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Overview: Companies + Roles


Retail

Retail attracts candidates seeking to make a real-world impact and drive innovation. MIT Sloan graduates offer a unique value proposition to companies that leverage technology as a core function of their business model.

Three popular career paths for MIT Sloan graduates in this industry include:

  • Product Managers
  • Marketing Managers
  • Brand Managers

Operations-focused graduates may find opportunities as global sourcing or supply chain managers. Sloanies on quantitative career paths take roles as financial analysts and data analysts.

Consumer Package Goods (CPG)

CPG is a popular option for students pursuing marketing career paths. Candidates often pursue food and beverage companies, and also find opportunities with health/wellness companies.

Graduates usually start as:

  • Assistant or Associate Brand Managers
  • Product Managers
  • Marketing Manager

Candidates with strong quantitative and technical backgrounds may target financial analyst and data analysts positions, and a variety of roles involving digitization of supply chain and marketing.


Sample Roles

  • Product Manager – Oversee the entire product lifecycle, from ideation to launch and beyond. 
  • Category Manager – Focus on a specific category of goods or services purchased by a company and are engaged in planning, supplier management, and performance.
  • Marketing Manager – Develop and implement marketing strategies to promote products and services, driving business growth. 
  • Mobile Marketing Manager – Develop and execute strategies to promote products and services to consumers on their mobile devices, focusing on engagement, retention, and revenue growth through mobile channels.
  • Brand Manager – Develop and maintain a brand’s identity and strategy, ensuring alignment with consumer trends and business goals.
  • Global Sourcing Manager – Oversee global procurement to optimize cost, quality, and supply chain efficiency; builds and maintains relationships with international suppliers. 
  • Supply Chain Manager – Manage the flow of goods from suppliers to retailers, ensuring efficiency and cost-effectiveness. 
  • Operations Manager – Oversee daily operations for retail, manufacturing, or distribution centers.
  • Customer Experience Manager – Ensure customer experience drives satisfaction and loyalty.

Companies to Explore

Click the link to view the complete Industry Hiring Trends.

Percent of Class Accepting Opportunities in CPG Retail

CPG/Retail Offers Accepted by Years of Experience

Top Locations of Accepted US Offers

Boston
NYC
Miami
Houston
Chicago
Los Angeles
San Diego

Salary Summary

Mean Base SalaryMedian Base Salary25th-75th Percentile
2024 $146,500$153,500$132,750-$159,250
2023 $146,688$146,250$137,500-$156,500
2022 $140,100$141,000$95,200(low)-$185,000(high)
3-Year Summary$145,979$145,00$105,000-$157,500

Featured Companies

Anheuser-Busch InBev
Bevi
DICK’S Sporting Goods
Estée Lauder Companies
H-E-B Grocery
The Hershey Company

The Kraft Heinz Company
Mars
Nike
New Balance
HelloFresh
Prodek

Restaurant Brands International
Target
Topgolf Callaway Brands
Urban Outfitters
Wayfair
YETI

Sample Job Titles

Consultant
Data Analyst
Decision Scientist
Machine Learning Scientist
Senior Data Analyst

Salary Summary

Mean SalaryMedian SalaryRange (Low-High)
2024$126,438$125,000$90,000-$181,500
2023$124,667$124,000$120,000-$130,000

Featured Companies

Amazon
Artsy
Cirkul
Cognira
CVS Health

HelloFresh
Nike
Nordstrom
RetSci
Restaurant Brands International

REVOLVE
Talking Rain Beverage Company
Unilever
Walmart
Wayfair


Industry Research Resources


Job Search Tools

Interview Preparation

  • Big Interview – Practice your interviewing skills and get AI feedback to improve your score with mock interviews tailored to your specific major or area of interest.

Contacts + Connections


Clubs + Courses

Retail & Consumer Goods Club
Join events and treks to learn more about the industry and prepare for recruiting.

Sustainability Certificate

Cultivate and practice skills to drive real change in CPG/Retail. Join the cohort to learn from world-renowned sustainability faculty and join a 650+ strong alumni network.

Action Learning:
Sustainable Business Lab (S-Lab) (15.878)

Translate sustainability challenges into future business opportunities, applying lessons learned in the classroom to host-organization projects that bring results and advance sustainability. 


Industry + Career Advice

Click to see career advisors and coaches for your academic program: 
MBA/LGO/MSMS MFin 
MBAn SFMBA EMBA

MIT Alumni Advisors Hub
Connect with MIT alumni who have volunteered to be your thought partner. Search by industry and the type of support you are seeking.


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