The recent recession has re-ordered our national fixation about name brands. In some circles, high-wire fashionistas are hitting all the best parties dressed in off-the-rack knock offs and accessorizing it all with a wink. But when it comes to some arenas, those top-shelf names seem to still carry weight – like the pedigree of your MBA.

Recently BusinessWeek partnered with PayScale, an established salary tracking company, to get a picture of the current earning power from BusinessWeek’s list of the top 30 business schools in the US. Factors considered in their findings reflect the current earnings of full-time, part, time and on-line graduates from these institutions.

The business schools represented in the study have not universally embraced the information represented in the BusinessWeek/PayScale report. An official from Indiana University’s Kelly School of Business is quick to point out that PayScale factored in too much data from part-time students and accounting majors. Another big-time MBA program, the Marriott School of Management at Brigham Young University, weighed in on the BusinessWeek/PayScale report, calling it ‘unrecognizable’.

However, experts outside the academic community acknowledge the BusinessWeek/PayScale report is an interesting barometer of the salary spread for graduating MBAs. It also illuminates a long-held suspicion: an MBA from a top-tier b-school may very well be worth the extra cost in light of the career doors it opens. However, for those who don’t have the GRE scores or bank accounts to make a Harvard or Stamford business school degree a reality, don’t give up on that MBA. If you’re considering enrolling in a graduate business program, maybe its time to start thinking beyond the classic MBA box. Instead of looking at the degree as a one-way ticket to a job with a hedge fund, think of it instead as a gateway to a broad spectrum of career choices and salaries.

Business school graduates are in demand all across the board – from financial and lending institutions, investment banks and real estate development companies, to industries like fashion, communications, entertainment and the not-for-profit sector. If you are considering getting your MBA, do your research. Find out how long it takes the average full-time and part-time student to earn their degree. Explore any e-Learning options that may make scheduling classes around your other commitments easier. Ask if the schools have mentoring programs, where you can get hands-on experience along with your classroom studies.

Yes, an MBA can be an important asset in building your career and financial future. Make sure you invest the time in finding a program that is right for you – and will put you on track for your long-term goals.