Professional school grads from diverse classes get higher salaries

A new study of nearly 350 business and law schools found that graduates from more diverse cohorts tended to earn higher starting salaries.

The researchers looked at decades of data and found a positive link between peer-group diversity and early career pay.

The findings add measurable evidence that diversity can improve outcomes, even as its benefits remain debated and hard to quantify.

The results could influence legal and policy arguments around affirmative action, DEI, and equity programs, especially after the Supreme Court ruling.