**Why Getting VC Jobs Is Now Harder for MBA Graduates**
*By Dwaipayan Roy | Sep 22, 2025, 01:18 PM*

The traditional path from an MBA to a venture capital (VC) job remains alive, but recent data and academic research suggest this route is evolving. In 2024, Harvard University placed 50 of its 1,004 MBA graduates into VC roles, where the median starting salary was $177,500. Stanford, with a smaller class size, placed about 30 graduates into similar positions.

### Decline in MBA Representation in Venture Capital

According to PitchBook, over 10,000 alumni from Harvard, Stanford, and Wharton currently hold senior roles at US VC firms. Despite this significant presence, the dominance of MBAs in venture capital is gradually waning. Research by Stanford professor Ilya Strebulaev reveals that the percentage of mid-career venture professionals with MBAs has dropped from 44% in the early 2000s to 32% today.

### Shift in Hiring Preferences

This decline is largely driven by changes in the venture capital landscape. Venture firms are expanding beyond traditional sectors and increasingly investing in emerging fields like artificial intelligence (AI) and hardware. These industries often prioritize candidates with strong technical experience over those with business school credentials. As a result, firms are now more inclined to recruit talent from companies such as OpenAI and SpaceX rather than relying solely on graduates from top-tier MBA programs.

“There is less appetite for MBAs currently,” said executive recruiter Will Champagne in an interview with PitchBook.

### Continued Student Interest Despite Challenges

Despite the shifting trends in VC hiring, student interest in pursuing venture capital careers remains robust. At Stanford, the VC club boasts 600 members out of roughly 850 MBA students. However, the high cost of attending a top MBA program—often exceeding $200,000—continues to be a significant investment. Even so, students are not deterred from chasing their ambitions in venture capital.

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As the venture capital industry evolves, MBA graduates may need to adapt their skills and networks to remain competitive in this dynamic landscape.
https://www.newsbytesapp.com/news/business/mba-to-vc-job-path-still-exists-but-changing/story