Here’s something that surprises a lot of energy companies in the Philadelphia area: being right next to Wharton doesn’t automatically mean you get Wharton talent. You’d think proximity would be enough. It’s not.
The reality is more complicated. These candidates know exactly what they’re worth, they’ve got options coming out of their ears, and your company is one of many trying to get their attention. If you want to win them over, you need to understand what they’re actually looking for.
“Wharton MBAs have extraordinarily high expectations, and rightfully so,” says Jim Hickey, President and Managing Partner at Perpetual Talent Solutions, a Philadelphia executive search firm. “These candidates have invested significantly in their education and come to the table with both the credentials and the confidence to demand premium compensation packages.”
So let’s talk about what that actually means.
The Numbers Don’t Lie
First, compensation. According to Wharton’s 2024 employment report, graduates reported a median base salary of $175,000. The 75th percentile? $192,000. Financial services—which pulled in 36.6% of the graduating class—held steady at that $175,000 median. Consulting came in even higher at $190,000.
And that’s just the starting point. For entry-level roles.
When you’re talking about the executive suite, the numbers jump dramatically. The 2025 Energy CEO Compensation Trends report shows CEO pay ranging from $2.9 million at the 25th percentile to $10.4 million at the 75th—with an 8% median increase over last year. There’s a big gap between where these candidates start and where they’re aiming to land. They know it. And they’re planning accordingly.
“Energy companies competing for Wharton talent must recognize that these candidates are evaluating total compensation holistically. Base salary matters, but long-term incentives, equity participation, and performance bonuses often determine whether a candidate accepts an offer.”
— Jim Hickey, Perpetual Talent Solutions
Philadelphia Is Having a Moment
Here’s the good news if you’re trying to recruit here: Philadelphia has become a genuinely compelling place to build a career. The Philadelphia Employment Report 2025 shows 13.6% employment growth since 2020. That’s better than the 11.7% average across the country’s 25 most populous counties. Better than San Francisco. Better than DC, Seattle, Los Angeles.
But what really matters for executive recruitment is the talent concentration. Philadelphia has nearly doubled its population of college-educated residents—over 260,000 as of 2023. And 70% of them are between 25 and 34. Young, educated, ambitious. Center City and University City alone house nearly a third of the city’s college-educated young professionals.
That’s the talent pool you’re fishing in.
“Philadelphia offers something unique in the executive search landscape. You have proximity to Wharton’s extraordinary talent pipeline combined with a cost of living that allows compensation packages to stretch further than in New York or San Francisco.”
— Jim Hickey, Perpetual Talent Solutions
What Actually Moves the Needle
Money matters. Obviously. But Wharton MBAs looking at executive roles are evaluating a lot more than the comp package. They’re doing reverse due diligence—researching your company’s culture, your leadership development track record, whether your values actually align with theirs or just sound good in a press release.
The things that consistently come up: performance-based incentives that tie their success to the company’s success, clear pathways to the C-suite with real timelines (not vague promises), genuine ESG integration that shows up in strategy and executive metrics, flexibility that doesn’t derail their career trajectory, and access to strategic decision-making. They want a seat at the table. Board visibility. The chance to actually shape things.
Here’s a number that puts it in perspective: according to the 2024/2025 Energy Compensation Report, about 85% of an energy executive’s total compensation comes from incentive-based awards. The structure of those incentives isn’t just a detail. It’s often the deciding factor.
“The most successful placements we’ve facilitated share a common thread: companies that articulate a compelling vision for growth and demonstrate how the executive role directly contributes to that trajectory. Wharton graduates want to build something meaningful, not simply manage existing operations.”
— Jim Hickey, Perpetual Talent Solutions
The Competition Is Real
Nearly 47% of Wharton’s Class of 2024 took jobs in the Northeast. That sounds like good news for Philadelphia employers—and it is, sort of. But it also means everyone else in the region is fishing from the same pond.
The Bureau of Labor Statistics puts the Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington metro area at 3,116,400 total nonfarm jobs as of March 2025, with education and health services leading the growth. For energy companies headquartered here—PECO serves 1.7 million electric customers, for instance—the opportunity is obvious. So is the challenge: you’re not just competing with other energy companies. You’re competing with financial services firms, consulting giants, and tech companies that have been recruiting from Wharton for decades.
“Energy companies must differentiate themselves in the campus recruiting process. The sector offers something increasingly attractive to today’s MBA candidates: the opportunity to lead transformational change in how we power society. That narrative, when combined with competitive compensation, resonates powerfully with Wharton’s mission-oriented graduates.”
— Jim Hickey, Perpetual Talent Solutions
How to Actually Win
If you’re serious about landing Wharton talent for Philadelphia-based executive roles, here’s what works: benchmark your compensation against both regional competitors and national energy sector standards—because candidates are doing exactly that. Build equity participation programs that create real long-term alignment. Map out succession pathways with actual timelines, not corporate hand-waving. Lead with your sustainability story and clean energy transition strategy—this generation cares about that stuff. And start building relationships with Wharton’s career services long before you need to hire anyone.
The competition for this caliber of talent isn’t going away. If anything, it’s intensifying. But Philadelphia-area energy companies have real advantages if they know how to use them: proximity to an incredible talent pipeline, a cost of living that makes packages more competitive, and a chance to offer something the big consulting firms can’t—the opportunity to actually transform an industry.
That’s a story worth telling. You just have to tell it well.
