Retail Career Path

In 2022, approximately 9% of full-time MBA students accepted roles in consumer products industries including apparel/textiles, automotive, and food/beverages. With the assistance of the Parker Career Mangement Center, students were offered a median full-time salary of $123,000 with 54% landing a median signing bonus of $25,000 and 26% receiving stock and equity options. 

Where You Want to Be

 
The following are some of the hiring organizations for UCLA Anderson MBA students in Retail 
(both full-time employment and summer internships):
The specific functions UCLA Anderson MBA students enter in the Retail industry include:
  • Digital/E-commerce
  • Strategy
  • Marketing
  • Corporate Finance
  • Supply Chain
  • Buying
MBA Employment Report download
See the recruiting, hiring and full-time salary trends for the Class of 2022 and internship data for the Class of 2023.

Academics

 
MBAs who choose careers in Retail enjoy working in dynamic environments that provide constant exposure to consumer retail products in areas such as apparel and accessories, home goods, technology products and other consumer goods. Courses will help to drive a better understanding of the intersections between the consumer, technology, and retail channels by building the necessary skills in strategic thinking, analytics, and digital marketing to succeed in this industry.

Relevant Retail Sample Electives

 
  • Advertising & Marketing Communications
  • Business Analytics with Spreadsheets
  • Customer Assessment & Analytics
  • Data Analytics for Marketing & Finance
  • Entrepreneurship & Venture Initiation
  • Global Supply Chain Management
  • Brand Management
  • Sales & Channel Management
  • Consumer Behavior
  • Digital Marketing Analytics
  • Business Plan Development
  • Marketing Strategy & Planning
  • Price Policies
  • New Product Development

Capstone: Applied Management Research (AMR)
Sample Projects

  • Evaluated opportunities to improve margins for a luxury candy boutique in order to help the company better understand factors impacting costs and make strategic recommendations to improve margins
  • Identified new store locations and create a 3-year roadmap for retail expansion within the US for a footwear and accessories retailer, and evaluated new revenue streams for flagship locations
  • Analyzed the business model of a jeweler and provided strategic recommendations to shift from brick-and-mortar retail model to a direct-to-consumer online retail model

Resources

Joshua M. Sterns
“While my passion has always been in retail and apparel, I never understood the career opportunities available in the industry for MBAs until connecting with current students in the Retail Business Association. The advice and career coaching I got from my ACT coaches and Parker Advisors prepared me to speak intelligently about the industry and think strategically about tackling complex problems. I spent the last year working at Swet Tailor as an Operations and Strategy Intern, managing their supply chain and working on ways to increase website traffic and sales conversions. I used this experience to help land my full-time opportunity as a Strategy Manager at Nike.”

Joshua M. Sterns ('22)

Product Merch Strategy Manager at Nike

Connect With a Student Ambassador
 
Students interacting
Our Admissions Ambassador Corps (AAC) is a group of diverse student leaders who can guide you through life at UCLA Anderson and answer your specific questions about their experiences. Ambassadors lead live webinars on a regular basis and are on call to help you with your process.

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