CAREER GUIDE Master of Science, Management and Leadership

To be successful, organizations of all types and sizes need qualified, capable leaders—managers who inspire, mentor, model a strong culture, and drive employee satisfaction as well as performance. Professional managers and executives with the right skills, temperament, ethics, and experience to lead—not just manage—will always have attractive career options to choose from across a broad spectrum of industries. Management and leadership careers typically involve taking on a variety of complex issues and challenges every day—from planning budgets and directing teams of people to dealing with legal issues and corporate politics. To acquire the interpersonal, strategic, and leadership skills required to manage strong, effective business teams, many experienced professionals choose to pursue a master’s degree in management and leadership rather than a masters of business administration (MBA), which typically focuses on a more traditional analytical approach to business management.  

Projected demand for experienced managers and business leaders varies greatly depending on the industry and specific job title. For example, the number of top executives across all industries is expected to grow 8% between 2016 and 2026, which is near the average for all occupations. The number of medical and health services managers, on the other hand, is expected to grow roughly twice that much over the same period. Although some lower- and mid-level management positions only require a bachelor’s degree, a master’s degree—combined with relevant work experience—can open the door to an expanded range of upper-level and executive positions.

Salaries for managers and executives can vary greatly depending on industry, job title, and the size of the organization. In May 2017, chief executives earned a median yearly salary of $183,270, with the top 10 percent taking home more than $208,000. The median salary for all management occupations was $102,590.