Every few months, a designer asks: "Should I get an MBA?"
My answer is almost always no.
But it's a nuanced no, and the reasons matter.
The Math
Top 20 MBA (full-time):
- Tuition: $150,000-200,000
- Two years lost salary: $200,000-400,000
- Total: $350,000-600,000
Executive MBA:
- Tuition: $100,000-200,000
- Lost salary: $0 (you keep working)
For that investment to pay off, you need significant salary increase or career acceleration.
The problem: Design leadership roles don't require MBAs. They don't pay MBA premiums. The credential helps at the margins but doesn't transform economics.
When It Makes Sense
- You want to leave design entirely. General management, founding, consulting—the MBA credential and network help that transition.
- A specific company requires it. Some places filter for MBAs. If you want in, you need the ticket.
- Your employer pays. The math changes dramatically when tuition is covered.
- You want the network more than the skills. Top MBA networks open doors for decades.
Better Alternatives
Learn on the job. Sit in on budget meetings. Read investor materials. Ask Finance to explain how they think. Cost: $0.
Short courses. Business fundamentals, executive education. Cost: $500-10,000.
Practice. Start a side project. Consult for a small business. Run a budget. Learning by doing builds practical skills MBAs often lack.
Read intentionally. "The Personal MBA" by Josh Kaufman. "Good Strategy Bad Strategy" by Rumelt. Your company's investor presentations.
The Credential Question
Results beat credentials.
The designer who says "I led a redesign that increased conversion by 25%, worth $3M annually" has more credibility than an MBA who can't point to outcomes.
Credentials open doors. Results keep them open.
Build skills without the MBA: