Mission Statement
The Atkinson Graduate School of Management is committed to providing world class management education to U.S. and international students in all stages of their careers. We help our graduates acquire life-long learning skills and become outstanding leaders and managers in business, government, and nonprofit organizations worldwide by offering an intimate learning and practice environment, an integrated, cross-sectoral approach to management education, and dedication to quality teaching, instructional development, basic and applied research, and exceptional, customized career services.
Read more about AGSM's mission, vision, and strategic plan.
Programs
- Early Career and Career Change MBA Program: The Early Career and Career Change MBA program is a full-time multi-sector MBA program designed for recent graduate and students with limited work experience seeking their first position or career change in business, government and not-for-profit organizations. The program emphasizes experiential learning and provides a variety of concentrations through which students can pursue greater in-depth knowledge and experiences in their career areas of interest. The Early Career and Career Change MBA includes the MBA, BA/MBA, JD/MBA, and MBA/MSDS programs. For brevity, the program is commonly referred to as the Willamette MBA.
- MBA for Professionals Program: The Willamette MBA for Professionals program is an evening part-time MBA program designed for experienced managers seeking to prepare for career advancement and enhancement while employed.
- One Year MBA: The one-year MBA program enables exceptional students with an AACSB-accredited undergraduate business degree earned within the past five years to complete their MBA in 12 months, without requiring professional work experience, provided they have a minimum GPA and qualifying test scores.
- Bachelor of Science in Business Administration: The BSBA is a four-year bachelor's degree program that enables Willamette University undergraduate students to combine a business degree with a liberal arts education. The program emphasizes hands-on learning and ensures students gain real-world experiences through required courses.
Degree Titles
- Masters of Business Administration for Business, Government and Not-for-Profit Management: The educational program leading to the “MBA for Business, Government and Not-for-Profit Management” is the Early Career and Career Change MBA program. This degree is awarded to eligible students who successfully complete all requirements of the Early Career/Career Change MBA, BA/MBA, JD/MBA, or MBA/MSDS.
- Master of Business Administration: The educational program leading to the "Master of Business Administration" is the MBA for Professionals program. This degree is awarded to eligible students who successfully complete all requirements of the MBA for Professionals program or the One Year MBA.
- Bachelor of Science in Business Administration: This degree is awarded to eligible students who successfully complete all requirements of the undergraduate BSBA program.
- Bachelor of Science in Business Administration: AACSB International and Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities.
Accreditations
- Early Career and Career Change MBA: AACSB International and NASPAA - The Network of Schools of Public Policy, Affairs, and Administration
- MBA for Professionals and One-Year MBA: AACSB International
- Bachelor of Science in Business Administration: AACSB International and Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities
Mode of Delivery
- Early Career and Career Change MBA: Full-time, Face-to-Face
- MBA for Professionals: Evening, Face-to-Face
- 1 Year MBA: Full-time, Face-to-Face
- Bachelor of Science in Business Administration: Full-time, Face-to-Face
Number of Credit Hours Required
- Early Career and Career Change MBA: 60 semester credits
- MBA for Professionals: 48 semester credits
- 1 Year MBA: 45 semester credits
- Bachelor of Science in Business Administration: 124 redits
Length of Degree
- Early Career and Career Change MBA: 21 months
- MBA for Professionals: 24 months
- 1 Year MBA: 12 months
- Bachelor of Science in Business Administration: 4 years
Dual Degrees
MBA Areas of Concentration
Admission Criteria
- Early Career and Career Change MBA
- MBA for Professionals
- 1 Year MBA
- Dual Degrees
- Bachelor of Science in Business Administration
Number of Students
- AGSM Total MBA Degree-Seeking Enrollment, 2024–25: 161
- Early Career and Career Change MBA, 2024-25: 90
- MBA for Professionals, 2024-25: 71
- Bachelor of Science in Business 2024-25: 73
- AGSM Total MBA Degree-Seeking Enrollment, 2023-24: 168
- Early Career and Career Change MBA, 2023-24: 98
- MBA for Professionals, 2023-24: 70
Number of Teaching Faculty
- AGSM Total Teaching Faculty During 2024-25: 37
- Teaching an Early Career and Career Change MBA Course During 2024-25: 32
- Teaching an Evening MBA for Professionals Course During 2024-25: 21
- Teaching a BS in Business Administration Course During 2024-25: 15
- AGSM Total Teaching Faculty During 2023-24: 33
- Teaching an Early Career and Career Change MBA Course During 2023-24: 28
- Teaching an Evening MBA for Professionals Course During 2023-24: 19
Tuition and Costs
Financial Aid
Employment Reports
The employment report provides career data for the graduating class of 2024.
