Degrees of Success

When John Wiest was enrolled in Florida Gulf Coast University's executive MBA program, he often rose before the sun did. "Some mornings I got up at 3 a.m. so I could study and still be a dad and husband when my family got up," he recalls.

Wiest, now 45, graduated from Maryland's Frostburg State University in 1984 with a dual degree in business administration and accounting. He then became a CPA. Weist headed up finance divisions of healthcare organizations, where his job responsibilities increased over the years. But he knew a master's in business administration could take him even further.

"I'd wanted to get my MBA for quite a while, but most of the programs were out of town, which really didn't fit into my lifestyle," he says. When FGCU launched its executive MBA program, Wiest signed up. He attended classes every other Friday and Saturday from 1998 to 1999, earning his degree while working full-time for NCH Healthcare System. He has been the chief financial and institutional services officer for Lee Memorial Health System since 2000.

The degree, however, didn't necessarily help him land his current job or boost his salary.

"In my line of work, an employer is looking for either a CPA or an MBA," he says, "but it was worth it. It helped me to think a lot more critically, and the classmates I had really challenged me to raise the bar for myself."

An MBA doesn't guarantee a corner office and a big paycheck, but for a candidate with realistic expectations and goals, the time and financial sacrifices can pay off. Having those three little letters on your CV can give you a big professional edge.

According to the 2007 Graduate Management Admission Council (GMAC) Corporate Recruiters Survey Report, recruiters plan to offer annual base salaries to candidates with graduate business degrees that are 28 percent higher than those with other graduate degrees and 84 percent higher than to people with only an undergraduate education.