Bachelor's Degree Salaries

• The average starting salary for graduates with a bachelor's degree in any field was $50,034 in 2011 according to the National Association of Colleges and Employers, or NACE. Students with an undergraduate degree in finance earned an average starting salary of $50,535 in 2011.
  
  

MBA Earnings Increase

• Graduates with an MBA from a top 10 school experienced a 56 percent earnings increase after graduation relative to their pre-MBA salary according to a 2007 article in Business Education. This resulted in an earnings increase of $34,500 on average, with an average MBA starting salary of $96,420. Based on the average starting salary for finance undergrads of $50,535, a 56 percent earnings increase would result in a post-MBA salary of approximately $78,835.
  
  Business Education also reports that MBA graduates from non-top 10 schools enjoyed an average salary increase of 54 percent, or $28,100.
  
  

The Experience Factor

• The exact impact of an MBA on salary can be difficult to determine, due to the fact that many people work for several after completing an undergraduate degree and prior to starting an MBA program. Research completed in 2005 at the University of Central Florida indicates that employees with a bachelor's degree in finance who immediately pursue an MBA program after graduation earn only about 15 percent more after completing the MBA. Students who work for two years prior to pursuing an MBA enjoy an earnings increase of 26 percent compared to pre-MBA earnings.
  
  

MBA Salaries

• According to a 2011 salary survey by the Graduate Management Admissions Council, or GMAC, MBA graduates earned a median salary of $94,500. This figure reflects salaries for all MBAs, including new graduates and those who graduated in previous years. The median starting salary for new MBA grads in 2010 was $78,820. This figure includes only MBA students who graduated in 2010. According to the GMAC, finance represents the most common industry for new MBA graduates.