Data used in the employment report was provided to the Willamette MBA career management staff by members of the graduating class. The employment report refers to the graduates' first position after completing the Willamette MBA.
As with most Willamette MBA graduates, the class of 2024 represented a wide range of career interests. Some were seeking their first management position and some were seeking career change or advancement. Some were seeking careers in business, while others were seeking careers related to public service or not-for-profit organizations.
A few examples of salary comparisons for Portland, Oregon and other cities in the U.S. are presented at the bottom of this page.
Conducting a successful job search is a partnership between students and the school. The school helps students develop their knowledge, experience and competitive career skills, facilitates networking and employment opportunities, and connects students to the information and resources they need. MBA students build their tools of management, identify their career goals, develop competitive resumes and interview skills, network through student professional organizations, alumni and employer contacts, and actively pursue employment opportunities.
Employment - Graduating Class of 2024
Members of the graduating class of 2024 entered the program seeking their first professional position or career change.
Prior to the Willamette MBA program they had an average of 21 months of full-time work experience, and median of zero months of full-time experience. The range of months of work experience was 0 to 335 months of full-time work experience.
The graduating class of 2024 consisted of 40 students, of whom 33 were seeking employment. Seven were not seeking employment because they were starting a new business, pursuing further education or postponing their job search for personal reasons. The data below is based on the 33 students seeking employment.
Accepted a Job Offer by Graduation | 47% |
Accepted a Job Offer Within Three Months of Graduation | 67% |
Average Salary (*see salary notes below) | $58,614 |
Median Salary | $61,250 |
Salary Range | $4,200 to $90,000 |
Sector
Business | 80% |
Government and Not-for-Profit | 20% |
Functions
Finance and Accounting | 32% |
General Management | 9% |
Marketing | 27% |
Other | 32% |
Sample of Employers Who Hired 2024 Graduates
- Intel
- Wieden+Kennedy
- Russell Investments
- Morgan Stanley
- State of Alaska
- NCAA
- Portland Trail Blazers at the Rose Quarter
- State of Washington Dept of Commerce
- Target
- Boys & Girls Club
- Transwestern
- Carnival Cruise Line
- Schrodinger
Sample of Job Titles of 2024 Graduates
- Digital Marketing Specialist
- Junior Data Strategist
- Associate Regional Director
- Senior Financial Analyst
- Firm Success Coordinator
- Client Services Associate
- Area Planner
- Executive Team Leader
- Marketing and Communications
- Project Manager
- Associate Broker
- Manufacturing Operations Manager
- Broadband Infrastructure Contract Manager
*Salary Notes:
Employment and salary data vary from year to year depending on general economic trends, the career goals and financial considerations of the individual members of the graduating class, undergraduate degree, previous related work experience, level of managerial responsibility, and sector of employment. Salaries also vary by geographic location. For the graduating class of 2024, a $58,614 salary in Portland, Oregon is approximately equal to $71,584 in Seattle, Washington; $83,278 in San Francisco, California; $72,714 in Boston, Massachusetts; and $70,159 to $111,922 in New York, New York (Source: Nerd Wallet Cost of Living Calculator, 1/15/2025)
The employment report provides career data for the graduating class of 2023.
Data used in the employment report was provided to the Willamette MBA career management staff by members of the graduating class. The employment report refers to the graduates' first position after completing the Willamette MBA.
As with most Willamette MBA graduates, the class of 2023 represented a wide range of career interests. Some were seeking their first management position and some were seeking career change or advancement. Some were seeking careers in business, while others were seeking careers related to public service or not-for-profit organizations.
A few examples of salary comparisons for Portland, Oregon and other cities in the U.S. are presented at the bottom of this page.
