Does an MBA matter in the real business world?

With the average salary of business school graduates now topping $82,000, and some elite schools boasting average graduate salaries well into the $100k range, it may seem that getting a Masterís Degree in Business Administration is the ticket to financial security. But does having an MBA really impact your success in the business world? According to a survey conducted by TheLadders.com, the worldís leading $100,000 job website, 57% of executives said the degree is valuable, but not essential.

A total of 1,521 executives in the $100k job market responded to the survey, which asked: How would you rate the value of an MBA in your business? While the 57% majority characterized a business school diploma as ìa nice addition, but not necessary,î 26% said it was ìvery importantî to have the degree. Only 17% said it was altogether ìunimportantî to have an MBA in the current business climate.

ìAn MBA can be a fantastic credential for executives; itís not just a diploma, itís an entire network of shared experiences and overcome challenges,î explained TheLadders.com founder and president, Marc Cenedella. ìBut no degree can guarantee success ëin the arenaí. Itís important for executives to focus on how an MBA enables job success, not just cocktail party bragging rights. A diploma on the office wall doesnít mean youíll reach the penthouse.î

The survey of registered $100k executives was conducted on TheLadders.com Web site from February 16, 2005 through February 24, 2005. The margin of error is 2.6%.

Now reaching over 270,000 readers and featuring over 17,000 new $100k job listings each month, TheLadders.com is the largest online job search service catering exclusively to the $100k market. Marc Cenedella founded TheLadders.com in July 2003 after a tenure as Senior Vice President, Finance & Operations, at HotJobs.com, ultimately shepherding that companyís sale to Yahoo, Inc. (NASD: YHOO) in 2002. In May 2004 he was named Entrepreneur of the Year by award-winning marketing newsletter, MarketingSherpa, which cited TheLadders.comís unique business model as a key to its sustained growth.