| If you are like thousands of other students out | | | | established MBA program that is highly respected |
| there, you are considering getting your MBA or | | | | as opposed to graduating from a school that has |
| Masters in Business Administration. While we all | | | | just started an MBA program. |
| have our own unique motivations for getting the | | | | As many of you know, the real world is less |
| degree of our choice, the amount of money we'll | | | | about what you know and more about who you |
| be making with our degrees is usually of | | | | know. Our professors try to hammer into our |
| paramount importance. However, not everyone | | | | heads how important it is to network while we're |
| who earns an MBA can be expected to earn the | | | | in school and when you look at the influence |
| maximum amount of money available for a | | | | networking has on MBA earning potential, you'll |
| number of reasons, such as the amount of | | | | see why. Many times, things like our resumes, |
| prestige attached to a particular school's MBA | | | | where we graduated in our class and the grades |
| program, the type of connections you have once | | | | we received on our final exams mean very little if |
| you graduate and the type of business you | | | | you know someone who can start your career |
| pursue once you have your degree. Let's take a | | | | off on the right foot. Perhaps more than any |
| look at how all three of these variables influence | | | | other single factor, who you know can determine |
| what you can make with your MBA degree. | | | | how much you will make right out of school with |
| According to recent statistics, it really is worth | | | | your MBA. |
| staying in school to get your MBA. Starting salary | | | | Finally, not all types of companies give the same |
| numbers jump significantly when you have your | | | | kind of rewards. Just like social work tends to be |
| MBA from approximately $56,000 a year to | | | | the lowest earning degree one can get, if you |
| $76,000 a year. When you extrapolate that five | | | | affiliate yourself with a law firm or another |
| years into the future, the earning gap is even | | | | business that rakes in the cash, you will likely find |
| larger, with most MBA students earning well over | | | | significantly higher earning numbers over the life |
| $100,000. There are a number of things that can | | | | of your degree. The question that many of us |
| influence that earning potential, however. | | | | have to ask at one time or another is how happy |
| Almost every major university in North America | | | | you'll be working at the job your MBA earns you. |
| has an MBA program, but not all MBAs are | | | | Will the extra cash bring you genuine happiness or |
| created equally. Just as there are some schools | | | | will working at a job that helps to make the world |
| that specialize in microbiology and others that | | | | a better place be a more significant reward? |
| churn out exceptional surgeons, some schools are | | | | Earning potential with your MBA is a major |
| better known for having solid MBA programs. You | | | | concern that almost every student has, however, |
| can significantly increase your earning potential by | | | | putting a price on happiness is something that no |
| graduating from a school like Harvard that has an | | | | one can do. |