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These outcomes are for our flagship PGP in Startup Leadership & Entrepreneurship. Our PGP Outcomes Report 2025–26 covers Cohort 1 (2023–24) and Cohort 2 (2024–25), including graduates who entered full-time roles, pursued internships on a route to a pre-placement offer, or chose to build their own ventures. All 131 successfully received offers, with 127 securing full-time roles and four pursuing full-time internships with a pathway to a pre-placement offer. A further 32 graduates chose to build their own ventures.
The report records an average CTC of ₹26 lakh across 127 graduates in full-time roles. This figure represents the overall compensation package and can include fixed pay, variable pay, applicable one-time cash payments and only the first-year vesting value of ESOPs or RSUs, where relevant.
Individual outcomes vary with a student’s experience, role, performance and career path. Read the full PGP Outcomes Report 2025–26.
What the report covers
The report covers the following career paths for Cohort 1 (2023–24) and Cohort 2 (2024–25):
| Cohort path | Count | How the report treats it |
|---|---|---|
| Total graduates | 163 | The complete Cohort 1 and Cohort 2 population |
| Opted for placements | 131 | The placement-pathway group |
| In full-time roles | 127 | Population used for the average CTC and role-family table |
| Internships on a PPO route | 4 | Shown separately from the 127 full-time roles |
| Building own ventures | 32 | Reported as a separate career path |
How Mesa School calculates CTC
For our outcomes report, CTC comprises:
- Fixed cash compensation.
- Variable compensation, which may depend on performance or other conditions.
- Applicable one-time cash payments, such as joining, retention or relocation payments, which may not repeat in later years.
- Only the ESOP or RSU value scheduled to vest during the first year.
- One compensation data point per student.
How equity is treated
The full value of a multi-year ESOP or RSU grant is not added to one year’s CTC — only the portion scheduled to vest in the first year is used. Where a recruiter did not provide a vesting schedule, 25% of the total grant was treated as the first-year value, as specified in the audit documentation.
This keeps the figure focused on first-year value. Equity is not guaranteed cash: vesting conditions, company performance, valuation and liquidity affect what a recipient eventually realises.
Compensation across the cohort
Alongside the ₹26 lakh average CTC for the 127 graduates in full-time roles from Cohort 1 and Cohort 2, the signed placement summary attached to B2K Analytics’ audit letter reports:
- Top 20% average CTC: ₹38.8 lakh.
- Bottom 20% average CTC: ₹18.6 lakh.
- CTC range of the middle 90%: ₹18.0 lakh to ₹40.3 lakh.
These figures provide a broader view of compensation across the cohort, alongside the overall average.
Role mix across the 127 full-time outcomes
Our report groups the 127 graduates in full-time roles into six role families:
| Role family | Graduates | Share of 127 |
|---|---|---|
| Business: category, program management, revenue and operations | 48 | 38% |
| Founder’s Office, Entrepreneur-in-Residence and Chief of Staff | 33 | 26% |
| B2B sales and partnerships | 18 | 14% |
| Product management | 15 | 12% |
| Marketing and growth | 12 | 9% |
| Venture capital | 1 | 1% |
| Total | 127 | 100% |
Founder’s Office, Entrepreneur-in-Residence and Chief of Staff roles accounted for 33 of the 127 full-time outcomes, or 26%.
The role-family table is Mesa School-reported. B2K’s audit covers remuneration figures in the appended Placement Summary.
External audit and B2K Analytics
Mesa School’s placement report has been externally audited by B2K Analytics. An external audit provides an independent review of the data and supporting documentation behind an institution’s reported outcomes, helping ensure that the figures are compiled and presented consistently and accurately.
B2K Analytics is an analytics and research firm that independently audits placement reports for leading business schools, including IIM Ahmedabad, MDI Gurgaon, SP Jain School of Global Management, among others.
Scope of the audit
The audit documentation notes that the underlying information was provided by Mesa School and reviewed against relevant documentation, with the review focused on salary and remuneration figures.
The signed audit letter forms part of the published outcomes report and sets out the methodology and scope used.
How to compare placement reports responsibly
Placement outcomes are most useful when the methodology is clear. Before comparing programs, check the same questions in both reports:
- Which cohorts and graduating years are included?
- Is the denominator all graduates, only placement seekers or only people in full-time roles?
- Are internships and PPO routes shown separately from full-time roles?
- Are venture builders reported separately?
- Does CTC include fixed pay, variable pay, one-time payments or equity?
- Does the reported CTC include the full multi-year ESOP grant, or only its first-year value? Including only the first-year value avoids inflating the figure with future compensation.
- Is the published figure an average, a median, a range or a percentile segment?
- What evidence did the auditor review, and what methodology was used?
Frequently asked questions
What is Mesa School’s reported average CTC?
The PGP Outcomes Report 2025–26 records an average CTC of ₹26 lakh across 127 graduates in full-time roles from Cohort 1 and Cohort 2. The signed B2K summary also reports a top-20% average of ₹38.8 lakh.
How does Mesa School count ESOPs in CTC?
Only the portion scheduled to vest in the first year is counted. Where no vesting schedule was supplied, 25% of the total grant was treated as first-year value. The ESOP component in CTC is calculated this way to ensure it reflects the true first-year value without inflating the figure with future compensation.
What roles did graduates enter?
Graduates entered business operations, category and program management, revenue, Founder’s Office, Entrepreneur-in-Residence, Chief of Staff, B2B sales and partnerships, product, marketing and growth, and venture capital roles. The table above shows the distribution across 127 full-time outcomes.
Is Mesa School’s outcomes report audited?
Yes, Mesa School’s outcomes report is independently audited by B2K Analytics, with the audit covering the remuneration figures reported in the Placement Summary. The signed audit letter outlines the methodology and scope used for the review.
Does Mesa School guarantee placement or salary?
Mesa School does not guarantee a specific salary or compensation level. The PGP has historically recorded a 100% placement rate, with graduates moving into roles across business, product, growth, sales, founder-facing functions and other startup careers.
Our career support includes 250+ hours of 1:1 career assistance, networking and training, along with sourcing relevant opportunities based on each graduate’s profile and career goals.
