Perceptions of MBA Degrees From For-Profit Universities: Evidence From a Survey Experiment

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Abstract

This paper explores public perceptions regarding the labor market value of graduate-level credentials from for-profit institutions. As part of a survey experiment, nearly 600 respondents compared two hypothetical job candidates. In each case, one candidate had an MBA degree from a for-profit institution and the other had one of three alternative educational backgrounds: MBA from a primarily online nonprofit institution, MBA from a regional institution, or no master’s degree. Findings indicate that only about half of respondents (56%) viewed MBA recipients from for-profit institutions as better-qualified than job candidates without master’s degrees. Additional evidence suggests that individuals over 30 and members of underrepresented racially minoritized groups perceive for-profit MBAs less favorably than their counterparts.

Author

• Christopher Bennett, U.S. Department of Education