AI skills rank above MBAs for US finance employers, PwC survey finds

A survey of more than 1,000 executives at US financial services companies, conducted by consulting firm PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC), suggests that new hires’ ability to work with AI tools matters more to businesses than an MBA. Bloomberg reported that the prestigious degree, which signals management and strategy skills, has been overshadowed by practical AI expertise.

The survey also found that 91% of respondents had given pay raises to employees with AI skills. The article says the question of whether an MBA is worth the cost has long been debated, especially as total tuition approaches $300,000. Future students, it notes, are increasingly weighing the return on such a large investment.

In response, top US business schools now offer shorter, cheaper AI certificate courses for executives. For example, a five-day MIT course called “Managing the Organization in the Age of AI” costs about $13,000. Previously, reports said MBA tuition in the US had started falling, in some cases by as much as 50%, as AI changes the value of the degree and application numbers drop. Mid-tier schools are cutting prices and easing admissions, while top-20 universities hold or raise their fees.