Benefits of a Graduate Business Degree: Students' Perspectives and Universities' Challenges

A questionnaire was used to investigate graduate business students (1,499) from seven colleges and universities in Northeastern Ohio. The study: (a) identified potential degree benefits, (b) examined relationships between the degree and the degree benefits, (c) tested relationships between the school's size/type and degree benefits, and (d) examined relationships between demographics and degree benefits. Five of the twelve benefits that influenced students' decisions were research and analytical skills, competitive advantage, monetary reward, career advancement, and job enrichment. Moreover, the degree, the school's size/type, and demographics influenced students' decisions to get a graduate degree.