Conducting a successful job search is a partnership between students and the school. The school helps students develop their knowledge, experience and competitive career skills, facilitates networking and employment opportunities, and connects students to the information and resources they need. MBA students build their tools of management, identify their career goals, develop competitive resumes and interview skills, network through student professional organizations, alumni and employer contacts, and actively pursue employment opportunities.
Employment - Graduating Class of 2023
Members of the graduating class of 2023 entered the program seeking their first professional position or career change. Prior to the Willamette MBA program they had an average of 16 months pre MBA work experience, and median of 13 month of pre-MBA work experience. The range of months of work experience was with a range 0 to 134 months of work experience.
The graduating class of 2023 consisted of 49 students, of whom 42 were seeking employment. Seven were not seeking employment because they were starting a new business, pursuing further education or postponing their job search for personal reasons. The data below is based on the 42 students seeking employment.
Accepted a Job Offer by Graduation | 52% |
Accepted a Job Offer Within Three Months of Graduation | 79% |
Average Salary (see salary notes at bottom of page) | $74,418 |
Salary Range | $42,000 to $160,000 |
Sector
Business | 91% |
Government and Not-for-Profit | 9% |
Functions
Finance and Accounting | 21% |
Consulting | 6% |
General Management | 6% |
Human Resources | 12% |
Operations/Logistics | 15% |
Marketing | 15% |
Other | 24% |
Sample of Employers Who Hired 2023 Graduates
- Intel
- Hewlett Packard
- SAP
- Pacific Seafood
- Amazon
- U.S. Department of Agriculture
- BMF Media Group
- Chewy
- Micron Technology
- Freddie Mac
- TRC Companies
- Hallmark Cards
- UW Health
- Zoom Info
Sample of Job Titles of 2023 Graduates
- Human Resources Business Partner
- SEO and Content Marketing Specialist
- Data and Reporting Analyst
- Consumer Insights Analyst
- SAP Operations Specialist
- Chief Operating Officer
- Customer Solutions Analyst
- Risk Manager
- Senior Marketing Coordinator
- Stock Plan Analyst
- Senior Financial Analyst
- Business Planning Manager
- Multi-Gen Director
* Salary Notes:
1) Employment and salary data vary from year to year depending on general economic trends, the career goals of the individual members of the graduating class, undergraduate degree, previous related work experience, level of managerial responsibility, and sector of employment. Salaries also vary by geographic location. For the graduating class of 2023, a $74,418 salary in Portland, Oregon is approximately equal to $94,315 in Seattle, Washington; $137,145 in San Francisco, California; $86,221 in Boston, Massachusetts; and $94,765 in New York, New York (Source: "Sperling's BestPlaces" Cost of Living Calculator, 4/5/2024.)
Internship Reports
Willamette MBA students have the rare opportunity to participate in up to three semesters of supervised internship experiences. This means eligible students can participate in a full-time internship in the summer between the first and second year of study, and part-time internships during the fall and spring semesters of the second year of the MBA program.
100% of students who needed to complete an internship for course credit as a graduation requirement accepted an internship offer in summer 2024.
94% of all students who indicated they were interested in completing an internship for credit accepted an internship offer. Internship salaries averaged $22.36 per hour. The average length of an internship was 11 weeks. 59% of 2024-25 internships were in the business sector, and 32% were in non-profit organizations, and 9% were in government agencies.
Industries included accounting, consulting, financial services, health care, technology, logistics, manufacturing, economic development, human and social services, real estate, sports, and government.
Functions included marketing, strategic planning, project management, human resources, marketing, product development, financial advising and investments, data analytics, operations, supply chain, process improvement, planning, and others.
Several students received job offers from their summer internship employer, and will begin working full-time after completion of their MBA degree. In addition, many students will participate in part-time internships during the academic year.
Internships provide important opportunities to apply what you have learned in your MBA courses, explore your career interests, build your resume of real-world experience, and develop your professional network! And, because most internships are paid, they provide a source of income that helps students fund their educational and living expenses.
