MBA salaries seen twice as much as pre-degree salary: GMAC survey

Graduates who received early job offers reported significantly higher levels of development in many skill areas as well

Students graduating from MBA and masters-level business and management programmes highly value their education and are landing jobs at salaries nearly twice their pre-degree salary (on average), according to a Graduate Management Admission Council (GMAC) survey report .

Of the 3,000-plus graduate B-school students in this year's class who responded to the 2015 GMAC Global Management Education Graduate Survey (GMEGS), 9 in 10 (90%) rated the value of their degree as a good to outstanding value and 88% would recommend their programme to others considering a graduate business degree.

Many factors influence students' perceptions of the overall value and return on investment of their education, most notably program structure, curriculum, and faculty. In addition, skill development, including the incorporation of integrated reasoning skills into their curriculum, also influences students' likelihood to recommend their programme.

The survey said that graduates who received early job offers reported significantly higher levels of development in the following skill areas: managing human capital, knowledge of general business functions, and interpersonal orientation (i.e., working well with others).

It further said that the Class of 2015 graduates feel their graduate management education succeeded in increasing their employability. A majority of the soon-to-be-graduates surveyed in February and March of 2015 agreed that their degree improved their chances of finding a job that meets their expectations (86%). It added that this provided them with a competitive advantage in the job market (85%) and prepared them to meet the challenges of the job market (85%).

Overall, one-third (33%) of recent B-school graduates plan to continue working for their current employer after graduation and expect significant post-degree job benefits as a result of earning their degrees including: salary increases (47%), increased job responsibilities (46%), and promotions (39%).