As far as investments go, business school is an unimpeachable bet for young professionals who can muster $100,000. MBAs, who are typically in their early 30s and have already spent a few years in the workforce, saw their salaries triple within eight years of graduation. They also report consistently high levels of job satisfaction and career growth, according to a survey of thousands of alumni conducted by Bloomberg Businessweek as part of the magazine’s annual ranking of business schools. But that general contentment hides a troubling divide: Within a few years of graduation, women with MBAs earn lower salaries, manage fewer people, and are less pleased with their progress than men with the same degree.
Each year, we rank business schools by polling students on topics such as academics, career services, and campus climate. We also ask employers about skills they seek in MBA hires and which schools best prepare their graduates. This year, for the first time, we surveyed alumni who graduated six to eight years ago, asking them how well their degrees had delivered on the promise of a fulfilling, well-paid job. The 12,773 responses we collected offer a wealth of salary information and other data on MBAs working in a variety of industries.
