(WINSTON-SALEM) --  The full-time MBA program at the Wake Forest University Schools of Business ranks among the top 50 in the U.S., according to the Financial Times of London. Overall, Wake Forest ranked number 43 in the nation this year.

The ranking looks at salary increase for graduates, job placement and return on investment.  Wake Forest’s MBA class of 2008 reported a 127 percent salary increase over pre-MBA wages, moving the School up six positions to number 7 in the nation in the category of alumni salary increase.

Wake Forest ranked number 15 in the nation for employment with 91 percent of full-time MBA graduates securing positions within three months of completing the program. The Financial Times ranked Wake Forest number 18 nationally for return on the tuition investment.

“It is our goal for every Wake Forest Schools of Business student to have a job upon graduation that provides not only a paycheck, but personal fulfillment,” said Steve Reinemund, Dean of Business and retired chairman and CEO of PepsiCo. “The faculty and staff should be commended for their efforts in helping students discover their vocational passions and connecting with them opportunities that match their interests.”

The rankings are based on data collected from two main sources, alumni and business schools. Graduates receive the Financial Times surveys three years after they have completed the degree to assess the effect of the MBA on their subsequent career progression and salary growth.