A Sample of Recent Internship Employers
- MassMutual Oregon
- University of Wisconsin Health
- Wieden + Kennedy
- Tillamook County Creamery Association
- API Group
- Boys & Girls Club
- Advantage Solutions/Anheuser Busch
- Family Building Blocks
- Salem Health
- American Fiduciary Services
- Ecotrust
- Economic Development for Central Oregon
- IMS Capital Management
- Amazon
- Community Economic Development of Oregon
- Hewlett Packard
- Intel Corporation
- Alaska Innocence Project
- Professional Risk Management
- Morgan Stanley
- Oregon Department of Transportation
- Oregon Health Authority
- Pacific Seafoods
- Salem Leadership Foundation
- Willamette Humane Society
- Oregon Public Performance Improvement Association
A Sample of Recent Internship Titles
- Strategic Project Management Intern
- Human Resources Intern
- Product Development Intern
- Management Trainee
- Financial Advisor Intern
- Marketing and Development Intern
- Economic Development Intern
- Regional Business Strategist Intern
- Corporate Safety Intern
- Social Media Marketing Intern
- Marketing Coordinator
- Coaching Program Manager
- Legal/Business Intern
- Data Analyst
- Consulting Intern
- Wealth Management Intern
- Financial Representative
- Commercial Real Estate Intern
- Workforce Development Intern
- Research Analyst Intern
- Strategic Initiatives Intern
- Accounts Payable Intern
- Inventory Accountant
- Operations Management Intern
- Community Analyst and Policy Manager
- Fiscal and Budget Intern
- Social Finance Intern
Willamette MBA students have the rare opportunity to participate in up to three semesters of supervised internship experiences. This means eligible students can participate in a full-time internship in the summer between the first and second year of study, and part-time internships during the fall and spring semesters of the second year of the MBA program.
100% of students who needed to complete an internship for course credit as a graduation requirement accepted an internship offer in summer 2023. 87% of all students who indicated they were interested in completing an internship accepted an internship offer. Internship salaries averaged $26.18 per hour. The average length of an internship was 12 weeks. 71% of 2023 internships were in the business sector, and 26% were in government or non-profit organizations.
Industries included accounting, consulting, financial services, technology, logistics, manufacturing, human and social services, electronics, real estate, education, international trade, and government.
Functions included marketing, strategic planning, data analytics, operations, human resources, finance, process improvement, auditing, planning, compliance, business analysis, sustainability, investments, and project management.
Several students received job offers from their summer internship employer, and will begin working full-time after completion of their MBA degree. In addition, many students will participate in part-time internships during the academic year.
Internships provide important opportunities to apply what you have learned in your MBA courses, explore your career interests, build your resume of real-world experience, and develop your professional network! And, because most internships are paid, they provide a source of income that helps students fund their educational and living expenses.
A Sample of Recent Internship Employers
- 3M
- Astra Business Women Alliance
- Bank of America/Merrill Lynch
- Boys & Girls Club
- Cambia Health Solutions
- Charles Schwab
- Cloudera
- Columbia Sportswear Company
- Daimler Trucks North America
- Deloitte
- Energy Trust of Oregon
- Family Building Blocks
- Garmin
- Hewlett Packard
- Intel Corporation
- Kaiser Permanente
- MassMutual
- McKesson Corporation
- Mentor Graphics
- Mercy Corps
- MercyCorps Northwest
- Moss Adams
- Morgan Stanley
- Mountain West Investment Corporation
- Nike, Inc.
- North Santiam Watershed Council
- Oregon Department of Administrative Services
- Oregon Department of Fish & Wildlife
- Oregon Department of Transportation
- Oregon Health Authority
- Oregon Lottery
- Oregon Media Production Association
- Pacific Seafoods
- Raytheon
- Salem Art Association
- Salem Health
- Salem Keizer Education Foundation
- Salem Leadership Foundation
- TD Ameritrade
- Tektronix
- The Standard
- US Commercial Service
- United Way
- Wieden + Kennedy
- Willamette Humane Society
A Sample of Recent Internship Titles
- Affordable Housing Development Intern
- Audit Intern
- Benefits Accounting Intern
- Business Analyst
- Business Development Manager
- Business Intelligence Analyst
- Business Operation Officer
- Capital Market Analyst
- Communications Coordinator
- Data Analyst
- Data Quality Improvement Analyst
- Digital Marketing Strategist
- Diversity and Inclusion Intern
- E-Commerce Marketing Specialist
- Economic Development Research Intern
- Employee Engagement Partner
- Employee Wellness Intern
- Financial Advising Summer Analyst
- Financial Analyst
- Financial Sustainability Intern
- Governance and Strategic Initiatives Intern
- Hospital Administrator
- Human Resource Data Analytics and Business Analyst
- Human Resource Specialist Intern
- Human Resource Business Partner Intern
- International Trade Intern
- Marketing & Communication Intern
- Marketing Coordinator
- Marketing & Systems Management
- Operations Intern
- Operations & Policy Analyst
- Outcomes Based Reporting Intern
- Process Improvement Intern
- Project Management Intern
- Project Strategy Intern
- Public Relations Intern
- Purchasing Contractor
- Quality Analyst
- Real Estate Project Analyst
- Risk Management Intern
- Social Media Marketing Intern
- Supply Chain Security Analyst Support Intern
- Sustainability Intern
- Strategic Planning & Analysis Intern
- Systems Analysis & Process Mapping Intern
- Wealth Management Intern
Note: Different MBA formats of the Full-time MBA program have different program lengths. The MBA and BA/MBA Formats are 21 month programs, the JD/MBA program is a four year program, and the Accelerated MBA is generally a one year program.
