What is the ROI of a one-year full-time MBA?

At EDHEC Business School, the Global MBA was designed to deliver measurable returns within an intensive one-year format. Ranked #3 worldwide in ESG learning by the Financial Times in 2025, the programme offers participants a high-impact business degree that combines academic excellence with strong career outcomes.

How to understand the total cost of a GMBA?

To define the ROI, it is important to understand the total financial investment in the first place.
 

Tuition fees

For the EDHEC Global MBA, tuition fees for the September 2026 intake are €52,500 for the complete programme. This total includes:

• Academic instruction
• Leadership development
• International learning experiences and
• Lifetime EDHEC alumni membership

When calculating MBA cost, professionals should also consider personal finances, living expenses and the opportunity cost of pausing current earning activity during study.
 

A 10-month format to boost your career in no time

However, the one-year format significantly reduces this opportunity cost compared with longer programmes. Indeed, participants return to the job market more quickly while benefiting from accelerated professional development.
 

EDHEC Business School offers many scholarships

Scholarships further reduce the financial burden. That is why EDHEC offers multiple funding opportunities, including Excellence scholarships of up to €21,000. It also offers additional awards for leadership, diversity and regional talent.

These options improve the financial accessibility of the programme and positively affect overall ROI.
 

Salary increase and earning potential

For many professionals, salary progression remains central when calculating MBA ROI. A one-year MBA often enables graduates to access higher salaries through promotion, sector transitions or international career moves. 

As for the EDHEC Global MBA, it prepares participants for roles across consulting, finance, technology and leadership-focused business functions. These sectors often offer strong salary progression and substantial long-term earning potential.

However, ROI should not be reduced to immediate salary increase alone. Indeed, many MBA graduates experience delayed but significant financial benefits through access to senior management roles and strategic leadership positions over time.

The degree therefore supports earning growth across an entire professional career rather than simply within the first post-MBA salary negotiation.
 

Career acceleration and new professional opportunities

One of the strongest benefits of an MBA lies in accelerated career progression. Actually, many professionals pursue a Global MBA to: 

• Transition industries
• Gain management responsibility 
• Move into consulting and strategic business roles

The EDHEC programme supports these goals through specialised tracks in Finance, Digital Innovation & AI, and Entrepreneurship. Participants therefore gain targeted management skills aligned with current business demand while strengthening their leadership profile.

This creates broader career opportunities across global markets.
 

Practical experiences

The programme also includes practical consulting projects, leadership development and an eight-week tailored MBA project.

These experiences strengthen participants’ profiles when applying for jobs requiring advanced strategy, decision-making and management capabilities.

Actually, for many graduates, this career acceleration delivers substantial ROI beyond immediate financial gain.
 

The value of global experience and alumni network

A unique, international and diverse cohort

ROI also includes less visible but equally valuable professional benefits. The EDHEC Global MBA experience offers a highly international experience through its diverse participant cohort, global business exposure and international learning opportunities.

This global perspective strengthens participants’ ability to operate across cultures and markets  an increasingly valuable business skill.
 

Lifetime EDHEC alumni membership

The alumni network also plays a critical role in calculating ROI. That is why the EDHEC GMBA provides a lifetime EDHEC alumni membership with long-term access to professional connections across industries and countries.

These relationships often create future consulting opportunities, career introductions and leadership pathways long after graduation.

When evaluating ROI, this network effect represents significant long-term value.
 

Leadership development as a long-term investment

Our Lead360 development programme helps participants strengthen communication, strategic thinking and decision-making throughout the course. These skills directly influence future career progression and earning potential.

Nowadays, strong leadership often determines access to senior roles, broader management responsibility and executive decision-making positions.

All these personal and professional developments contribute meaningfully to overall Master of Business Administration ROI.