with tech orientation will thrive. There are many examples of alumni who have managed high positions or roles.

The Scheller program has an MBA core, which is the Information Technology management core located in Atlanta, offering a geographical competitive advantage that is crucial when it comes to tech.

Tech Square Innovation Ecosystem

The idea to build the Tech Square Innovation Ecosystem was conceived and developed by Georgia Tech graduates. It is now a globally recognized area in Atlanta that connects innovation and entrepreneurship. It is a destination for start-ups, corporate firms, incubators, and established tech firms.

Given that the Scheller College of Business is within Tech Square, we cannot unsee the clear location advantage that the B-school offers its MBA graduates.

The MBAi program is offered by Kellogg School of Management in collaboration with McCormick School of Engineering. You must have already realized how the program is a blend of innovation and technology, right? 🙂

This blended approach has given rise to a brilliant curriculum that includes:

i. Robotics
ii. Machine Learning
iii. Fintech
iv. Computational thinking for business
v. Artificial intelligence (AI)

The 1.25 year-long course includes a summer internship and an industry immersion experience in San Francisco.

Some of the roles that MBAi graduates take up are that of Machine Learning Engineer, Technical Product Manager, Business Intelligence Developer, Product or Digital Marketer, or Tech Entrepreneur.

The average salary that a Kellogg Full-Time MBA graduate receives in the tech industry is $1,35,000.

The Technology Leadership Program (TLP) offered at Eller College of Management provides the students with an MBA and an MIS degree in a span of two years. The TLP curriculum has been split between Business Intelligence Concentration and other Master of Science programs.

Over the span of two years, you will get to choose about 8 MBA electives and 5 MIS electives

The TLP is a STEM-designated program and an international student gets to work in the US for 36 months after graduation without corporate sponsorship.

Unlike other MBA programs in which the students become a part of a single cohort, the TLP students get to be part of two cohorts thus ensuring that they build a larger network.

UNC Kenan-Flagler offers an MBA in Technology and Innovation Management program which is a full-time course focusing on techniques to manage technology and organizational innovation.

This is one of the STEM-designated programs that UNC-Kenan Flagler offers that helps students interested in innovation, technology, and management pursue the careers of their choice.

Business Technology Club

The Business Technology Club at UNC allows all the students interested in tech to join a community that shares the same interest. The club conducts events, tech treks to the West Coast and also ensures that the students are always up-to-date about recruiting events and opportunities.

This is a space created for tech enthusiasts and serves as a platform that helps students make the right career decisions.

We have provided you with all the necessary information on tech MBA programs.

Now, let us take a look at MBA courses you should considerer applying to though they are not entirely tech-specific. These programs and B-schools have been chosen and added to the list based on the number of students that enter the tech industry after graduation and the salary they receive.

The biggest advantage of the MBA program at Stanford GSB is the location of the business school. It is situated in the bay area which is accessible to many great companies in the technology sector. Many of the largest tech companies even took birth at Stanford.

About 24% of Stanford MBA graduates enter the technology industry. It is certainly easy to guess the number of product managers who will be absorbed into Google as product managers from Stanford.

The B-school also offers a dual degree program in collaboration with Stanford University’s Computer Science Department. The MS/MBA dual degree program is a three-year course specially designed for those who want to delve into the engineering and entrepreneurial aspects. So, instead of pursuing MS and MAB separately, you get to pursue them together and complete the course sooner.

For those with higher work experience and are looking to pursue an MBA in the tech sector, Stanford also has the MSx program, a one-year accelerated fellowship for people with a minimum of 8 years of experience.

About 24% of Stanford MBA graduates enter the technology industry. It is certainly easy to guess the number of product managers who will be absorbed into Google as product managers from Stanford.

The B-school also offers a dual degree program in collaboration with Stanford University’s Computer Science Department. The MS/MBA dual degree program is a three-year course specially designed for those who want to delve into the engineering and entrepreneurial aspects. So, instead of pursuing MS and MAB separately, you get to pursue them together and complete the course sooner.

For those with higher work experience and are looking to pursue an MBA in the tech sector, Stanford also has the MSx program, a one-year accelerated fellowship for people with a minimum of 8 years of experience.

