An MBA degree from the Stanford University Graduate School of Business (GSB) offers the highest financial returns nationwide, according to a report from Forbes.
The report found that GSB graduates typically see a 5-year MBA gain of $99,700, a value that represents the return on degree investment five years after graduation.
The financial returns at the University of Chicago’s Booth School of Business and Harvard University are $92,600 and $79,600, respectively. Forbes calculated these numbers by taking into account graduates’ earnings five years after graduation and opportunity costs, including tuition costs and potential salary lost, foregone in pursuit of the MBA.
GSB alumni now earn an average of $221,000 five years after graduation, compared to $205,000 two years ago. Forbes also said that typical GSB students already earn an average of $80,000 per year by the time they enroll.
According to Forbes, Stanford’s business school acts as “a feeder program to coveted employment spots like consultancies Bain, Boston Consulting Group and McKinsey, as well as tech giants Apple and Google.” Forbes also notes that the GSB is the most selective business school in the U.S., accepting only seven percent of applicants.