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The MBA salary gap increases
There is a growing salary differential between MBAs and non-MBAs in job markets around the world, as employers battle to recruit the best young business school talent.
Results of a survey of 489 international MBA employers, featured in the QS TopMBA.com International Recruitment Survey and Salary Report 2007, reveal that, compared to the previous year, MBA salaries have increased more rapidly than salaries for non-MBAs with four years work experience, and this is true across most major industry sectors and geographies.
Comparing MBA salaries by level of higher education
The QS TopMBA.com Report confirms that the MBA represents the highest paid postgraduate qualification worldwide, across all major industry sectors. Table 1 compares average reported salaries at each level of qualification for major industry sectors, taking an average of EU and North American salaries.
Table 1: 2007 average Salaries in EU and North America, by level of higher education (US$)
| 4 yrs Exp (no masters) | Masters | PhD | MBA | |
| Aerospace / Defence | 62,500 | 70,000 | 97,500 | 85,000 |
| Consulting / Prof. Services | 72,129 | 65,121 | 77,415 | 99,154 |
| Energy | 64,351 | 65,074 | 70,761 | 83,100 |
| Financial Services / Banking | 66,231 | 62,937 | 73,002 | 93,515 |
| FMCG | 66,528 | 45,286 | 52,710 | 87,329 |
| Manufact. / Automotive | 64,447 | 60,716 | 70,466 | 86,988 |
| Media / Entertainment | 53,637 | 46,927 | 63,745 | 97,295 |
| Pharma. / Healthcare | 68,182 | 71,287 | 72,346 | 89,671 |
| Public Sector / Non-profit | 66,478 | 66,478 | 73,188 | 82,398 |
| Retail | 56,326 | 63,541 | 72,388 | 79,833 |
| Telecoms / High Tech. | 57,500 | 72,500 | 75,000 | 82,500 |
| Transportation | 50,805 | 50,967 | 53,933 | 88,750 |