Situated just 31 miles away from the bay area in Silicon Valley, the Haas School of Business at the University of California is the second oldest Business Schools in the US. The Haas School of Business is also known as the hub of innovation and knowledge in all areas of business.

The B-School boasts of a varied alumni base of 40,000 students from around the world that include CEOs, CFOs, Olympic medalists, comic strip writers, artists, and many more. One advantage that B-School students have at Haas is the school’s proximity to San Francisco that gives them numerous opportunities for internships at companies like Google and Visa.

Haas School of Business MBA program is designed in such a way that the B-school students get to acquire a broad range of skills including data analysis, design thinking, and communication.

Given that the B-school is located right in the middle of the tech hub, it doesn’t come as a surprise that 32.4% of its graduates entered the tech industry in 2020. That too, with a mean base annual salary of $1,38,551.

While many of the B-schools are in the center of tech hubs and expensive cities, McCombs School of Business is tucked away in Texas. Unlike California or San Francisco, Texas is not that expensive and this is a huge advantage for the students who join McCombs.

McCombs offers STEM-certified two-year, full-time MBA programs in which you get to choose from different concentrations.

During the first semester, you have a set curriculum. But from the next semester, you get to decide and plan your course based on your preferences. You get to choose from the different concentrations and electives offered by the B-school.

One of the concentrations offered is Operations and Analytics. If you choose this concentration, you will get to learn Business Analytics, Information Management, and Supply Chain and Operations Management (All STEM-certified).

Located in the Boston-Cambridge area, which is home to a lot of entrepreneurs and incubators, MIT definitely has an advantageous location. 95.5% of MIT MBA graduates got full-time job offers right after graduation in 2020 with an average base salary of $1,50,000. About 30% of MIT graduates have entered the tech industry in 2020.

MIT Sloan also offers MBA tracks and certificates so that you can delve deeper into what interests you the most. There are three tracks you can choose from:

i. Finance Track
ii. Entrepreneurship and Innovation Track
iii. Enterprise Management Track

You can also do a certificate course in business analytics to understand the analytic fundamentals better.

In 2018, almost 30% of UCLA Anderson MBA students were hired across the technology industry with an average salary package of $1,23,000.

If you delve deep into the business school and its offerings, you will get to see that the B-school is home to the Easton Technology Management Center.

The Easton Center hosts a variety of events including panel discussions, interviews with CEOs, and innovation challenges to ensure that they prepare the next generation to understand the growing number of leadership issues and interdisciplinary tech-based solutions.

In the second year of your MBA program, you get to be a part of the Capstone project in which you will face real-world business challenges. The B-school says that it is “your opportunity to apply the tools from the core curriculum to a real-world business challenge.”

If you are an aspiring entrepreneur, you get to choose the Business Creation Option in which you can launch your business while still in school.

60% of Ross School of Business graduates entered the Consulting or Technology fields. The average salary offered to a Ross MBA graduate was $1,30,000. If you are a tech enthusiast, you will learn that there is a lot for you to learn and experience during your MBA degree at Ross.

When you are choosing your electives to streamline your MBA program, you get to choose from 24 dual-degree programs, over 100 Multi-Disciplinary Action Plan projects, and 100s of contractions and specializations.

Some of the most popular electives include:

i. Integrated Product Development
ii. Big Data Management Tools and Techniques
iii. Marketing Engineering and Analytics

As a student, you also have more than 70 clubs to choose from such as the Michigan Ross Fintech Club, Ross School of Business MBA Council, and MTrek.

To begin with, Tuck School of Business is a graduate business school of Dartmouth College which is an Ivy League research university. Since we are here to talk about tech MBA, here is what you need to know:

i. 15% of Tuck’s 2020 MBA class entered the tech industry after graduation
ii. 18% of international students bagged jobs in the tech industry
ii. The average salary that Tuck graduates received in the tech industry is $1,35,000

Though the B-school is renowned for its general management MBA program, there are always opportunities for you to learn, innovate and enter the tech industry.

Some of the top companies hiring from Dartmouth Tuck are:

i. Adobe
ii. Apple
iii. Amazon
iv. Colgate-Palmolive
v. Pizza Hut
vi. Citi
vii. Bain & Company

Dartmouth Tuck has the Technology Club exclusively for those tech enthusiasts who wish to know more about the job roles they can play at tech companies. The Technology Club also ensures that its members get exposure to high-tech industries.

