**Why Getting VC Jobs Is Now Harder for MBA Graduates**
*By Dwaipayan Roy | Sep 22, 2025, 01:18 pm*
The pathway from earning an MBA to landing a job in venture capital (VC) remains open, but recent data suggests this route is becoming more challenging. According to reports from PitchBook and academic research, the landscape of VC hiring is shifting.
In 2024, Harvard University placed 50 of its 1,004 MBA graduates into VC roles, with a median starting salary of $177,500. Meanwhile, Stanford saw about 30 of its smaller graduating class enter venture capital positions.
### Alumni Presence and Declining MBA Representation
PitchBook data reveals that over 10,000 MBA alumni from Harvard, Stanford, and Wharton currently hold senior roles in US VC firms. Despite this large presence, the dominance of MBAs in the venture capital world is gradually declining.
Stanford professor Ilya Strebulaev’s research shows that the share of mid-career venture professionals with MBA degrees has dropped from 44% in the early 2000s to 32% today. This signals a noticeable shift in the composition of VC talent.
### Changing Hiring Preferences
The evolving nature of venture capital itself is a key factor behind this trend. VC is expanding beyond traditional sectors into cutting-edge fields like artificial intelligence (AI) and hardware, where technical expertise tends to be more valued than business school credentials.
As a result, venture firms increasingly prioritize candidates with backgrounds from tech powerhouses such as OpenAI and SpaceX over those holding MBAs from top business schools.
“There is less appetite for MBAs currently,” notes executive recruiter Will Champagne in an interview with PitchBook.
### Student Interest Remains Strong
Despite these changes in hiring preferences, interest among MBA students in venture capital careers remains robust. At Stanford, for example, the VC club boasts around 600 members out of roughly 850 MBA students on campus.
However, pursuing an MBA at a leading program can be costly, with expenses often exceeding $200,000. Yet this high price tag does not seem to diminish students’ enthusiasm for venture capital roles.
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As the VC industry evolves, MBA graduates may need to adapt by gaining relevant technical skills or experience to stay competitive in this dynamic job market.
https://www.newsbytesapp.com/news/business/mba-to-vc-job-path-still-exists-but-changing/story