Why women enroll more in Business Masters programme than MBA

Globally, women represent a greater percentage of applicants than men in many of the business master’s programs. However, they are still underrepresented in MBA classrooms in the United States and around the world.

Despite achieving parity (52 percent) in master’s programs such as Master of Marketing, Master of Accounting, and Master in Management, the share of women in MBA classrooms has consistently remained well below parity with men at 37 percent. According to a recent survey by Graduate Management Admission Council (GMAC), women hold the MBA degree in higher regard than men, and view the degree as a passport to wider career advancement. Then why they enroll in business management programmes rather than MBA?

GMAC explores issue in its new white paper. The white paper -“What Women Want: A Blueprint for Change in Business Education” was issued in recognition of International Women’s Day celebrated globally and National Women’s History month in the United States.

Here are the key findings:

Motivations and approaches to the application journey differ by world regions

Women in Western countries differ in their motivations and approaches to the application journey from women in emerging economies like China and India, and the motivational profiles of Western women differ noticeably from their male counterparts. In India and China, women’s motivations and application behaviors more closely resemble those of male applicants from these countries.

Women plan earlier and are more out-come focused

Women are more likely than men to begin considering graduate management education as undergraduates. They are more likely than men to consider flexibility and better job opportunities while selecting a college. In Western countries, women are more likely than men to be motivated by the desire to advance more quickly and earn more money. Overall, women are more pragmatic and outcomes-focused in their approach to pursuing graduate business education.

Funding is a significant barrier

Globally, 29 percent of female survey respondents cited they preferred seeking scholarships or financial aid before accepting their admissions offer. Men, on the other hand (33 percent), cited that they were waiting for an offer from additional schools as their reason for delaying acceptance.

The greatest gender difference on this issue was seen in the US. More than a third (38 percent) of female survey respondents cited financial reasons as their number one reason for not yet accepting their admissions offer compared with 20 percent of male respondents. Yet, obtaining funds to pay for schools is a bigger challenge for men than for women in both India (8 percent Indian women vs 14 percent Indian men) and China (9 percent Chinese women vs 11 percent Chinese men).

The survey sample included a total of 5,900 female and male applicants representing 15 countries worldwide.