Wharton is known for the MBA finance specialties and has been ranked #1 ahead of Stanford GSB, Harvard Business School, and other B-schools. According to QS ranking, the B-school has been ranked #10 for technology.

Carlson School was ranked in the top 5 by U.S. News and World Report, 2016 for the Information Sytems specialization they offer MBA candidates.

The specialization helps candidates witness and experience the blend of technology and business. They will also learn how to innovate and come up with disruptive ideas by integrating business and technology.

The concept of experiential learning is taken seriously at Carlson and they have several programs that ensure that their students get hands-on experience.

Here are the Carlson Enterprise Programs:

i. Brand Enterprise
ii. Consulting Enterprise
iii. Funds Enterprise
iv. Ventures Enterprise

10% of Carlson’s MBA graduates chose careers in the technology industry with an average salary of $1,17,948 in 2020. The average salary for the graduates who chose the technology industry rose by 6.5% from 2019.

Esade is located in Barcelona, Spain quite away from the business schools we discussed above. Spain is fast becoming the leader in innovation, its focus areas being aerospace, biotechnology, industrial machinery, and civil engineering. Looks quite different from the ones we discussed in the US, is it not?

So, if you are interested in exploring the tech industry in Spain, you can definitely consider the MBA program at Esade.

At Esade, you can choose between 12, 15, or 18-months MBA programs depending on the experience you wish to acquire and the time you have.

But you will get to choose from the interesting electives they have to offer such as Business Transformation & IoT Enabling Technologies, Marketing Transformation for the Digital Era, Innovation & Creativity, and many more.

The IESE Business School had 15% of its MBA graduates join the tech industry as of the 2020 employment report released by the business school.

During the two-year MBA program at IESE, you get an option to spend a trimester in another top B-school. You can choose your preferred B-schools from colleges across the US, UK, India, China, Mexico, Argentina, Netherlands, France, Japan, South Korea, Hong Kong, Singapore, and Australia.

You can choose your B-school depending on your industry preference and the college’s specialization so that you gain an in-depth knowledge of the industry of your choice.

The B-school also has student-run professional clubs which include Fintech and Technology Clubs along with many others.

Here, we come to the end of the 20 best tech MBA programs list. All you need to know are the career options you can pursue after you complete your tech MBA.

Let’s take a look at that.

The tech MBA graduates will be qualified to pursue a variety of high-level careers.

You can check out a few of them below:

i. Information System Manager

The primary role performed by an information system manager is to design and manage information systems. They have to ensure the efficient working of the staff who plan, install and maintain the required upgrades. They work at multiple levels in an organization to oversee information technology (IT) resources and personnel.

ii. System Analyst

A systems analyst is one who uses data, analysis, and design methods to solve business problems. They are responsible for identifying the organizational improvements required, design better systems to implement those changes, and train others in utilizing those systems.

iii. Chief technology officer (CTO)

The role of a CTO is to make all executive decisions with regard to the technological interests of a company. They are also involved in outlining the company’s technological vision, implementing technology strategies, and ensuring that the technological resources are aligned with a company’s basic business needs.

iv. Product manager

A product manager is a person responsible for defining the why, when, and what aspect of the product will be built by the engineering team. This means that they are responsible for leading the cross-functional teams from a product’s conception all the way through to its execution and launch.

v. Technology consultants

A technology consultant is the one who understands what the client wants to achieve for their business and advises how to leverage technology to deliver those business outcomes. These consultants work with clients to help them transform the way they use technology in business.

Which job role would like to take up?

If you are wondering about the companies you can get into post your MBA, you can check out the list below. We have put together a list of the 7 best tech companies that tech MBA graduates can consider.

We hope this article helped you understand everything about tech MBA including the best tech MBA programs, best MBA universities, and career opportunities.

An MBA is an investment, be it a tech MBA or a general management MBA. So, you need to make the right choice before you make that investment.

If you feel that you need help deciding the perfect B-school and the MBA program for you, you can reach out to our experts. They will get on a one-on-one call with you and help you make the right decision based on your profile and career plans.