Number of students who enrolled fall semester 2019 | 36 | |
---|---|---|
Number and percent who graduated within two years | 30 | 83% |
Number and percent who graduated within three years | 33 | 92% |
Number and percent who graduated within four years | 33 | 92% |
Total number and percent who graduated. | 34 | 94% |
Number of students who enrolled fall semester 2018 | 59 | |
---|---|---|
Number and percent who graduated within two years | 54 | 92% |
Number and percent who graduated within three years | 54 | 92% |
Number and percent who graduated within four years | 55 | 93% |
Total number and percent who graduated. | 55 | 93% |
Number of students who enrolled fall semester 2017 | 64 | |
---|---|---|
Number and percent who graduated within two years | 52 | 81% |
Number and percent who graduated within three years | 58 | 91% |
Number and percent who graduated within four years | 60 | 94% |
Total number and percent who graduated. | 60 | 94% |
Number of students who enrolled fall semester 2016 | 68 | |
---|---|---|
Number and percent who graduated within two years | 57 | 84% |
Number and percent who graduated within three years | 65 | 96% |
Number and percent who graduated within four years | 65 | 96% |
Total number and percent who graduated | 65 | 96% |
Number of students who enrolled fall semester 2015 | 81 | |
---|---|---|
Number and percent who graduated within two years | 72 | 81% |
Number and percent who graduated within three years | 74 | 91% |
Number and percent who graduated within four years | 76 | 94% |
Total number and percent who graduated. | 76 | 94% |
Number of students who enrolled in 2017-18 | 60 |
---|---|
Percent who graduated or are still enrolled as of fall 2019 | 85% |
Percent who graduated "on-time" within standard program length | 68% |
Percent who graduated within 150% of standard program length | 5% |
Percent who are still enrolled as of fall 2019 | 12% |
Number of students who enrolled in 2016-17 | 60 |
---|---|
Percent who graduated or are still enrolled as of fall 2019 | 83% |
Percent who graduated "on-time" within standard program length | 75% |
Percent who graduated within 150% of standard program length | 7% |
Percent who are still enrolled as of fall 2019 | 1% |
Number of students who enrolled fall semester 2015 | 46 |
---|---|
Percent who graduated | 78% |
Percent who graduated "on-time" within the standard program length | 67% |
Percent who graduated within 150% of the program length | 9% |
Percent who graduated within 200% of the program length | 2% |
Number of students who enrolled fall semester 2014 | 40 |
---|---|
Percent who graduated | 81% |
Percent who graduated "on-time" within the standard program length | 66% |
Percent who graduated within 150% of the standard program length | 13% |
Percent who graduated within 200% of the standard program length | 2% |
Current Rankings: Early Career and Career Change MBA
- Businessweek ranks Willamette MBA as one of the Best Business Schools in the U.S.
- Forbes ranks Willamette MBA as one of the best Business Schools for Return on Investment.
- Poets & Quants ranks Willamette MBA as one of the Top U.S. MBA programs.
- Princeton Review ranks Willamette MBA as one of the best business schools in the nation.
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Willamette University Motto
Non nobis solum nati sumus — Not unto ourselves alone are we born